Sweeping lawns, manicured hedges, and carefully controlled vines blend to create the vision of an old estate. All pruning to maintain shape and form is done weekly with hand shears, using a wide range of styles and techniques including erecting string levels to ensure uniform shapes and sizes.

Power-washed as needed, this functional entry court of reclaimed pavers and French limestone serves as the primary pedestrian access to the home’s entrance. The client insists that the gardens always look their best since they are the first impression in welcoming guests to the home.

Complementary seasonal plantings offer an understated accent to the various garden room entrances and, in the summer, lavender provides not only understated color for the garden but also reinforces the French country feel.

This early spring shot shows specimen crape myrtles just beginning to leaf out. Extensive use of mixed shrub masses ties the home to the garden and requires annual corrective shaping with meticulous weekly maintenance pruning - exclusively by hand. Through regular shaping by our in-house arborists, the allée of specimen crape myrtles emphasizes the axial garden design.

This view, approximately four years after installation, illustrates how well this garden has matured yet maintains the landscape architect’s design intent through appropriate garden management and carefully-coordinated services to enhance the French country sophistication. Of note, all existing trees have survived and thrived post construction.

Mature trees provide much needed shade for masses of azaleas and lend another layer to the garden’s sense of maturity. Regular pruning, supplemental seasonal watering, and root zone fertilization ensure their continued health.

Lush zoysia turf panels provide critical transitions between garden rooms. Care is taken to maintain sharp blades and to alternate mowing patterns weekly. Hand edging of turf is required along stone walls and paver borders to minimize damage to the pavers. Dichondra is sown between the paving stones to encourage a softening vegetative effect. The client’s collection of antique containers, with shallow planting depths, requires special attention to design, installation, grooming, and irrigation.

The pool grotto is planted with several varieties of tender ferns in the nooks and crannies of the stone. A drip irrigation system with 12 nozzles embedded in the stone must be checked weekly to prevent the ferns from drying out in the summer heat. Any miss could mean quick death for the plants.

Successful pest management and fertilization is achieved through the coordinated use of organic products, cultural practices, and horticultural expertise throughout contrasting and challenging microclimates seen here with sun and shade extremes. We have managed this garden organically since installation. Due to the perimeter wall, access is limited for perennial planting and maintenance, making it difficult to provide visual interest during all seasons.

A fish pond is maintained weekly to keep the water quality high. This small garden is directly outside the study where the client sits every day. The color in the containers must always look its best and is replaced regularly to provide an ever-changing garden for the client to enjoy.

A small sitting area where the client likes to read appears simple, but maintaining plant health in small, constricted planting areas is a challenge. The fountain and plantings must be maintained on a weekly basis while the gravel paving must be raked and debris removed at each visit.

The interior of the loggia morphs seamlessly out into the exterior garden rooms so the spaces appear as one. The garden rooms must be maintained with the same level of detail as that of the interior of the loggia to keep this property event ready. The Mexican sycamores with their peeling bark, falling leaves, seed balls and fluff make this almost a full-time job!