Wish List

The following are the client's collected photos of favorable images. Generally, they tell me that they want a natural "non-contrived" appearance which is entirely appropriate for this woodland lot. They also want a serviceable, long-lasting golf cart path from the boathouse to the house and carport. 

We will emulate the emotional reaction of a natural woodland by design. But interpret such while providing outdoor living space of the most luxurious comfort.

I'll suggest evergreen structure plants to carry the garden through the winter with interest. And summer perennials planted in drifts.  Large banks of ferns and shade perennials for erosion control on the slopes. I think that is the way we will be going on this design.

I'll try to incorporate natives or native compatible plants to blend with the natural forest landscape of the lake area while adding year-round interest via blooms, foliage, swaying grasses.

Wish List

This is a list of comments from the client on our first visit.

• overall natural style
• remove or relocate existing boxwood
• minimize water runoff/conserve on-site
• move dock 25' south
• outdoor fireplace
• no stone benches
• low pit walls
• lanterns
• faces uphill towards house
• weeping willow
• river birch
• liriope
• variegated
• carport
• boulders
• tradescantia
• hostas
• ferns
• confederate jasmine
• firepit?
• trellis?
• azaleas
• pittosporum
• swing near lake
• or on dock
• minimal grass
• honeysuckle
• fragrance
• gardenias
• dogwood
• sea oats / ornamental grass
• stepping stones
• sand color gravel
• house addition on north side
• screen house to the north side

Client's Reference Photos

I always ask each client to collect images that they find appealing that apply to the design project.

Keith's Comments are in itallic.

Not too crowded. Like the long leave bushes and large area but defined

I Like the rock border

I think that's a great idea. Provides a decorative border to the paths without great cost.

Natural vegetation but with a defined edge

In the Italian tradition of formal gardens, the word for this is called a "brada". The line where the garden meets the forest. Tame meets wild.

It the case of this photo, it's marked by a lawn. In our case by ground covers like wild ginger or Asian jasmine.

The stone wall in this photo stands out to me. It's that what you are showing?

Should I specify this kind of more vertical stone wall instead of dry loosely stacked boulders? Around the fire pit and the stairs from the deck?

If so, I recommend using this on the house as well, tying the two together. (The garden bows to the house)

Like the natural look without the mess. This one uses lawn walkways to divide large beds. I'm fond of this style. Also, the beds use large plants that divide the area into rooms. This is a standard landscape technique that I'm very fond of.
They have kept the area in front of the house clear for an unobstructed view.

I do like their pergola on the ground floor at the back and would recommend one on your patio, should you expand that space.

As for garden rooms, I've so far kept your landscape as one large room to preserve the view from your porch. I'll incorporate rooms into the plan. I do want to add more paths through the beds too. I pictured them as mulch paths so there would be no mowing. What do you think? Mown paths, more lawn? Garden rooms? Larger plants in the island beds?

The stone should be in a color native to the location in order to look natural. We have granite outcrops in the lakes area and red stones. The larger and mossier the better. (we should visit one of these areas to see the native colors and plants) The edge of the stream should be obscured, blend into the vegetation, to appear natural.

For the wash areas

A couple of the spilling pots

My favorite ground cover - I think it’s Asian jasmine

Like these yellow flowers.

 light fixtures on the wall

Like the swing and the crepe myrtles

Like something similar for gutter drains

Something like this would be nice for the hammock and the arbor.

Like the greenery, long-leaf plants and the pop of color

Like the bordering rocks and boulders and the plants.

Multi-colored chairs

Would like a birdbath like this up near porch

Following the mantra "the garden must bow to the house", the birdbath and all lawn ornaments should reflect the character and style of the house. This concrete birdbath is in a formal Victorian style. The house currently is a cross between rustic (board and batten) and mid-century modern (low pitch, rectangular). Maybe a wood or metal birdbath would be more appropriate. 

Since you've discussed renovating and expanding the house, it's future "style" is somewhat in flux. We need to discuss the direction that will go, in order to design a garden appropriately for it.

A wooden bird bath could be made from the tree trunks you will be cutting down

copper

Minimize the grass

 If we have a walk path in addition to golf path, would prefer stepping stones, not concrete.

Stepping stones might go well in the bottom of the dry creek bed surrounded by ferns etc.

Cool use of stumps and logs

We should find uses in the garden for all the logs you intend to cut. 

a place to put your drinks at the fire pit.

Like the dark mulch, the greenery and boulders.

 We like how they dug out close to dock. We would like to do that with a sand base

I have the boys’ Red Flyer wagon and my grandmother’s cast iron wash pot that I would like to incorporate.

Like running greenery

Pretty color and contrast

We like the pit but want rounded raised border tapering down to the ground.