Case Study: The small yard. Exeter NH
Small and compact urban yards
From Retirees to Millennials in their 20s and 30s lots of people are trading off square footage for more convenience. Urban-like settings come with amenities within walking distance but often are accompanied with a much smaller yard. We believe that a small yard can be both useful and beautiful!
New Hampshire’s seacoast is dotted with villages that fit the bill, from Exeter to Portsmouth and up to Dover. Rows of old New Englander homes with their compact yards are ripe for complete landscaping redesigns that help turn often neglected areas into an outdoor extension of the home.
Downtown Exeter New Hampshire
Planning and Consultation
Our most recent excursion into the world of small yard/gardens brought us to Exeter, where a husband and wife were battling a permanently wet and unusable space. The homeowners used Pinterest to put together a mood board for us to draw inspiration from. It included everything from stones, patterns, plants to more atmospheric items like artwork. Follow us pinterest.com/rockcrestgardens
The main issues of this project were privacy, access and water runoff management. We conducted socially distanced client consultations on-site to formulate our game plan. The large Maple tree in the corner of the property provided shade throughout the day and became the main focal point of the design. Retaining the tree, providing shade loving plants and installing an underground water management system became our biggest goals. The shape and stone selection for the patio came shortly after.
Before photos from client consultation.
Let the work begin!
Excavation needed to be shallow to not disturb the root system of the Maple. While digging we also installed our water management system to bring runoff from the house to a dry well and gravel overflow area.
Coordination with the homeowner on the construction of a new deck that would lead down onto the patio was also planned. Measurements and logistics were important in getting this absolutely correct.
Silver Ridge Granite Flagging was chosen as the patio stone. The light coloring would help brighten the space and provide plenty of visual interest. Our friends at Stratham Hill Stone came through with the supplies! The owners decided to splurge on a higher end material, and with a small yard we find that it is often possible.
Plant Selection
We gave the clients a list of trees and shrubs that would thrive in their new shady yard. From there they were able to use our contact-less digital tagging system to choose the exact trees they wanted for the job. All this was done at our nursery at 119 Piscassic Road in Newfields NH. Unique and sculptural plants were chosen. A Weeping Helmock, Don Smith Hemlock and a one a kind 'Sango-Kako’ Coral Bark Japanese Maple! All are slow growing trees that will provide year round color for many years to come.
The Payoff!
Both Rock Crest Gardens and the clients couldn’t have been happier with the results. We took a dark and unable space and turned it into the backyard oasis the homeowners always dreamed of! Small yards and pocket gardens have unique sets of challenges we enjoy solving. If you like what you see and have a similar situation, please contact us. We’d love to work together on your #NHSmallYard!
