A project limited only by imagination-every designer’s dream. In this case, the dream turned into reality when homeowners who live on their own golf course decided to transform their nondescript backyard into an oasis for both themselves and members of their private golf club to enjoy.

Only two homes, owned by brothers, sit on the course. This home is visible from the driving range and passing golf carts. The backyard had an existing elevation of 30 feet with a lake at
the bottom. Rolsky turned the drop into multiple waterfalls fed by the lake, with a hot tub at the foot of the cascade. The water seems to tumble into and around the spa, like a pool in a rain forest. The hot tub has a pair of its own petite waterfalls, one that spills into the tub and another that flows into the main cascade.

The fast-moving water won’t freeze, so the feature can run 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The foundation is an eight inch-thick layer of gunnite, which is stronger than a lining andshouldn’t be at risk for a puncture.

Pro Care used about 70 tons of sandstone-lighter than granite and limestone-but hauled even more to the job site. Over two-and-a-half months, the crew arranged boulders for a
natural appearance. With 37 years of experience, Rolsky says he doesn’t need so much as a sketch for this process. ‘We’re artisans with the stone;’ he says.

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As a landscape design, build and maintenance company that has been doing work since 1972, we have a lot of projects out there. It’s not uncommon for customers to move from
house to house and take us with them to facilitate our help with any new landscaping.
In the past, even sons and daughters of customers have called on us for landscape assistance. Yes, we’ve seen a lot and done a lot, but the beauty of the job is the everlasting potential to encounter something new.

We were contacted by a new customer who purchased a home in an older, established neighborhood. This customer needed help renovating his existing landscape, which in and of itself was nothing new. We always like to question our customers while talking over the
phone about what they are trying to do, what they like and how they want to get there. Once we have all those questions answered, we like to end our conversations with one final question: “Where did you get our name or how did you come to contact us?” What this customer told us was something we did not expect.

This man said that he had been surfing the web looking for a landscape company that could help, and his search brought him to us at procarelandscapers.10web.site. Once there, he proceeded to view our large photo gallery. He said that while looking through our photos he came across a photo of his own backyard. This photo showed him his family’s pool, their
pool house and their large deck with a built-in spa and bench surround. He went on to say that while he thought what they had was nice, he knew it was older and thought something new and different would be better for them and their lifestyle.  That’s when our challenge began.  We had to take this 15-year-old landscape designed to meet one client’s needs and
alter it to meet so many new needs.

We had to do all this while still incorporating large parts of the original design, only this time the new homeowners really needed to push things to a new level. This meant removing the existing spa, wood deck and vinyl-liner pool.  All this was done while tearing apart parts
of the existing pool house and tripling its original size, and while salvaging and working around the existing mature shade trees, evergreen trees and river birches that became key to the overall look of the new space.

A new 20-by-50-foot gunite swimming pool was turned 90 degrees to the house and was constructed to become the central focus. This pool became anchored on the east by a new elevated cypress deck. This deck was separated from the pool by a masonry wall constructed of natural Pennsylvania sandstone and brick with limestone details and wrought iron fence,
including built-in flower planters and a central fountain.

A new door was added off the first floor master bedroom to allow access to the deck and a new built-in spa area privatized by existing and new Norway spruce and Colorado spruce.

The design of the deck provided controlled access to the new pool and pool pavilion area as well as access to the front of the house, including easy access for guests. The pool house became a covered pavilion, which included a new bathroom, shower and dry sauna. The pool house also included a large countertop and bar with a built-in vented grill, refrigerator,
icemaker, sink and cabinetry.

The pavilion, with its substantial gathering area, anchored the pool to the north and opened up to a large arbor and comfortable fire pit area. To the south across the pool, existing mature clump river birches helped balance out the space that opens to the backyard with broad stamped concrete steps. These steps were anchored on each side with two large masonry limestone-and-brick columns that also acted as four-season planters.

Because access to the job was limited only to the north side, the project had to be completed by working our way out of the yard. This meant that timing and scheduling was critical.

Once the hardscape was complete, we proceeded with an intensive planting scheme. Our goal was to enhance the existing mature trees with additional specimens for a specialized focal interest. These plants included weeping purple beech, ‘Beni Schichihenge’ and ‘Crimson Queen’ Japanese maples, ‘Spaans’ dwarf pine and ‘Walker’ weeping pea tree.

