PlanetRockwall.com

Rockwall Landscape Architect Wins State Fair Awards

Published: September 29, 2009

---

Click to enlarge [+]

---

Day Spring Landscape & Stone of Rockwall Creates Award Winning Garden Exhibit

"Landscape is an enchanting real life story"

Hard work and creativity earned Rockwall Landscape Architect Charles Mathis awards for his garden exhibit at the Texas State Fair. Charles stated, "We competed with approximately 40 leading landscapers in the Metroplex. Most have been competing for multiple years and have already well established beds, gardens and hardscapes. We gave it a touch of class and came out third in the Texas State Fair Garden Exhibit in the Large Garden Class and were awarded Best Stonework - Best of Show out of all the competing gardens displayed."

Our Rockwall landscape expert put a lot of thought into the plants and flowers that bring his garden to life. When asked about his choices, Charles identified the flora and reasons he chose them:

Japanese Maple trees set the tone, giving the space a delicate feeling.
Italian Cypress trees bring elegance and curb appeal, setting the overall balance.
Savannah Holly trees were placed in the background for height and grandeur.
Silver Dragon ground cover brings low soft brights that evokes the feel of a swaying dance in the open courts below.
Dwarf Mondo ground cover frames the flagstone hardscapes, complimenting the picturesque moment.
Chrysanthemums add mass bright color. The doubled layered bouquets, add ambiance to the entry.
Windmill Palm accents the theme with friendly warmth.
Begonias and Snap dragons act as filler color with soft highlights, rounding off the total perspective.
Layered Chrysanthemums to beautify the scene, setting the stage for a soft white/off white bridal curtained pergola, set inside a buff-colored circular stone wall and surrounded by captivating scapes of textures and colors.

To top off the display, Charles created and hand set a brilliant masonry stone medallion. Most of Charles' expertise is in stone work. In the pathway of his garden he used Oklahoma flagstone. Austin Blanco chopped stone was used in the privacy wall and bed border, and Oklahoma flagstone in bed areas. Oklahoma multicolor flagstone adorns the medallion area.

Charles added that, "Oklahoma flagstone comes in multiple varieties and color blends." He uses a smooth surfaced flagstone for the more formal appearances. To gain elegance and warmth, a white Portland mix cement created a buff cream color between the joints. "The wider the joints, the larger the area of buff color which offsets the darker flag for a classy, rather than rustic or informal look."

Charles came up with the theme for his exhibit during the initial garden banquet. "I picked a couple of beautiful art pieces and metal magnolia flowers to be exhibited in my garden. These unique art pieces inspired me to create a magnificent centerpiece floral medallion, hand crafted patio center, hand cut flagstone petals, and a circle iron piece grouted into a center nuclei that is pollinated with little handset glass gemstones." Charles' wife has told him, "you need to do one of these at our house now!"

Since the State Fair opened, couples are taking advantage of the romantic garden setting. Rockwall's proud landscape artist added, "Couples pictures are taken here every hour around the clock."

While visiting the State Fair of Texas, visit the award winning Day Spring Landscape & Stone display at the Garden Exhibit. Be sure to bring your camera!

Day Spring Landscape & Stone Creations
Rockwall, Texas

Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Sharon Lewis in Living, Home & Garden,

---