How to hide in a fish bowl

Building a home on a corner lot in a retirement community has its challenges. The biggest of which is maintaining one’s privacy!

With a great sense of style, the homeowner, who loves to garden and our designer, went to work creating entrances to beautiful garden rooms in order to screen as well as to invite. The screening issue was the single most driving design item. It must keep car lights and neighbourhood eyes from viewing the house and yard, yet at the same time give a feeling of welcome. The paths through the gardens created by large stepping stones gives one a sense of direction while at the same time creating a sense of adventure in a limited space.

The choice of stone materials for the front entrance and the patio was integral to the over all affect of the design. The patio itself became a work of art with the incorporation of large stone steps going to the house and the stone seat wall. The seat wall allowed the patio to be raised slightly above the foundation plantings in order to see the garden beyond. A large oak provides shade and a canopy under which one could cool with a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day.

The front walkway winds between planting beds and arrives at a simple and serene courtyard trimmed in boxwood and roses. A large stone step again allows access to the house thus adding that touch of whimsy to an otherwise formal setting.