Hursthouse: Landscape Archictects and Contractors Blog

Up on the Roof

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:00:00 -0600

My father has been an editor for nearly 40 years, and refreshes his professional spirit by regularly investigating things related to his profession. Every few years, Dad studies a place or a topic slightly outside what he knows best, and as a result, he has a richer understanding of his core field.

Recently, our Hursthouse team has been exploring Rooftop Gardens. It’s not what we do every day, but as a team we’re interested in growing beyond what we know at this moment. Think about it--if your skill set stopped maturing in 1985, how relevant would you be in today’s world?

We’ve often found that skills learned in one arena are transferable to another, and challenges met and faced together collectively make us a stronger team. Our recent Rooftop Garden for architect and author Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big Showhouse let us stretch in this way. Over a few blustery November days, our team pulled from our collective strengths in relationships, organization, finesse, and installation to contribute to the project. The things we’ve learned in our collective careers synced, making the end result one of the things we collectively like best: a memorable place for people to enjoy.

If you have a few minutes, feel free to visit the Rooftop Garden of Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House in our virtual visit, which one of our team members compiled using another of his unique skill sets. We hope you enjoy viewing it as much as we did making it viewable.

Have a great day.

Delay of Plans

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:32:10 -0500

Losing an entire week of prime construction season to rain reminds me of Robert Burns’ prose, “...The best laid schemes of mice and men, go often askew...” from his 1785 poem To a Mouse. For all the planning, scheduling, and coordinating schedules, there’s not a lot I can do when nature won’t take my call.

But the delays of current projects are countered by an awareness of plants installed earlier in the season, storing up their reserves as the rainy days move ahead. Each gallon poured out upon the earth replenishes a newly installed plant, reassuring its nursery-fed root stock that there will be enough to drink, and acclimating each tree to its new surroundings.

With the rains so prevalent, most of my garden appreciation lately has been through a window. Our little rain garden sits full in our back border, cycling water back into the ground and showing off its fall wardrobe. I can recall the construction delays experienced in my own garden, frustrated as both the client and contractor due to an unexpected snowfall. Mostly though, I stand back and appreciate the end result. The wet areas collect water, just as planned, and the remainder of the yard stays dry, just as we’d hoped. Sometimes those best laid plans stay right on track.

When the end result of the garden looks like the photo above, it's easy to forget it once looked like the photo below....

A Changing of the Seasons

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:40:26 -0500

It is time for a jacket in the evening, but not quite soon enough for the leaf rake. Weather like this stirs up memories of smores, mugs of cider, and the smell of crisp dewy morning air. It is these transitions in seasons I have grown most fond of. I look forward to evenings relaxing around a warm fire, and enjoying these precious Autumnal days before the leaves drop.

These are glorious days for me as a gardener. With the dog days of summer still a recent memory and the frost blanketed morning of fall still in the distance, I look around outside. The grass is lush with a reprieve from the heat, and the bumble bees are moving more lazily in the cooler afternoons. Time to enjoy the white cloud like blooms of Calamentha, the dainty flowers of Boltonia and the honey fragrance of Sweet Autumn Clematis.

The cooling weather seems to rejuvenate a garden lulled by the lazy summer heat. Autumn has a way of heightening and sharpening the colors and scents around me; and deepens my appreciation of plants in the landscape. So, while fall advances upon the retreating summer, I will enjoy this magical time in the garden.

Details and Dollars

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:30:28 -0500

If you’ve ever spent time in a nicely detailed kitchen, you know that there are myriad ways to personalize a living space. Premium countertops, high end appliances, custom millwork, and painstakingly applied finishes can transform a nice space into an unforgettable one, and a usable room into a showcase centerpiece.

