May/June 2009

Older gardens can become outmoded quickly; the four-acre property surrounding an 1880s Baltimore home is a case in point. Chapel Valley has been working on this garden for many years, and the company’s designers were called in again after the clients created a new sunroom and an outdoor loggia off the back of the house. The owners realized  they needed better circulation routes between the new structures and the existing pool. They entertain frequently and also desired an improved entry that would not ice up during winter.

Chapel Valley landscape architect Jonathan Swanson met their requests with a heated, 2,500-square-foot brick drop-off area near the front of the home. In the backyard, Swanson replaced a brick pool terrace with flagstone and redesigned all the walkways to make circulation a breeze.

Project manager Chris Vedrani says the homeowners now have a private space in back complete with wireless cable, an outdoor TV and a fireplace. Surrounding gardens were replanted with rhododendrons, hydrangeas, viburnums and mountain laurels. “We put in lower plantings,” says Vedrani, “so there is a sight line from the loggia to the pool and the client can keep an eye on her grandchildren.”

LOGGIA ARCHITECTURE: Jeffrey Penza, AIA, Baltimore, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Jonathan Swanson, Chapel Valley, Woodbine, Maryland. PROJECT MANAGER: Chris Vedrani, Chapel Valley. PHOTOGRAPHY: Roger Foley, Arlington, Virginia.

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**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and landscape design ideas.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas, and outdoor spaces to life.