Villa Landscape's Design Blog

Segmental retaining walls: an attractive, functional and affordable erosion solution

When a two-tiered timber retaining wall deteriorated at this residence in south Minneapolis, the homeowner called in Villa Landscapes to replace the failing wall with a two-tiered segmental retaining wall.  Our designer specified a 4-foot-tall VERSA-LOK weathered Mosaic wall for the lower tier and another 4-foot-tall wall for the upper tier, built from a mix of weathered VERSA-LOK Standard and Cobble units. “We were able to build columns, steps, walls, and a double-faced wall all from the same solid wall units,” explained Josh Peterson, field supevisor. The result is a stunning, coordinated total solution to this homeowner's soil erosion problems.

 

Retaining walls: the attractive, functional and affordable erosion solutionRetaining walls: the attractive, functional and affordable erosion solution

Retaining walls: the attractive, functional and affordable erosion solutionRetaining walls: the attractive, functional and affordable erosion solution

Give your home a facelift with a new Villa front entry

When many people think of landscaping, they think of back yards. But front entry makeovers are one of the most popular requests Villa designers get these days. You can give your home a fresh look with something as simple as a paver sidewalk or patio in front.

Front entry paver patio

Covering a traditional concrete front stoop with pavers eliminates the labor-intensive task of removing it. Adding broad scalloped steps to this renovated front stoop gave the home an elegant new look.

Front entry stoop pavers

Or you can go with a more elaborate design that includes retaining walls and columns. The owners of this new front entry patio say it never takes long when they're sitting out there before someone in the neighborhood stops by to chat.

Front entry patio, walls and columns

Stop in and talk with a Villa landscape designer this fall. There's still time to get your project going, or you can work up a plan over the winter and be at the top of our installation list next spring.

Are you having a Villa summer?

North Oaks 1 Pete Friend

Summer is in full swing, and Minnesotans are enjoying the outdoors while they can. Villa Landscapes Designer Peter Friend created this spacious new patio for a North Oaks family that features bluestone pavers with inlays. Tall grass plantings and flowers provide a nice accent in the corner.

Tasteful plantings and massive stone steps transformed this yard's slope into a functional space that's beautiful to look at. This Woodbury project also was designed by Villa's Peter Friend.

 

 

Start landscaping with Patio Town's Super Saturday Sale May 14

Super Saturday Pete


 


Hey Folks!


It’s springtime, so it must be Super Saturday Sale time!


Break out your shovels and rakes. The ground is thawed, there are yard projects to be started,.and Patio Pete is here to help you with our first Super Saturday Sale of the season May 14!


All day Saturday, we’ve knocked <strong>10% all VERSA-LOK retaining walls, Willow Creek pavers, and decorative rock, flagstone and mulch.</strong> We’ll not only get you going on your project, we’ll feed you too. Me and my assistants will be serving free hotdogs and beverages at all three Patio Town locations on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring the whole family!

Two new landscape designers join Villa Landscapes team

Villa Landscapes welcomes two new landscape designers—Peter Friend and Lonny Sekeres—to our staff.


PETER FRIEND


Peter Friend joined Villa Landscapes after running his own Twin Cities landscaping business for 12 years. Following his attendance at Hennepin Technical College’s Landscape Design & Horticulture program, Peter assembled and managed crews that designed and installed the full range of landscaping features, from retaining walls and patios to lighting, irrigation and pergolas.Peter Friend

A new stairway to their own little piece of heaven

After 3

This backyard in Grant had little going for it until Villa Landscapes took over.

A steep set of wooden stairs led from a three-season porch down to a nondescript exposed-aggregate patio underneath. River rock edged the patio and back of the house, and a flat strip of green lawn extended to the woods.

Before 1

BEFORE

After 1

AFTER

Villa Landscapes Designer Andy Lofboom replaced the concrete patio with a Willow Creek Cobblestone paver patio that sweeps away from the house in graceful curves and transforms to twin interlocking Willow Creek Circlestone patios. A VERSA-LOK seat wall rings the perimeter of one Circlestone patio, which features a raised VERSA-LOK firepit in the center. Short columns cap each end of the seat wall and sport a carriage light on top. A double soldier course of pavers edges the patio in two colors. Large stepping stones provide access to the patio from either side.

A stylish spiral staircase replaced the wooden stairs and freed up more space on the patio for a hot tub. Support posts for the porch were wrapped in stone veneer that complements the pavers.

Landscaping can bring a 35% return on your investment to your home's value

If you're thinking of putting your house on the market, you may want to consider some landscaping improvements to beef up your sale price.

Landscaping is a good investment, according to a recent study by the Journal of Environmental Horticulture. For every dollar you spend on landscaping, your home will see a $1.35 increase in value.

Results of the study were reported in the September 2010 issue of Lawn & Landscape Magazine

In a crowded and depressed real-estate market, homeowners may be best served to undertake exterior home improvements like landscaping in order to increase the value of their homes and to help their property stand out to prospective buyers, according to the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC).

A study in Lubbock, Texas, published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture, evaluated 75 homes and concluded that every dollar invested in landscaping returns $1.35 – or a 35 percent return on investment. The same study found that having high-quality landscape compared to an average home increases the sales price of the home by 5.7 percent. This number jumped to a 10.8 percent increase in the value of a home when comparing an excellent quality landscape to an average landscape.

Villa performs magic on Edina backyard

Villa Landscape Designer Andy Lofboom transformed this backyard from a tired wooden deck and stairs with run-down gardens to a stunning series of VERSA-LOK tiered walls, lighted stairs and elevated patio featuring Willow Creek pavers, a Harmony Stone fireplace, and outdoor kitchen.

The VERSA-LOK Standard walls are in the newest color, Bronze Blend, with a Weathered texture. The Willow Creek pavers are in Harvest Blend with a Weathered texture. You can see the transformation in the series of before-and-after pictures below.

Contact Villa Landscapes at one of our three offices in Oakdale, Burnsville and Brooklyn Park to schedule an appointment to design your own backyard paradise. Or use the handy “Request a Quote” link to the right.

Edina home After-1

AFTER

 

Edina home Before-1

BEFORE

 

 

It's Not Too Early to Have Your Own Villa Landscape

There still might be a nip in the air, but it's not too early to talk with a landscape designer from Villa Landscapes about a back yard or front entry makeover this spring. 

Let a Villa Landscapes fire pit light up your life!

Enjoy the warmth of outdoor gatherings with a new circular patio and fire ring.

Get cozy around a new outdoor fireplace

Or get cozy around one of the handsome new outdoor fireplaces that we can install for you.

Transform your yard with a landscape patio

Paving the way to curb appeal

Paving way to curb appeal

These Villa Landscapes clients wanted to add some curb appeal to their White Bear Lake home. Their backyard already had plenty of appeal with a deck facing picturesque Birch Lake. So Villa Landscape Designer Tom Zakoski designed a fresh look for their front entryway.

 

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The first step was to remove the old sidewalk and widen the space.

 

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Then, the old concrete front stoop was clad in Willow Creek paving stones.

 

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Precision cuts were made to accommodate the stair railings.