I have been blessed with an abundance of fascinating and exciting projects over the years, but one recently stood out as a favorite. It was not the most expensive, or lavish, in fact it was of humble scale, but it had several key characteristic that made it very special:

The design eliminated an environmental liability, increased the property value, gave it purpose and dramatically enhanced the aesthetics.

As seen in the photo below, the property was an unused lot and the stormwater regularly pushed fertilizers, road pollution and pesticides directly into the adjacent waterway.

The  owners of the abutting home were avid surfers and paddleboarders with young children. They were interested in creating water access and a place to relax. I suggested a beach style oasis with native, drought tolerant dune plant materials and sand. No turf to water or fertilize, no exotics needing insecticides. We added a Tiki styled outdoor bar and simple site furnishings and an environmentally friendly oasis was born.