[link=http://www.jamesmartinassociates.com]James Martin Associates[/link], a landscaping company serving Mettawa since 1977 received an award from PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) for 27104 N. Southwood Lane in Mettawa, IL.

The project consisted of a rear yard design to allow the yard to maintain its park-like setting and to develop an outdoor activity area with a pool and spa.
The pool and spa were placed on the west side of the house allowing the rear yard to maintain its park-like feel, but this created a challenge because of the 12 grade change between the drive court and the lower lawn.

To meet the grade change challenge, the landscape design team terraced the pool and spa areas to transition smoothly to the rear yard. From the drive court you enter the pool and spa area through two stone gated columns that use the same tumbled field stone as the house. The first space, the spa terrace, is adjacent to the guest house and screened from the drive court by an iron fence covered with flowering vines and Roses. The tumbled field stone and blue stone spa is nestled into the hillside and surrounded by a variety of flowering perennials and grasses.

As you transition down through the series of small terraces, the pool becomes visible as you reach the lower level. Placing the pool in an area with such dramatic grade change keeps the pool from being the central focus of the yard. Water flows from the spa over a waterfall, cascading down granite boulders into a stream that terminates at the lower pool level. The remaining hillside is a lush garden area with outcropping stones stabilizing the hillside and providing planting pockets rich with perennials, grasses and ground covers.

James Martin Associates provides Mettawa homeowners with comprehensive landscaping maintenance services. Regular weekly lawn maintenance for most homes includes cosmetic work such as mowing, weeding and cleaning up plant debris, plus periodic horticultural care.

For more information on all of our services contact us at [link=http://www.jamesmartinassociates.com]www.jamesmartinassociates.com[/link] or call us at 847-634-1660. Stay connected with us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/landscapechicago.com