Design and Install
We create beautiful environmentally-friendly landscapes, uniquely tailored to suit your lifestyle, desires and your site.
We offer:
- Low-maintenance landscapes
- Eco-friendly, organic and healthy landscapes
- Chemical-free landscapes
- Xeriscaping
Eco-yards™ environmentally-friendly landscaping specialties:
- Featuring hardy, native plants and drought-tolerant plants that suit your site and can withstand the Calgary climate so they need little care.
- Using water-wise, xeriscaping, and permaculture techniques that minimize the need for watering in the long-term, such as: wood chip mulch, French drains that run water underground into your landscape, and rock rivers and swales that flow water above ground throughout your landscape.
- Using locally-produced sustainable materials such as composted soil (i.e. it is created rather than taken from elsewhere), rustic logs for edging and raised beds, log slices for pathways, and local stone for rock rivers, pathways and beds.
- Using the highest quality soils and composts (rich with organic matter), mulches and other materials as these will last and make for the healthiest plants.
- Using sustainable landscaping methods such as covering-over your lawn with newspaper to make tree, shrub and flower beds (a modified lasagna gardening method) and manually digging and hauling.
- Installing plants and features, including eco-lawns, that can be maintained naturally, chemical-free and pesticide-free, and are low-maintenance - preventing the need to weed, water, and fertilize.
- Putting in raised vegetable beds or vegetable areas, fruit trees and berry bushes to support you in growing your own food.
Some of the techniques we use are often called xeriscaping, water-wise gardening or permaculture.
(Often our clients work with us.)
We work with wonderful sub-contractors who build fences, decks, paved areas, water features, large rock gardens and other constructed features that are integrated as part of the unique plan we build for each client.
Elements of feng shui are brought into designing the landscape. We listen closely to you and design and install the most harmonious and beautiful mix of features and plants to uniquely suit your desires and your site.
The Process
Initial Consultation: At a first meeting, we discuss your objectives for your yard (e.g. a quiet sanctuary in the back, a low-maintenance front yard with curb appeal), your likes and dislikes and any other parameters. Together we go through your yard and look at the different views of it from within your home.
Preliminary Design: After the consultation, we will share our initial concept ideas.
Professional Design and Plan: After the approval of the initial concepts, we do the design plan and estimate.
Creation: Once the design plan and estimate are approved we schedule the creation of your eco-yard.
Note: If you want a design only, so that you can install it yourself, see consultation.
Investment
Initial site visit and consultation: $78.75 incl. the GST.
(Note - if all you want is a consultation, the cost is $183.75 incl. the GST)
The design would be done for an agreed upon flat rate determined once we see your site and learn the scope of what you desire in the initial consultation.
The installation work would be done one of two ways:
* at an hourly rate of $75/hour for Laureen and $55/hour/person for assistants and then cost plus a percentage for materials and any heavy equipment rental.
* on the basis of an estimate.
Contact Laureen Rama at 403-969-1176 or info@eco-yards.com in Calgary to start your Eco-yards™ project today! Call early - winter and early spring are the best times to plan and design.
"When I first spoke with Laureen Rama, I had a new city lot and a few ideas. I wanted a vegetable garden, some perennial flowers and a small patch of grass and I didn't want to water or mow much at all. What Laureen introduced me to is a world of flowering shrubs that produce edible berries, apple and cherry trees that provide both shade and delicious fruit, and attractive local plants that thrive in our climate with little extra attention. All of this is now tucked into my city lot along with my favorite perennials, into a natural landscape which incorporates wood, stone and wood chip mulch. In the middle of this is my small patch of low maintenance grass. Laureen worked with me to produce an oasis that will feed both our bodies and our souls for years to come! Thank you Laureen!"
"P.S. Two years later - The compost turned out just great last year. It's the first time I've ever had success so I attribute that to the great design of the bin you put in for me. We also had currant jam this year, not much but it was delicious!"
— Anne
Darragh
“I look forward to driving into my own driveway
now - my yard has curb appeal and harmony. Laureen nailed the concept I was
looking for and we had a fun, creative process working it out together. I
found Laureen to be extremely knowledgeable and time and money conscious
with the landscaping design work. That was followed up by a hand's on personal
involvement with Tender Loving Care overseeing all details of the installation.
And a follow-up and support regarding any and all issues and concerns. My
highest recommendation for all your landscaping needs. And you can call me
for a reference!”
— Kel Soloway,
(403) 703-2577
I love the flower gardens Laureen did for me. I spoke with Laureen, giving
her an idea of what I wanted and she implemented exactly what I had envisioned.
Within 72 hours it was done! The layout, the timing of flowering, and the colour
scheme are perfect. Now when I sit in my dining room looking at my beautiful
garden it completes the view. It is much more enjoyable to sit on our front
porch too. Before it was just grass and now we have this beautiful yard! Thank
you so much Laureen.
— Donna C.
I love the variety of plants and the layout. We have colour all growing season
long and the differing heights of the plants works well, especially on our
hill.
— Glenn McMeeken
"I had the pleasure of having Laureen and her crew to my house last year to remove the lawn and build a swale/dry creek bed. Laureen was always cheerful and willing to incorporate my ideas. The yard was transformed and I look forward to the fruits of our new outdoor "room."
— Ruth Morrow