Located in the Memorial area on 0.6 acres of land. The 19,861 sq. ft. garden had several mature trees, as well as many overgrown shrubs which needed trimming to decrease the very dark shadows, and open up the garden to filtered light.
The owners wanted a more interesting landscape, one which took advantage of the size of the property, and both balanced and interacted with the house and the residents in a more natural way.
Aside from significant pruning, trimming and removal of unwanted growth, a plan was developed for the entire project, which resulted in the identification of three phases:
Back garden
Lateral garden
Approach and entrance to house
Back garden
The largest area and the most "lived-in", this garden includes the area extending from the outdoor living room, kitchen and dining room, which surround the pool. The area had to provide interest, relatively low maintenance due to the expanse, and ideally would integrate the creek and borrowed landscape beyond property lines. To create a transition and opening up to the expanse, the choice was to design a relatively formal garden in the closest proximity to the structures, and gradually, loose the rigidity of form and transition to a purely naturalistic landscape with flowering accents.
As this area will be used the most during summer, colorful summer flowering plants were chosen: Ellamae Lily of the Nile, an Agapanthus that has the most beautiful dark purple flowers, White Vincas with red eye (Catharanthus roseus), Petite Salmon Oleander (Nerium oleander x 'Petite Salmon'), Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculuata), Foxtail Fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers') and Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana).
Colorful pink Mandevilla vines (Mandevilla x 'Alice du Pont') were selected to dress up the columns of the outdoor dining room and kitchen, and striking purple Etoile Violette Clematis (Clematis viticella x 'Etoile Violette') will cover the trellis, providing shade and coziness to the outdoor living area.
A grid of steel planters was installed to create a structured garden with the planters alternating between Lilies of the Nile and White Vincas. Once the structures give way to the open garden, the formality of the garden is reduced by using softer vegetation and flowing lines. Underneath the Privets (Ligustrum japonicum) that line the fence, we have chosen to plant Algerian Ivy (Hedera canariensis) which is a very striking variegated ivy that will provide the contrast needed to lighten up the dark shadows cast by the Privets.
Towards the northern end of the property a splash of fall coloring was planted under a large Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) The chosen plant: Bonanza Camellia (Camellia sasanqua x 'Bonanza') a spreading shrub that will display a profusion of striking, scarlet peony form blooms which are perfect for cutting and will further highlight the fall foliage colors of the Sweetgum and Texas Red Oak. Together with the lawn before it, the Camellias will serve as the base of the view which will then include the North fence Privets and the neighboring trees, which include Red, White and Water Oaks.