Designed to Perform From Every Angle
The Utah Nursery and Landscape Association (UNLA) Best Residential Project Award is not handed out easily. It is the highest recognition Utah’s professional landscape industry bestows on a residential installation — judged by experienced professionals on the quality of design, the excellence of craftsmanship, and the overall achievement of the finished project.
This is the project that earned that award. And when you see what was designed and built here — the precision of the Belgard paver installation, the architectural quality of the custom notched pergola, the professional-grade FX Luminaire lighting system, the thoughtfully integrated sunken spa patio — you understand why.
This isn't the kind of recognition that comes from a good-looking portfolio photo. It comes from built work that holds up to expert scrutiny from every angle.
Award
Award Year
Designer
Materials
Credentials
Region
The Design
MD's Vision for the Space
Every exceptional project starts with a designer who genuinely understands the relationship between the outdoor space, the home it serves, and the family who will live in it.
MD, Chopper Landscaping’s landscape designer, approached this project by designing at the property first — not from a template. The goal was a backyard that delivered two distinct experiences simultaneously: generous, multi-zone space for entertaining groups, and an intimate, immersive retreat built around the outdoor spa.
The solution was a multilevel design organized around a central design principle: every level serves a purpose, every transition is intentional, and every surface carries a consistent quality of material and craftsmanship.
The full design was presented to the homeowner — including 3D visualization — before any installation began. That’s not standard practice in the industry. At Chopper Landscaping, it’s required. The homeowner saw exactly what they were getting. They approved. MD and the crew delivered.
The result won the most prestigious residential landscape award in Utah.
What Was Built
Multilevel Belgard Paver Patio
The backbone of the entire design is the multilevel paver system — installed using Belgard pavers, the professional-grade hardscape brand trusted by premium landscape contractors across North America for their durability, freeze-thaw resistance, and the quality of their surface and color consistency.
Belgard pavers were selected for this project because this backyard needed to perform at the highest level — aesthetically and structurally — through Utah’s demanding seasonal range. The multilevel layout creates distinct zones at different grades: an upper entertaining level, a main patio zone, and the sunken spa level below. Each level transitions to the next through precisely constructed steps and retaining wall elements, all in the same Belgard material palette, creating visual continuity across the full space.
As a CMHA-certified contractor in pavers, Chopper Landscaping’s paver installation standards go beyond surface appearance. Base preparation, drainage engineering, edge restraint specification, and compaction standards ensure that the Belgard paver system performs for decades — not just looks good on installation day.
Sunken Patio — Outdoor Spa & Jacuzzi Zone
The design’s most distinctive feature is the sunken patio created specifically for the outdoor spa and jacuzzi. Rather than placing the spa above grade — where it reads as a standalone fixture and disrupts the visual flow of the landscape — MD’s design lowered the spa zone into the ground level, surrounding it with Belgard paver decking, low retaining walls, and integrated FX Luminaire lighting.
The effect is transformative. At the sunken level, the spa becomes part of the landscape rather than an addition to it. The retaining walls create enclosure and intimacy. The lighting creates a separate, evening atmosphere distinct from the main entertaining zones above. Moving from the upper patio level down into the spa zone feels like entering a private retreat within the backyard — a transition that elevates the experience of the entire space.
This is the design detail that impressed UNLA’s award judges. It demonstrates spatial thinking, not just material selection.
Custom Notched Pergola with Integrated FX Luminaire Lighting
The pergola in this project is not a standard structure. It is a custom-designed, custom-built notched pergola — where the beams are precisely cut with traditional joinery notches that interlock without exposed metal hardware, creating a refined, architecturally deliberate structure that communicates craftsmanship from every angle.
The notch detail is both aesthetic and structural: it creates a stronger joint than bolt-connection methods, and it signals to anyone who looks closely that this pergola was built with genuine skill, not assembled from catalog components.
