Wedgewood Cottage Garden
Before
Phase 1
The adorable cottage is right next to a busy street. The owner wanted a combination of old-fashioned or cottage garden plants and thick and interesting screening from the street. The ivy was about 3' thick and was cut back to reveal the rock wall. Later plants will also be planted near the sidewalk for even more color and texture.
I am always open to flexibility in designs and since all designs are done in pencil I can easily make changes. This site (and these photos) have what we believe to be a bomb shelter (underground)! A fantastic opportunity to be flexible with the design....with some shifting of plants and use of the corner of the 6'x8' structure the staircase was placed to utilize this conveniently built in step.
Before
Phase 1
The original stairs were very narrow and had shifted dangerously and made an abrupt landing in front of the porch. The new stairs were made above (ie high quality) code and were capped with a bluestone face to match the pathways and patios. The new staircase also flows towards the front door and lands in a circular patio that gently leads to the side garden (and side door), the front path and the front porch stairs. There is also seating on top of the stone wall to the west of this patio (so guests can gather as they enter or leave the house/garden). A railing will be attached in a later phase. The back garden has not started yet and that will be an even more dramatic change!