A couple had finally found their ideal country home: an 18th-century historic farmhouse in Orlean, Virginia. Though they wanted a rustic, serene setting in which to entertain family and friends, the 18-acre property was anything but.
“It was in deplorable shape,” says landscape architect Richard Arentz, who was hired to regenerate the neglected property. In addition to drainage issues, fence runs cut up the landscape and many old trees were either dead or dying.
Fortunately, Arentz could see potential. He removed the fences and dead trees and re-graded the slope, creating a large central green with a drainage system beneath. The landscape became a stunning retreat that boasts terraces for entertaining, manicured green lawns, a tennis court, pool and spa, and lush shade gardens. Winner of a Potomac Chapter American Society of Landscape Architecture award, it has been the site of large parties and a number of weddings. Many of these have centered on the large yew-bordered lawn, which also serves as a calming transitional space between the home, terrace, gardens and guesthouse.
A turned-edge brick terrace accented with sandstone leads from the house to the lawn. A table and chairs sit on either side of a large, open central area with views of the lawn and pastures. Tucked into the greenery, a rectangular pool is surrounded by a deck of the same fieldstone that clads the house and existing walls. A secluded area nearby holds a stone spa, table and chairs.
Arentz’s goal was to retain a natural look appropriate to the landscape’s country setting. He succeeded: A tapestry of oakleaf hydrangea, hosta and Solomon’s Seal now thrives where parked cars once dripped oil over the tree roots. Although the transformation was dramatic, Arentz observes, “The greatest compliment you could give me is to say, ‘I’m not really sure what you did.’”
Karen Watkins is a Bethesda, Maryland, freelance writer. Photographer Roger Foley is based in Arlington, Virginia.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: RICHARD ARENTZ, ASLA, Arentz Landscape Architects, LLC, Washington, DC, and Warrenton, Virginia. ARCHITECTURE: JERRY HARPOLE, Harpole Architects P.C., Washington, DC. STONE MASONRY: CANGELOSI MASONRY, Locust Grove, Virginia.
When architect Faith Nevins Hawks and her husband, John Hawks, couldn’t find a country house to restore, they decided to build one from scratch. The couple purchased a 79-acre property in Monkton, Maryland, that encompassed a field bordered by woods, then Nevins Hawks set about designing a bucolic country estate complete with a Federal-style home, guesthouse, barn and English-style gardens. It would be the first private residence designed by the architect, whose award-winning projects include the Sailwinds Visitor Center in Cambridge, Maryland.
As she designed the house, Hawks studied local farmhouses and the Federal architecture of the 1800s. It was a priority for the residence to blend seamlessly into its country setting. She then turned to the work of iconic British gardener Gertrude Jekyll, as well as the gardens of England’s Sissinghurst Castle, for landscape inspiration.
“I love the way they structured plants, with elements you can see in the winter as well,” Nevins Hawks says of the English garden style. Today, views from the home’s two-level porch reveal a tapestry of perennials and shrubs designed for all-season show. Beyond a tidy row of boxwood, the garden bursts with shrubs, roses, peonies, nepeta and allium. Clusters of deep purple and maroon from plum, sand cherry and Japanese maple trees accent the soft palette.
A brick retaining wall by the pool adds architectural interest and alleviates drainage issues in the sloping lot. The bluestone pool deck, accented by plum trees, provides space for entertaining.
Gravel paths, loved by the Hawkses’ grandchildren, lead visitors from the house through the gardens to the barn and pool. “I love separate buildings that are connected…whether by a garden or by spaces that become special between buildings,” Nevins Hawks says.
Connecting the guesthouse to the main house is a lawn that serves as a badminton court and has hosted five weddings. Nevins Hawks, who has developed a passion for riding, has also created an area for training horses.
To one side of the pool, a wooden pergola with a stone floor gives relief from the sun while providing a welcoming, airy place for family meals. Sweet autumn clematis winds over the roof, providing fragrance in spring and summer.
Karen Watkins is a Bethesda, Maryland, freelance writer. Photographer Roger Foley is based in Arlington, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE & LANDSCAPE DESIGN: FAITH NEVINS HAWKS, AIA, LEED AP, Marks Thomas Architects, Baltimore Maryland. STONE MASONRY: BLUESTONE CARPENTRY, York, Pennsylvania.
