The why
This family had lived on the property for many years. The kids grew up here and went to school down the street. Countless memories were made, so naturally when the kids had all grown up and they decided it was time to live in their dream home, they felt there was no better location to build than on the exact same spot they fell in love with.
So their new dream home was built on the same lot, and it was time to build a dream landscape to match. They are extremely warm and inviting people so the landscape had to communicate that. The main goal was to have big family gatherings on a regular basis, with things to do in the yard for all ages. They also didn't want the new landscape elements to stick out like a sore thumb. Their beautiful BC surroundings needed to fit in seamlessly, and this client was avid gardener - so the planting beds needed to accommodate a wide variety of wish list plants in a way that still felt natural.
"How to create a yard for large family gatherings?"
Break out space and multi-function. During large gatherings, whether inside or outside, it's not natural for everyone to stay in the same spot all talking together. We needed to create spaces for people to break out into smaller conversations, or play a yard game, or explore the garden. We imagined the people that would be using the yard, and asked if there was something fun for all ages. Kids don't need a full playground, but some open lawn or secret paths to explore and use their imagination would suffice. Some comfy seating with sight lines to the kids is a must in order for the adult crowd to relax. And since the owners would be cooking for large groups, we needed to consider the flow of traffic between the indoor and outdoor kitchens, and how connected they would be with their guests while they prepped the food.
"How to design a yard with the natural surroundings?"
The existing landscape elements, especially mature trees, were our friends on this one. Because some of the existing conifers were so large it was important that the garden beds and new plantings were scaled appropriately so that they didn't stick out. The new slow-moving stream required many plantings growing over the sides of it to blend the edges and make it feel as if it was always meandering through the yard. We needed to consider what plants would grow under these large trees out in nature, and try to mimic that look. Lastly, because this yard needed space to accommodate very large groups, we needed to also make sure the space didn't look odd WITHOUT all of the people in it. Considering the scale of patio vs. lawn vs. deck vs garden was very important, and making sure that break-out spots for guests didn't look odd when not in use. Garden walls and planter boxes built at seating height were great additions to accomplish this, because they don't stick out when someone is not sitting on them as opposed to an empty piece of furniture.
"How to get the guests to explore the landscape?"
Sightlines. When completing our landscape designs we have to consider which areas will be most frequented by our clients and their guests, and what they will be looking at while they're there. A completely open view to a feature tree or statue or water feature is a great way to draw people's eye to where you want, and then once they're looking that way, you can attract those eyes to other peek-a-boo views that create intrigue. In this case, the arbor over the rose garden, the meandering stream that leads you through the yard, the winding gravel pathway that crunches under your feet, and the partially hidden bistro set, all serve as intriguing elements that catch people's eyes. But we don't give them a full view of what else is in those spaces. We tease them with those features that encourage them to explore what else is there.
the result
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Welcome Home