“Back to nature” takes on new meaning at this immaculate chunk of land that surrounds a spectacular estate in Jefferson Hills. “We purchased a large piece of farmland in our same neighborhood,” says the homeowner. “The property had natural ponds, and a whole lot of privacy, so we fell in love with it.”
Much planning and collaboration preceded the actual construction of the house and subsequent landscape design, but with the help of Jeff Costa, operating manager of Costa Homebuilders, the multifaceted project began. “It’s a special experience and very gratifying to help clients achieve the experience they are looking for in their home,” says Costa. “With 10 acres of ground, there was plenty of room for an estate home, a swimming pool, and picturesque land to create their own family park.”
Both the fireplace and elaborate railing were constructed from limestone out of Indiana. Keeping in beat with the natural surroundings, everything rests on a raised aggregate concrete floor.
Also strategic, was where to build the sprawling patio as opposed to placement of the outdoor pool. The patio was positioned to overlook a year ‘round view of woods, grassy greens, and Mother Nature at its best. “With Pittsburgh’s seasons only allowing for six months of swimming, we didn’t want to look out to an empty hole in the ground during the off months,” points out the homeowner. “It made more sense to tuck the pool along the side of the house.”
Measuring 20×40 feet, the saltwater swimming pool is equipped with an automated cover to retain the heat. The large concrete patio surrounding the pool provides ample space for the owners to entertain guests.
Naturescape, a company that Costa works with on a regular basis, was heavily involved with the stonework, landscaping, and construction of the waterfall. “They did the landscaping, and what’s called the hardscaping,” explains Costa. “Landscaping is trees and mulch, and hardscaping is rocks and boulders.”
The boulders and rocks, used to construct the waterfall are natural sandstone, and were brought in from Clarion, Pennsylvania. Creating the base for everything, some of the largest ones are a whopping 10 feet wide, 6 feet high, and 2 feet thick. Each one is so massive and heavy that only a few could be brought in at a time on the back of a tractor-trailer.
Water from the falls recirculates and is pumped from the pond up to a part on the hill, then travels down through a small stream. At the end, it overflows into a mini pool which then flows into the pond again. It all works on a timer and the couple can choose to run it as little or as often as they like. It’s important to run it on a regular basis because it circulates air in the water, which is healthy for the fish. “There used to be some natural fish in the pond, but we also stocked it with Koi fish because of their beautiful color,” says the homeowner. “It’s a catch and release pond, so we throw them back in and don’t encourage anybody to keep them.”
The owner has also raised a couple of ducks, which were given to him as a gift from his brother. “Our ducks are now like household pets,” he says. “I’ve raised them and take care of them every day.”
During the winter months, the Koi fish go dormant when the water drops below 55 degrees. With the coming of spring, the water warms up and the fish become active and hungry once again. The smaller pond never freezes over because it has a natural spring which maintains a warmer temperature of 50 to 60 degrees year ‘round. “You can see the steam coming off the water in frigid temperatures,” says the owner. “The ducks hang out there in the winter because the other pond freezes over.” Lily pads were planted and give refuge to the little frogs that also live there. Although the lily pads die every fall, they remarkably come back bigger and bigger each year.
Outdoor entertaining isn’t just limited to the pool and covered patio. The lower grounds have an outhouse with a functioning bathroom, picnic tables, and an audio system with rock speakers that can be controlled from a cell phone. Small pathway lights line the walkways and large pole lights with LED lighting are hidden in trees for nighttime entertaining. A fire pit with chairs completes the camp-like setting of the landscape design.
The most picturesque views are where woods and water meet, and when this homeowner leaves work, his “happy hour” is spent feeding the fish, tinkering around, and just enjoying his own slice of nature. Recently, the owner invited a friend and his son over; neither of them had ever gone fishing before. “It’s a great memory for me, and when I took a picture of his son with his first fish it just felt wonderful, like a success.”
Resources: Landscape developer and contractor: Costa Homebuilders; Landscape architect: Martini-Samartino Design Group; Plant installation and hardscapes: Naturescape, Inc.; Furnishings: Bradley Michaels
Outdoor entertaining isn’t just limited to the pool and covered patio. The lower grounds have an outhouse with a functioning bathroom, picnic tables, and an audio system with rock speakers that can be controlled from a cell phone. Small pathway lights line the walkways and large pole lights with LED lighting are hidden in trees for nighttime entertaining. A fire pit with chairs completes the camp-like setting of the landscape design.
