EMBRACE YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE

March 3, 2015 by Katherine Michalak

Discussing the ferocity of this winter has become as much a constant as bemoaning Atlanta traffic. While we can’t control the forecast (or the commuter woes), we can offer a blissful peek into a pastoral local garden and bring some sweet dreams of springtime. Our friends at Floralis reveal this glorious project they did for a Buckhead client, adding outdoor dining space and expanding the garden after a pool and pool house renovation. They took full advantage of complete outdoor living possibilities, creating a captivating environment that accommodates al fresco entertaining, as well as fostering a love of gardening and providing seasonal interest.

A beautiful pool setting made lush with careful containers was part of a full landscape project planned and developed by Floralis Landscape Architecture and Garden Design.

The space gains structure from a cryptomeria hedge, as well as boxwood rounds and hedges. Apricot roses, fragrant viburnum, reblooming hydrangeas, blue and white flowering catmint, foxgloves, bearded iris and other mixed perennials highlight that structure with consistent color. A kitchen garden includes pomegranate, rosemary, strawberries and thyme for permanence with other herbs and vegetables, such as tomatoes, basil, peppers, dill and eggplant, that are rotated seasonally.

Blooms overflow in this perennial cutting garden.

Mopheads … big blue hydrangeas sway under the weight of their own full branches.

An Indiana pea gravel path separates the cutting garden and the kitchen garden, tucked behind Korean boxwood hedges.

Rear view of the new outdoor dining area shows the edge of the kitchen garden, designed with companion herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers.

The subtle tones of the bluestone pool terrace provide the perfect backdrop for blooming containers planted with a mixture of evergreens and flowering seasonal plants, chosen for both their prolific color and textural qualities. As the season progresses, these burst with shades of purples and blues and glints of pale yellow. Such careful consideration of hues and flowering cycles blend hardscape and landscape together seamlessly, as though they all appeared simultaneously.

The soft tones of the bluestone patio are enhanced by the plantings in the surrounding area.

Whether tiptoeing through tulips or planning a palatial patio, now is the time to consider plantings and notice the natural tendencies of your existing garden space. Notice sun and shade spots, observe drainage and run-off patterns, and contemplate an overall vision. For a big project, enlist the aid of professionals to at least help explain the options or maybe even draw up some sketches that will inspire new ideas.