McDonald Custom Builders Inc.
Hardscape
We specialize in environmentally-friendly design and installation. Our landscapes blend with the natural surroundings and we create solutions for Muskoka’s challenging terrains. Waterfront projects, flagstone patios, granite walkways, fire pits, granite stone stairways, retaining walls and water features can be provided to benefit your cottage landscape.
We guarantee our installations. We are certain you will be thrilled with your new landscape!
Granite Stone Stairs
With each installation, we will ensure proper drainage. Stair treads will be evenly spaced along with the correct and constant height. Implementing constant height throughout your staircase will reduce the chance of stumbling and tripping. We also recommend landings in between flights of stairs, to help with steep inclines we find in the Muskoka region. This can be achieved with granite flagstone or mulch. The added touch of plants beside your new steps will help blend the stairs into your new cottage landscape.
Walkways & Paths
With no mortar to crack or lift up, dry-laid flagstone pathways are an owner’s favourite maintenance- free way to get around the cottage; from a small little path through the center of a garden or lawn, right up to a large main entrance walkway. The space in between the flagstone can be filled with lawn, thyme or even moss in shady places. Stepping stones can also be a cost effective way to get around your cottage or lakefront.
Patios
Our dry-laid patios are constructed with oversized flagstone ranging from 3-4 inches thick. Overall size depends on clients’ preference and budget. Our finishing touches of moss or thyme will enhance the beauty of the patio. This maintenance- free patio is an excellent investment in your outdoor cottage living space for generations to come.
Walls
Weathered boulders or quarried stone walls are a great way to create garden pockets, eliminate erosion problems, expand outdoor living areas, and increase parking area. Our walls will help maximize the practical use of your cottage property, while ensuring the protection of mature trees, and enhancing the natural beauty of your landscape.
Softscape
Planting Design and Installation
We specialize in native plantings, naturalizing and ornamental combinations to complement your landscape, and theme gardens. We can enhance your landscape with attractive plantings for summer time to year round interest.
Whether you are looking for low maintenance plantings or showpiece gardens, our team at Natural Images Landscaping Ltd. will listen to your ideas, combine them with our experience, select your plants to provide and create an interesting, ecologically- friendly professional landscape on time and on budget.
Customized annual plantings, window boxes, hanging baskets, and garden beds are also available.
Landscape Renovation
Our team can amend the soil, transplant and sort out abandoned perennials to rejuvenate neglected gardens. Change your newly acquired landscape to better suit your taste by combining existing plants with new additions to renovate and create professional designed gardens.
An after-care program to ensure the health and establishment of plants is recommended.
Professional Landscape Maintenance
In order for our landscapes to stand the test of time and to perform in the way in which they were designed, our experienced team will provide a comprehensive garden maintenance service.
Each maintenance program is designed to suit your property and your own personal needs. The high level of horticultural expertise available from Natural Images ensures that our clients’ gardens continue to be a beautiful oasis.
From the earliest spring days through early winter flurries, our trained gardening teams will maintain your gardens, grounds and annual plantings using exclusively organic and natural products. Our professional maintenance programs are carefully scheduled to suit your needs and budget. We serve cottage and homeowners throughout the Muskoka area. A qualified team leader will be at your property to conduct an on-site inspection regularly to ensure quality care.
Maintenance varies from property to property. However, a good maintenance practice includes spring and fall clean up, weeding, watering, deadheading, picking up debris, staking plants, pruning, shearing, fertilizing, pest control, and care for your annual plantings and mowing the lawn.
Our attention to details and dependability will allow you to sit back and enjoy the summer at the cottage.
Landscape Design
Consultations
During the initial consultation, we can focus on small areas or consider the entire property. We will offer solutions, design concepts based on your input of goals and priorities.
If we contract for a design or installation, that fee is credited towards the project. If not you’ve received valuable, sound horticultural solutions and design advice that will save you time and money.
Whether you need accurate drainage solutions, planting recommendations, or just want to explore the possibility for your property, an initial consultation is the best way to start.
Design Process
We start with an initial consultation to determine your project in detail, your goals, preferences, tastes, and also get a feel for the property. You are encouraged to ask questions and express your ideas, concerns and desires to enable us to create your dream landscape. If you would like a full plan, we need a copy of your property survey to begin. House foot print, easements and set back of property are great to have, if available. We then perform a full site analysis, such as site measurements of existing features, evaluate drainage, inventory of existing plants, views in and out of the property, and consider the different soil type, sun aspect to assure the right plant in the right place. Preliminary plans are generated to illustrate various concepts and possibilities for the overall plan. Once we have finalized a concept and narrowed the choices of materials, we put together the final plan and estimates.
The initial consultation is due and payable at the end of the meeting. After the meeting, we will prepare an estimate of the design for your approval. Upon your approval and deposit (50% of amount quoted) we will begin your landscape plan. When completed, we will present the design plan and plant palette. The plan is presented to insure the design and the selected plants meet with your approval and are in accordance with the look you are trying to achieve. After this meeting, we will make any necessary changes and finalize your design plan.
Planting plans are charged separately due to the time they can take to compile.
Your design fee includes:
- One hour of change order drawing after completion of the conceptual plan. Plan changes in excess of one hour will be billed.
- Estimate for the landscape work.
- Rendered drawing.
- A black and white copy of drawing can be supplied free of charge for the client to approach other landscapers for quotations at their request.
Upon completion of final plans an invoice for the design will be submitted to you. The invoice is due upon receipt and delivery of plans will be made upon payment. Plans are non-refundable and non-returnable. We look forward to working with you on your project. Please contact us with any questions.