FX Luminaire fixtures are integrated directly into the pergola structure — positioned at the beam level to cast warm, directional light downward onto the patio surface below. Because the fixtures are built into the structure rather than clipped on as an afterthought, the lighting feels inherent to the design, not added to it.
The combination of the notched joinery and the integrated FX Luminaire system is what elevates this pergola from a shade structure to a design statement.
Design Principle
Every level serves a purpose. Every transition is intentional. Every surface carries a consistent standard of craftsmanship.
Design Principle
FX Luminaire Outdoor Lighting Throughout
FX Luminaire professional-grade LED landscape lighting is specified throughout every zone of this backyard — not just the pergola. The lighting system includes:
Patio step and path lighting
Defining grade transitions safely and beautifully across all three patio levels
Retaining wall accent lighting
Illuminating the Belgard wall faces after dark, turning structural elements into architectural features
Pergola-integrated fixtures
Warm directional light over the dining and gathering zone
Spa/jacuzzi zone lighting
Creating the intimate, resort-quality atmosphere of the sunken patio at night
Landscape accent lighting
Highlighting the green areas and plant material throughout the space
FX Luminaire was chosen because it represents the professional standard for outdoor lighting — the brand that landscape designers specify when they need fixtures that perform to the same level as the rest of the installation. Every fixture is LED, energy-efficient, and engineered for outdoor durability through Utah’s seasonal extremes.
A backyard designed to this level deserves lighting that matches it. FX Luminaire does.
Water-Wise by Design
Small Retaining Walls with Integrated Lighting
The retaining walls throughout this project — managing grade transitions between patio levels and anchoring the sunken spa zone — are built in Belgard materials consistent with the paver palette. Each wall carries integrated FX Luminaire accent lighting, transforming the necessary structural elements of a multilevel design into illuminated nighttime features.
The wall lighting is positioned to cast light along the horizontal plane of the wall face — creating a glow-from-within effect that reads as sophisticated and deliberate after dark. This is a detail that separates a designed outdoor lighting system from a collection of fixtures.
Strategic Green Areas
Rather than eliminating all plant material in favor of pure hardscape — a common approach that sacrifices visual warmth for entertainment space — MD’s design incorporates strategic green areas at key visual positions within the patio layout. These areas provide the saturated green that grounds the warm paver tones, creates breathing room within the structured hardscape, and brings the space to life in a way that pure stone and concrete cannot.
Sized deliberately to minimize irrigation demand while maximizing visual impact, these green zones reflect Chopper’s core principle: sustainable practices deliver beautiful outcomes.
Smart Sprinkler & Irrigation System
True to Chopper Landscaping’s QWEL-certified water-wise approach, this entertainment-forward design includes a smart irrigation system that delivers water precisely where it’s needed — the strategic green areas incorporated within the hardscape layout — while eliminating waste across the majority of the backyard footprint that is hardscaped.
The irrigation system is weather-responsive and zone-programmed, adjusting schedules based on real-time evapotranspiration data. In a backyard that is primarily hardscape, the water efficiency of the planted zones is even more important — because those plants are doing significant aesthetic work in a small footprint and need to perform reliably year-round.
Craftsmanship Warranty
Every Chopper Landscaping installation comes with a craftsmanship warranty on all construction work.
The Craftsmanship Warranty: What It Means and Why It Matters
This is not a marketing phrase. It is a legal commitment backed by 8 years of business continuity and craftsmen who have been doing this work for an average of 15+ years each.
The craftsmanship warranty means: if anything Chopper built fails due to a workmanship issue — a paver that shifts because the base wasn’t prepared correctly, a retaining wall joint that fails because the installation was wrong, a lighting fixture that malfunctions because of improper wiring — Chopper comes back and makes it right. No excuses. No invoice.
This is possible because Chopper is still here. The company started in 2018. Eight years later, the same team that built your project answers the phone when you call. That is not the norm in the landscape contracting industry, where contractor turnover is high and warranty commitments often evaporate within a year or two of project completion.
