Olympic Landscape, LLC

Mar 2011

Landscape Project Goals: Improve limited parking and turn around area. Utilize existing terrain and connect garden levels. Hide propane tank; work around extensive underground utilities. Water stream installation and functioning pond to highlight owners rock collection. Blend fruit trees and berries into landscape beds. Screen adjacent house. Outdoor garden lights and sprinkler systems. Add more color. Enhance existing mature plantings. These homeowners have a long, narrow lot with a serpentine driveway, winding through the front yard, ending in a limited parking and turn-around space. They live at the very end of a dead-end road above Poverty Bay in Federal Way. The yard had a few different disjointed levels, some mature plantings here and there, in isolated clumps. It also had one fine looking old apple tree. On the esthetics side, they wanted to add a garden water feature to display a rock collection and generally make the yard feel less like a random collection of small trees and large shrubs. It was clear from the start that a comprehensive landscape design plan was needed to sort through options. Measurements and pictures helped us design a concept. The plans addressed deficiencies and identified areas that could be improved. Topography and the narrow lot limited what could be done with the turn-around area near the front door, but we found a spot to add guest parking. The plan showed ways to enhance the mature landscaping shrubs and trees by adding textured and colorful companion plantings. The stream and garden pond displayed the owners rock collection and the plantings incorporated around this area were an added bonus. The stream and pond also became a connection to upper parking area and the lower landscaped area. Plantings were designed to screen the adjacent new house. This plan helped us to estimate the cost of landscaping. The Jonassons gave us input on the concept, and we fine-tuned our work. Final details were added, a proposal was signed, and the construction started shortly thereafter. After a few weeks, the Jonassons had a fine new approach to their home through a new front landscape, one that looked like it had been there many years. All in all, a fine new garden design built for this customer, and a landscape that fits the setting without being the least bit ordinary.

$67k

Federal Way, WA

Aug 2010

Landscape Project Goals: Gain the use of their steep backyard. Create an entertaining area with multiple uses. Provide secondary access to fruit trees and grape arbor. Install water feature. Provide color interest. Low maintenance landscaping. This home has a large but very steep back yard with a grand view of the Puyallup Valley and Mount Rainier. After the house was built, the owners were left with only enough space for a deck and a very small patch of lawn. Both came right to the edge of a steep bank. They had started to tame the wild and steep hillside by planting some fruit trees and installing a set of stairs but quickly realized they needed some help landscaping steep banks in order to complete their vision of an outdoor living forum terraced into the hillside. The goal was to provide them with a beautiful and stable area to both entertain and garden. We included natural cascading water features, a patio with retaining wall landscaping that doubles as seating, a new grape arbor and easier access to the fruit trees. Along with the wall large outcropping landscape rocks were placed to stabilize the slope. The entire project blended all of their requests into a wonderful area to retreat to for some solitude, garden or entertain with friends and family.

$53k

Puyallup, WA

Jun 2010

Landscape Project Goals: Create more street appeal. Easier maintenance. Improve entry walk. Improve access to mailbox. Provide landscape color interest. Preserve mountain & valley views. Install sprinkler system. This customer had just incurred the yearly cost to clean up the brush and ivy on his steep front yard hillside and knew it was time to fix the problem. He had always desired more street appeal and low maintenance landscaping. The underlying problem was that the property was never properly graded or prepared for plantings. Additionally, the drainfield in the front yard complicated the regrading process. A redesign of grades, lawn layout, and bermed bed contours helped to give purpose to the landscape. The design planned for color, function, ease, and an inviting entry to the front door. This hillside overlooking the Kent Valley was cleared, reshaped, and anchored with outcropping boulders. New plantings in bands of groundcover and low shrubs preserve the view. Flowering trees with smaller profiles replaced larger trees which had blocked the view to Mount Rainier. Plants with good leaf color intermix with flowering interest year round. Blooming surprises await the family as they stroll down stone steps to the mailbox at the bottom of the slope. This path gives access to areas that were previously unreachable and whether seen from underfoot or the street below it has become one of the landscapes finest features!