Washington’s 14th Street Corridor has undergone several transformations since its inception: A music hub in the 1920s, it morphed into “Auto Row” in the 1950s. It has since experienced a resurgence of hip. Along with boutiques, bistros and coffeehouses, the historic area boasts a bustling home furnishings scene, which offers urban, cutting-edge design as well as classic, contemporary comfort. The big news is that many tenants of the Washington Design Center—who lost their leases when the building in Southwest DC was sold in 2012—are moving en masse to the Franklin Court Building on 14th and L Streets in spring 2014. Here’s a rundown of where to shop in the neighborhood.
Washington Design Center
As of early October 2013, 21 showrooms had signed leases in the building that will officially become Washington’s new Design Center. According to Ann Lambeth of J. Lambeth & Co., a member of the steering committee representing the tenants, they have yet to determine what kind of access consumers will have to the showrooms, many of which have previously been trade-only. She expects the first tenants to move in by spring 2014 with full occupancy by the fall.
The following showrooms will open new locations in the Center on the second, third and fourth floors: AmericanEye; ARC-COM Fabrics, Inc.; Century Furniture; Cowtan & Tout; Doris Leslie Blau; Duralee Fabrics; Fabricut at J. Lambeth; Galleria Carpets & Rugs; Hines & Co.; Holland & Sherry; Holly Hunt; J. Lambeth & Co.; Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils; Michael-Cleary, LLC; Osborne & Little, Inc.; Pindler & Pindler, Inc.; Robert Allen; Romo; Scalamandré; Schumacher and Stark. Niermann Weeks will be represented by J. Lambeth and Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman furniture will be sold through Hines. 1099 L Street, NW.
Goodwood
Expect to find the unexpected at GoodWood. Opened in 1994, the shop specializes in 19th-century American furnishings, with fun surprises to be found among the wooden bookcases, farm tables and leather chesterfields. Owner Anna Kahoe, a pioneer of the area, has recently added accessories and clothing to keep pace with the increasing flow of foot traffic. Accessories interspersed among the larger wares include paper masks, cast-iron dog doorstops and a wheeled metal cocoa butter tub. 1428 U Street, NW; goodwooddc.com
Lori Graham Home
DC designer Lori Graham pulled together the best of three worlds to create her store. With a mix of eclectic, contemporary furnishings from Graham’s own furniture line, LG Place; Mid-Century Modern pieces from Michael Johnson’s Sixteen Fifty Nine (he joined Graham’s team after his own store was shuttered); and art from the Contemporary Wing gallery, the overall look is warm and urban. Graham describes it as “Soho Boho”—with touches of Hollywood glam as illustrated by chests from Los Angeles-based Shine by S.H.O. and Ochre chandeliers. Don’t miss the organic tactile tabletop pieces by Little Wood Design. 1412 14th Street, NW; lorigrahamhome.com
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
In 2007, this source for contemporary yet classic furnishings opened a signature store on 14th Street. The sleek, open space, with its stone walls and circa-1920s carved masonry ceiling, is an apt reflection of the furnishings within. Styles vary from the sumptuous “Claudette” velvet chesterfield sofa to “Broadway” aluminum and wood tables. The new fall line features a modern palette of tone-on-tone grays set against a variety of textures with gold accents. The company manufactures pieces for Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware; its furnishings are also sold at Bloomingdales. 1526 14th Street, NW; mgbwhome.com
Muléh
Christopher Reiter’s lifestyle store integrates all things artistic and sculptural—from the striking Kenneth Cobonpue woven seating areas in the front to the equally sculptural Vivienne Westwood and 3.1 Phillip Lim fashions in the back. The home furnishings thematically tie into the eclectic clothing lines; all create an “urban sensibility,” says senior consultant Dale Smith-Campbell. You’ll want to touch the textural Ango “My Chrysalis” lamps—fluffy silk cocoons perched on stainless- steel bases—and do a double-take at the Hive “Little People” screen, a whimsical creation of wood, fiber and wire. Muléh moved to a slightly smaller space in June, just a few doors down from its former location. 1821 14th Street, NW; muleh.com
Room & Board