Sandstone boulders were added throughout the landscape to tie in the sandstone in the walls and create a natural appearance. Multiple vines including trumpet vine, sweet autumn
clematis and honeysuckle were added to grow on the arbors at the pool pavilion and the deck. We also planted a multitude of perennials, broadleaf evergreens and deciduous evergreen shrubs and grasses. All these plants together create a space that exudes warmth and comfort.  Because the customer wanted an immediate fullness to the space, dwarf
and slow-growing plants were selected so they would grow together and look good, rather than overgrown.

The space was enhanced even more with landscaping lighting for a 24-hour experience.

With the enhancements to the original landscape, we were able to construct the space our customers wanted for a complete extension of their living space. While the original landscape worked for our previous customers, the new landscape works much better for the new homeowners. In this case, change is not only good, it’s great.

Lowell Rolsky is a landscape designer and owner of ProCare Horticultural Services (www.
procarelandscapers.10web.site), a total service provider in Carmel. His creative approach and
competent team of employees has garnered the company national recognition by Landscape
Management magazine as one of the top 100 landscape companies in America.

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“It’s amazing how much one house can be altered by landscaping,” says Lowell Rolsky of ProCare Horticultural Services, who recently completed landscaping projects on two properties that included “sister” houses with flipped floor plans created by the same builder.

A RELAXING RETREAT
Like all of his projects, Rolsky started by asking the homeowners about their lifestyle and personal needs. He says because homeowners live and interact with their landscapes, it is important to take those thoughts into consideration before embarking on a project. Some homeowners want their plans implemented in stages, while others want everything to look
great now. Families with children and pets might require hardy “kill proof” plant material,
while hobby gardeners may want to experiment with exotic species.

“Everyone’s needs and desires are different and that is a critical aspect of the job,” Rolsky says. “We have to focus our attention on how the homeowners are living and what they are truly looking for, then create the reality of it.”

Sue Kozlowski had a definite vision of what she and her husband wanted when they relocated to central Indiana. The well-traveled couple was intrigued by the home they found in Zionsville that evoked a Colorado retreat.

Rolsky says the Kozlowskis purchased their “dream home” while it was still under construction and planned a number of amenities for the property; including a vegetable garden, swimming pool, and patio. They also wanted to make sure that the
landscape style complemented the home’s mission-style architecture, and contained
a lot of out-of-the-box thinking.

“I jokingly told them to buy the property behind them and install a mountain,” then, says Rolsky, “it would have fit right in with that style of home. Of course, that didn’t happen, but they did want more mature plantings that would look great right away rather than installing something with potential that might look great years down the line.”

One of the biggest challenges on the property was the expansive backyard, which ·needed to be modified to fulfill its potential. Rolsky says that he created rolling hills in the back, and included a variety of gardening styles that the couple had enjoyed while traveling across the country.

“We were continually saying that we didn’t know a backyard could look like that,” says Kozlowski. “Every month there was something coming up in the yard. There were areas that drew hummingbirds and cardinals. We had cherry blossoms and maple trees in addition to
the fountain and rocks that were brought in from California. Lowell brought it all together in one vision. There is a beautiful view from every room of the house.”

STAGED TO PLEASE
Nimu Surtani didn’t know much about landscaping when he moved into his Arts
and Crafts style home in Noblesville, but when his budget changed after he had
lived in the space for a while, he decided to freshen up his initial landscape design.
He also knew it could take y ears for the landscape’s plants to reach maturity, and
in the meantime, the home looked like a monolith compared to its surroundings.

He was aware that his home had a sister in the area. When he saw what had been done on the other property, he called in Rolsky to balance his home with its surroundings, scale it with the landscaping, and make it appear smaller.

Rolsky analyzed the property and, working in stages, integrated hardscapes and added dimensions to immediately soften the home’s position on the land.  Surtani was impressed by Rolsky’s ability to look at the property in a number of different ways and determine what views he could create and what colors would show, and then envision the end result.

“It must have taken a tremendous amount of work, but I think that is the separation between a landscape architect and an artist,” says Surtani. “When you get a designer with an artist’s eye, it makes all the difference. They really can transform the way a house looks.”

“Homeowners always have an idea of how they want something to look, but they turn to a designer because we can look at things in a unique way,” says Rolsky.

Even homes that use similar plant material can look altogether unique depending on how it is laid out. Surrounding properties can make a significant difference as well. One of the homes had neighbors nearby, and while the other also had neighbors, it was more isolated.
Open fields caused wind problems, so plant selections were limited. Privacy was also important for both houses. Surtani’s house required a spa area for entertaining guests-but without a claustrophobic feel. Rolsky was grateful for the confidence the homeowners showed him on both projects.

