Foresight, professional planning make Earth-friendly projects possible
BY CATHY GRIPKA Grow editor
Improved drainage was one of the main objectives of two Lawrence landscaping projects undertaken by Troy Karlin recently. By accomplishing his goals using a “green” approach, he was also able to create two attractive, family-friendly environments, he said. The owner of All-N-1 Landscape, 2350 Franklin Road, Lawrence, said one project was designed to turn a swampy backyard into a scenic spot traversed by a dry, rocky streambed surrounded by native plants. The other, an expanded patio in a suburban backyard, was created using permeable pavers to fi lter the displaced surface water into the soil below instead of adding to suburban runoff laden with pollutants such as fertilizers, oil and pesticides, he said. Karlin said after his crews created a 300-square-foot patio for a suburban Lawrence home, the homeowners, who have an extensive collection of pots and other garden decor, decided they needed even more room. So his crews expanded the original patio with a fi re pit and curved seating walls to a 500-square-foot space with more seating, additional room for more pottery and plants, and a wooden pergola. “These are all the hardscaping elements,” Karlin said. “Once our crews are finished with these we’ll start working on greenery — but it all comes from the original plan we arrived at by working with the owners. That’s such an important part of these extensive projects, and that’s where professional landscaping comes in. Even if the homeowners do the work, or some of it, themselves, starting out with a professional plan makes all the difference.” Karlin said he always recommends that landscapers and homeowners use permeable pavers rather than the oldfashioned all-concrete pieces. “That’s where the ‘green’ comes in when you talk about green landscaping,” he said. “It’s the basis of hardscaping.” Permeables have less cement in the mix and more sand and gravel. With more aggregate in the composition, rainwater, including that washing off rooftops, hits the surface, is absorbed and then soaks into the earth below. “As suburban sprawl continues to grow, all that water from rooftops and streets and driveways hits the surface and just runs off,” Karlin said. “Wherever the watershed takes it, all that oil and other pollutants go until they end up in our streams and waterways. But when it is allowed to be absorbed through the soil, the soil acts as a series of fi lters that clean the water, so by the time it ends up in our aquifers it is clean.”
When Karlin was first called to another property by a homeowner who was frustrated by drainage problems in her backyard, his fi rst thought was, “This is perfect for a rain garden,” he said. The small space was getting runoff from properties to the west and south with no place to go, he said. The space between houses was only about 15 feet, and that space was where the rainwater that wasn’t ponding in the backyard ended up. The swampy, weedy area was home to mosquitoes and other insects and was avoided by the family. “The people who live here said water was getting trapped behind and between houses, leaving them with as much as 6 inches of standing water in their yard, even in winter,” he said. “I did consider installing a French drain — those have a central drain that discharges water into the storm drains — but it didn’t answer the problems and it certainly wasn’t a green choice.” That’s when he and the property owner started planning the rain garden. It wasn’t a matter of simply bringing in truckloads of rounded, water-smoothed rocks from Colorado streambeds, though. After measuring elevations and slopes and planning the best path for the water to follow, the crew had to tackle the soil. “Before we could do anything we had to excavate a very big hole
to remove all the heavy clay soil,” he said. “Clay won’t absorb moisture, so it will just contribute to the problem with standing water.” That excavation was a big part of the project cost, Karlin said. “We had to dig at least 3 1/2 feet deep — two dump truck loads of clay,” he said. After the clay was removed, they filled the hole with sandy loam made of about 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt and 20 percent clay. The underlying loam acts as a sponge, drawing the moisture down, he said. About 16 tons of gravel was dumped over the loam, and the gravel was topped off by about a ton of real stone and a 2- to 4-inch layer of pea gravel. Karlin said his green landscaping plan for the suburban patio project called for the addition of a large plastic barrel positioned at one corner of the house, where it is attached to the roof’s gutters. Water from the gutters fl ows into the barrel, which is attached to a hose, allowing the water to be used for the grass and plants. “So the homeowners have a bigger patio with more living space, their property lends itself to a better way of dealing with water runoff, and they can collect rainwater for their lawn sprinklers and garden hose,” he said. “That was the hardscaping,” Karlin said. “It is done, and now we’re amending the soil so we can start planting the greenery — relying on native plants that will not only be low- or no-maintenance, but will also thrive in this environment and put down big taproots that extend down into the earth.” The native plants, most waterfriendly, have evolved to survive the Kansas City climate. Blackeyed Susans, weigela shrubs, coral bells, columbines, liatris, hostas and spireas were some of those chosen. Karlin picked a river birch not only for its looks but also because it lives up to its name — it thrives in water and puts down deep roots. “And even though projects like these sound pretty extensive, most can be accomplished in a couple of weeks — barring the weather — if you start out with a professional plan that takes everything into account,” Karlin said.
Photos by Katherine Vescovo | The Star HARDSCAPE | A fire pit surrounded by a curved seating area is part of this new hardscape, designed using permeable pavers. Right: a pergola was added to filter the sun and add a decorative touch to the suburban Lawrence property.
Photos by Katherine Vescovo | The Star DRY CREEK | This dry creek bed was designed and installed by All-N-1 Landscape in Lawrence to resolve a drainage problem at a suburban Lawrence residence. Above right: Chris Wehlog (left) and Wes Alcorn from All-N-1 place hardy native plants along the streambed as they prepare to plant them.
Photos by Katherine Vescovo | The Star RAINWATER | Chris Wehlog (left) and All-N-1 Landscape owner Troy Karlin put the finishing touches on a rain barrel that will hold water diverted from the home’s gutters. The rainwater will be used to water plants and the lawn, reducing runoff and helping conserve municipal water supplies, Karlin said.