Adding those refinements increases the project’s total cost indoors, but there are outdoor details which translate into additional costs, too. The following five headliners are great ways to add personalized detail, or conversely, great opportunities to hold back on in order to make the most of a predetermined landscape budget:

Edge Treatments

In the world of stone, the simplest edge treatments are the least costly. A sawcut edge is most efficient, while a rockface or thermal finish adds detail and applicable costs. A hand applied bullnose (shown below) is the product of grinding the stone edge, then torching away the grind marks. Since the finish is hand applied, the level of skill required to get it perfect is evident in the finished product.

Stone Thickness

Just as in the world of interior flooring, outdoor paving is available in different grades, thickness, and durability. Using uniformly gauged stone is important when selecting paving for step treads and wall coping, where the stone’s thickness is most visible. Thinner stone may be used to increase efficiencies in installation (my front walk is made of 3” thick bluestone, and my back will never let me forget it!), but extra care must be given to preparing the gravel sub base so that the thinner stones do not crack under freezing, thawing, or general wear.

Regardless of the stone thickness, proper subsurface preparation must prepare the paved area to drain properly away from the house, and adequate to support the weight of its intended traffic. Heavier uses such as automotive traffic always require a thicker gauge stone, or any initial savings will be quickly applied to repair costs.

Material Selections

During our kitchen remodeling, my wife and I looked at many countertop and backsplash material samples. We knew everything from imported granite to laminated surfaces was available, and understood different price points accompanied each product’s durability and appearance. The same rules apply to outdoor surfaces: a simple broom finished concrete is a simple yet effective option, while imported natural stone fits well in many landscapes.

Selecting a paving that combines great looks and durability at an appropriate price is a critical part of establishing the garden framework.

Plant Sizing

Plant pricing is a function of size and growth rate. Imagine a large, slow growing plant taking up space and requiring more care in the nursery, and you’ll see that price passed along in its cost. Smaller, faster growing plant can be produced more quickly by a grower, so the price reflects this. When a plant grows greater in size, it also becomes more difficult to physically move it once it leaves the nursery.

One way to wisely approach a planting budget is to identify priority areas, and focus on these for greatest impact. Often an undesired view or neighboring patio can be effectively screened by a few well-sited border plants, allowing the budget to be applied to other areas and features.

Realistic Design

Of all the factors affecting a project budget, the design affects the bottom line most significantly. Planning a patio for 4 people looks (and costs) significantly different than a patio for 12, and a few well-planted specimen trees have a drastically different effect and cost than a fully developed border. Determining the most effective layout is the starting point in responding to a home owner's physical and financial parameters. Materials, sizes, and finishes continue to personalize the project to a client’s lifestyle and long term goals.

Indoors or out, a project’s level of detail makes a clear impact on its bottom line. The better and earlier these goals are communicated, the more impactful a project budget can be, as it is applied to creating a landscape that is well loved and meaningful for its residents.

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden - T Minus 6 Hours

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:36:19 -0500

Here’s a photo journal of the six hours leading up to the opening of Jazz Fest Glen Ellyn 2011.

Gro Horticultural supplied an 8" Caliper Autumn Blaze Maple. It was the centerpiece of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden. A large wooden crate was built to hold the tree. "Live Outside the Box" was stenciled on the crates. Jeff True, VP of Operations at Hursthouse said the phrase means, "We employ and encourage thoughtful, creative designs that's 'outside the box'. We invite our clients to live their lives and create memories in our landscape environments - not just indoors".

Trucks, skidsteers, and forklifts moved rock, plants and mulch into place.

Three smaller wooden crates were assembled. each crate was planted with a Red Emporer Japanese Maple.

Crew members move 15 tons of Pennsylvania Fieldstone outcropping into place.

Over 350 plants from Midwest Groundcovers were staged including 'Tiger Eyes' Sumac, 'Wine & Roses' Weigela, Let's Dance 'Starlight' Hydrangea, Let's Dance 'Moonlight' Hydrangea, 'Emerald Gaiety' Hydrangea, 'Endless Summer Hydrangea, 'Quickfire' Hydrangea, 'Ghost' Weigela, 'Daub's Frosted' Juniper, 'Petite Delight' Mondarda, 'Spirals' Juncus, 'August Moon' Hosta, 'Blackout' Coral Bells, and 'Knockout' Roses.

