At the suburban residence in St. Louis, the clients were keen to cultivate their own food and prevent water from pooling in their driveway. To address both objectives, they enlisted the help of Custom Foodscaping, a team of experts in ecological landscaping and sustainable food production.

After assessing the site, the team developed a comprehensive plan that would slow and store water runoff from the gentle slope of the front yard, while creating an eco-friendly edible landscape that would yield a bountiful harvest of fresh, healthy produce.

The solution was to build berms and swales using earthmoving machinery. Berms are raised mounds of earth that act as barriers to the flow of water. By interrupting the flow of water, the berms reduce its speed, which allows it to seep into the soil more effectively. This helps to recharge the groundwater and provides ecological benefits, such as improving soil health and promoting the growth of native plants.

The team also created basins in the yard to increase water storage capacity and create additional planting opportunities. By capturing and storing excess water, these basins help to prevent flooding and erosion, and provide a valuable source of water for the plants in the landscape.

In addition to the water management features, the team swapped out the existing crab apple and Bradford pear trees for a full menu of edible plants. This included native serviceberry trees, Pawpaw trees, Liberty apples, Nanking cherries, and Illinois Everbearing mulberries. The team also included a variety of native pollinators in the rain garden, which further enhanced the ecological benefits of the landscape.

The result was a beautiful, functional, and sustainable landscape that provided the clients with an abundance of fresh, healthy produce, while also reducing the risk of water damage to their property. The team at Custom Foodscaping had successfully achieved their clients' goals of growing food and managing water in an eco-friendly and sustainable way.