“We were told that it was unusual that we gave him free reign, but I liked what he did on the other home,” says Surtani. “When you look at some of the plant names, they really mean nothing to a layperson. He knew best what the project would do for the view from inside the
house, and I had no business interjecting in that expertise. I knew we wanted aesthetics,
and, in the end, what we got was a lovely Arts and Crafts lodge with an asymmetrical landscape design. When he walked away from it, it looked beautiful. When it comes to landscaping, you really !let what you pay for.”

LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
Rolsky says homeowners need to consider a long term goal. Landscaping is a living breathing process that doesn’t have to happen overnight. As long as one plans to be in a home for 10 years or longer, a landscape design will offer a personal return on investment that can be realized immediately-or over a period of time.

He also says a plan that is implemented in stages allows a homeowner to move toward a goal (as opposed to a plan for people who want to see a finished look right away). The objective is to find a designer who can create a strategy that undersells and over delivers, and encourages clients to continue the process.

“When you know that you are making people happy,” he says, “it is great to see their reactions after you take nothing and turn it into something. There is no better reward.”

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ONCE, A NICE POOL WAS THE HEIGHT OF BACKYARD luxury. These days, it’s no longer the lone staple of outdoor style.  The concept of al fresco dining has transformed from a modest slab of concrete with a table, chairs and portable barbecue grill into a room that rivals what’s found indoors, often at a cost topping the typical price of an average home. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Americans spent $62.5 billion in 2004 on outdoor kitchens, living areas and the necessary equipment for outside entertaining, with spending expected to continue to grow.

Getting the posh patio takes the assistance of an experienced landscape designer and a wheelbarrow load of cash. “I tell customers up front that our work is limited only by our imagination and someone else’s pocketbook;” says Lowell Rolsky, who started Pro Care Horticultural Services 35 years ago. ”And we never run out of fresh ideas.  “Pro Care is a full-service landscaping company that designs and executes everything from paths and patios to pools, ponds and plant selection for its clients.

Flipping through Pro Care’s portfolio of award-winning projects quickly demonstrates just how creative your landscaping can get. Rolsky has installed bridges, fountains and outdoor kitchens in some of the city’s most inviting backyards.

For one of Rolsky’s most elaborate projects, the homeowners asked him to create an outdoor recreation area to enhance their new, opulent Carmel home. “My first task on a project like this is to determine the homeowners’ lifestyle, needs, likes and dislikes as far as using their patio area,” said Rolsky. “Pro Care is responsible for everything outside the house, from the look of the storage barns and garden beds to the feel of the decks and decorating.”

The homeowners requested a transition from the English Country-style house to the rustic woods without creating a major contrast between the areas. Rolsky designed a comfortable outdoor space on several levels nestled in the transitional area between the back of the house and the edge of 12 acres of woodland that forms the largest piece of this property.

“My goal was to create something that felt natural, warm and cozy, while eliciting admiration;’ Rolsky says. “The garden and patios provide a transition between the formal space of the house and the natural wood line that rims the property without feeling artificial.”

From the main-floor deck that descends to the patio via a metal circular staircase to patio and pool level, the space offers a welcome retreat from the family’s busy public life.  The homeowners wanted a patio that  reflects their stage in life: a family with  teenagers. The outdoor grill and pool building are close to the main house without crowding it, as requested by the homeowners, but the backyard is entirely private from the rest of the property. The fireplace is visible from the house without obstructing their view of the wooded area beyond. With no small children, the homeowners opted for a pool with a fountain rather than slides and play areas.  They also wanted a flexible space for entertaining a variety of groups, from small family gatherings to large groups of the children’s friends.

Rolsky listened to the homeowners’ wish list, developed by reading books on current trends in outdoor entertaining,  looking at other homes and trying out features on vacation at resorts, and found a way to put all of the desired elements together without feeling crowded or fussy.  “Form, function and aesthetics all have to  work together,” he says. “You want the space to be large enough for people to stretch out without creating a sea of concrete.  For example, we broke up the overall space with small gardens and several kinds of seating areas, but we unified the space with pressed concrete pavers that mimic slate.”

Natural materials are used throughout the project, from the tumbled limestone and river-cobble walls to the lilac bluestone countertop in the kitchen. Exposed cedar beams provide shade around the fireplace, and natural granite boulders carry the theme throughout the landscaping.  The result is inviting and warm without taking away from the beauty of the woodland views.

