Residential Landscape and Garden Design
Located in Sterling, VA, Clear Blue Landscapes specializes in residential landscape design and garden consultation services in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.
Our Vision
Our objective is to create a design for the landscape around your home that reflects your personal style and goals. Your outside spaces should be functional for your lifestyle. For many residential homeowners, the prospect of imagining a landscape design and choosing plants at a nursery is a daunting task. We can help you improve the look and feel of your exterior space and choose plants that are appropriate for the Mid-Atlantic climate.
Design Concepts
In deciding what changes you want to make to your garden or backyard, first you need to decide what it is that you want, perhaps more color or a fragrance garden. Maybe you'd like to attract butterflys or other wildlife to your landscape, or deter them. Do you want to grow specific types of plants and have a collector's garden or have a space where you can do photography. There are many ways to approach what Joe Eck in Elements of Garden Design calls "Intent". We'll discuss this with you and help sort out what types of activities you want to do in your garden.
“We can also help define your views by framing an area of interest.”
Dawn Szelc, Landscape Designer & Founder of Clear Blue Landscapes
Our Services
Landscape Design consultation
Our main focus during a design consultation is to meet with you and learn about your goals and desires for your yard. We'll walk through the areas of your yard and discuss the issues with you.
Plant materials
We will discuss your preferences for plants including trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and annuals. Full seasonal interest is key to best selection as well as color, texture, and maintenance requirements. Our extensive knowledge of the appropriate plants for the Mid-Atlantic area will help to inform the choices you can make for both sunny and shady areas.
Hardscape Design
In designing for residential spaces we can consider pathways, patios, water features, and structures such as arches, trellises, and pergolas. We can incorporate small retaining walls and stacked stone walls where needed.
Plant specialties
We can discuss choices for native and drought resistant plants for your landscape.
Sustainability
If you have goals for Sustainable landscape design we can help you accomplish those goals.
Recent Projects
Broadlands, VA
The homeowners at this residence were displeased with the original landscaping put in by the builder. The shrubs were too small for the size of the house and many of the selections were lackluster. Additionally, heavy winter snow and ice had caused a lot of damage to them. There was also a water drainage problem due to the location of the downspout. To improve the look of the front yard, the existing shrubs were replaced with some that had more seasonal interest and variety. These included flowering Spirea x bumalda 'Anthony Waterer' and Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis', or Nana Gracilis Hinoki Cypress, with its interesting fan-shaped evergreen foliage. Drought tolerant long-blooming perennials and sedums were added for color throughout the growing season.