Gardens that belong on this hillside.
Stone terraces, fire courts and planting that lives on the rain we actually get. Designed and built by one crew out of Summerland.
How we work
We start with the slope, the sun and the soil you already have.
Most South Okanagan yards fight the valley: a lawn that browns by July, a slope held up by railway ties, a patio that bakes until nine at night.
We design the other way round. Retaining walls that turn a slope into rooms, planting that asks for water twice a month once it is established, and shade placed where the afternoon sun actually lands.
Recent work
Three yards, three problems solved
Terraces
A terraced slope on the Naramata Bench
A 1:3 slope of loose fill became three dry-stack terraces with a gravel path, lavender and a fruit tree on every level.
Built in six weeks. No lawn left to water.
Outdoor rooms
A fire court in Trout Creek
A sunken fieldstone court with a wood-burning pit, built into the bank so the wall holds the heat after dark.
Seats ten. Usable April to October.
Dry-climate planting
A front yard in Peachland, off the sprinklers
The lawn came out and a gravel garden of yucca, blue fescue, yarrow and rabbitbrush went in on a single drip zone.
Summer water use down by about two thirds.
Services
What we design and build
Every project starts with a paid site walk. The fee comes off the build.
Retaining walls and terraces
Dry-stack fieldstone, cut granite and gabion, engineered where the height needs it.
From $14,000
Fire courts and patios
Sunken courts, flagstone and permeable pavers laid on a compacted base that stays flat.
From $9,500
Dry-climate planting
Native bunchgrasses, sage, yarrow and fruit trees chosen for a garden that gets two waterings a month.
From $6,000
Drip irrigation and lighting
Zoned drip on a smart controller, and low-voltage lighting aimed at paths rather than neighbours.
From $3,200
Site walk and scaled plan
Two hours on site with the designer, then a drawn plan and a line-item budget.
$450
From the build
Stone, gravel and a lot of lavender
Process
From first walk to first summer
01
Site walk
We measure the slope, dig a test hole and watch where the sun sits at four in the afternoon.
02
Scaled plan
Drawn to scale within two weeks, with stone, planting, drip and lighting on one sheet.
03
Build
One crew, start to finish. You get a text at the end of every build day with photos.
04
First summer
We come back in July to tune the drip and replace anything that did not take, at no charge.
The slope we had written off is now where we eat dinner. They were honest about what the budget could do in year one, and the rest is booked for spring.
Maren and Tom
Naramata
The paperwork
Insured, registered and in writing
WorkSafeBC registered
Clearance letter sent with every quote.
$5M liability insurance
Certificate on request before we start.
Two-year hardscape warranty
Walls, patios and steps, in the contract.
Certified irrigation designer
Drip zones sized to the plants, not guessed.
Questions
Before you book a walk
Most full-yard builds land between $25,000 and $90,000. The site walk gives you a real number, and the build can be split over two or three seasons to spread the cost.
Spring builds fill by February. Site walks run all year, and autumn is the best time to plan for the following season.
No, but everything we plant is chosen to live on Okanagan rainfall once it is established, lawns included if you want one.
Summerland, Peachland, Penticton, Naramata and Trout Creek. Further afield for larger builds.
Walk the yard with us this season.
Bring the photos of the slope you gave up on. We bring a soil probe, a level and an honest first number.
Contact
Tell us about the yard
A photo or two of the space helps. We reply within one working day.