Urban Bungalow Garden
residential
residential
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DESIGN GOALS
Celilo Gardens was tasked with creating a landscape with character for this 1926 bungalow. The original garden was very simple and except for lawn, a few street trees and shrubs and mature Locust trees in both the front and back yards, it was a blank slate. The client wanted a landscape which was colorful with ongoing seasonal interest and without being high maintenance – but moderate maintenance was fine. The client requested an area in the private back yard to entertain and dine. And the client had a desire for a dog in the future which meant a small dog run, new perimeter fencing and non-toxic plant choices in the backyard needed to be considered in the design. Lastly, there was a desire for a small area for a cutting garden and raised beds for vegetables. |
CHALLENGES
The Locust trees were a bit of challenge for the client because they suckered and needed to be held in check but because of their size and the shade they provided to front and back yards, they were incorporated into the design. The remainder of the existing plant material (with the exception of a handful of roses) was removed. There was no intentional path from the existing entry walk to the south side yard where a bed of roses was planted and an existing gate to the back yard was located. The only access was to trudge across the lawn to a muddy side yard. The placement of the Locust tree, in north side the front yard, called for another tree to the south to balance the height and scale of the Locust. |
SOLUTION
The front lawn was removed entirely to make way for planting beds. And a gently arcing paver path was designed to connect the front and back yards and give access to south side of the house. In the back yard, the patio was designed with the same arcing perimeter as the paver path. To meet the budget, it was made of compacted, decomposed granite. And it was sized to accommodate a dining table and chairs, lounge furniture and a barbeque. The cutting garden and raised beds were planned into the back yard just a few feet from the patio for accessibility and convenience to the house. And a small but functional dog run was installed along the back fenceline. The plantings in the front yard repeated the arc of the paver path. A River Birch was added to the south side of the front for texture and to balance the existing Locust. Plant materials were chosen for contrast in leaf texture, color and bloom time. There was a conscious effort to balance the numbers of deciduous plants with evergreen plants and structure so the gardens would always have something of interest in all seasons. |