Past glory reimagined.
I love historic homes and properties. When homeowners Gord and Anne Paul reached out with their vision, the traditionalist in me became very excited to design their landscaping plan. What a wonderful opportunity to be part of bringing this special property back to its original—and new glory.
Contractor, Blake Farrow, is underway with a comprehensive renovation and new addition to the house. Our thanks to the Farrow team for their cooperation in scheduling access to the property to excavate and plant large trees.
The 135 year old home had been sorely neglected to put it mildly. The gardens were full of weeds, dead trees and completely overgrown. A top priority for my clients was the privatization of the backyard.
In preparation for new gardens a tree service crew cleared out the deadwood and heavy low-lying branches over the drive, garage and house, as well as cabling the larger trees. This preparation work also included pruning to preserve the remaining large trees and shrubs. Cleaning out the backyard provided a fresh opportunity to reinvent the layout of gardens.
9’ Cedars were considered for privacy screening around the border of the property. Given the rate of growth, exposure to neighbouring homes would be an issue for several years. For immediate privacy 16’ to 18’ Cedars were selected. These will be hedged once the trees are established. The surrounding Cedars now provide a lush green backdrop for the plan.
To maintain what’s beautiful about an established neighbourhood, I give extra consideration to the scale of plantings on the streetscape. The goal is to create an integrated look between structure and landscaping—to “nest” the house as I call it, within the gardenscape to complement the era and grandeur of the house itself.
The plan includes drawings for fences, gates and pergolas, including details that are informed by the original millwork on this handsome Regency Craftsman style home. Inside/outside points of view interact with various garden areas, including two featured pergola structures as focal points in the south and east gardens.
Much of the preparatory groundwork for this project was completed just in time for winter’s arrival. It’s going to be a showstopper and I feel very privileged to partner with the Paul’s. Stay tuned as completion takes shape in 2024!
RIC RIORDON
