Shoreline Protection Project 2021
The winter of 2019 went down in the record books as one of the most devastating storms in Lake Huron’s recorded history. Beautiful landscapes, weekend and summer homes, and a large part of Lake Huron’s coastline were battered by the massive storm that brought waves over to 6-8 feet in height. Sea walls, patios, plantings, and boathouses were all ripped apart and, in many cases, pulled completely away from the shoreline never to be seen again. Back yards that once were beautiful retreats were turned into dangerous cliffs in many cases.
Although this project luckily was left with its sea wall intact, there was a devasting and costly amount of damage. But what made this project special is how Esch Landscaping took a discouraging situation for the client and turned it into something that was even more breathtaking than the landscape that existed prior to the storm. As with every project, Esch Landscaping focuses on the possibilities rather than the limitations of every site and this would be treated no different.
But what made this project special is how Esch Landscaping took a discouraging situation for the client and turned it into something that was even more breathtaking than the landscape that existed prior to the storm.
After the storm
As a result of the storm, Esch raised the sea wall an additional 3’ to combat future storm surges which completely reversed the slope of the back yard which drained towards the lake rather than away from it. Large limestone boulders were brought in to build a secondary wall to once again ensure the property drained properly, but the creative solution proposed and executed was something that has left our client breathless and truly has taken the sting away from the discouragement they incurred during the storm.
A creative solution
The existing water feature was expanded resulting in almost doubling its size, and a fire pit and patio were added to expand the use of the backyard to create a truly spectacular place to be. Limestone boulders were placed in a way to not only retain soil and create beautiful waterways but create several spaces for sitting and gazing at not only the new landscape creation but the beautiful waters of Lake Huron in the background.
Moving Forward
This project was rewarding for Esch Landscaping in so many ways. It reminded us of our passion for creating beautiful landscapes, it showed our clients our dedication and hard work to provide them a stunning landscape project, but most importantly, it showed us all that out of even the most discouraging and devastating circumstances, the human spirit and a little creativity can turn things around that can be even better than what we started with.