The Solstice Project
Pool, cedar pergolas, outdoor kitchen and layered paving in Vialoux.
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2020 Award of Excellence · Residential construction
Natural Law
An ordinary backyard turned into a private forest — pond, stream, boulders and layered shade planting, with the existing pool folded into the woodland story. 1,800+ sq ft in Ridgedale.
1,800+Sq ft landscape
5 weeksOn site
Summer 2020Completed
RidgedaleWinnipeg
“We wanted our yard to feel like part of the forest — quiet, calming, and connected to nature.” The hard part was making it look unbuilt.
The homeowners dreamed of escaping into their own private forest. That meant the landscape had to blur the line between garden and nature — every rock, path and plant placed so it looked like it had always been there.
The design started with water. A naturalistic pond and stream meander through the property like a creek found on a woodland hike, and everything else — boulders, paths, planting, even the existing pool — was arranged around it.
Zone by zone
A forest, in the city.
Water leads, boulders anchor, planting fills in — and winding paths move you between sunny poolside spaces and shaded woodland nooks.
The natural water feature
The soul of the landscape is a pond and stream system that meanders through the yard. Large boulders line the water’s edge, placed to look as though they have been there for centuries.
The sound of trickling water masks city noise and draws in birds and wildlife.
- Naturalistic pond and stream
- Fieldstone boulders at the water’s edge
- Liner and filtration built in
Artful planting design
Burgundies, chartreuse greens and sunset oranges layered into a tapestry that changes through the seasons. Hostas, coral bells and astilbe thrive under the mature canopy; ornamental grasses add movement; coleus brings bold pockets of colour.
Native plantings attract butterflies and songbirds — and every plant was chosen to thrive in Winnipeg with minimal upkeep.
Boulders and stone paths
Natural boulders and weathered stone anchor the design. Winding flagstone paths invite exploration, leading through a series of garden rooms with multiple tucked-away seating areas for morning coffee or evening conversation.
- Flagstone pathways
- Boulder accents throughout
- Sun and shade seating options
Pool integration
Rather than fighting the natural theme, the existing pool became part of the woodland story. Lush planting softens its edges and the surrounding deck connects to the garden paths — so it feels like a hidden swimming hole deep in the forest.
The build
What went into it
Design, water feature, boulder work, paths, planting, pool-area landscaping, irrigation and lighting — delivered by our own crews in five weeks.
Ridgedale · Winnipeg
Services & materials.
- Site work
- Master planning, soil amendment and preparation, irrigation installation.
- Water
- Natural pond and stream construction with liner and filtration.
- Hardscape
- Boulder placement, natural stone and flagstone pathways, deck integration.
- Planting
- Shade garden installation, perennials, annuals, grasses, native shrubs and groundcovers.
- Services
- Pool-area landscaping, low-voltage landscape lighting.
- Materials
- Fieldstone boulders, river rock, decorative gravel, flagstone, hostas, heuchera, astilbe, coleus, impatiens, cedar mulch.
- Pond & stream
- Boulder features
- Stone paths
- Shade garden
- Planting design
- Pool landscaping
- Irrigation
- Landscape lighting
Photo gallery
Natural Law, finished
Click any photo to open it larger.
Living in it
What the client said
“Every morning I have coffee by the pond and watch the birds. Every evening we gather on the deck and listen to the water. The Lawn ‘N’ Order team didn’t just install plants and rocks; they created an entire ecosystem that feels like it’s always been here. Friends can’t believe this is the same yard. Neither can we, honestly.”
The homeowners · Ridgedale, Winnipeg
The services in this project
Water, stone and shade.
Create your own natural retreat.
Tell us what the yard feels like now and what you want it to feel like instead. That conversation is where a project like this starts.