Clarence Davids & Company is proud to announce that our work at The Lodge at the Shores has received an Excellence in Landscape Award from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association!
In 2015, a massive renovation was completed to The Lodge at the Shores. With the exterior renovations much of the original landscaping was disturbed. They wanted the clubhouse and it’s landscaping to reflect the natural character of the community.
One of the major challenges of this project was the grade change from the south driveway to the east entrance and from the street to the building’s east facade. Two walls were installed to manage the grade changes and created 3 tiers of planting areas. To tie into the natural character of the renovated clubhouse, Rosetta outcropping walls were installed to achieve a natural stone look without the large price tag. Columnar oak trees were incorporated to help scale the landscape with the building’s façade. Deciduous shrubs, evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennials of different textures, foliage colors and flowering times were planted around the clubhouse to provide interest throughout the seasons. The plant palette included but not limited to hydrangea, ninebark, junipers, coneflowers, alliums, prairie dropseed and many more. The favorite feature of this landscape is the stream that cascades over the two walls into a pool at the bottom. This waterfall feature welcomes all visitors to the clubhouse with its beauty and calming white noise.
Another challenge of this project was to protect the building from water infiltration since the grade slopes towards the building. The solution had to be both functional and aesthetic. Along the east side of the building a dry creek bed was constructed of Wisconsin granite cobbles to catch water and direct it away from the building’s foundation. As a secondary precaution there is an 18” gravel strip with perforated drain tile along the foundation to catch any water that makes its way to the foundation.
The clubhouse’s building and landscape renovation has been a huge success and upon completion was renamed “The Lodge at the Shores” to reflect its new natural character!
