2015 Garden Conservancy Open Days ~ Pasadena ~ The Reardon Family Garden

“ I associate the word "wild" with wildflowers, wild roses, things in fields that haven't been hurt yet! So let's be things in fields that have healed and that have grown. Let's be wild.” 

― C. JoyBell C.

Loads of dirt and recycled concrete were brought in 

You gotta love Google Earth.  In 2011, their cameras documented that moment in time when the outline of a new garden to surround to the 1926 South Pasadena home of George and Susan Reardon was fresh. "The bones" preserved for posterity.  

Espalier apples and sages hint at the abundance beyond 

Fast forward to 2015. The design by Marco Barrantes of La Loma Development Company filled out like Marilyn Monroe.  

Open Garden Day-   The infamous L.A. smog washed away by rain the day before.  Walking from where I had parked- I noted  the air was warm and scented with roses, sage and freshly mown grass. This must be one of the best smelling neighborhoods in America.  A bouquet of freshly picked flowers graced the check-in table.  Things have certainly changed since a sloping lawn was replaced with a wild garden. 

Pass through rustic redwood gate hung from pillars of river rock. Let your imagination run wild at the delight of countryside established on what was once a large- but ordinary- suburban lot.

Despite a dignified exterior- this a garden where the wild heart flourishes. 

With irrigation lines laid below grade level, the efficiency of water works unseen. 

Blueberries inter-planted with fennel- who'd have thunk? Lovers of nature. People who revel in perfume of place.  

 George says he "Lets the garden do its thing." With California poppies, fennel, lettuces and onions free to re-seed where they are happiest, this garden is optimistic- and lower maintenance than one would imagine from the visual abundance.  

Succulents form a tapestry along the transition from front to back gardens

Recycling goes chic. Urbanite- recycled concrete- generously forms walls and pathways.  

A yellow stripe hints at the provenance of this stepping stone.

George remembers the craftsman in charge of paving. He worked with pride. Picking pieces carefully; chiseling profiles and...   

Decomposed granite between steps 

Sometimes reversing top to bottom for artistic effect. 

A trip to Italy was the inspiration for a fully retractable patio sail. 

On the  patio table  were the official before and after garden photos. While before was perfectly civilized-  the wildness of the after is more compelling.  

The wildflower meadow is at its springtime height of beauty. Full of life. 

A dragonfly

A bee 

 But the piece de resistance- a standard pool was re-imagined as a dipping pond. The owners' son promising he likes this better.  "It cools the temps." This is a favorite spot to "Bring your book when it's a 110 degrees and just sit on the rocks." Or jump in. 

His father explained the pool is still under there somewhere. The new bottom is lined with a rubber gasket. The coping hidden beneath a berm through which water is filtered and recirculated 

 There is a magic in this place. It is very eco-correct. But that isn't what I thought of. What I thought of is the romance of walking out the door to pick  greens for salads, herbs for dressings and fresh flowers to fill vases. I thought of all the novels such a garden could inspire- everyone of them with romance at the heart of the story. 

 Until we meet again, Thank YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful. 

2015 Garden Conservancy Open Days~ Pasadena~ The Parterres

"What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country." 

~ Samuel Johnson 

(1709- 1784) 

The current owners are caretakers of the home's history

WWI. Katherine Kissinger served our armed forces as an ambulance driver. In France, she met Lt. Colonel Lansing Beach. After the war, the newly married couple settled into happily-ever-after in Pasadena, California. 

It was 1927, the heart of the Period Revival Era. The ambiance of the Arroyo, graced with with craftsman houses and an abundance of trees, was the perfect locale to spend the rest of their lives together. 

The architectural team of David Witmer and Loyall Watson were hired to bring the charm of where the couple fell in love, French Countryside. to the home. Witmer, with military connections, was co-chief designer of The Pentagon.

Imagine looking down on the orderly abundance of the garden from the second story

The simplicity of design is the perfect foil to what my friend Alexandra, who lived in France for several years, describes as modern French  fashion aesthetic. The emphasis of is on the quality of materials, eschewing superfluous  ornamentation.

In 2011, Rhett Judice and Brad Hanson bought the structurally sound home  and set about restoring the homes and gardens. Ever respectful to the past, the home's signature graciousness is ever-modern.

The dining room features hand painted walls by Rhett Judice

Muted colors and views to the garden enhance the friendliness of the living room

A library with a view to the garden

Parterres comes from the French word for "on the ground". This formal style of  largely level and symmetrical gardens designed on axis  where the geometry is defined by gravel paths is largely credited to Claude Mollet.  

That was 500 years ago. The style's straightforward clarity of design makes it relatable across millennia.

The deep blue adds dramatic input to the space

A garden should never be viewed in one go. Like an interesting person, it should have a bit of mystery. Little nooks, such as the walkway toward the guest house, offer delightful diversion.

The Parterres offers several lessons in the opportunities for successful artistic garden expression.

Foreground. Middleground. Background. The elements of this vignette extends the visual size of the scene past the global armillary, through the arch, letting the eye rest on the donkey's tail sedum.  

The grillwork opening in the garden wall allows the garden and home to literally be seen as a framed work of art. 

The service area at the end of the gravel driveway is treated as a destination point. All gardens have storage best kept out of site. The curtains on the right- inexpensive and effective.

