Landscape Enhancement: Old Landscaping Gets a New Lease On Life
Enhancement by
Ryan Benda
When a longtime homeowner contacted Weller Brothers account manager Ryan Benda in the fall of 2022, he knew he had a fun challenge ahead of him.
The home’s landscape was overgrown with mature plants, and the homeowner was struggling to keep up with the maintenance.
Before and After
A Fresh Start
Our team’s first step was to clear the overgrown vegetation and create a clean slate. With the landscape beds cleared, Ryan worked with the homeowner to understand her vision for the space. Together, they designed a colorful, yet low-maintenance landscape that would complement the existing hardscape features like the retaining wall, steps, and walkways.
“I built the plan around existing features, accentuating them with specific plants and designs,” Ryan says. “We also included a drip-line irrigation system for easy watering.”
Blending Native and Urban
Like plant variety? Ryan’s got you covered with this design.
To achieve a low-maintenance and visually appealing landscape, he incorporated a mix of native grasses like Prairie Dropseed, Little Bluestem, Festuca, and Karl Foerster, along with hardy evergreen plants such as Mugo Pine, Arborvitae shrubs, and upright Junipers. For pops of color, he added Barberry’s and Coneflowers.
“With the perfect existing spot for a raised mulch bed, I added more native perennials for season-long blooming color by using Bee Balm, Stachys, Sedum, Yarrow, Gaillardia, and a brilliant Northern clump Redbud”, Ryan adds.
To accent the main walkway, we planted Amur Flame Maple clump trees that add a vibrant red hue in the fall.
A Client's Delight
The homeowner was thrilled with the transformation, and we’re so glad!
When Ryan showed her the before-and-after pictures, she couldn’t believe the difference. Our team transformed the overgrown, neglected landscape into a vibrant, inviting outdoor space that was easy to maintain.
How can we bring your home’s landscaping back to life? We’re here to help in Des Moines, Sioux Falls, and Rochester.