This is the Second of an Eight-Part Feature on the designers’ vision and progress at the DC Design House, which is underway and set to open on April 14th.
Just steps from the Morning Room is the Patio Terrace, designed by Stephen Wlodarczyk of Botanical Decorators Landscape Architecture, in Olney, MD. Wlodarczyk says the fast pace of the Design House’s production, less than 5 weeks, is very exciting. “We are looking forward to displaying our creative talents for such a great cause,” he adds.
“Chris Cahill, the owner of Botanical Decorators, and I determined that we need to ‘bring the indoors out,’ ” the landscape architect says. With several entry points to the patio terrace from inside rooms designed by different designers presents its own set of challenges. “It is our goal to bring the large patio into a livable scale that relates to what the interior designers are doing,” Wlodarczyk says. For example, he is fabricating custom cushions that complement the fabric choices of the designers’ interior rooms. “We will be creating a series of smaller outdoor rooms… taking a bold approach to transform a very traditional space.”
Howard County Maryland Home to New Pool
Award-winning landscape design-build firm, Botanical Decorators is at it again, this time in Howard County, Maryland. Botanical is building a pool, complete with its signature landscaping, of course, that will turn the home’s backyard into a virtual oasis of recreation. Watch as this new backyard space takes shape over the coming weeks.
This pool will be constructed using Gunite, the most popular design fabrication material in much of the United States. To build one of these pools, the construction crew digs a hole, puts the plumbing in place and assembles a framework grid with 3/8-inch steel reinforcing rods (rebar). The rebar rods are spaced about 10 inches apart, and secured together with wire. When the grid is in place, the crew sprays a heavy coating of gunite, a mixture of cement and sand, around the rebar. The sprayer unit combines dry gunite mix with water just before spraying — this produces the wet concrete material. The crew trowels the gunite smooth and lets it sit for a week or so before applying a smooth finish to the rough surface. The most popular finish is called plaster (actually a mixture of cement and marble sand), but a lot of people finish their pools with special concrete paint. Gunite pools can also have tile, exposed aggregate or even fiberglass finishes. Gunite pools (and their cousins, shotcrete pools) are highly durable, and they can be built in any shape or size. (Source: Howstuffworks.com)
Botanical Decorators was featured in Dean & Derek’s popular DIY Network’s show, Indoors Out, earlier this year in the Washington DC area.
Botanical Decorators designed this backyard retreat for a Darnestown family
When the homeowners bought their home it was accompanied by a backyard full of mud. Then they hired Botanical Decorators architect, Steve Wlodarczyk. They “wanted something unique” that could be used for family activities, entertainment, and a backyard vacation-retreat. Read more about this incredible landscape metamorphosis that more than met its objective>> from the August 2011 edition of Maryland Life magazine (then click on “Preview” button when the page opens).
From Maryland Life magazine, August 2011, story by Carol Sorgen and photography by Mike Morgan, used with permission
DIY Indoors Out Episode Airs during July 2011
Recently married Peruvian-born couple Alex and Pam Grahammer — along with Alex’s twin seven-year-old sons — live in a quaint Washington, D.C., home. But their tiny kitchen is so crowded that the refrigerator and basement doors can’t be accessed at the same time. Outside, their deck is unsafe for the twins, and mosquitoes from the neighboring park like to feast on the family. So Dean and Derek create an outdoor kitchen and dining area to help expand this home before the Grahammers start expanding their family. Plus, they’ll finally get some relief from those pesky mosquitoes.
View the episode in which Botanical Decorators plays a prominent role>>
Landscape Planting Tips
PROPER PLANTING
One of the most important and often overlooked procedures for installing plants whether it’s a vegetable garden, foundation planting or a formal flowering garden is to properly till the soil. Tilling is the best way to break up compacted soil while adding nutrients such as fertilizers & compost and in cases of high clay soil- sand. Having a good soil profile is the key ingredient to having a successful garden. A good soil profile will drain well, not dry out too fast, retain nutrients well and allow oxygen to the plants roots.
When planting container plants it is always important to inspect the root system as you remove the container. Plants that have been in containers for a while often have circling or girdling roots. If left in this condition, over time the plant will start to decline and eventually die. Always cut any circling roots with either a shovel or pruners, don’t be afraid to break up the root system. You are actually helping by allowing the roots to spread out into your well prepared soil.
When looking at a new tree that was just planted, I often notice that the tree was either planted to high or too low. One rule of thumb when planting new trees into a new landscape is to have 1/8 of the root ball slightly above existing grade. Ever notice that beautiful tree in a forest and wonder how it got so big and grow so old. Chances are it grew naturally from a seed dropped from another tree. Trees that grow naturally in a forest all have a taper or a flare at the base, this flare is called the’ root collar’ and is where the tree breathes. When planting a tree, be sure it is not planted too low as to bury the taper. Also, do not plant so high that the root ball dries out quickly and gets blown over from the wind. It is important to stake evergreen trees to prevent them from blowing over.
Happy planting!
David Plues, Production Manager
Landscape Planting tips
Is Bigger Better? Landscaping in Potomac, Maryland
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- This is the one
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- Bigger is better
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- Digging the Hole
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- Plant it here!
Bigger IS better if you are trying to bring balance and scale to a large home off-set on a flag lot. To help this home owner, we planted a 10″ caliper Armstrong Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong’). We used a 96″ truck mounted tree spade to move the tree from the nursery to it’s location off the left corner of the garage. I walked the field and tagged the perfect tree for this applicaiton. Our client went out in the morning and returned to find an amazing transformation. For more on Landscaping in Potomac, Maryland or throughout the Washington, DC area visit our web site at www.botdec.com
Front Portico in Gaithersburg, MD
Well, here is an update on the Deck the Halls post. The weather really brought the project to a stop. The custom iron handrails are now installed and we found a few days above 35 degrees to get the painting finished. This custom built portico in Gaithersburg, Maryland really adds some dynamic architectural detail to this beautiful home.
Botanical Decorators brings new meaning to ‘deck the halls’
Getting Started
Here’s a great way to greet your Holiday guests. A portico entrance over your front door not only adds a beautiful architectural detail, but gives your guests a roof over their heads as they enter your home. It is important to note that working with an experienced architect, such as the team from Botanical Decorators, will produce a project that will reflect the timeless principles of scale, proportion and detail. We are wrapping up this project just in time for our clients guests to arrive. For more ideas on portico entries check out our website- www.botdec.com
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- Getting Started
Botanical Decorators Continues Award winning streak
On November 17, 2010 the MD/DC/VA Landscape Contractors Association held their annual Awards banquet. Botanical Decorators received 4 awards in the landscape design/build catagory. We will be posting the winning projects on the website shortly.
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The Landscaper by Botanical Decorators 