We make it a point each year to participate in the Dogwood Arts House and Garden Show. It’s not only a great cause (supporting art in Knoxville), but it’s also a wonderful opportunity to connect with past, current and future Carex Design Group clients. As we prepare for this year’s show, which is coming February 14-16, 2020, we’ve been reflecting on past customers we’ve met at the show. Here are a few that stand out:
Retreat in the Woods, West Knoxville
This front- and side-yard landscaping renovation in West Knoxville was among our best projects of 2019 (scroll to the end).
When we met the clients for this project at the Dogwood Arts House and Garden Show, erosion control was their biggest complaint given the extreme slope across the front year. When we met to walk through the property, we uncovered their overall vision for their outdoor space and ended up creating a masterplan landscape design that could broken into phases to build over the coming years.
As we started construction on phase one, the clients decided they didn’t want to wait so we eventually installed the entire project that year.
As we started working with these clients, we realized we had a connection to their family (as we often do with our clients!), which made working for them even more fun.
Landscape Masterplan, Oak Ridge
We met these clients several years ago at the Dogwood Arts House and Garden Show and unlike the Retreat in the Woods project, these folks knew from the start they wanted a masterplan landscape design.
We worked with them throughout the design process and provided a complete plan they could have built in phases.
Although they waited a couple years to save up for the installation, we worked with them in 2019 to build phase one of the project. Working with our friends at Magnolia Landscape Construction, we tore out an existing paver sidewalk and reused pavers to save the client money and avoid wasting good material. Combining those pavers with Belgard Holland Stone pavers, Magnolia installed the tiered patio with pergola and dog-washing station. (Interested in pet-friendly landscaping? Check out this, this and this.) After installation, the clients had a hot tub installed on the patio under the pergola, which we had prepared for with electrical connections.
Patio Landscape Design and Construction, Farragut
In contrast to the above projects, the clients for this landscape design and construction project in Farragut knew they only wanted us to focus on a single project rather than creating a full masterplan for their property.
With that in mind, we designed a patio with gracious steps into the yard where we left a large lawn space for their kids to play. We also reconstructed a portion of an existing retaining wall to ensure the space was safe.
Mountain Landscape Masterplan (From Afar!), Sevierville
In 2015 at the Dogwood Arts House and Garden Show, we were approached by a landscaping contractor in Sevierville who had a client wanting a masterplan for a large mountain cabin. The added challenge was that this client lived abroad with very limited ability to travel back to Tennessee. The landscaping contractor brought this work to us because they needed our expertise due to the scope of the work as well as the communication challenge presented by having a client so far away.
One of the most impressive parts of this project is a retaining wall with a stellar mountain view as a backdrop. For the wall, we used Belgard Tandem retaining wall system, which uses hollow-core blocks filled with gravel rather than regular wall block. We’re also proud that this project won Carex Design Group a Belgard award in 2015 for Best Tandem Wall – Residential in the Mid-South Region.
One of our favorite parts of this project was a very simple fire pit with space for chairs looking out over the East Tennessee mountains.
Come See Us at the Show
Stop by February 14-16 at the Knoxville Convention Center in downtown Knoxville to see us in booth #4002, or call fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
