APLD ~ APLD Members ~ Member of the Month

APLD Members ~ Member of the Month

Andy White
Featured Member, APLD Website, October 2006

Creating Comfortable Outdoor Living Areas

For as long as I can remember, I have been gardening and building things. About thirty years ago (long before the term “design / build” was popular), I decided to try to make a living by combining my interests in horticulture and construction, with my desire to work out-of-doors. I quickly gravitated to building outdoor living areas in a garden setting. Today, the design and development of outdoor living spaces and gardens in the mountains of Western North Carolina is the primary focus of my work. It is my firm belief that the best projects are designed and built by the same people, and for this reason, we only undertake projects in which we are both the designer and builder. Two award-winning projects involving the design and development of outdoor living areas and gardens are showcased here as representatives of our work. Many other examples of our work can be found on our website, www.waysidelandscape.com.

Slipher Residence

Background Information - This project involved four distinct phases over a five-year period. The house was just shy of two years old when the project began in late 1997. The grounds were originally “landscaped” during the first year (1996) by another contractor. This other contractor installed many plants without regard to proper design, soil conditions, drainage, or plant hardiness. The subdivision, which was originally a heavily wooded area, was in the early phases of development. The project house was the first to be built on its street, so much nearby construction was anticipated over the next few years. A popular walking / biking trail followed the rear property boundary.

Project Objective - The customer wanted to create privacy and a garden setting that provided year round interest and appeal for them and their visitors. They wanted to expand their outdoor living and recreation spaces. They wanted extensive plantings, proper drainage systems, automated irrigation systems, a basketball court, outdoor lighting, and a pet containment system.

Place cursor over image to view before and after
Place cursor over image to view before and after	Place cursor over image to view before and after

Manning Residence

Background Information – The project home had been recently built in a relatively new development at the time this project was initiated in 2002. It is located in the mountains of Western North Carolina (Zone 6). The house was situated on a “bench” that had been cut out of the steeply sloped, wooded lot. As is typical of many new homes, the driveway, walkways, drainage solutions, retention systems, gardens, outdoor living areas, etc., were deficient, or lacking. The owners are avid pet lovers, with two big dogs and several cats. The husband worked several summers during college for a reputable landscape contractor in Pennsylvania, so he was fairly knowledgeable about landscape construction and planting. The wife very much wanted a private sunning area.

Project Objective – The customer wanted to develop outdoor living areas and gardens on this relatively new home site. They wanted to increase privacy, hide unsightly utilities, improve pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow, solve drainage problems, and deal effectively with several steep slopes on the property. They wanted a hot tub, a sunning area, and some sort of storage area for yard and patio equipment. They wanted an automatic irrigation system and better lighting. They wanted their dogs to have room to run, but to be kept out of the planting beds.

Project Features

Multi-level deck complex, including pergola and hot tub
Upper and lower patio areas with stamped concrete surfaces
Extensive plantings throughout the property
River rock drainage swales; blanket and surface drains throughout
Custom board fence around HVAC units
Storage area under existing screened porch; accessed from lower patio
Enlarged, reconfigured, and repaved driveway
New stamped concrete pedestrian walkways, front and back
2 stone retaining walls (one at top of driveway with built-in lighting)
Mesa / Tensar retaining wall supporting / stabilizing new front walk
Invisible Fence system installed throughout planting beds and property perimeter to restrict and contain pets
Drip irrigation to all plants
Extensive low voltage outdoor lighting system with wireless remote control

Project Difficulties

The home’s septic tank and distribution lines were located in the immediate vicinity of the deck and lower patio, which are at the center of the outdoor living complex. Much care went into protecting the system and allowing for future maintenance. The lush plantings and hardscapes completely hide the septic system that lies beneath.
Gardening with pets (particularly big, adolescent dogs) is always a challenge, even with a good invisible fence system (which by the way does not keep out neighboring, or feral, animals). We would have been more adventuresome with our plant mix, especially with the annuals and perennials, if the pets had not been such a major factor to contend with. Our solution for adding seasonal color was the extensive use of decorative pots, baskets, and other containers.

	Place cursor over image to view before and after
Place cursor over image to view before and after

Andy White has been president of Wayside Landscape Services, Inc. in Asheville, NC since 1986. For six years prior to that he was co-owner of Earthscapes, Inc., a landscape company in Loveland, OH. Before that he worked briefly for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doing environmental impact studies along the Mississippi River. He earned a B.A. in zoology from Miami University in 1975, and a M.S. in ecology from the University of Tennessee in 1977. He is an award-winning landscape designer, a NC Registered Landscape Contractor, a NC Licensed General Building Contractor, a Certified member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), a Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) and a participating member of numerous industry organizations including LGMA of NC and PLANET. He and his company have been featured in numerous industry publications including American Nurseryman, Lawn and Landscape, ALCA Landscape Contractor News, Carolina Gardener, and ALCA Advantage. Andy has been writing a regular landscaping column for Builder / Architect Magazine for the past ten years. More information about Andy White and Wayside Landscape Services, Inc. is available at www.waysidelandscape.com.

Certified Members seeking to be profiled should send before and after photos with SHORT design intent statement to:

Bethany Dennis
APLD Communications Manager
Email: communications@apld.org
Phone: 717-238-9780

* PHOTOS SHOULD BE CLEAR COLOR PRINTS OR JPEG COMPRESSED FILES