The Garden was finished before Noon and the crew assembled to take a "parting shot" after a job well done!

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden - The Backpacks & Packing!

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:50:20 -0500

The countdown begins . . . . 22 hours until the “doors” open at the 5th Annual Jazz Fest Glen Ellyn! Back at Command Central (Hursthouse offices) the team is preparing for the Fest by washing, loading and staging the trucks.

So much to pack - so little time!

Who put the Jazz Fest stuff up there?

Staging the trucks for early morning.

Truckloads of plants for Main Street.

Stuffing backpacks!

Inside we’re packing 450 backpacks with crayons and coloring sheets to distribute during the Fest. (This year’s backpack is blue with reflective strips). Look for Hursthouse team members in blue t-shirts with the “Live Outside the Box” logo on the backs. We’ll be handing out the free backpacks. If you don’t see a team member, just stop by the Hursthouse Pavilion where we’ll have a supply until they run out! See you soon!

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden - The Mock Up!

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:13:19 -0500

Once inspiration strikes, the Hursthouse design team, lead by Tom Selinger, gets busy creating sketches, elevations, and a final mock-upThis year’s theme is “Live Outside the Box”. Besides the design, there are Village of Glen Ellyn rules and regulations that are in place to ensure public safety, emergency access, and traffic flow. These have to be considered in the design as well as the aesthetics of the garden and streetscape. Using the final mock-up, hardscape and plant materials are ordered. Each of the 5 years of Jazz Fest has seen a unique Jazz Garden unfold for a day and then vanish before midnight – like Cinderella’s coach. Wait until you see this year’s magic!

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden - The Plants!

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:00:52 -0500

Starting at 6am this Saturday, our team will unveil another one-day Jazz Garden, a place for music lovers to stop and, well, smell the roses. While our day starts at 6, our planning begins much earlier, as we coordinate and prepare for the big event.

Picture going to Crate and Barrel picking anything you want to redecorate, and this is my annual trip to Midwest Groundcovers with our purchaser Mike Rizzi. Each year, Mike and I review hundreds of plant blocks, comparing foliage, forms, and anticipated bloom times about a week before the event, and making notes for the planting plan.

With such short bloom times and varying weather ahead, it’s a challenge to predict how a plant will look, especially since they depend on their developing root systems to survive! We’ve found that the most dependable plants possess great form and foliage, and we continually look to these for maximum impact in the Jazz Garden.

Here’s a few great finds from our past visits...

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden - The Crates!

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:10:51 -0500

The crews worked in the shop to build the structures for the 2011 Jazz Fest Glen Ellyn. The wooden crates were designed by the Hursthouse Design Studio and built by the crews for this year’s Jazz Fest.

On Saturday, the crates will be driven to Main Street, Glen Ellyn, where they will be assembled and used to create the foundation of the garden. Watch for more posts as the week unfolds!

The Making of the Hursthouse Jazz Garden

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:48:08 -0500

With the 5th Annual Jazz Fest Glen Ellyn only days away, we thought you’d enjoy a “behind the scenes” view as the Hursthouse team visualizes, designs, builds, and stages the Hursthouse Jazz Garden. We’ll show you how Tom Selinger, Director of Design, mocks up the design, how Mike Rizzi, Procurement Manager and Greg Schaumburg, Senior Designer, source and design the plants, and the crews build the structures in the Hursthouse shop.

On Saturday, July 9th, Jazz Fest will unfold beginning in the early hours of the morning. Watch the blog as Main Street Glen Ellyn transforms! See you Saturday (3:00pm-10:00pm).

Have You Ever Seen a Garden Walk?

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:49:06 -0500

Have you ever seen a garden walk? Or a tomato paste? Or a horse fly? As children, my sons loved those silly riddles. But this weekend in Naperville, not one, but two Garden Walks are really happening!

