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ENLARGE
Contractor and designer Dan Davis, left, discusses the work in progress on their custom waterfall and pond with owners Phyllis and Ruby Clemente.
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ENLARGE
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A work in progress, following heavy rains, is the waterfall and pool at the Grass Valley home of Rudy and Phyllis Clemente.
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At this time of year, gardeners across most of the nation are set to go into hibernation for the winter. In California, though, it's simply a season to launch projects that will be glorious next spring.
Witness what Rudy and Phyllis Clemente are doing to their back yard in Round Valley Estates: Where once there was simply lawn, the couple will have a new entertainment area with its focus on a magnificent waterfall and shallow pool.
"The lawn was fine while it lasted," Rudy says, "but over 17 years it became pretty weedy and needed a lot of attention."
Nodding in agreement, Phyllis adds, "and every room on one side of the house looks out on the area where we're putting the waterfall. It's also right where anyone coming in through our front door can look through the sliding glass doors and see it, so we're really excited. There's something magical about the sound of water, especially in summer."
Dan Davis, of Mountain View Landscape Management, landed the project after the Clemente's interviewed several contractors and, in Phyllis' words, "Liked the quiet confidence of Dan and the exuberance of his partner, Don Jenkins, and got a good feeling from talking to some of their other clients. We've put them in charge of finding a proper deer-resistant ground cover around the paved patio areas."
Witness what Rudy and Phyllis Clemente are doing to their back yard in Round Valley Estates: Where once there was simply lawn, the couple will have a new entertainment area with its focus on a magnificent waterfall and shallow pool.
"The lawn was fine while it lasted," Rudy says, "but over 17 years it became pretty weedy and needed a lot of attention."
Nodding in agreement, Phyllis adds, "and every room on one side of the house looks out on the area where we're putting the waterfall. It's also right where anyone coming in through our front door can look through the sliding glass doors and see it, so we're really excited. There's something magical about the sound of water, especially in summer."
Dan Davis, of Mountain View Landscape Management, landed the project after the Clemente's interviewed several contractors and, in Phyllis' words, "Liked the quiet confidence of Dan and the exuberance of his partner, Don Jenkins, and got a good feeling from talking to some of their other clients. We've put them in charge of finding a proper deer-resistant ground cover around the paved patio areas."
The concept of having a wide waterfall, with two spillways, was Rudy's idea: "He didn't want some narrow stream leading into the pool," Phyllis explains, "and I think this will look in scale with the surroundings."
And the surroundings are indeed impressive. The Clemente's have landscaped virtually all of their 3-acre parcel, blending harmoniously with the native trees on the hillside setting.
"Just maintaining the landscape is a big job," Phyllis admits, "and we try to do something with all 3 acres."
Shaking his head in agreement, Rudy adds: "Some people with this much property just landscape around the house and let the rest go wild. We're making an attempt to use every square foot of our property."
A retired Air Force officer, Rudy has had some health problems in recent months, but according to Phyllis, "He's been coming back lately, and we're hopeful that by spring time we'll be able to do some outside entertaining like we used to."
And the surroundings are indeed impressive. The Clemente's have landscaped virtually all of their 3-acre parcel, blending harmoniously with the native trees on the hillside setting.
"Just maintaining the landscape is a big job," Phyllis admits, "and we try to do something with all 3 acres."
Shaking his head in agreement, Rudy adds: "Some people with this much property just landscape around the house and let the rest go wild. We're making an attempt to use every square foot of our property."
A retired Air Force officer, Rudy has had some health problems in recent months, but according to Phyllis, "He's been coming back lately, and we're hopeful that by spring time we'll be able to do some outside entertaining like we used to."
Outdoors, Davis explains the design of the project that he hopes to have completed within a few weeks as weather permits.
"The owners told us they wanted an extra-wide waterfall with two spillways to splash into a large pond, almost like a swimming pool," he says, "so we're setting it up like a swimming pool - complete with pump and filter - that's three-and-a-half feet deep and measures 25 by 17 feet with two top spillways about 10 by 10 feet square."
