Hardscape Solutions: Brick by brick

Location: Lakewood, Texas 

Company: Lawns of Dallas

The homeowners reached out to Lawns of Dallas to help mesh the look of their front landscape with the aesthetic of their house.

Madison Gardner, president of Lawns of Dallas, says the client wanted the retaining wall to look as if contractors installed it at the same time as the house. To meet that request, Lawns of Dallas ordered brick and custom stained it to match the preexisting brick on the house.

“We built up the landscape with the retaining wall on top to match the size of the house, given that it has higher windows and is just a tall house,” Gardner says. “So, we built the retaining wall to lift up the landscape so that it met the house at the height the client wanted.”

The property also features artificial turf, which Lawns of Dallas installed, in the backyard. Gardner says artificial turf is a popular choice in the Dallas area for reasons including sudden downpours and hot summers.

“We get a lot of sudden thunderstorms in Texas,” he says. “With proper drainage underneath, it gets dry pretty quickly after it rains. (Artificial turf is) not dirty and muddy; you don’t have to worry about the grass dying or the dogs trampling on the grass.”

Gardner’s team also installed an outdoor living space, which the clients requested as an extension of their living room, with a spot for a grill and fireplace.

This project won Lawns of Dallas a Silver Award from the 2021 National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program.

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

Lawns of Dallas President Madison Gardner says the homeowners wanted the landscape to gradually work up to meet the house at a higher level than it did before. 

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

Lawns of Dallas installed a retaining wall with brick meant to match the brick that lines the house.

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

Gardner says the clients requested vines and lattice on the house’s exterior to create an aged look.

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

The homeowner called upon Lawns of Dallas to tie design elements from the house into the landscape. 

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

The homeowners also wanted the look of the brick from the front of the house to also appear in the backyard.  

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

Lawns of Dallas installed artificial turf in the backyard to withstand the Texas heat, clients’ children playing and more.

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

A before view of the front entryway shows how Lawns of Dallas rerouted the walkway.

(Photo courtesy of Lawns of Dallas)

A before view shows the previous backyard landscape, which featured limited lawn space.