In 2014, the City of  Pasadena recognized the ongoing importance of the property with a landmark decision under the Mills Act.

Rhett Judice specializes in Interior Architecture and Design.  He is well-known for his restoration and decoration of church interiors. He can be contacted here

Until we meet again, Thank YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful. 

Lydia 

South Pasadena is Beautiful ~ Part III ~ A Hillside Family Garden

 Welcome to Southern California. The day this picture was taken, half the country was shoveling snow.  Here: we were touring gardens and taking pictures to send to our relatives in upper latitudes. 

Surrounding the mid-century traditional home built in 1948 on the crest of of a .34 acre lot, Stella Binns, proprietress of Barristers Nursery  conjured up a soft landscape palette of muted greens and purples. Accents of contrasting bursts of precocious California poppies and roses dressed in pastels provide visual oomph. 

Nearly to the summit, a bit of a flagstone landing juts through the sea of plantings, providing a place for garden tourists to  safely dock. If I had clippers, I might have (with the owner's permission) fished for flowers to fill a vase. 

The Marengo area of South Pasadena is noted for mature trees 

I caught my breath, admiring the picturesque hillside garden of Jenny Hertz- Newman and Brian Newman.  A few more steps up the steep incline, and I would be behind the main garden gate. 

A rule of all design: practical items should be equally useful

When there are small children living on a hillside, a strong gate which can be locked closed is a safety must.  

Cross-fencing a playard  close to the house makes this an outdoor playroom. 

Strolling past from the house,  the playful lightness of the front gives way to tell a slightly different story. One where darker, richer colors encrust a forested garden, appearing as if fine gemstones  surrounding a giant Mother Nature's eternity ring. 

Ferns, low hedges and a fountain add definition

Paths of decomposed granite meander to where the real magic begins.  Under the shade of an old oak. 

 Can't you hear the laughter of little children, their imagination soaring on the arc of a disk swing? If you have a big tree- there are no excuses not to have one now. The are everywhere. Even Walmart  carries a similar model.  Check the weight limit- I've seen some which are rated to carry up to 250 lbs- even us bigger kids can come out to play):- 

Both red and lime green outdoor furnishings are hot fashion trends 

When setting up a child's area- don't forget your own adult comfort.  Placing the lime and red seating at the back corner, the parents elevates the the enjoyment of supervising children at play.  

One of the best features of the garden may be how it demonstrates that moderate water needs does not have to mute an aura of lush retreat.Once established, roses and begonias are more drought resistant than most people imagine.  How the giant flax punctuate the boundaries- simply masterful.  

Farewell, fine garden. We hate to leave. But there are more gardens to see. 

Until we meet again, Thank YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful. 

Santa Barbara GWA Tour 5- Seaside Gardens~ Carpinteria ~What Love and Gardens have in common

Gardens and love have this in common. In the beginning, there is a basic concept of what is wanted, but only with patience (including trial and error) is there the possibility of creating something breathtaking. 

Because our wants evolve through experience- that something may not look anything like our original vision. 

We followed the direction the sheep pointed from the parking lot

Following  the curve of the ocean south towards Ventura lies  the incorporated town of Carpinteria. This would be our last stop before home. Rounding that last turn off the freeway, rain pounded the car's roof with jackhammer ferocity.

We were so thankful that on Super Bowl Sunday in the pouring rain, the gates were kept open for our merry band of writers. 

When the Spaniards explored this coastal town, they named it for the carpenter shop. The industrious Chumash tribe took advantage of local tar deposits, mixing with pine pitch to construct sea-worthy canoes. 

Gerry listens to Sam's accent- he was born not far from where she went to college in the UK

 Greeting us with cookies and hot beverages where an overhang gave us a shot of staying momentarily dry , Sam Mayberry explained how the retail area is surrounded by 12 demonstration gardens. Each vignette is designed to show what a little plant will look in maturity; how it will relate to the landscape as a whole. 

Umbrellas up, we fanned out across 3 walkable acres of shops, nooks and gardens. Ideas everywhere. 

A patchwork of succulents sleeping under lath. 

Books to educate and inspire (some of these authors I've met at GWA events- how cool is that!) 

A gift shop chock full of garden and garden-them accouterments.  A cricket for the hearth- stained glass stepping stones for outside- a carved stone own as at home with contemporary and craftsman settings. 

This is what Seaside Gardens is famous for. Breathtaking moments more commonly associated with arboretums and botanical gardens than retail nurseries.  The white blossom-laden bush in the foreground- meet Michelia doltstopa. An evergreen cousin to magnolias- to discover its fragrance alone was worth the trip. 

I loved this spot where visual texture in juxtaposed paving materials added interest to a simply planted pathway. 

If you have loved ones slow to understand the high-color potential of a low water landscape-  share these pictures- 

Hot pink dwarf euphorbia 

Cast metal salmon- time and temp artfully told.

Darkness was now descending faster than the rain. My notes and camera were tucked under my jacket for protection. We have a list- of wishes from Seaside and measurements from our garden.  We're planning to return north with an empty truck and full wallets.

I never knew my grandparents. My vision of  Eden was what I thought the garden of a grandmother I never knew  have been. The purpose of the vision- a grandmother's garden- this never changed, but how it is articulated is authentic to the people we grew to be, not of people only imagined. 

Until we meet again, Thank YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful.  

 Lydia E Plunk