Landscaping · Kanata, ON
Landscaping in Kanata
Garden beds, edging, mulch and river rock, gravel areas and fire pit pads for Kanata yards, from Beaverbrook, Katimavik and Glen Cairn to Bridlewood and Kanata Lakes. Each bed is planned for the ground under it, which in Kanata can change from clay to rock within one lot.
- Landscape fabric
- Mulch
- River rock
- Decorative gravel
- Clear stone
- Concrete slabs
- Topsoil
The local picture
Landscaping in Kanata
Where rock sits close to the surface, a bed can only be dug so far, so planting soil is built up within the grade the lot already has. Deep clay asks for the reverse: the bed is shaped to shed water, because clay holds it near the surface and around the roots.
Many Kanata yards are more than forty years old, with beds and hedges planted by the first owners. A restoration starts with what stays: shrubs and edging worth keeping are marked before the old soil, roots and tired mulch come out.
Landscaping across Kanata’s garden-city streets
Beaverbrook, Katimavik-Hazeldean, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood and Kanata Lakes
Korvex Construction landscapes Kanata yards: new and rebuilt garden beds, edging along lawns and walks, mulch, river rock and gravel areas, stepping paths and fire pit pads. Book the free visit through the estimate form or at 613-880-7679, and the written scope and price follow it.
Kanata was planned as a garden city, and the style crossed the highway. Campeau Corporation began the Chimo Drive area of Katimavik-Hazeldean in the early to mid 1970s on the model Bill Teron set in Beaverbrook, and other builders carried it west of Castlefrank Road through the 1980s and early 1990s.
Next to the South March Highlands and other natural areas
The City’s Site Alteration By-law sets a 30 m zone around designated Natural Environment Areas, Urban Natural Features and natural heritage features, where grading, filling and stripping vegetation need the City’s prior written approval. The South March Highlands north of Kanata are a designated Natural Environment Area, so on lots near them the work stays inside the yard, with soil and mulch held back from the property edge.
A fire pit pad on a suburban lot
What the Open Air Fire By-law allows
The City’s Open Air Fire By-law does not permit outdoor fireplaces in urban areas, and where burning is not allowed, which covers urban and most suburban areas, wood may not be burned in a chiminea either. Campfire and outdoor fireplace permits are issued only inside the burn permit zone, and the City’s address look-up tool shows whether a Kanata address is in it.
Owners outside the zone often choose a propane or natural gas fire table, set on a level pad of slabs or gravel clear of the fence, the deck and overhanging branches, at the clearances its manual sets.
At the site visit
What we check on a lot in Kanata
- 01
Depth to rock or clay where each bed will go
- 02
Shrubs, hedges and edging worth keeping
- 03
Distance from the back of the lot to any natural area
- 04
Where the downspouts and swales send water
- 05
For a fire pit pad: whether the address is in the burn permit zone
How we build it
How a garden bed is built to drain
A bed that keeps its shape and keeps water off the foundation is built from the bottom up. The Barrhaven front bed went in this order: soil reshaped, landscape fabric, fresh soil, mulch, finished to its edges.
- Grade first
The slope away from the house is set before fabric or mulch goes down. A bed that tilts toward the wall stays a drainage problem however good it looks.
- Keep the wall clear
Soil and mulch stop below the siding. Mulch piled against parging keeps the coating wet, and wet parging cracks.
- Edges that hold
Every bed meets a paver border, an edging or a cut lawn line, so the mulch stays in the bed and the grass stays out.
- Work around trees
Beds near mature trees are laid out around the roots, and the City’s tree rules are checked where a large tree is close.
- Locates before digging
Buried lines are marked before beds are dug out or a pad is set.
- Leave it tidy
Old soil, sod and debris leave the site with us, and the yard is cleaned up when the work is done.
- Mulch or river rockAn even layer that covers the soil, kept below the siding and the parging.Spread evenly
- Fresh soilBrought in over the fabric where the bed is planted.Raked to the slope
- Landscape fabricKeeps soil and stone apart and slows weeds; cut around trees and existing plants.Laid over the soil
- Reshaped soilWeeds and roots cleared, the surface shaped to fall away from the house.Falls away from the wall
“Vlad and his crew installed my patio in 2 days. Did excellent work and vlad answered any and all questions I asked. I highly recommend Korvex Development for any job you may require.”
Joe Ayoub · Patio installed
“Did awesome work! had them repair a leany fence and they were on time, cheap and super professional”
Josh Cohen-Collier · Leaning fence repaired
FAQ
Landscaping in Kanata: common questions
Can I have a wood fire pit in my Kanata backyard?
Only if the address is inside the City’s burn permit zone and you hold an open air fire permit. The by-law does not permit outdoor fireplaces in urban areas, and in urban and most suburban areas it bars burning wood in a chiminea. The City’s address look-up tool gives the answer for your property, and we check it before building a pad.
We back onto the South March Highlands. Can we still redo our yard?
Yes. Within 30 m of a Natural Environment Area, the Site Alteration By-law still permits landscaping and the upkeep of yards, subject to its other rules; grading, fill or clearing beyond that needs the City’s written approval. The work stays within your yard, and we check the lot before planning.
Can you fix the bare patches and ruts left in my Kanata yard after other work?
Yes. Landscape restoration is part of our work: ruts and trenches are filled with topsoil, the ground goes back to the grade it had, and the area is finished in mulch, stone or sod. We look at it during the free site visit and send the price in writing.
Can you replace an old fence without damaging the hedge or trees?
Yes. We plan the tear-out and the new post locations around established hedges and trees. Beaverbrook in particular is known for its hedged houses. City of Ottawa tree rules can apply to larger trees on private lots, and we check what applies to your property before digging.
Book a free landscaping estimate in Kanata
Tell us what you want built and send a few photos. We come out, look at what sits under the job, and give you the scope and the price in writing.