The 33-year-old Minneapolis-based chain opened its four-story DC locale three and a half years ago at the corner of 14th and T Streets. The store specializes in contemporary furnishings with a “Mid-Century inspiration,” according to in-house designer David Brigman. Furniture for every room is organized by floor; the tour culminates in a rooftop area showcasing outdoor furniture and great views. Most pieces are American-made; juxtaposed with upholstered and leather sofas are finds like an Eames plywood lounge chair. Area rugs, accessories and custom window treatments are part of the mix. There’s also an in-house design service. 1840 14th Street, NW; roomandboard.com
Timothy Paul
Though Timothy Paul Carpets + Textiles suffered damage in a September fire, it turns out the timing of the disaster was fortuitous: Owners Timothy and Mia Worrell had planned to combine the store with its sister, Timothy Paul Bedding + Home, on the site of the latter shop in a few months anyway. By and large, the carefully curated selection of upscale, hand-knotted carpets is still available. Look for antique and new rugs in updated editions—on-trend, faded antiques, modern earth tones, vivid brights and tribal patterns. If you can’t decide, house calls are available. At press time, the owners can be reached at Bedding + Home, which specializes in custom design for the boudoir with an array of duvets, linens and shams in several lines of fabrics, including the contemporary Knoll, traditional Yoma and hand-blocked Michaelian & Kohlberg. An assortment of unique throw pillows changes weekly. 1529A 14th Street, NW; timothypaulcarpets.com
Urban Essentials
Offering contemporary furnishings from more than 75 vendors—all made to appeal to the city dweller—this stylish store lives up to its name. Most pieces can do double duty: Consoles become dining tables and upholstered dining chairs work as occasional chairs. We particularly like the Four Hands “Owen” dining table, made to look rustic with recycled wood, yet sleek enough to fit a city kitchen. While you won’t find overstuffed pieces here, you may like the clever “Big Alice” chair from Design 9 with its stylized wings and extra-high back. Downstairs are the bedroom sets, many with hidden storage areas under the mattresses. 1401 14th Street; urban-essentials.com
Vastu
Whether you live in a studio or a spacious brownstone, expect to find something to fit your space at Vastu. The shop, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, features its own line of modern, upholstered furniture in custom sizes, designed to fit in “challenging spaces,” according to co-owner Matthew Mercier. You’ll also find Knoll, Herman Miller and Flos lighting. In-house designers can help with everything from a sofa to rugs to draperies, and the work of local artists is displayed on the walls. The look here is “comfortable, warm modern, without being cold or harsh,” Mercier explains. Bestsellers are the Vastu brand Ramses sectional and a Knoll swivel chair. 1829 14th Street, NW; vastudc.com
Karen Watkins is a Bethesda, Maryland, freelance writer.
Over the years, homeowner Ruth Suttle has repeatedly lent her classic English sensibility to her two-and-a-half-acre property in Potomac, creating lush gardens, family play areas and more. When a tree fell, leaving space for something new, she contacted Rill Architects.
Suttle and her husband “wanted a place to sit in the garden and be part of it,” says Jim Rill. “We took this beautiful garden and created ways to experience it.”
He and his team designed a striking pavilion with classic columns, an exposed pergola and a skylight. It’s centered on an existing swimming pool with a stone surround and trickling waterfall.
“You often see these pavilions in England, where they are called ‘temples,’” explains Suttle, who is British. “It gives us a covered spot by the pool where you can be in the sun or shade.” A fireplace with a freestanding stone chimney extends the seasons.
Rill’s team enhanced the view of the garden from the kitchen with French doors that open to a covered porch and large, stone terrace. A latticed breezeway provides covered access from the garage to the house. “There’s a really strong flow between landscape and building,” Rill says.
With help from Richard Grisius of Potomac Horticulture & Landcare, Suttle has filled her yard with roses, boxwood, hydrangea and ferns. A stream, covered by a stone bridge, leads to a pond teeming with iris and water lilies. Sculptures, some made from molds of Victorian-era statuary, peek out from between the plants.
Karen Watkins is a Bethesda, Maryland, freelance writer. Photographer Lydia Cutter is based in Las Vegas.
ARCHITECTURE: JAMES F. RILL, AIA, principal, and JAMES MURRAY, project architect, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: CONRAD ZINK, Zink Construction, Bethesda, Maryland.
Dissatisfied with their sloping, heavily wooded lot in Bethesda, a couple turned to landscape architect Richard Arentz to tame the wild yard into an inviting retreat with a pool and pool house.
