Space for Play

Piedmont

The original garden walls of this 1936 house made the outdoor space feel cramped and the views from the interior were a little sad. This young family was ready to reinvent the landscape. The small space had to serve multiple needs: room for kids and dogs to play, entertaining, and plant life. 

Thoughtful re-grading and new, concrete retaining walls sculpted larger usable spaces for an airy lounge and an efficient dining area complete with a grill and work top. We created both open, playable space as well as an upper terrace for a playhouse, swing, and kitchen garden.

The planting takes inspiration from the Mediterranean: a tonal palette of drought tolerant grasses, flowering perennials, and shrubs sweep across the hillside, a visual feast for us and literal feast for beneficial insects. An apple tree and bold succulents accent the terraces. With careful protection during construction, a massive southern Magnolia was preserved.

Landscape Contractor: Acorn Landscaping Inc.

Photography: © Jude Parkinson Morgan