WOODBURY, N.J. (PRWEB) August 15, 2018
Rolling green lawns can lend a majestic view, but not all landscapes are so lucky. Sometimes even a rolling hill needs a boost. Here is one charming, cost-saving addition to a landscape that can elevate the scene from simplistic to sensational.
Mother Nature created beautiful colors, shapes and textures in her stone. When homeowners want to bring her creations into their landscape design, they often learn that using natural stone can break the budget and limit colors. Stone is heavy; transporting a desired color can cost much more than anticipated. Thankfully, manufactured or cast stone has come a long way over the years. At a fraction of the weight and cost, expert contractors know the quality of some brands is up to the task of standing in for natural stone.
Mike Carmack, President and Owner of A&M Landscaping of Marlton, NJ is one such expert. Mike uses EP Henry’s Cast Stone Wall Collection, which include garden walls, retaining walls, free-standing walls and face shells that can be mortared to smooth surfaces. “It’s made to look like real stone,” Mike said. “[EP Henry] does a very good job giving it the right textures, different sizes and good coloring.” Mike adds that cast stone garden walls are also better on the budget. “Real stone is a whole different budget level.”
Designing garden walls can be as simple as drawing a straight line across the landscape or as complex as planning multi-tiered curved retaining walls with steps and columns. Experienced landscape companies like A&M Landscape can help. Recently, Mike worked with a family that had inherited 20-year-old concrete sidewalks and non-descript landscaping when they purchased their home. The walks were starting to crack, the stair risers were plain and the porch was a dull slab of concrete. The landscape added no visual interest to the home.
For this project, Mike custom-designed and installed a large section of gently curving garden walls in the front of the home. The gray stucco facade of the house was perfectly complemented with the Cast Stone Wall in the Birch color. “The color contrast in [EP Henry’s cast stone] is another benefit,” Mike said. “They can pretty much match up with any home’s facade.” The final result is a multi-tiered, raised garden that adds Mother Nature’s natural elements and enticing visual interest, breaking up both the vast single-color surface of the home’s facade and the wide green expanse of the front lawn.
Mike was able to replace the walks and steps entirely but the porch was permanent. “We took out the concrete walks and laid down the stone base and installed the pavers,” he said. “For the porch, we overlaid the cast stone veneers on the surface.” Mike used Cast Stone Wall Face Shells on the stair risers and on the concrete porch, matching them to the garden’s Cast Stone Walls.
Adding a Cast Stone Wall can transform the front and back yards without the project breaking the budget.
About EP Henry®
EP Henry®, the oldest American family-owned and operated manufacturer of unit concrete products in North America, provides the highest quality and broadest product offerings in Hardscaping(™). Based in Woodbury, New Jersey, EP Henry manufactures a wide range of paving stone and retaining wall products, including permeable pavers which are a best management practice (BMP) for stormwater management. EP Henry also offers beautiful patio pavers, outdoor kitchen kits, garden wall solutions and more. For more information on EP Henry Hardscaping products, visit EPHenry.com or call 800-44-HENRY (800-444-3679).