“My clients wanted a place to entertain their family and friends,” Arentz says. While they wished to enjoy the pool in the warmer months, they didn’t want to see it from the house in its covered state in the winter.
During the project, Arentz worked to save as many trees as possible, including a beautiful beech and another specimen that holds the kids’ tree house. He sited the pool to give it ample sunlight while integrating it into its wooded surroundings, and built a retaining wall to conceal it from the house. When you’re poolside “you could really be completely in the woods,” he says.
To address the slope, Arentz created flagstone terraces linked by steps and fieldstone walls that border areas for entertaining. Steps down from the kitchen lead to an intimate spa. A barbecue, table and chairs make this a perfect spot to dine al fresco.
Adjacent to the pool sits a pool house designed by architect Stephen Muse. Latticework adorns the front while the structure itself echoes the architecture of the house.
Roses, hydrangea, crape myrtle and old English boxwood accent the exterior of the pool house. “The garden relies on texture and quiet color rather than an overabundance of colors,” Arentz says. Sophisticated metal, teak and wicker furnishings add an elegant touch.
Karen Watkins is a Bethesda, Maryland, freelance writer. Photographer Roger Foley is based in Arlington, Virginia.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: RICHARD ARENTZ, ASLA, Arentz Landscape Architects LLC, Marshall, Virginia, and Washington, DC. ARCHITECTURE: STEPHEN MUSE, Muse Architects, FAIA, Bethesda, Maryland.
MORE GARDENS: Jim Rill creates new outdoor
living spaces that enhance his clients’ glorious landscape
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When Michael Prokopchak of Walnut Hill Landscape Company took on this project in Edgewater, Maryland, he was given a firm five-month deadline. The owners, whose children had grown up in the home, needed their landscape transformed in time for their adult son’s surprise party.
The task was a daunting one that began with opening up the kitchen to views of the neighboring Rhode River. What was once a limited view of the yard is now a broad vista that encompasses a new pool with a dramatic vanishing edge. Prokopchak and his team had to remove several large trees to reveal the view, but were able to leave an existing locust tree that now seems to magically rise from the water below.
The clients also wanted outdoor spaces in which to entertain. Prokopchak found a secluded space for a large flagstone patio, cleverly concealing the nearby driveway with a four-foot stone wall. The family uses the patio year-round thanks to a large stone fireplace that also disguises the pool equipment. A row of Leyland cypress provides privacy. Banks of Shasta daisies soften the stone in the warmer months. Sweeping drifts of Oriental fountain grass, black-eyed Susans and crape myrtles envelop the hardscape.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND AWARD, Outdoor Living Area (Design/Build). LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MICHAEL PROKOPCHAK, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PROKOPCHAK.
An involved client and a contoured site that was a “landscape architect’s dream” were the inspirations for landscape designer Phil Kelly of McHale to create a “California-style” garden and pool in sync with his client’s contemporary-style home.
A streamlined lap pool fit perfectly into the hillside. “We didn’t have to force anything,” Kelly says. A tapestry of foliage provides textural interest on the gently sloping hill and a waterfall springs from between two large rock formations, creating a peaceful Zen-like sound. Below, an îpe bridge seems to float over the pond, leading visitors through the garden. Black Mexican beach pebbles provide a striking contrast between the lawn and the pond.
Kelly says the homeowner hand-selected each boulder on the property. “It was all about the shape, the energy, the symbolism you get from the boulders,” he explains. “Our job was to place them back into the earth where they really look like they originated.”
About 100 large rocks were used throughout the project, many still covered in lichen and moss from the Pennsylvania farms where they were found. From winter jasmine to a grove of cherry trees or wildflowers, a number of specimen plants woven into the tranquil setting offer dramatic, all-season color and foliage. Clumps of bamboo have been carefully placed to provide privacy; their roots are contained so they won’t become invasive.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND AWARD, Outdoor Living Area. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: PHIL KELLY, McHale Landscape Design Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIN BROOKE BOGAN, BOB NAROD.
A charming cedar-and-glass conservatory creates a focal point in a McLean landscape project by Howard Cohen of Surrounds, Inc. Initially, “the client just wanted a koi pond and a greenhouse,” Cohen recalls. “It gradually started to grow.”
