Kaukauna Landscaping Project Ready for Next 100 Years

Ellen from Kaukauna loves her house, which was built by her parents during the Depression. She loves knowing its stories, and its history, and its beautiful view of the river.

That’s why she decided to invest in the backyard when the railroad ties that held it together started to disintegrate. She didn’t didn’t stop short or cut corners while honoring the work that was done to get this property this far in its first 100 years. She hired Appleton landscaping company Lowney’s Landscaping, and they teamed to create a masterpiece that will be beautiful and functional for its next 100 years.

“The reason I undertook this landscape project was to repair 40-50-year-old railroad ties and cement block steps on a section of backyard hill behind house and garage that was really deteriorating,” Ellen said. “In 1982, after cutting the grass and weeds behind the garage on a hill with a lawnmower that my dad put a hook on the back frame to tie a rope to pull up, I asked if something could be done to eliminate this job and problem.”

Pulling her lawn mower up that hill with a rope was getting old. (Fortunately she’s not pushing the lawn mower at all anymore, either, more on that later.) So she asked Dad to start thinking about an upgrade to railroad ties. “Dad and the neighbor would drive around to look for old railroad ties that the railroad replaced along the railroad tracks,” she said. “After finding only three ties in somewhat good shape after a couple of months, my brother called me and said that Menards had railroad ties on sale for $2. I told him to order 75 ties so we could get the project started.”

Ellen said she augmented the truth a bit and told her Depression-Era Dad that they cost half as much as they actually did. It was the only time in her life she didn’t tell him the truth, she said, and yes he learned later that she had done that. (It never pays!). 

Those railroad ties lasted 40 years, then in Summer 2023, “when filling a watering can from a rain barrel, on a quiet sunny day, one section of two railroad ties just gracefully slid down beside me. That was the trigger to finally look into replacing them.”

The tree service for Lowney’s had done work at Ellen’s place in the past so she called their landscaping division for an estimate, along with other companies. She did not go for the cheapest estimate she received; she chose the one that gave her the most confidence. 

“I was most impressed with the high quality of the initial sales and design manager Mike,” she said. “He was very timely and professional.” 

In fact, she said, “everyone I had contact with was a good representation from Lowney’s. Every design change was easily and willingly accommodated even when I requested the design to continue on the side of garage. Their attention to detail … for example, putting the downspouts on the garage underground was an item | didn’t think about. 

“The crew of men who worked on the installation were personable and knowledgeable — true artists and craftsmen that enjoy their jobs. They took pride in their work and did extra things that complemented the job that weren’t on the contract. Even the neighbors commented how each day they made sure the walkways and road were cleaned up.

“Friends and neighbors were always stopping to see how the project progressed. I wouldn’t hesitate going with Lowney’s again.”

Of course, she won’t have to go with any landscaping company again. But now she can know that the home that was built in 1939 will be an amazing showpiece for another 100 years. Those crews spent weeks constructing a stone wall and steps that are impressive in both beauty and functionality. 

There were lots of little elements put into the project that make Ellen feel proud. For instance, the designers reused as much of the original rock as they could. “Dad hauled flat rock 300 feet from the river, to the garden area to build the retaining wall outside the basement door,” Ellen said. Some of that rock was saved in this new project, getting used for the walkway to the small shed in the back, among other spots.

After the initial design, the full staff at Lowney’s contributed to each individual area of the project. The plants and trees that adorn the property are diverse and will stretch their beauty through the seasons. They include boxwoods, weigelas, allums, spireas, ferns, coral bells, hydrangeas, and some areas of switch grass that will grow tall in key spots.

Ellen later decided to utilize Lowney’s lawn mowing program. She has now graduated from pulling a lawn mower up a hill with a rope to letting someone younger push a mower up the hill.

We think Ellen deserves it, and we know her parents and family agree.