SUNDAY CONCERTS
On a historic property more than 100 years old, this garden has lived many lives. She was once an exit for a prohibition speakeasy in the ‘30s and held better than front row seats for jam sessions (à la Babylon, we like to think) between famed LA musicians and her first owner, lead violinist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, to name a few. She wears her history shyly, over time buried in layers of hardscape – a mix of deck, concrete pavers, brick, and glued-down gravel. Her new owners were excited to give the garden her next life, and one that felt a little truer to her name, with only a few requirements – no gravel or mulch; a place for their new hot tub; a dining area; a space for a fire pit; and lots of plants.
We reclaimed a large portion of the space by rebuilding a much smaller deck – just enough to create a nice entry down from the house into the garden. We used existing wood – a nod to what was and aligned with our commitment to reusing what already exists whenever we can. We then demoed out all the pavers, gravel, and a large brick patio, along with the 18” of concrete it was all set in, replacing it all with lots of dirt and a winding pathway of loose flagstone to guide you from one side of the garden to the other. (Also, rather than pouring a new concrete pad for the hot tub, we kept a small portion of the brick patio).
A little bit of deck (and brick), some loose stone, and a bunch of dirt remained, creating the foundations of a new home for drought tolerant plants. Our plant palette was eclectic – a mix of hummingbird sage, rosemary, westringia, agave, pittosporum, lomandra, star jasmine, and bay laurel, among a few others – but it all came together in a way that played nicely with the garden’s various lighting conditions. We also included a bunch of sedge to grow into two small meadow-like grass areas for the garden’s four-legged owners. Finally, California gold DG for easy navigation through the garden and a few strands of cafe lights for enjoying the space into the late hours of the evening, just how we all imagined it was enjoyed a century ago. Oh - and our client’s idea - repurposing broken pieces of flagstone as cobble around the garden’s existing trees. This was a favorite touch.
Much love and gratitude to Sarah, George, Rigatoni, and Lola for entrusting us with your special home and giving us the opportunity to build upon her story.
And, a great big thank you to Jorge, Darwin, Antonio, Miguel, and Alexi at Roldan Brothers Landscaping – your craftsmanship and flexibility made this garden possible.