The landscape puts the focus on the in-ground pool, which was coated with blue-green colors to offer the sense of being by a lake, while the waterfall and its sounds make the homeowners feel like they live along a river.

Rolsky suggested seating areas around the pool that work with the homeowners’ style of decorating, with choices for sitting in the sun near shady areas. This way, people who want to sit in the shade aren’t segregated from the sun worshipers.

Beautiful plant life creates visual interest appreciable from any seat. “We selected ornamental plants with a colorful or unique character, Rolsky says.”Weeping forms of beech and hemlock trees contrast filth red cutleaf maples, yellow bamboo a variety of euonymus and hydrangeas.”

Plant choices also reflect Rolsky’s desire to offer three-season color and interesting foliage in every part of the yard.  Wisteria on the spiral staircase and trumpet vine on a column by the fireplace were chosen because they attract hummingbirds, which further add to the pleasure of the garden.

The piece de resistance of the patio is the island-style outdoor kitchen with a towering fireplace nearby. As is common these days, the kitchen is anchored by top-of-the-line grills with steamers, a full-sized refrigerator, a sink, a food prep area, and storage cabinets; stainless steel offers protection from the elements. (Pizza ovens and wine stations are also making their way into the most deluxe outdoor kitchens.) With the addition of weatherproof
tables and chairs with water-repellant covers, the space is practical for outdoor dining every day, a growing trend seen worldwide. Happily, the family grillmeister is no longer isolated in thebackyard, but surrounded by f:amily and
guests while cooking.

While materials, garden elements and patio furniture set the style, other features are included for convenience. For example, storage in the pool garage and a full bathroom and shower mean fewer trips in and out of the house for family members and guests. They are joined under the peaked kitchen roof and cedar shade bower, which casts a gridded shadow but allows plenty of sunlight and breezes through.

Although not yet installed, space heaters and lights will extend use of the area into the spring and fall months, as well as into the evening. Other features that will be phased into the project include a projection screen for home movies poolside, additional plantings to screen the backyard from the front of the house and decorative elements such as sculpture.

Other options include a backyard sleeping porch, gazebo, outdoor sauna or hot tub, and game areas, as well as a bar by the pool. As Rolsky put it, “We’re only limited by what you care to spend:’

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LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Lowell Rolsky, Pro Care Horticultural Services

THE PROJECT: A private playground with everything from a fire pit to a permanent cornhole game.

WHY IT’S A WINNER: In this smaller-than-it-looks neighborhood back yard, multiple leisure zones feel tucked away amid veils of greenery and the fluidly interconnected patios.  The deck abutting the house has a barbecue grill built into a fieldstone wall. An adjacent deck steps up to a hot tub and a hammock under a cedar-stained trellis. On the other side is
a patio of paving stones. Bordering a tiered water feature, a louvered fence allows air circulation and permits views out but not in. The patio curves around to a seating area, then
to a fire pit with a semi-circular bench. Brass cattails and playful glass sculptures spring out from the foliage, but more surprising is the permanent slate cornhole board with a lit
opening for nighttime games.

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Lowell Rolsky with Pro Care Horticultural Services, a Design,
Build, Maintenance Contractor in Carmel answers:
Your situation is best solved by following a particular process that first includes finding a company that can be a single source for all your needs. Like Pro Care Horticultural Services, this company should offer creative -and unique design solutions that should enhance any and all of your own ideas, bring new ideas to the table and be all encompassing, with budgetary options or choices like different patio surfaces. Remember, you’re here to stay. Realize, if you can be patient you can have anything. You just need to plan for it. Once you like the plan, the best way to guarantee you get the true vision of what you were sold is to let the people who designed it install it. ·Whether it takes a month, done all at one time, or takes years, done in phases or stages, in the end you’ll get what you want.

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With a focused ability to listen to you; Pro Care Horticultural Services will help refine and define your thoughts with landscape elements to satisfy your individual tastes, short and long-term needs and goals. Whether you use us for design, installation or both, our experts will work together with you to guarantee that your vision from “Dreams to Reality” exceeds your expectation: Our focus on creating low maintenance environments with immediate value and long term success is unequaled. Pro Care Horticultural Service’s ability of improving your investment also enhances the quality of life for everyone who enjoys it. Make Pro Care Horticultural Services your choice for all your landscape design and installation needs today!

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