Hamstra Gardens Designer

Lawrence L. Hoyle CEO and Senior Landscape Designer with 59 years of Landscape Design experience.

Welcome to Hamstra Estates and Gardens. I'm blessed to be the first Landscape Designer for this Estate starting in 1974. When Wilbur Hamstra first called me, I had no idea that 40 years later, what I was about start would be a show place in 2014.

When I was first contacted, Mr. Hamstra wanted someone to design a lake on the adjacent land west of the home. After talking about the possible lake design, he stated that he had spent a lot of money on the rest of the yard, but he knew from his travels that most of the landscape that had been done was not done correctly.

Lets look around the rest of the yard if you see things that you disagree with, please point them out. I found a lot areas that had very poor design elements and needed to be redesigned. One item was a big rose planting in front of a Japanese A frame structure. Mr. Hamstra contracted me to design the lake and redesign the rest of the yard.

This area of Indiana is as flat as a pancake with a high water table. The soil is a black sandy loam on top and plain sand underneath. Most ponds and lakes are formed by damming up a stream or several under ground springs keep the water level at the desired level.

This lake design would be a water table lake which met that the water level would change with the seasons. In early spring, the water level could be within 12 inches of the ground surface. In the summer, the water could drop down to 36 inches below the surface. In conclusion, the lake would always have water in it that was not going to be an issue.

The big challenge would be maintaining the slopes around the lake edge. The existing sand slopes would erode away filling the lake back up. In fact, we had a problem while digging the lake. As we were digging the sand out, the side slopes had to be shaped.

Next challenge was to solve the possible erosion problem as the water level changed during the year. A small trench was dug around the lake edge about 2' up from the spring water level. 6 mil. Plastic Film was installed from the small trench up on the slope down into the water about a 6 feet.

12, 000 Cu. Yards. of sand was removed during the digging process. Since the land was flat surrounding the new lake, approximately 3,000 yards. of sand was used to contour the lake property area. 1,800 yards. of landscape soil mix was installed on top the sand Contours for good plant growth.

Lake was dug during the fall of 1975. The gravel edge was installed in early spring of 1976. The poles for the bridge was installed during digging the lake before the water fill the lake.

Two brick patios were constructed on the property as designed. One located near the bridge on your right and the the second patio is located across the lake where you can see the large area of gravel on your upper right.

This picture shows the grass and gravel mulch design with plants being installed.

An existing tree has been hand dug and burlapped and rope tied ready for relocating to another location on the site.

The barn in this picture was located in the middle of the largest area of the new lake. It had to moved before the lake could be dug. It was relocated to where you see it in this picture.

This picture was taken in 1978. Plants continued to be added as you can see in this picture. The big rock area at the end of the lake is a water fall. The pump for the water fall was installed in the lake just below the falls.

This picture was taken in 1981 showing the plant growth that had taken place since the beginning. The yellow

Here you can see a better view of the bridge and a new gazebo across the lake that was just built on the property. The brownish area just above the water is Purpleleaf Wintercreeper. A ground cover used to cover the large areas of gravel around the lake edge.

Years later, after perennials became more popular several different varieties were incorporated into the design.

This picture was taken in 1996, twenty year after this project was started.

The trees and shrubs are reaching maturity . This lake area is 10 feet deep. Yiu can see the floating planter in the middle of the water.

This show a mowed grass path which continues around the entire lake. As you walk the path, your view of the lake and the property is ever changing.

This is the front of the house with a granite gravel driveway which allows water move through it. A Amelanchier tree is growing in the center of the driveway. Amelanchier blooms whit in the spring with berries forming in the late summer.

This picture is looking at the edge of a 1 1/2 acres of the property with large mounds planted with trees and shrubs and a grass path thru the area.

Walking paths meet from different angles into a walk through wooden structures. Walk and enjoy the looking at the different plants as they change colors at different times of the year.

This area is east of the house and the kitchen window looks out on to this area. This picture was taken in 1978.

This the same area in 2004. 26 years later and the yard has had excellent maintenance for all of those years.

In 1977, this fence was built between the house area in a new Japanese Garden being installed to the left in this picture.

This is the beginning of the Japanese garden area. A dry creek was installed and the walk over bridge.

This shows the japanese Garden in 1996. Notice the bridge now is complete and the plants have grown to make a great area to visit and relax.

This A frame structure was built before I started this project in the 1975. It had a rose garden where the walking poles are now and that was completely out of place.

The screen in porch included a complete outdoor kitchen years before outdoor kithcens became popular. Built in 1974

The Pool area behind the house.

The beams that are part of this garden structure run through the house and across the driveway entrance to the garage.

Another view of the back side of the house near the screen in porch.

This is the back yard area of another home located across the lake from the main house on the property.

This a fly over view of the entire property which includes 6 1/2 acres. I design and installed what you see over a 9 year period from 1975 until 1984. This picture was taken in 2008.

Hamstra Garden was started 40 years ago

Now it is on a 20 minute DVD showing what Hamstra Gardens looks like today. I started this Landscape in 1974. It is truly a show place today. Many local wedding photographers use Hamstra Gardens every year for beautiful wedding pictures.

Now on DVD!!!

This DVD was completed in 2014.

In the fall of 1974, I started a landscape project in Wheatfield, IN. I took a flat piece of land and created the beginning of a beautiful landscape on 6 1/2 acres surrounding the home of Wilbur and Peggy Hamstra. The first project included a lake west of the house and completely changing the topography of the property by adding sandy soil removed from the digging of the lake. Raising the topography by contouring and reshaping the land around the lake and residence.

I continued to design and install trees and shrubs over a 10 year period on the property until 1984. Since 1985, this project has been transformed into a what it is now called Hamstra Gardens 46 years later. Most of the brick and stone structures and a huge amount of additional plant material has been added over the years since my involvement. My basic design work is still visual today. You can check it out by visiting https://hamstragardens.com Look at the video on a computer or laptop.