How Do I Address Hillside Erosion?
Water can cause a lot of damage. Any time you have a slope you have the potential for water and erosion issues, and it’s my job as a landscape designer to address identify and address these issues. There is no…
Category Virginia Landscape Design
Understanding Flagstone: Sawcut, Thermaled, and Chiseled Edges
You’ve decided to use flagstone in the landscape. Good call! You may not be done making decisions, however. If the stone will be used in an application where you see the edge of the piece (step treads, wall caps, etc)…
Virginia Deck Design Explained, Part 3: Decking and Railings
Ok, your framing is up and you have the solid foundation for a deck. Now you have choices – what decking to use, and what type of railings? Decking I break decking up into four categories: pressure treated, composite, exotic…
Virginia Deck Design Explained, Part 2: Posts, Beams and Joists
Last week I talked about the ledger board and the footers, the first steps in building your deck. Today I’ll cover the next steps. Posts The standard spec for a deck is for it to be supported by 6″x6″ pressure-treated…
3 Great Plants for Winter Color in the Virginia Landscape
Winter and I have a challenging relationship. I don’t love the way business slows down for a few months, I’m not a fan of the fact that it causes my construction jobs to take longer, and let’s be honest –…
Virginia Deck Design Explained, Part 1: Footers and Ledger Attachment
My name is Dave Marciniak, landscape designer and owner of Revolutionary Gardens, and I use jargon. I’m deeply sorry. However, the fact is that when it comes to building everything has a name. It’s easier to use the technical term…