Cohen worked with Tanglewood Conservatories to design the 300-square-foot structure in a style that would play off the home’s French Country design. It’s clad in the same cedar that trims the house, with a peaked roof measuring 18 feet tall. Inside, an assortment of tropical plants thrives, including a 30-year-old lemon tree.
Adjacent to the glass-walled structure are a waterfall and koi pond built with pool construction so it can someday be converted into a second pool. The stones comprising the waterfall are arranged in a geometric pattern with Carderock stones jutting out.
The pool deck was rejuvenated with Pennsylvania bluestone. Cohen repaved the driveway with granite and built an adjacent stone wall. The cedar on the house, the new driveway gate and the greenhouse tie the design together, as does the natural stone. “There are probably 80 tons of stone on this property,” Cohen says.
Huge displays of annuals provide color around the pool area all summer. Evergreens, ornamental grasses and boxwoods add four-season interest, while a row of trellised camellias cleverly disguises the fence.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND AWARD, Total Residential Contracting (Design/Build). LANDSCAPE DESIGN: HOWARD COHEN, Surrounds Inc., Sterling, Virginia. GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION: Tanglewood Conservatories, Denton, Maryland.
Landscape designer Morgan Washburn of Botanical Decorators faced a daunting challenge: His clients wanted a pool for entertaining on their heavily wooded lot in Alexandria. “It was an extremely difficult site,” Washburn says. “Much of the yard was virgin forest and had to be protected.”
He met the challenge by carving out a 12-foot space behind the house and transforming this limited area into a patio, pool and garden that meld seamlessly into the natural setting. Guests approaching this forested property probably wouldn’t guess what waits behind the classic, country-style home.
“The fact that there is a dramatic pool is an exciting garden surprise,” Washburn says. The curved pool with flagstone coping and a vanishing edge complements the surrounding trees, conveying an organic sensibility. Water from the round flagstone hot tub splashes down over large boulders, creating a waterfall that filters out suburban noises. The homeowners entertain guests on a circular flagstone patio two steps down from the pool deck.
The red patio furniture infuses the scene with color. A pair of stone columns lends a formal touch, while lush ground covers, sweetbay magnolia, evergreens, hydrangea, perennials and grasses provide texture. The outdoor living space is complete with a kitchen and flat screen television. Tall containers spilling with annuals add height and color.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND AWARD, Outdoor Living Area (Design/Build). LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MORGAN WASHBURN, Botanical Decorators, Olney, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: ROGER FOLEY.
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MARCH/APRIL 2012
When landscape architect Scott Brinitzer of Scott Brinitzer Design Associates in Arlington landed the chance to restore the grounds of a 1925 Tudor in DC, he saw an opportunity to resurrect a once-grand old garden—and also to leave his imaginative imprint on the 2011 DC Design House.
“I love classic gardens so it was an absolute love affair with what was there,” Brinitzer says. “The bones of the garden were pretty phenomenal, but they had been completely neglected for about 30 years.”
A koi pond was obscured so that it was no longer integrated with the house or the other garden areas. Brinitzer and Jeff Potter of J&G Landscape Design felled a jumble of overgrown trees to reveal the pond as well as a boxwood maze. They then introduced whimsically curving gravel walkways that connect to the other parts of the garden. “The gravel becomes almost a water flow as well,” Brinitzer says. Gravel arcs mimic splashes of water on the lawn. Upright conical yews frame the pond, while Korean boxwood shrubs and soft gray rosemary provide texture.
A stately crab apple tree and a pair of crape myrtles were left in place for their character and spring color. A yew hedge provides a deep green backdrop to an original azalea that blooms reddish pink. Nearby, a row of schip laurel leads to the neatly trimmed maze.
According to Brinitzer, none of this was planned. “These ideas developed from working in the garden, trying to come up with something worthy of a show house,” he says.
AWARD: GRAND, SPECIAL EVENTS (DESIGN/BUILD). LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: SCOTT BRINITZER, principal; KATIA GOFFIN, principal designer, Scott Brinitzer Design Associates, Arlington, Virginia. LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION: JEFF POTTER, J&G Landscaping, Spencerville, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT BRINITZER.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
**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.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Phil Kelly, COO of McHale Landscape Design, found his dream project at The Reserve in McLean, Virginia. The designer was involved as construction began on the home, enabling him to transform a blank slate into a landscape that creatively integrates pool and gardens with the architecture of the home.
