Courtyards, Side Yards, and Vertical Gardens
'Go vertical. In a small or tricky space, you can always go upward. Plants that will grow tall rather than spread out (and take up valuable space) are a good choice, as they will emphasize the vertical height. Tall, slim plants in pots work particularly well in basement-level nooks, such as this one, adding elegance to a lower-level entrance.'
'Think about different levels. This backyard garden is lined with planters filled with low-level box plants, while taller trees and shrubs lead the eye upward. As the plants grow, they will afford more privacy from the neighbors — a valuable asset in courtyards, which are often overlooked, as small spaces usually mean close neighbors.'
'Stick to a single color. This compact terrace works as an extra room because it doesn’t try to do too much. There’s not enough space for big trees or complicated schemes, but flowers in a single color lift the mood, providing an easy setting for meals or drinks outside. Twin olive trees add variety.'
'In the back, climbing up the chimney is a rose called Madame Alfred Carriere. Hardly any thorns, and blooms all through the summer. The flowers are a beautiful white with a tiny flush of pink in the centre. Outstanding rose! It gets to be about 20' if you let it. The pink flowers are Lavatera 'Barnsley', the tall white flowers are oriental lily 'Casablanca' (incredible scent and come back every year even bigger) , in front of those on the left I planted a white peony to bloom in early summer, beside the peony is a white siberian iris and the lower 'strappy leaved" plant is also a dwarf iris that blooms white. The daisy like flower is Echinacea 'white swan'. The round shrub on the left is Osmanthus (white flower that smells great!), beside that I put in a white annual called angelonia. The mass of white flowers on the edge is alyssum and the grey plant with fuzzy leaves is salvia argentia (white flowers).'
‘Woodland Garden 1’ What is this blue narrow conifer tree? thank you PRO Jay Sifford Garden Design Hi. That is an blue Atlas cedar (cedrus atlantica 'glauca'). There are different forms of that species, all of which are wonderful. Hi, can I know what are those plants? From left to right these 3 beautiful reddish and purple shrub?Thx PRO Jay Sifford Garden Design Thanks for the question. They are actually annuals, which I grow very few of here in my own garden. The left hand one is perilla, which many people are reluctant to plant because it goes to seed and literally makes thousands of plants the next spring. If you pull off the seed heads you'll do a bit better. The other two are coleus cultivars.
Notting Hill Gate London
This is in London. What type of wood did you use please? PRO R4improvement Hi, We have used Balau hardwood in this project. However it is very tricky when combined with white walls. If wood unprotected it will change colour and after rain will stain everyting beneath. Has to be sealed with special stain. I dont recomend to use oil. It will not stop stains. Best regards. Jev
'Courtyard This house was designed around a small courtyard.' Austin.
'Courtyard This house was designed around a small courtyard.' Austin.
Living space The rooms are small, but borrow space from each other and the courtyard. Wood on starrs - What type of wood was used on the staircase? PRO Jobe Corral Architects Texas Mesquite. The black is epoxy fill. The wood is very hard, but has lots of checks and voids...so the epoxy is a must.
'Relativity' Melbourne The shaggy dark green plants at right are giant liriope.
Musician's house in North Bristol, UK
'Double storey extension for artist in Bishopston, Bristol This inventive double storey extension in Bristol, designed by DHV Architects, converted a narrow, deep-plan Victorian house into a generous 4-bedroom family home. A walk-on glass ceiling brings natural light into the inner kitchen. Copper colour-coded windows co-ordinate with the funky colourscheme. This project has been featured in 25 Beautiful Homes.' I love looking at pictures of artists' homes and studios. I think creative people all have a quirkiness to them--actors, dancers, writers, musicians--but artists take it a step further. Painters, sculptors, and photographers--I think they do quite literally see the world differently than the rest of us do. So I always enjoy stepping into their worlds.
'House for a mathematician in Bristol A derelict Victorian house has been totally refurbished and remodelled. The rear reception rooms have been combined into a large kitchen / family room with a contemporary bay window facing the garden. The new rear extension contains a self-contained workspace with large North facing windows.' Here's a change of pace from artists and musicians--a mathematician. Too bad they didn't tell us what his/her spouse does!
Lovely plasterwork.
It's interesting to see the upright form of these plants repeated inside by the binders on the shelves.
'Get the bones right. Brick, glass, decking and wood paneling mix well to make up the structure around this sliver of a courtyard. The design is ripe for expanding upon — a living wall or a well-placed mirror would really add character and impact here — but the basics are spot-on for an urban entertaining space.'
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