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Photos by Beth Singer

Alan Hitsky I

Associate Editor

Professional landscapers try to create
that perfect image, bringing your
private outdoors into the home.

win brothers Ken and Mike Shecter have been in the landscaping busi-
ness for 24 years. Their Farmington Hills company is seeing a growing
trend toward landscape designs that provide lower maintenance.
"But there's always maintenance,' Ken Shecter says.
His words are echoed by Bob Porter of Landscape
Artisans in Ortonville. "If you want 'no mainte-
nance:" says Porter, "then you will have to put in concrete
and paint it green!'
The reality is somewhere - in between. Modern land-
scape designs are moving toward lower maintenance
through judicious use of perennials and shrubs, with
minimal areas of annual flowers to provide massed
color.
It's those annuals that need constant watering,
fertilization and, in some cases, deadheading of old
blooms so that new blooms will grow.
To provide lots of color while reducing mainte-
nance efforts, Ken Shecter is utilizing "endless sum-
mer" hydrangeas and continuous blooming roses.
He says the architecture of the home will dictate the
landscape design, with the more traditional styles today
demanding more hedges.
Porter agrees, but says boxwood hedges can be either
simple or difficult to maintain, depending upon the owner's
choice of looks. The same hedge can be carefully pruned occasion-
ally or perfectly trimmed at all times.
Bruce Clay of Toll Landscape in Novi is seeing a heavy demand for outdoor
living spaces. "People are traveling less, and the back yard is where they are hanging
out," he says.

Back yards can include brick patios, built-in grills, firepits or fireplaces, entertainment
areas near water and pergolas that are "small, tasteful and inviting." Some people are
spending "next to nothing" for their desired look',' Clay says, "while others may
spend $500,000!'
Porter sees the increasing demand for outdoor "rooms" and kitch-
ens on the patio as an outdoor extension of the home. "People
are spending more time in their own back yards and they are
improving their own environment."
He is seeing requests for "retro" looks and environ-
mentally friendly simple designs that use native plants,
trees and wildflowers. He adds that water gardening has
grown in popularity during the last 10-15 years.
Changing technology is also playing a role in land-
scape design, Shecter says. Stronger synthetics and
plastics are being used to stabilize the ground and
walls, and smaller machines have led to less hand work
during construction.
The most important part of any landscape design,
according to Shecter, is the budget. You may want a $10,000
job, but only have $2,000 to spend. Other factors are the
costomer's desires: a natural vs. a formal landscape.
The Shecters will blend landscape and decking, and have
done designs costing from $20,000 to $400,000.
The end result? "It's like art in your home,' says Shecter. "I try
to create what you like. My job is to make the outside flow with the
inside of your home.
"Most magazines today, when they show a home, they'll show a garden view. At
night, that view changes, and with the right lighting we can bring that landscape view
right into the home."

March 22

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