There’s something so pure about a blanket of fresh snow, especially when it’s in your own backyard. Perhaps it’s that it hides imperfections, or that it resembles a blank canvas, ready for an artist to craft a beautiful landscape to enjoy with family and friends.
If your backyard isn’t everything you’ve dreamed it would be, your dreams don’t have to freeze until you see green grass again. In fact, George Gaffiero of Imagine Landscaping says this is the perfect time to get started on your dream landscape.
George and his business partner, Cal Rose, have been beautifying backyards for over 25 years with custom stone and interlock patios, retaining walls, firepits, water features and more.
“We always suggest beginning your backyard design six to 12 months before you want it completed,” says George. “The process of creating your dream landscape doesn’t start with breaking ground. It starts with designs, blueprints, and permits, which can all take time to create, refine and approve.”
In fact, George notes, the permit process can take months of back-and-forth with townships, as backlogs and paperwork can all slow the process down.
Get estimates
Of course, before any of that can begin, you also need to price out your project by getting estimates from several landscape contractors, like Imagine Landscaping.
“The most important choice you’ll make is who you hire to build it,” he says.
Unlike some larger landscape crews that can only boast of fast turnarounds and low-cost quotes, Imagine Landscaping has built a strong reputation on having a small, highly skilled team built on quality and trust.
“We are extremely straightforward with our clients on everything from timelines to budgets.”
Some landscape companies will try to win your business by offering the lowest possible price. However, he notes, rock-bottom prices don’t often come with rock-solid results.
While we’re all drawn to the lowest possible offer, a staggeringly low price is often offered as bait to reel in customers, even though the contractor knows full well that they will go over cost as the project progresses.
“We sometimes run into people who had another company complete their project. A year or two down the road, they regret their choice because they ended up spending thousands more in project add-ons or unexpected repairs.”
Select quality materials
After you decide who to build with, you need to decide on the materials to use for your project.
As an authorized contractor of Unilock stone, Imagine Landscaping uses cutting-edge materials designed for strength and longevity. Unilock is a Canadian manufacturer: launched in 1977 in Barrie, the company understands that beauty and durability are paramount to landscape design.
For decades Unilock has made a name for itself as a hardscaping industry leader. “With Unilock, we’re on the cutting edge of everything that happens in the industry,” says George. “From advancements to insights, techniques to tech – we get it all.”
Their Umbriano collection, for example, features modern granite-like pavers, coping, and steps with EnduraColor technology – a fade-resistant technology that keeps stones looking fresh and vibrant – and EasyClean technology, which makes them resistant to stains and spills.
“They’re stunning stones for patios, driveways, outdoor kitchens, pool surrounds, and front entrances – a super popular choice among our clients.”
With Unilock, you don’t just get reliable, beautiful stone, you also get peace of mind. All of their installations completed by authorized contractors, like Imagine Landscaping, are backed by a transferable lifetime guarantee.
“They guarantee the structural integrity of the paving stones and retaining wall units for residential use,” says George. That means any materials that have been installed and maintained to the company’s guidelines and prove to be defective (subject to normal wear) will be replaced without cost.
Get inspired
Over George’s years in the landscape business, he’s seen styles swing from organic to modern, from rustic patios and pools that ebb and weave like natural features to minimalist designs that value symmetry and simplicity.
“No one style is better than the other,” he notes, adding that while straight lines are in style right now, the best backyard design is one that reflects you and your home’s design.
George and his team use state-of-the-art digital tools to help homeowners visualize the design. This allows attention to every detail in advance of commencement of the actual work.
“Our clients are often very creative people. They know what they want and we’re there to make it happen.”
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