Team Fox (as in Michael J.) is having it’s 5th Annual Team Fox Garden Walk on Saturday, June 25th from 10:00am – 3:00 pm, to raise money for Parkinson’s research. Six spectacular private gardens will be featured. On Sunday, June 26th a dinner reception and “live auction” will be held at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Naperville from 6:30pm-9:30pm.

The Naperville Garden Club’s walk is also Saturday, June 25th from 10:00am – 3:00pm. Bob and Robbi Hursthouse’s garden is one of the gardens featured on the tour. Their garden has been featured in “The Chicago Tribune”, “Naperville Magazine”, “West Suburban Living Magazine”, “Great Backyards” magazine”, and “Water Gardens” magazine, to name a few.

The Hursthouse backyard sanctuary

So if you’re looking for some horticultural, architectural, and botanical inspiration, head over to Naperville this weekend!

The Hursthouse backayrd

Naperville Backyard Transformation (3 of 5)

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:16:44 -0500

By Jeff True and Charlie Eastman

With the custom-laid bluestone patio complete, you can now see the full color range and the random pattern that accentuates this natural backyard enhancement.The charcoal colored plaster results in a highly reflective surface that also complements the color tones of the house and landscape.

The custom pergola structure mimics existing structures on the house, while providing a more intimate feel in the spa by serving as a loose ceiling. This is going to be a wonderful focal point, not only during swim season, but also when tip-toeing through the snow in winter to take a dip.

Drainage off large pool decks and patios are always a challenge. We at Hursthouse feel a challenge is just an opportunity yet to be realized. We’ve handled this challenge with custom iron Honey Locust channel drains that carry water while aesthetically pulling the design from the actual Honey Locust trees on site. If you look close, you’ll spot the bent rim of the basketball hoop. I guess the four teenage boys are having fun in the first week of their new pool. A breakaway rim will be arriving soon!

Weeding is Punishment

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:13:47 -0500

35! What is 35, you ask. This is the amazing number of degrees that the temperature has fallen since this time yesterday. Yesterday, June 8th, we were out in the bright 95 degree sun, sweaty and smiling that we were able to keep all these fresh plants and newly laid sod looking so good. We knew that storms and rain were around the corner as well as the drop in temperature that would follow, I think the only person that watches the weather more than we do is Tom Skilling.

In the middle of this heat wave I sat at my computer and read a simple email from a wonderfully special client in Glen Ellyn simply asking about the schedule for an upcoming garden modification. He commented, “I have the kids pulling a few more weeds”. I immediately pictured his kids half -heartedly pulling only the tops of the weeds up and thinking to themselves, “I wonder if Dad thinks this is enough yet, I’m dying out here?” I thought this because I remember when I was that age and had to weed the garden and that in those conditions I thought it was punishment. The worst was I didn’t know what I had done wrong, and this was from a kid who actually liked spending time in the yard gardening.

So there I was sitting at my computer smiling, sweating and reminiscing. I hit reply, started typing my response with the projected start date and some additional information I thought might be of benefit for them. I closed my message with, “I would tell the kids, tomorrow is a much better weeding day than today. If you have them do it today, it’s gardening not weeding, you’ll sell it better. Weeding sounds like punishment, gardening is a joy.” His reply back was that his wife thought it was hilarious. I wonder if someday their kids, Wynne, Elise or Justin will find hilarity in this? Of course they will! So, as summer conditions approach, just remember that you’re gardening not weeding.

Happy gardening!

That's Going to Leave a Mark . . .

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:57:40 -0500

Most days, our work keeps me local. I occasionally visit surrounding communities to tour client properties, and am no stranger to my workspace while working out design solutions, but typically find myself beginning and ending workdays in the Chicago area. Other days are a welcome break from the routine--the days when I travel the world.

