This was a wonderful project to work on! Not only was this project for a dear friend and fellow designer, Lisa Woolley, but this home had so many unique and charming elements that it really made the project an exciting one to do. Built in 1940, the home was originally designed as the “mother-in-law” home to the house next-door. Initially, the house had two entrances, one on either side of the home. A main design goal was to direct guests to the now principal entrance which was through the courtyard to the left. When I first saw the home, it really seemed to have an Old World charm about it so I decided to continue the theme. I used a lot of shrubs that could be shaped into conical and rounded shapes as the garden matured and chose shutters that were reminiscent of a home in the European countryside.
Before
Before
After
Above, some of the main elements that I wanted to incorporate into this project. I wanted a beautiful and strong trim color, so we went with ‘Iron Mountain’ by Benjamin Moore. I also wanted to use a rose shrub, in the front entrance, and went with a shrub called ‘Belinda’s Dream’. Not only does this shrub have wonderful blooms, but I thought is would look elegant as it cascaded over the nicely trimmed boxwood border. I also kept many of the original boxwood for their sculptural shape and just trimmed them a bit. Lastly, I wanted to incorporate one of my favorite elements, lighting.
Above, a before photo of the courtyard. After removing the shrubs, I noticed a nook that would be a wonderful place for a seating area. I thought it would be perfect place for my client to enjoy a cup of coffee while watching her kids play.
After
Above, a before shot of the right side of the home with some wishes from my client.
After
The Agaves were my favorite, along with Purple Smoke Bush in the background — so pretty. Other plants in this area of the garden are: Westringia, Olive, White Crepe Myrtles, Rosemary, Waxleaf and deciduous flowering Magnolia.
The Long Table 