Lewis Residence

GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS

Back Yard Landscape (design/built)

	designed a garden for Grandchildren play and Grandparent relaxation
	introduced three new garden elements: water feature, sitting arbour and a play structure
	installed low voltage night-time lighting
	custom cedar perimeter fence and gate
	constructed retaining walls, steps & terraces for access to three entrances including walk-out from basement office, deck area off the living room, and steps to the mud room.
	established an 'open concept' garden design, to allow for unrestricted visibility of the grandchildren at play from the house area.
	preserved & incorporated existing mature trees in the garden design

A GARDEN TOUR

A playful setting for Grandparents & Grandchildren was created within this back garden. The back garden is accessible from a side gate traversing a simple walk of tumbled pavers. Beyond the gate, tumbled pavers converge into a terrace, from which an enchanting and spacious garden opens below. Stepping-stones traverse down a gently sloping lawn that opens into a spacious central lawn area. Planting beds around the perimeters soften the straight edges of the fence and form a backdrop for the different features within.

A play fort equipped with a slide and swings is located along the east side of the garden. This play structure area is nestled within the planting beds, has a carpet of bark mulch underneath and is edged with random flagstone. Several large boulders function as seats and visually integrate this area with the stonework of the water feature.

This handsome water feature is centered along the back south edge, juxtaposed by the lattice fence and a stand of mature Pine trees beyond. This location was chosen so the viewing potential would be maximized from within the garden and from the house. Two Japanese Maples softly envelop the waterfall, which trickles over the stones and decorative pebbles into a small pond. Generous-sized flagstones encircle the front edge of the pool, providing a cool ledge to pause and contemplate the waterfall.

Random cut flagstones wind along the planted edges converging in the west corner unto a square cut stone floor. A sitting arbour emerges up through the stone, draped in a veil of Silver Lace vine, surrounded by the arching flowerheads of Hydrangea and Kerria. The arbour rotates out from the corner, juxtaposing the sharp angles of the intersecting fences, reflecting back across the lawn, past the waterfall towards the play structure.

The profusely planted edge slopes back up towards the house, elevating to raised planter walls below the deck. The lawn concludes here at a tumbled paver walk and precast tumbled steps, which proceed up to the deck. Retaining walls and steps also descend off from the walk to a sunken patio area and entrance below. The gentle curving and terracing of the retaining walls in combination with the open wide steps disperse light and garden views down into the sliding glass doors of the basement office. The greenery that adorns and cascades down from the top edges embellish the retaining walls.

The planting design is choreographed about an all-season display of flowers and foliage. The density of the perimeter planting encloses the garden and provides a sheltered habitat for urban wildlife. The diversity of the plant materials animates the garden, engaging the eye with a variety of colour and textures.

The delightful placement of ornament furnishes the garden with a whimsical appeal. Pleasant surprises emerge as one explores the intimacies of this secret garden. A little troll is quietly crouched along the pond edge watching over the garden, a Morning Dove is perched at the step entrance upon the corner of a low wall, and a rustic earthenware bowl, functions as birdbath, below the mature tree at the edge of a patio. The artful placement of the statuary brings a light-hearted energy to the garden setting.

This garden can be enjoyed from within, and also viewed from above and below. The sitting arbour, tucked away in a quiet corner provides a relaxing spot to watch children at play. A panoramic view of the waterfall from the second storey balcony can be admired with a morning coffee. Glimpses of birds at the feeders hung from the boughs of the tree can be viewed while working in the office below.

The sights and sounds of water trickling, children playing, and local wildlife animates the garden. This garden is the glade in the woods, a magical hideaway within the urban landscape.