This past week included one of those world tours, as we researched several artists and artisans to make recommendations for sculptural pieces at a client’s home. Our online and periodical research unearthed numerous possibilities, and what remained was contacting each artist to flesh out the remaining details.

sculpture by Allison Armour

In the same day, I spent time corresponding with artists on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, chatting with a gallery owner on Michigan’s Red Arrow, and enjoying an early morning conversation with a renowned sculptor and designer in the UK. Their warm personalities only made the sculpted works that they leave behind as a mark on the world that much more attractive. Warm, welcoming, helpful, engaging....and glad to provide the opportunity to share their beautiful creations with people in other corners of the world.

-greg

Ginger and the Great Green Captive!

Fri, 27 May 2011 07:26:02 -0500

“Jake caught a frog!” we heard the other kids yell, as the group of a dozen neighborhood kids made their way out of the “Back 40” section of our nearby “Hidden Park.” My wife and I turned as our son emerged beaming, carefully holding an enormous bullfrog which appeared decidedly embarrassed at being bested by his red-headed captor. “It’s like just holding a kitty, only it doesn’t meow...” remarked my friend Shawn to his youngest son, encouraging him to get closer look before they turned the giant free. The kids loudly traded frog-knowledge, debated its terms of release, lamented at not being allowed to adopt it as a formal house pet, then reluctantly released it back onto the grassy bank amid peals of laughter and childhood joy. It was a good day to be nine.

Just 30 minutes earlier, they’d begun taking a few steps closer to nature. Our Hidden Park is overlooked by most, with its long entry path running close enough to the creek’s edge to make overly cautious parents squirm. Bordered by the back yards of distant homes, a sparse hedgerow, and a small section of Buffalo Creek, the Hidden Park appears to end at a modest play structure, contentedly grazing in its bark mulch pasture. But only a few adventurous kids ever find the Back 40, a rambling common area behind the hedgerow which grade school kids speak of in revered tones and traverse as a neighborhood rite of passage.

Before wading into Buffalo Creek, we’d rounded up some neighbors to enjoy one of the first notably warm and pleasant Saturdays of this often cold and rainy spring. The formal play set sat, as it usually does, untouched--for little can compete with the childhood joy of getting muddy in a creek, especially when Mom and Dad encourage you to “go, be a kid and explore...and for pete’s sake, let the frog go when you’re done with it.”

Outdoor Kitchen Recipe - Arrachera

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:55:18 -0500

Years ago, a construction crew invited me to make a job site visit to a long term project we were finishing after several months. “Show up around noon,” the crew leader told me, “and show up hungry.” I arrived to find they had set up a small charcoal grill and a celebratory lunch, and a love affair with Arrachera was started.

Preparation is the key to great Arrachera. A good butcher will slice the already thin flank steak in half, but a great butcher will also run it through a tenderizer for a truly tender result. Marinating a day ahead of time makes the meat even more tender, and adds a tremendous flavor in the process. Finally, finding a good quality corn tortilla, and decide how you’ll serve them to suit you and your guest’s preferences.

Plan on cooking the meat about 10 minutes before everyone is ready to eat. Arrachera cooks quickly, so it’s best to have a hungry crowd and serve right off the grill for best flavor. Unfurl the entire long cuts onto the hot grill, and with sharp kitchen shears, start to cut the meat into pieces about the width of a playing card. The resulting pieces should fit easily into the tortillas.

For the tortillas, you may want to experiment a little. Store bought corn tortillas can be pretty lifeless straight from the pack, so try grilling them over direct heat on the grill and turning a few times. This slightly roasts the cornmeal, releasing a sweet flavor paired well with the beef. If a softer texture is preferred, simply dampen a clean kitchen towel, and fold it around a stack of unwrapped tortillas. Tightly seal the towel inside aluminum foil, and place the packet on the hot grill for 7-10 minutes. The damp towel will steam the tortillas to a soft and delicate consistency.

Finally, about a half hour before mealtime, prepare the guacamole, cover, and refrigerate with the pit in. While there are many varieties and preferences, I’ve included a very basic recipe below which highlights the natural creaminess of the avocados, and is anything but fussy. Serve the grilled cuts of meat directly into the waiting tortillas (dry doubling the tortillas for an authentic texture), spoon on some of the fresh guacamole, and even try crumbling on a little Queso Fresco for a taste your guests will find lots to talk about…once they’re full!

