Outdoor Urban Living

The Challenge

A large unused driveway area commanded over half of the property, the entry area was small and awkward, and an existing aged fence provided no street appeal, the garden was heavily shaded by large street trees.

The Design

The front entry area was enlarged, and softened with a circular landing area. Since the owner did not have a car, we converted the unused space of an old driveway to a sheltered patio area with a gurgling water feature. We chose an open pattern for the front fencing to give privacy but allow for interaction with passing neighbours.

To take advantage of the shaded environment we selected Taxus (yew), Buxus (boxwood), Hydrangea, several varieties of Hostas, native ferns and aquilegia Formosa and Hellebores as our main plants, with Iris kaemferi to compliment the water feature.

The fence allowed us to support Clematis armandii softening the hard lines of the cedar fencing. The area provides ample space for outdoor relaxation, and the drought tolerant plants have a minimum maintenance requirement.

Before

After