Hot New Project: Lopez residence

Name: Jorge Sanchez
Title: President
Firm name: Sanchez & Maddux, Inc.
Project location: Cocoplum, Coral Gables, FL

How did you first connect with this client? We were somehow recommended to the client & the client knows of us through magazines.

What were the clients’ primary desires for their garden? They had purchased the house as “the ugliest house” in the area, but with very good docking facilities for their yacht. They had been “challenged” to convert it to the best-looking house in the area.

Any interesting obstacles to achieving the dream? The house itself. We were part of a great team: the architect, interior decorator and us.

What are your favorite elements of the garden? The lay of the land there. How it all meets together; pool, terrace, water, canal.

What does the client say now that the project is done? They knew we could do it. They are delighted. We all had a good time with it.

Hot New Project: The Thatch House

Name: Raymond Jungles
Title: President
Firm name: Raymond Jungles, Inc.
Project location: Bahamas

How did you first connect with this client? He contacted me based on research and recommendations.

What were the client’s primary desires for his/her garden? Quality, quality, quality. Time and money were taken out of the equation. A dream job!

Any interesting obstacles to achieving the dream? Work in the Bahamas is not as easy as on the mainland, but Bob Davids, the client, built an excellent crew.
What are your favorite elements of the garden? The client, the thatched roofs, the incredible beach, the pool and beach relationship.

What does the client say now that the project is done? The project is not completely finished, but I believe he would say that it exceeded his expectations. Bob is chilling in Burgundy, France as we speak.

Do It: Venice Garden Tour

Some garden tours are perfect fodder for scouting publishable gardens—others, not so much. The Venice Garden & Home Tour is a prince among men in this regard, and we’ve discovered amazing landscapes through it that have appeared in Garden Design over the past five years.

Also a wealth of terrific ideas for those of you who aren’t editors, this year’s tour, taking place May 2, includes landscapes by Jay Griffith and Zack Freeman. The $60 price tag is worthwhile as a benefit to the Neighborhood Youth Association’s Las Doradas Children’s Center in Venice. Go to venicegardentour.org for details.

Hot New Project: Los Angeles residence

Name: Calvin Abe
Title: President
Firm name: AHBE landscape architects
Project location: Los Angeles

How did you first connect with this client?
We were introduced by the interior design architects, Beardsley-Weiss, who knew of our work.

What were the client’s primary desires for his/her garden?
The client’s primary desire was to create an idea of “simplicity”. The question proposed to us was “how can we create beauty with the least number of materials?”

Any interesting obstacles to achieving the dream?
Importing 20 tons of river washed stone to a garden located on a hillside.

What are your favorite elements of the garden?
My favorite element of the garden is the “entry Ginkgo grove”.

What does the client say now that the project is done?
The garden has matured gracefully while providing a unique visual surprise of the fall color of the Ginkgos.

Hot New Project: Reitnouer Residence

Name: Heather H. Lenkin
Title: President
Firm name: Lenkin Design
Project location: San Marino, CA
How did you first connect with this client?
We were referred to them by their son and daughter-in-law. We renovated their son and daughter in laws home – and their parents loved it.

What were the clients' primary desires for their garden?
They wanted a space that had a good flow for entertaining, in which they could entertain small and large groups. They wanted a pool and jacuzzi, privacy, a very low maintenance garden – an herb garden, and a place to barbeque. They wanted places in which they could sit and enjoy being outside. (Their family room looks out onto this area). The wife had a piece of a holly tree from her grandfather’s that she wanted incorporated into the garden. She loves red – he loves daffodils.

Any interesting obstacles to achieving the dream?
She is 5’10” - he is 6’8” so we had to adjust the heights of everything to relate to them.

What are your favorite elements of the garden?
The garden suits them perfectly – and they love it.
We incorporated a new arbor and swing at the end of the pool. The arbor is tucked into the shade – surrounded by daffodils - and incorporates the holly from the client’s grandfather’s farm. It provides a beautiful restful place from which to sit and enjoy the whole yard. It is also a focal point from the rest of the garden.

What does the client say now that the project is done?
“This is my first garden and I love it”. “Sweeps of color, yellow, and red and white, so beautiful. Heather breathed life into this garden.” “The garden increases my feeling of harmony with my surrounds. You want to go out there, put your mind in neutral, forget any aggravations, and enjoy”.

Photo credit:
Jennifer Cheung and Steven Nilsson
jennifercheungphotography.com
stevennilsson.com

Engagements: Demonstration

The Porter Garden Telescope by Telescopes of Vermont, a $37,000 cast bronze objet d’art, can now be seen at Nichloas Brawer, 28 East 72nd Street, New York. Russ Schleipman of Telescopes of Vermont will be there on February 7th and 8th for demonstrations. For more information, go to gardentelescopes.com.

Engagements: Book Signing

Bobbi Angell, whose distinctive botanical illustrations grace the front of seed packets from John Scheepers (I fell in love with radishes and ended up growing them upon seeing one of these said illustrations) will be at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for a book signing on Wednesday, March 4th. Angell is the illustrator behind Our Life in Gardens by Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd. Also that day, Eck and Winterrowd will present the BBG’s Special Winter Lecture, based on the book, covering the making of their garden at North Hill, five acres lovingly and ambitiously cultivated in southern Vermont, which the garden historian Mac Griswold has called “one of the ten best private gardens in North America.” Preregistration is required. Call BBG’s registration hotline at 718-623-7230. Fee is $10 for BBG members, $12 for nonmembers.