The Arrachera and Marinade

2-3 pounds flank steak, sliced thin and run through a tenderizer

c. oil

tbs. meat tenderizer

juice from 2 limes

ground pepper

red wine

Simple Guacamole

2-3 ripe Hass avocados

1 small diced onion

1-2 Jalapeno peppers or 1 Poblano pepper

Coarse Sea Salt or Kosher salt to taste

Halve the avocados and set aside the pits. Dice the onion, then rinse in a colander under cold water for a less bitter flavor. If there’s time, grill roast the peppers ahead of time, then let them cool until they’re easy to handle. Turn repeatedly until they’re blackened, soft, and cooked through. Remove the seeds and blackened skin, then rinse, dry, and dice. Add the avocados, onion, and peppers to a stone mixing bowl, then mash with a pestle or wire masher to a chunky consistency. Add sea salt to taste. Add the pits back in to prevent browning, and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Garnish with cilantro and serve when ready!

Fresh corn tortillas (El Milagro or similar)

Queso fresco crumbling cheese

Naperville Backyard Transformation (2 of 5)

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:41:34 -0500

Naperville Backyard Transformation ( 2 of 5)

By Jeff True and Charlie Eastman

Preparation for the pool tile begins after the gunite has cured. The key to a well laid patio is the base preparation. Here we've compacted a minimum of 8" of gravel and limestone screenings.

The raised spa wall and columns will support the custom built cedar pergola above. This pergola will provide a great sense of enclosure while relaxing in the spa, as well as be a great focal point.

Front Yard Transformation - A Testimonial

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:24:23 -0500

Hi Mike,

We are very pleased with our front yard transformation and have gotten many positive comments from neighbors. We started with Hursthouse 10 years ago with a backyard redo and I think the side yard development was 4 years ago. Some have a 10 year college plan, we have a 10 year landscaping plan. All the work we have had done has been of the same consistent high quality. Your workers are polite, thorough, pay attention to detail, and leave the workspace neat and cleaned daily. They have been a pleasure to deal with on all 3 projects we have done. Hursthouse has taken care of many details we never anticipated to ask in advance about. Bob has been very helpful in suggesting alternatives during the design process. I am not sure what our next project will be with Hursthouse. Give us some time and we will think of something and come back to you.

Thanks again for 3 great looking projects.

Regards,

Steve & Melissa

Front - Before

Front - During Construction

Front - After

Naperville Backyard Transformation (1 of 5)

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:58:55 -0500

Naperville backyard transformation - (1 of 5) by Jeff True and Charlie Eastman

Removal of the existing liner pool begins to make way for a larger gunite pool. The existing bluestone pool deck has been salvaged and will be incorporated into the new pool deck and patio.

Excavation is underway to accommodate proper diving depth. Notice the rare blue sky and dry soil we've not seen this spring!

The 6,000 lbs of steel rebar is placed and ready to accept the 82 cubic yards of gunite concrete. The raised spa with the water feature and the sunning ledge (left side) are now starting to take form.

Hursthouse Team Grabs the "Bull-Nose" by the Horns

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:48:14 -0500

Before I started working at Hursthouse, I had never heard of the term “bull-nosed”. Now I see the term several times a day in descriptions and photos of front porch treads and pool, wall, and firepit copings. Of course I knew natural stones didn’t form perfectly beveled and rounded. But I was amazed at the level of craftsmanship and skill it took to achieve it.

Bull-nosing demonsrtation

Safety Gear!

At one of our recent Monday morning “kick-off” meetings, two of our crew members gave a demonstration on how to bull-nose a slab of stone. Loaded up with protective gear, they started with a rough piece of stone. They explained each step and pitfall in the process. Afterwards we touched the smooth edge of the stone and I marveled at how easy they made it look. What amazing artisans!