How do you combine the pavement-pounding excitement of Corvette ownership with nature’s beauty and tranquility?
First, it helps to be wildly talented professional landscapers like Craig and Vera. Second, it helps to have the grit, passion, and determination to transform your heavily wooded backyard into a serene sanctuary of reflection and fellowship.
Oh, and lest we forget, you need a shiny Corvette to serve as the centerpiece. Combine it all with the dulcet tones of a babbling brook, and you have an experience that soothes your soul.
While the prominently displayed Competition Yellow Corvette draws much of the attention, stone paths meandering through the grounds provide their own adventure. The diversity of the well-placed flora transforms this slice of Georgia into a horticulturist’s dream.
By design, regardless of the season, a portion of this nature scape is always alive with vibrant colors and delicate hues. Fortunately, Craig and Vera not only shared their sanctuary but also satiated our inquisitive side by sharing their story of how this all came to be.
Maddie Blooms
Rod Worley – Editor – You can’t help but notice your bright Competition Yellow Corvette on display in the woods. When did your passion for Corvettes start?
Craig – Owner of Diamond Cuts Landscaping – My Corvette story began when I was five years old. My neighbor gave me an 8-mile ride in his 1965 Corvette convertible, and I’ve been a Corvette guy ever since.
For me, Corvettes have always been my serenity. I’ve had Corvettes for 23 years and still own my first.
In addition to this 1995, we have another C4, a sixth-generation, and a C7. This one is special to us because we use it as a focal point and conversation starter in our wooded landscape.
I originally envisioned a cut third-generation body with a waterfall feature, but I was thrilled to get this one. My wife, Vera, is fond of naming our cars to make them more personal, so we started thinking about a name.
Well, it just so happens there was a shrub from Madagascar on our property that was blooming the same color as the Corvette, so we named it “Maddie.”
“Horse Trading”
Rod Worley – Editor – I’m sure you get asked these two obvious questions, “How did you come across this Corvette?.” Followed quickly by, “How did you get it staged in the woods?”
Craig – Owner of Diamond Cuts Landscaping – It all started when we were cutting grass and blowing leaves on a client’s property. I noticed a familiar outline tucked in the underbrush.
I found out through the owner that the 1995 Corvette coupe had been parked there for some time.
So, after talking to the owner and doing a bit of “horse trading,” he agreed to sell me the car in exchange for removing a large tree from his yard. After removing the tree, I brought the car to our house.
After putting some new tires on it, we started laying out a plan for getting it to the stage we built for it. As crazy as it might sound, our best idea was to take it up to the top of our neighbor’s inclined driveway across the street.
From there, we’d coast down their driveway, across the street, down our driveway, make a series of turns, and hopefully end up on the stage. Thankfully, we captured it on video because it was fun and scary to watch.
We finally had it in place after a bit of winching.
Four-Seasons Of Color
Rod Worley – Editor – What was your original goal when designing this sanctuary?
Craig – Owner of Diamond Cuts Landscaping – We bought this house three years ago. Though, for the past 25 years, I’ve been maintaining the landscaping for the previous owner. Over those years, I’ve planted and maintained every shrub and plant here.
When the chance came up to buy this property, I was very familiar with the grounds. The previous owner stopped the landscaping at the tree line, but I saw the opportunity to do something special with the wooded area.
When I started this project, I knew I definitely wanted a chandelier and a Corvette feature. The rest of the project evolved from there to include these stone paths, ten firepits, and seating.
To start, we had to remove 42 trees. From there, we cleared out the underbrush and widened the stream in the back. We’ve planted almost every type of shrub native to this zone with a focus on being low maintenance.
Our choice of shrubs and their placement gives us four seasons of color. We also designed this space to be a soothing and inviting space to entertain friends and have fellowship.
Even surrounded by this natural beauty, the yellow Corvette draws all the attention. Then, to commemorate their visit, we have them sign the Corvette.
13.6 Seconds
We’re fond of saying that every Corvette has a backstory, and this coupe is undoubtedly no exception. Fortunately, the previous owner, Roger, was on hand during our visit to fill in the blanks.
I found out that Roger purchased the new car from Maxie Price Chevrolet in Loganville. His early intentions were to use it for cruising around on weekends.
While it had 300 horsepower from the factory, Roger knew he could coax a few more ponies from the 5.7-liter LT1 engine. In stock trim, the automatic turned 14.1 in the quarter-mile.
With a new mass airflow sensor, intakes, HyperTec power program, and other additions, the time to traverse 1.320 feet dropped to 13.6 seconds. More importantly, the LT1 was remarkably consistent, which is crucial to bracket racing.
It wasn’t long before Roger took home trophies during Friday night drag events at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA. Not only was the Corvette quick but also reliable, as he later found out during its stint as a daily commuter car.
As often happens, garage space gets crowded, and eventually, the Vette gets relegated to a spot outdoors under a tarp. Fast-forward through the years, and a deal is struck to trade the trophy-winner for removing a large tree.
Comes Alive At Night
Close to 40 years of landscaping experience are displayed the moment you step into this wooded sanctuary. And around every bend of the winding paths, there seems to be a shrub or purposefully placed fixture that captures your attention.
We’ve never seen many of these plants and were amazed they could grow in our zone. But as beautiful as this scene is during the day when the sun goes down, the trees dance with the twinkling of lights.
In concert with the soft illumination of the branches are the dancing flames and smells of crackling hardwoods as they burn in the firepits. As if to top it all off, Craig’s glowing chandelier adds a sense of style.
And, of course, the fourth-gen Competition Yellow Corvette is the centerpiece of it all.
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