Location: Colchester, Vt.
Company: Di Stefano Landscaping
Di Stefano Landscaping landed a project at a private residence on Lake Champlain when the home’s buyers asked for a landscape professional who could help them reenvision the outdoor space.
“The builder had done a nice job with the building but kind of stopped there,” says Chris Di Stefano, president of Di Stefano Landscaping. “People build a 10,000-square-foot home and put two trees on the property.”
The company faced a tight timeline, which had crews completing the project — including irrigation, lighting, custom fabrication and improving lake access — in less than three months. The project was also set to start on March 1, which is still winter in northern Vermont, Di Stefano says.
“We broke ground on March 15,” he says. “The biggest challenge being in northern Vermont was the five feet of frost on the ground, snow on the ground and then being on a lake.”
Crews removed frost and built heated structures to work under. The main retaining wall protected crews from the elements while they worked on masonry, Di Stefano says. “We brought in heaters and air ventilation systems and made it safe and comfortable for our guys.”
The home is built on a cliff top overlooking Lake Champlain. As part of the project, crews were tasked with improving lake access. The beach sits at an elevation 60 feet below the home.
Di Stefano Landscaping was responsible for installing and maintaining all elements of the project, including lighting, hardscape elements and custom fabrication of railings and planters. Because of the location of the home, any concrete poured for these projects had to be pumped over the house and into the backyard.
The client enjoys a neat and orderly space, so the team at Di Stefano Landscaping worked to create an area that was natural and allowed them to enjoy the outdoors but that was also inviting and well kept.
Before the project, there was no lawn and no real flat space on the property, so the crews at Di Stefano did a bulk excavation and extended the hillside to create the lawn.
Most of the work for this project was completed during the late winter and early spring, which is one of the most challenging times of year in Vermont, with heavy rains, cold temperatures and late-season snow events.
Di Stefano Landscaping was responsible for installing and maintaining all elements of the project, including lighting, hardscape elements and custom fabrication of railings and planters. Because of the location of the home, any concrete poured for these projects had to be pumped over the house and into the backyard.
After completing the installation, Di Stefano Landscaping continues to maintain the property.