Kelly started by excavating 300 cubic feet of soil for the foundation and using it to create a level lawn from an unwieldy 13-foot drop on the property. The clients requested a swimming pool in the side yard, and the designer enhanced it by creating a stunning water feature with a vanishing edge that can be seen from inside the home. He centered the pool on an axis with the Georgian-style home’s large center-hall windows.
The focal point of this tableau is a dramatic, hand-cut stone wall flanking the far end of the pool. A center arch adorned with a large urn mimics arches inside the home and sculptures sit on either side.
Nearby, a sundial sculpture draws the eye to a formal garden centered on the dining room doors. A low boxwood hedge and liriope create a tidy green backdrop to a bank of colorful annuals. Walls of Leyland cypress create privacy.
The large brick pool deck provides plenty of room for entertaining and relaxing. American hornbeam and heritage river birch offer respite from the sun and a herringbone brick path winds from the garage through the landscape to the pool. Redbud, viburnum, dogwood, hydrangea and crape myrtles offer multi-seasonal beauty along the way.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: DECADE AWARD, TOTAL RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTING. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: PHIL KELLY, McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN McHALE
**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.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
When J. Mark White of GardenWise was called in to restore the garden of a 1920s Colonial Revival, he was already familiar with the property, having previously landscaped the front and back yards. After fire struck the Cleveland Park home, the owners turned to the landscape architect for a redo.
“The backyard was almost completely destroyed,” White says. Luckily, his clients were able to see their loss as an opportunity. With rows of new windows in place, they wanted to complement the home with a new modern landscape.
White says the owners gave him free reign. His concept aimed to break up the small yard with curves and angles to give it structure. A terrace, complete with an outdoor kitchen, creates flow from the house to the garden. Curved steps accented by a hammered metal and glass rail lead down to the patio below.
White salvaged the original bluestone for the patio that stretches on a strong diagonal line to the garage. The angles are softened with curved stones that bank a stream-like water feature lined with a border of airy bamboo. “The juxtaposition of the two makes it work,” White says.
Natural woodland plantings add to the garden’s organic feel. Japanese river grass and nandina provide delicate texture, while a serviceberry tree’s white, cloudlike blossoms herald spring.
An old elm that survived the fire sits in a raised bed built to preserve its roots. It towers over a garden showcasing mountain laurel, ice wing daffodils, white bleeding hearts and Annabelle hydrangeas that provide cool white blooms all summer.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND, OUTDOOR LIVING AREA (DESIGN/BUILD). LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: J. MARK WHITE, GardenWise, Inc., Arlington, Virginia.
**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.
What was initially a small installation job for Michael Prokopchak and his team at Walnut Hill Landscape Company turned into a total property overhaul—with the same deadline. “It was tight, but we met it,” says Prokopchak, who worked with a design by Graham Landscape Architecture to refresh and energize the landscape in correlation with a home renovation by architect Scarlett Breeding.
The existing pool was improved with a large, curving flagstone deck that serves as a roomy gathering place. The subtle gradations of color in the stone complement the furniture the owners use to lounge and dine al fresco.
An adjacent garden shows off a bank of purple coneflowers, which provides summer color. The gray foliage and delicate purple blooms of Russian sage, along with deep green boxwood, create interesting texture. While the pool deck affords views of Weems Creek, a fountain nestled in the garden emits the relaxing sound of trickling water flowing through a large concrete urn on a base of gravel.
For privacy from the adjacent property, Prokopchak installed a row of 16-foot tall Natchez crape myrtles along the white wooden fence. Their white blooms signal summer and shade the owners’ whimsical blue bear sculpture set alongside the fence.
A new garage dictated an updated driveway. Concrete pavers accented by granite cobblestones lead to the garage past the front of the stately white Colonial home. A large magnolia tree and black-eyed Susans welcome guests as they come up the drive.
Karen Watkins is a freelance writer based in Bethesda, Maryland.
AWARD: GRAND, TOTAL RESIDENTIAL CONTRACTING. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Graham Landscape Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION: MIKE PROKOPCHAK, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: JAY STEARNS
**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.