We don’t disappear. We confirm. We deliver.
Who Chopper Landscaping Is
8 Years of Building Utah's Best Backyards
When Chopper Landscaping started in 2018, the founding principle was straightforward: do the work right, stand behind it, and build relationships with clients that outlast any individual project.
We are not the cheapest option. We are not trying to be. We believe that homeowners who invest in a professionally designed, properly installed, award-winning outdoor space deserve a contractor who charges what the work is actually worth — and then delivers it to the standard that justifies that price.
We don’t overcharge. We charge for quality and we provide it. There is a difference
2018
Founded
8 Years
In Business
15+ Years
Average Craftsmen Experience
QWEL + CMHA
Professional Certifications
Award
UNLA Best Residential Project 2026
Recognition from the Utah Nursery and Landscape Association for this residential project.
Award
Best Residential Landscaper in Utah 2026
Recognition of quality, craftsmanship, and consistency across Chopper Landscaping’s residential work.
Certification
QWEL — Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper
EPA WaterSense-endorsed certification supporting water-wise landscape design and irrigation practices.
Certification
CMHA — Pavers & Retaining Walls
Industry-verified hardscape standards covering paver bases, drainage, restraints, joints, and structural wall installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UNLA Best Residential Project Award?
The UNLA Best Residential Project Award is presented by the Utah Nursery and Landscape Association — Utah’s premier professional landscaping organization — to recognize outstanding residential landscape design and installation. It is the most prestigious residential landscaping award in Utah, judged by industry professionals on design excellence and craftsmanship quality. Chopper Landscaping won this award in 2026.
What are Belgard pavers, and why does Chopper use them?
Belgard is one of North America’s leading hardscape brands — engineered for durability, freeze-thaw resistance, and consistent quality. Chopper specifies Belgard on premium projects because their performance, warranty backing, and design palette match the standard Chopper builds to. This award-winning project features Belgard throughout all patio levels, the sunken spa surround, and retaining wall transitions.
What is FX Luminaire outdoor lighting?
FX Luminaire is a professional-grade outdoor LED lighting brand specified by landscape designers for superior light quality, durability, and smart control compatibility. In this project, FX Luminaire fixtures are integrated into the custom pergola and installed throughout all patio levels, retaining walls, and the spa zone — creating a layered nighttime environment as intentional as the daytime design.
What is a sunken patio for an outdoor spa?
A sunken spa patio is a below-grade level designed specifically for a hot tub or jacuzzi — surrounded by retaining walls, paver decking, and integrated lighting. Lowering the spa into the landscape creates a more immersive, intimate experience and integrates the spa into the design rather than sitting it above grade as a standalone fixture.
What is a notched pergola?
A notched pergola uses precisely cut beam joints where horizontal members interlock with posts through grooved notches rather than exposed metal hardware. This traditional joinery creates a stronger, cleaner structure that communicates craftsmanship. Chopper’s custom notched pergola in this project was built with integrated FX Luminaire lighting fixtures embedded directly into the beam structure.
What does Chopper Landscaping's craftsmanship warranty cover?
Chopper’s craftsmanship warranty covers all construction work — paver installation, retaining walls, pergola structure, and lighting systems — for defects in workmanship. If anything Chopper built fails due to installation error, it is corrected at no charge. This warranty is backed by 8 years of business continuity and craftsmen averaging 15+ years of experience. We don’t disappear. We confirm. We deliver.
How does Chopper incorporate water conservation into luxury designs?
Through QWEL certification and smart irrigation, Chopper integrates water efficiency into every project. In this design, strategic green areas replace full-coverage turf, a weather-responsive irrigation system eliminates overwatering, and the primarily hardscaped layout dramatically reduces total water demand — without sacrificing the lush quality that makes the space feel alive. Sustainable practices. Beautiful outcomes.
Chopper Landscaping
Ready to Build Utah's Next Award-Winning Backyard?
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