The large boulders that line the waterfall were hauled in from Oroville, then were strategically placed by the landscape crew. In what had been lawn area, two flagstone patios will provide ample room for entertainment.
And recreation: "Phyllis told me she wants to swim in it," Davis smiles. "And why not?"
ooo
Each year the Garden Writers Association hires a polling firm to determine seasonal gardening trends across the nation.
"The owners told us they wanted an extra-wide waterfall with two spillways to splash into a large pond, almost like a swimming pool," he says, "so we're setting it up like a swimming pool - complete with pump and filter - that's three-and-a-half feet deep and measures 25 by 17 feet with two top spillways about 10 by 10 feet square."
The large boulders that line the waterfall were hauled in from Oroville, then were strategically placed by the landscape crew. In what had been lawn area, two flagstone patios will provide ample room for entertainment.
And recreation: "Phyllis told me she wants to swim in it," Davis smiles. "And why not?"
ooo
Each year the Garden Writers Association hires a polling firm to determine seasonal gardening trends across the nation.
The report for autumn 2004 reflects that four in five American households has a garden or yard. The least likely group to have one are those aged 18-to-24 who are not high school graduates.
What will they buy? The more than 1,000 participants who were polled by phone listed: Fall flowers (26 percent); Indoor plants (22 percent); Mulch (21 percent); Trees and shrubs (21 percent); Perennial plants (20 percent.); Fall decorations (17 percent); Bulbs (15 percent) and fall vegetables (14 percent.)
And one in five of the respondents said they had no plans to buy any of these things.
Female gardeners were more likely than males to buy fall flowers (those glorious chrysanthemums), indoor plants (very big with mid-western gardeners) or fall vegetables. And, in general, households with incomes over $50,000 per year tend to purchase fall-related garden items than those with lower incomes.
Chief obstacles to fall gardening (other than simple economics) were "a lack of time," particularly in households with children under 18. And, the higher the household income the shorter the time allowed for gardening.
What will they buy? The more than 1,000 participants who were polled by phone listed: Fall flowers (26 percent); Indoor plants (22 percent); Mulch (21 percent); Trees and shrubs (21 percent); Perennial plants (20 percent.); Fall decorations (17 percent); Bulbs (15 percent) and fall vegetables (14 percent.)
And one in five of the respondents said they had no plans to buy any of these things.
Female gardeners were more likely than males to buy fall flowers (those glorious chrysanthemums), indoor plants (very big with mid-western gardeners) or fall vegetables. And, in general, households with incomes over $50,000 per year tend to purchase fall-related garden items than those with lower incomes.
Chief obstacles to fall gardening (other than simple economics) were "a lack of time," particularly in households with children under 18. And, the higher the household income the shorter the time allowed for gardening.
"Weather" was another obstacle ("Baby, it's COLD outside!") but suburbanites were less likely to blame the weather than either city dwellers or those who live in the country.
"Shorter daylight hours" was cited as another obstacle, but the survey found that urbanites and suburbanites were twice as likely to use this excuse than rural gardeners.
Fall maintenance activities found two-in-five will fertilize their lawns, one in three will apply weed controls, 16 percent will overseed and 12 percent will aerate or dethatch.
And obviously, from a weather standpoint, people living in the south had more plans for fall gardening, while northeastern residents had the least.
ooo
Dick Tracy is an award-winning garden writer and photographer, Master Gardener and former president of the Foothills Horticulture Society. You can write him in care of The Union, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, 95945.
"Shorter daylight hours" was cited as another obstacle, but the survey found that urbanites and suburbanites were twice as likely to use this excuse than rural gardeners.
Fall maintenance activities found two-in-five will fertilize their lawns, one in three will apply weed controls, 16 percent will overseed and 12 percent will aerate or dethatch.
And obviously, from a weather standpoint, people living in the south had more plans for fall gardening, while northeastern residents had the least.
ooo
Dick Tracy is an award-winning garden writer and photographer, Master Gardener and former president of the Foothills Horticulture Society. You can write him in care of The Union, 464 Sutton Way, Grass Valley, 95945.
