"We chat under the canopy and enjoy the sunset as the kids race their bikes around the yard."

-Homeowner
Santa Rosa

Challenge: revise a sloping site to create play areas

A young professional couple wanted play areas for their active children and a secluded sitting area for themselves. This home near Brush Creek in Santa Rosa is on a slope so Vice Landscape created a flat back yard for a jungle gym play area which is covered with resilient playground material.

Bike path and jungle gym

The yard is now ringed by a curving bike path which climbs the gentle terraces and passes the canopied sitting area. The terraces are held in place with reinforced concrete retaining walls and the look is softened by a veneer of cultured stone placed by hand over the cinder block to create a natural look.

Illumination for night lighting and electric service for dining area

Conduit was run at the base of the retaining wall during construction so the owners could have soft landscape illumination and flattering party lights.

Flagstone patio and paths encircle the property

A 3-inch concrete sub-base makes the flagstone patio and path solid and stable. The concrete sub-base also eliminates unsightly grass outcrops between the hand-set stones. Casual seating is created by the stone stairs and low walls which are set off by plantings of low-water native grasses and plants with coloful foliage.