Asheville Landscaping: Retaining Wall Construction

We have been working on a concrete retaining wall in Asheville, Nc this week. It has been an interesting job due to the site conditions. With the temperatures ranging from 20-70 degrees, each day is very different. We build retaining walls of all sorts in the North Carolina mountains, dry stacked stone, concrete, segmented block walls and boulder walls. But the site conditions can make or break you on any job. Winter work in the mountains will always throw you a curve ball. Being prepared is the key! Prepared with the proper clothing and tools, but also prepared to face the changes on the job due to weather. 

Although this site was rather difficult, due to the fact that the wall was to be built over a culvert pipe, every job site will have its specific difficulties. Learning to foresee these issues is crucial in the development of your landscape business. We found on this job that the creek and the cold weather wasn't the biggest issue. The underground springs in the meadow above the construction site were. The footers for this wall were full of water each day and the soil was falling in. We were constantly fighting erosion. 





We approached the situation with calmness and confidence, knowing we can produce a good product no matter the conditions. So we focused on proper construction techniques, as well as staying safe and dry in such muddy conditions. We might have over built the wall a little, but better safe then sorry.

This retaining wall was built to give our clients access to their property and future home site. Raising the level of the driveway over the culvert pipe, with the construction of the concrete retaining walls, allows them to bring in heavy trucks without compromising the integrity of the pipe. 

The wall will be veneered with natural stone as a finish.

We enjoy the opportunity to build walls in Asheville, especially in the winter when other types of landscaping slows down. So no matter the weather we are thankful for the work.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding retaining walls, stone work, landscaping and, of course, water feature construction in Asheville and the surrounding area. 
We would be happy to answer any questions and we give free local estimates.

Jacob

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017

Asheville Landscaping: Wolf Laurel Project

Here are some pics from our project in Wolf Laurel.
This was a fun project with lots of stone and a little water. One of my favorite projects this year.

The goal of this project was to create an entertainment area in the front yard of our clients house. We started off by installing a boulder retaining wall to support a flagstone patio. 

Both the wall and the patio came out great! 

We installed the patio using dry laid stone practices. This means there is no concrete or mortar in the construction. The patio stones are set on a bed of 3/4 inch compacted gravel with a screed of 3/8 inch crushed stone for leveling. This allows the patio to move a little when the ground freezes and thaws. The gravel under the patio also allows for great drainage. 

When we were designing the yard, we talked about adding a water feature of some sort. I suggested that we put a pondless waterfall flowing right into the patio, and our clients loved the idea. Adding water into your yard is a great way to create a welcoming feel to your landscape. The pondless waterfall is easy maintenance and adds a great value to your yard.

We also installed two stone stairways to access the patio and the front entryway. Both stairways were dry laid using large stone slabs. Difficult to install but beautiful as an end result.

We also installed a full low voltage LED landscape and aquatic lighting system into this project. 
This was avery fun project to work on and we are very thankful to our clients for letting us re-work their front yard for them.

Give Us a call for a free estimate on your landscaping project!

Jacob

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017

Asheville Landscaping: Custom Fountain

We were contacted by our client to design a custom fountain for the center of their circular paver driveway in Asheville, NC. We came up with a custom design for a circular fountain that would give a 360 degree view. The fountain was constructed using large Tennessee Boulders set in a circle on a pondless reservoir. The pondless fountain will allow our client to turn the feature off and on as the please. Pondless fountains are nearly maintenance free, and do not require the pump to run constantly, like a feature with a pond would. 


We started of by lining the system with a 45 mil EPDM rubber liner. We then ran the plumbing to a center diffuser and started setting boulders.

We chose a 3600 gallon per hour submersible pump for this feature. The pump was set in a housing at the side of the feature. 

With all of the large boulders set, we detailed the top of the feature with waterfall rocks and capped it with decorative river rock. The pondless basin and pump housing were also covered with river rock.

We then landscaped the project area. This was a very fun build and our clients are very happy with the results.

Give us a call for a free estimate.

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017

Stone Stairs

In the middle of a fun landscape construction project in Wolf Laurel outside of Asheville, NC.

Natural stone stairs, pondless waterfall, boulder retaining walls, flagstone patios and a fire pit. Should keep us busy for a while!

Check back for more pictures and project updates.

Thanks,

Jacob

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017

Outdoor Fireplace: Asheville Stone Work

I got a call from a friend of mine who is a carpenter here in Asheville, NC. He was building a deck for one of his clients in Biltmore Park. His client asked him if he knew anyone who could build an outdoor fireplace on top of the deck. We were connected with the client and begin to design this unique feature. 
Building an outdoor fireplace on top of a deck 16 ft off the ground required some thoughtful engineering. We had to beef up the understructure of the decking to support the weight of the new feature. 

We worked closely with the carpenter and the client to finalize a design that would be both structurally sound and beautiful.


With the firebox and hearth all framed in, we started the rock work. We chose bull-nosed Kentucky Bluestone slabs for the hearth. This stone fit well with the grey Ledger stone we used for the rest of the feature.

We also decided to use the Bluestone for an arch feature over the firebox and for a 'Flower' design above the mantle.

Stone work in Asheville can be difficult due to the weather sometimes. For this project we had to cover the feature everyday around 2 pm due to thunderstorms. We actually created a full tarp covering for a couple days so we could continue working.

In addition to the basic structure, we added a gas log lighter into the firebox. This will allow our clients to easily start a fire or install a gas burning log feature in the future. The gas plumbing was installed by Goodman Plumbing. Very professional! 

Bluestone Hearth

 We are very thankful to our clients for letting us build this feature. We had a lot of fun! 
Also thankful to work with other local contractors. It makes our work feel like one big family!

Arch Construction

Finished Bluestone Arch and firebox

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017

Thanks!!

Asheville Landscaping: Pond Paradise

When we build ponds and waterfalls, we try to design a space where beauty and function meet peace and tranquility. We work hard to create gardens and spaces where our clients can relax and enjoy time with their family. We enjoy what we do, building long lasting landscapes, stone work and water features for our clients in Asheville, NC. Part of our joy is working with our clients, spending time with them in their yard and taking the time to hear their concerns and questions. 

As we move forward in this trade, we find a deeper respect for nature and our clients as we serve them in creating artistic gardens and landscapes.

Feel free to give us a call anytime for a free estimate.

Thanks,

Jacob

Living Waters Landscaping

828-301-8017