Archive for the ‘Walls’ Category

Stone Features

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

This drainage structure was built to catch water off the hill. It is made of Tennessee blue facing stone, Selma Brown riverrock, Terra cotta pipe, found native sandstone boulders, and mortar. Partial day.

Drainage Structe to Catch Water off the Hill

Drainage Structe to Catch Water off the Hill

These steps are made of Alabama sandstone slab with found native boulders. No mortar was used. One day.

Alabama Sandstone Slab

Alabama Sandstone Slab

This is called the rainbow wall for its form. The wall arches back against the slope as well at vertically. This double arch adds structural integrity to the wall. The end-caps for this wall were made of native found boulders. The wall is made of Tennessee blue facing stone and mortar. The cap is cut Tennessee Blue Stone with mortar. Two days.

Rainbow Wall with Double Arches

Rainbow Wall with Double Arches

This mailbox was built of Oneonta buff facing stone and buff type s mortar. The drainage area was built of Selma brown riverrock and native found sandstone. One plus days.

Stone Mailbox

Stone Mailbox

“…we just love all of the work you and your crew did for us… Working with John and his entire crew was an absolute pleasure. From our very first meeting, we knew exactly what to expect, and when to expect it. John had a terrific feel for what we were trying to accomplish, and provided very good suggestions as the project progressed. The end result turned out much better than we had anticipated. – Kassan

Recently, Russell Design was responsible for the construction a large brick monument sign I designed near the entrance to Lawson State Community College in Birmingham. The plans developed for this project included a rather intricate patterns of brick and limestone work that were challenging to construct. Russell Design did a fabulous job in following the plans and construction details that resulted in the best looking and well built signs of any of the four similar monument signs already constructed on campus. The final product was artfully constructed by the construction crew. Hats off to Russell Design for a job that was professionally managed, completed well within the allotted construction period and resulted in a very happy client. As a landscape architect, I highly recommend using Russell Design on your next project if skill and quality workmanship are what you are looking to attain.

-Dale Fritz, Landscape Architect

Recycled Wall

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

This wall was built of old (recycled) concrete, found moss rock boulders, gravel, pipe, mesh and fabric. No mortar was used. Terra cotta pipe was used in the inflow layer. The entire wall is a drainage structure with large rocks capping the face.

Recycked Wall with Drainage System

Recycked Wall with Drainage System

Recycked Wall with Drainage System

Recycked Wall with Drainage System

Customer Comments:
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Symphony Showhouse

Friday, October 9th, 2009
Garden Entrance

Garden Entrance

This complicated garden required importing hundreds of yards of fill to build the walk and fountain shown in this image.  The focal point of the garden is created with the grey strip rubble crescent runnel which culminates in the urn fountain.  This fountain is visible from multiple locations in the garden and serves as a pivot for the overall layout.  Spaces are created with mostly native and traditional Southern plant materials including Southern Magnolia, dogwoods, oak and maple trees, hollies, hydrangeas, gardenias, itea, and camellias.  Each focal point in the garden reveals the next space in the garden.  Native was used as well as gas lighting.  Birmingham, Al (more…)

The Modernist Garden

Monday, September 28th, 2009
Entry Walkway

Entry Walkway

This is an entry into a backyard garden.  The concrete step stones were dry laid in crusher run limestone gravel.  Massing was created with Indian hawthorn, lambs ear and dwarf yaupons, with the “tunnel” formed from wax myrtle and Nellie R. Stevens holly.  Birmingham, Al.

This modernist garden was design as a transitioning materials walkway.  The patio is graded from stamped concrete to solid concrete step stones, to running concrete step stones in crusher run gravel and finally to crusher run gravel only.  Crisp edging is provided by metal.  Plantings consist of native plant material and vegetables.  Birmingham, Al. (more…)

The Spiral Garden

Monday, September 28th, 2009
The Spiral Garden

The Spiral Garden

The Spiral Garden was designed for the curator of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and built for a show in Knoxville, TN. The design is based on an overlay of the Fibonacci sequence, ADA, and the structural unit of CMU (8”). It was designed to pull the visitor up though a ramp along a series of cascading pools with fire burning at the uppermost fountain and steps down. The elements of fire, water, earth and sky were all present in the design. Changes in structure (cascades) were a reflection of quantum changes in the basic building unit. The proposed stone is travertine, which has spiral shells (conforming to the Fibonacci sequence) embedded. Not built permanently.

The Spiral Garden Display

The Spiral Garden Display

Welcome to John Russell’s Landscaping Blog

Friday, September 18th, 2009

I am excited to be able to offer my customers and friends a landscaping focused blog that will keep you up to date on my most recent projects.  Photos will be added shortly with details of each project.

If you are located in the Birmingham, Alabama area and want to learn more about the benefits of landscape architecture, please fill out our brief contact form and I will respond to you shortly.

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Arbors & Pergolas