$75k

Kent, WA

May 2010

Landscape Project Goals: Replace lawn defeated by evergreen trees and dry shade. Add deck for overlook into lower yard. Space for greenhouse and garden. Improve access to detached garage at base of hill. Better connect outdoor entertaining areas. Stream and pond; use this to connect the two-level backyard. Lights and sprinklers. Add more color using shade-tolerant plantings. A fresh new look. Landscape Design/Build Process and Results: The Hales were customers from some many years ago, when we did landscape design and construction at their Lakewood home. At that time, we added a patio deck for a new hot tub, enhanced the plantings, and installed a sprinkler system and exterior lighting features. In the intervening 20 years, their family had matured and their use of the yard had changed. They wanted to add a small waterfall and pond with a stream. They had grown weary of landscaping a shady yard which was becoming increasingly shady. The yard had nice flow but the outdoor spaces had a disjointed feel and needed improvement. This landscape, situated as it was in a shady canyon, needed more color. Mr. Hale had taken up golf in a big way, so golf greens including a sand trap and putting green became a priority. A space with a greenhouse and raised beds for vegetable and herb gardening was desired. We agreed that we needed to develop conceptual landscape plans to define our thinking. We started by talking measurements and pictures. Some plants and groups of plants were important and were to be saved or transplanted. Topography and slopes were important to the landscape design process, as was saving the one sunny space for gardening. The concept showed the new layout with connected outdoor living spaces, quality artificial golf greens, the garden water feature and canyon overlook-deck. A new path and steps made access to the detached garage easy, and the greenhouse and garden area laid out nicely in the sunny area. The proposed plantings added color and texture. This plan helped us to estimate the cost of landscaping work. After the concept was finished, we got input from the Hales and made changes and finalized the plans. Final details were worked through, a contract was signed and the work scheduled. It took about a month to complete the installation. This was an exciting project and gave Walter and Karen a totally new yard - like adding a room or two!

$192k

Lakewood, WA

Nov 2009

Landscape Project Goals: Regain the enjoyment of their landscape. Improve access from homes upper to lower level. Reduce hazards in the steep climb to/from the beach. Create raised garden beds for herbs and veggies. Provide color interest. Preserve views. Easier to maintain. Install sprinklers. Landscape Design/Build Process and Results: This Day Island home overlooking the Tacoma Narrows offered beautiful water views and glorious sunsets. A recent remodel provided comfortable styling and gracious living. The grace needed to be carried into the overgrown landscape. The owners missed the joy of gardening as the backyard fell into disuse and there was very little connection from the upper living area to the lower backyard. The climb down to the beach was difficult. The goal focused on creation of an enjoyable space, easier maintenance, and flowing transitions between the three main levels of living area, backyard, and beach. As with all landscape revisions the site work, clean up, and shaping is foundational to the overall success of the project. In this case, the cleanup revealed unknown grades, massive rocks, and opened up possibilities. One such rock was planned to be the pivotal accent for the new path to the beach. To keep the step risers a comfortable height the walkway lengthened and curved from the backyard patio down to the beach. Colored stamped concrete was chosen as the paving, replacing brick and timbers, to increase safe footing and reduce maintenance. It beautifully ties a warm ribbon of color from one level to the next. The old brick was cleaned and used to build raised masonry garden beds, creating an easy height for tending plants and angled to optimize the sun and living spaces. Another sweep of steps transitions up to the side yard just off the kitchen to form a small patio with room for a woodfired pizza oven and table grouping. The entire project pulled all the elements together to form a place of relaxation and peaceful views at every level!

$62k

Tacoma, WA

Aug 2008

Landscape Project Goals: Remove old pool and convert area to an outdoor living area. Build patio, shelter with provisions for fireplace and kitchen. Create waterfall and pond. Install lights and sprinklers. New deck. New entry walk. New access to lower yard/basement. Invent a fresh new look. Amber's home in Auburn, WA was a remodeled delight, but the yard needed some major transformation. A 70's swimming pool had to be removed and in its place would be a new patio design and outdoor room with fireplace and kitchen. She also wanted a waterfall/pond in that area. Her deck needed to be replaced and it was essential to redo the entry into her house and the access down to her lower yard and basement entry. The overall appearance required updating and she wanted garden sprinklers added to take care of the watering and outdoor lighting to display the landscape and entry. When we met with Amber to discuss her needs, it became apparent that a landscape design was the best, next step to take. Measurements, a list of existing plants to relocate, water pressure and notes of requirements and possible sites for the various functions of the landscape were taken. First, a Conceptual Plan was completed detailing the landscape design ideas which showed the new layout of the yard, including the outdoor living space, hardscape and entry ideas, special focal points and a general lawn and planting area layout. After presenting this plan, along with some budgets for the various phases, it was back to the drawing board to make some changes and finalize the drawing. With the details worked out and contracts signed, the work was scheduled and completed within a month and a half. What fun! Amber now has what she envisioned and we had the pleasure of installing this beautiful and functional landscape, adding to Olympic Landscape's ever growing list of very satisfied customers in Auburn, WA.

$224k

Auburn, WA

Mar 2008

Permit Number: BFL08-0027 Permit Type: BACKFLOW PLUMBING Permit Description: DCVA >2' COOK RESIDENCE 1' BACKFLOW

Auburn, WA

Oct 2007

Permit Number: 615144 Permit Type: Building (Residential) Permit Description: CONSTRUCT DECK ADDITION

Gig Harbor, WA

Oct 2007

Permit Number: 615147 Permit Type: Residential Site Development Permit Description: REVIEW SITE DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION FOR BPRS #615144

Gig Harbor, WA