Weeds to Wonders - Backyard Transformation

This project brings us to the heart of Brampton for a new home build. The customer moved to their property three years prior and struggled to get anything to grow or use the space. As with most new home builds the quality of soil is poor due to a lack of organic material and high compaction caused by heavy equipment. Compaction is commonly overlooked by most new gardeners when determining why their planting failed. Highly compact soils reduce the likelihood of water infiltration to the root which in turn impacts water and nutrient collection.

To address this concern and make more useable space, we started the project by importing 20 yards of triple mix to provide organic material with proper water drainage. Once this was done, we utilized a tiller to work the organic material deep into the ground, especially where the new garden beds were going. Organic material has poor compaction and is notorious for uneven settlement. Taking this into account, we used water and time to let the soil settle naturally for a week before installing the new sod. Once the sod was installed and established, we started the planting. The design was provided by the customer for this project. It contained components of a modern appeal with lots of symmetry and grouping but with a curved edge and staggered spacing, the garden was able to flow from one section to the next providing a natural feel. The customer wanted to achieve height in their design for added privacy. To accomplish this, we recommend columnar growing trees, Columnar Blue Spruce, Pyramidal English Oak, Emerald Cedars, and Columnar Crabapples. Notably, this was my first time working with Columnar Crabapples, but I plan on using this variety in future projects as they can be utilized in tight spaces for privacy and still add bright blooms in the spring for that vibrant colour.

Overall, our team was able to help this customer create their dream backyard by making it a naturally vibrant space with a large lawn to use during the summer months. If you want to see a 7-day time-lapse of this project, check out our YouTube channel @LandscapeDirect