Client Overview
The Tiffany home on Sunrise Lake in Blaine now has a front seat view of Sunset Bay. Nestled in a cozy channel that leads to the lake, Jone and Hal Tiffany wanted a little bit of beach and a patio to enjoy with family and friends. They also wanted easy access to launch their kayak, without having to walk over rocks and brush, while preserving the integrity of the buffer zone that protects the shoreline.
Challenge
Jone and Hal own a detached townhome, so the property surrounding it is maintained by an HOA. Homeowners are allowed to develop 30% of the lakeshore in front of their home, but association approval is required to move forward, so Hal and Jone needed a design that would be given a green light. 70% of the lakeshore had to remain a buffer zone with native plants, and a swale or catch-pond was required to catch fertilizer runoff from the yard in order to protect water quality.
Solution
A lot of behind the scenes work went in to making sure the landscape plan matched up with HOA guidelines. Hal Tiffany said, “Minnehaha Falls Landscaping provided detailed drawings that were to scale and in color. The plan was clear and so was their commitment to preserving the quality of the lake. Our association said the plan was exceptional.”
Invasive thistle, stinging nettle and small willows were removed from the yard, boulders were placed along the shoreline to protect from high water levels in the spring, and a stone patio was added. Hal refers to the stone cutters as “artists.” He said, “They cut several pallets of patio blocks, some cubed and some flat, with craftmanship, including angle cuts, with little waste.” Electricity was also installed around the patio so the space can be enjoyed after dark.
Jone, a lover of gardening is happy with the low maintenance perennials selected by Landscape Architect Tom Kerby, and says she loves MFL Owner Russ Henry’s commitment to attracting butterflies and pollinating bees. “I’m looking forward to planting some annuals in the Spring,” she said, “And I dispersed a large packet of pollinator wildflower seeds this year, hoping they will take over the buffer zone and look wild, yet pretty.”
Results
The Tiffany’s are looking forward to relaxing with a book on the patio next summer, and time with friends around the fire pit. They’re also planning to enjoy paddle boarding and kayaking with their two-year-old grandson. They say, “He loves looking for ducks and loons and the feel of the water in his hands, as we paddle along.”
“The plan was clear and so was their commitment to preserving the quality of the lake.”
