Last Chance to Register for Atlanta and LA Garden Dialogues this Weekend; Upcoming Events in Philadelphia, New York, and DC Metro Areas in June
Register today for special Garden Dialogues in Atlanta and Los Angeles on May 30-31, and the Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC, Metro Areas on June 20, and 27-28. Garden Dialogues bring together patrons and designers to reveal the creative process and collaboration that yields a great garden.
Midtown Sky Garden photo by Aaron Booher
The settings are intimate—generally no more than 24-30 people; relaxed—most run 90 minutes, providing ample opportunity to explore the garden and hear a lively, informative Dialogue; and exclusive—nearly every Dialogue destination is a private, residential garden. Each is approved for 1.5 PDH by LA CES.
On May 30-31 Dialogues will take place on both sides of the country with ten not-to-miss events. Three spectacular gardens spanning several centuries of design will be offered in Atlanta, including two significant historic properties restored by Tunnell + Tunnell Landscape Architecture, and an elegant garden designed by Harrison Design. In California, TCLF’s largest weekend of Dialogues yet kicks off in Los Angeles with a special event in the Malibu Hills.
In June, Garden Dialogues will be held in the Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, DC Metro regions.
Willistown Country Estate, photo by Allan Summers
An opportunity for an exclusive tour of an elegant country estate in the Philadelphia Metro Area is offered on Saturday, June, 20. Tickets are $45 each:
10:30 am-12:00 pm, Willistown Country Estate, Newtown Square, PA, led by Allan Summers of Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects, Inc.
Situated on 40 acres, the house and outbuildings, entry drive, fences, orchard, swimming pool, and gardens take advantage of sunlight and the expansive views. The residence, designed by architect John Milner, is inspired by the vernacular fieldstone farmhouses that can be seen throughout the area. At the rear, a terrace and naturalized water feature transition between the house and elegant pool garden beyond. The lush plantings are designed in broad sweeps sympathetic to the scale of the surrounding landscape, juxtaposed against the garden with a more varied palette near the home’s entrance.
Seven Dialogues are offered in the New York City Metro Area on Saturday, June 20, and Saturday, June 27. Tickets to the Dialogues are $45 each or $125 for a special three-pack on June 27:
Saturday, June 20, 10:00 am-11:30 am, Midtown Sky Garden, Manhattan led by Hank White, FASLA, and Aaron Booher of HMWhite.
The award-winning, 6,500 square-foot terrace of the Midtown Manhattan Sky Garden takes advantage of panoramic skyline views while providing an intimate garden backdrop to the mid-century-modern building’s newly-renovated interior workspace. Richly textured and seasonally diverse plantings include a dense blanket of drought-tolerant prairie grasses, wildflower perennials, and spring flowering bulbs, punctuated by flowering Crab Apple trees. At twilight, the garden evolves into a subtle stage set of textured plantings, rustling softly against the glow of a frosted glass parapet rail—a soothing space where workers can escape the conference room or the electrifying noise of the dense urban environment.
Urban Aerie, photo copyright Andrew Bordwin Studio Inc.
Saturday, June 20, 1:30 pm-3:00 pm, Urban Aerie, Greenwich Village led by David Kamp, FASLA, of Dirtworks Landscape Architecture, PC.
For their award-winning terrace design, the landscape architects created a relaxing setting using the same materials they employed on their client’s beachfront hideaway (as part of this Dialogue, attendees visit the terrace where they’ll also get a presentation about the beach property). Contrasts in texture and color are carefully arranged. Cedar, weathered to a buff grey, is used throughout for decking and set off with borders of dark, round stones. The wood is carefully treated to be smooth underfoot. Two bow-front planters overflow with grasses, softening the edges. Cedar planters with amelanchier (also known as juneberry), are used as a screening device to frame dramatic views from the apartment and provide some canopy. A single pine, together with the juneberry, provides sculptural interest.
Saturday, June 20, 1:30-3:30 pm, M. Bakwin Estate, Ossining, NY, led by Michael V. Ruggiero, ASLA, RLA, of MVR Landscape Garden.
Nestled among an impressive array of large rock outcrops, this Tudor-style home and garden offer panoramic views of its central ten-acre groomed landscape. From the house and terraces, visitors enjoy a vista of towering trees, spacious lawn areas, dramatic rock outcroppings, lush gardens brimming with seasonal color, a three-acre pond, orchards, and meadows. An 'integrated' deer fence protects such gardens as the vegetable garden, a Japanese style garden, and a perennial border. Forty acres of mature, deciduous forest completely enclose the property. A dense, planted understory and years of moss overgrowth carpet the forest floor and exposed rock, revealing the interplay between the designed and natural and celebrating the rugged vernacular New York landscape.
The Gillman Garden, photo by Robert Eckholm
Saturday, June 20, 2:00-3:30 pm, The Gillman Garden, Amagansett, NY, led by Victoria Fensterer of Victoria Fensterer Landscape and Garden Design, LLC.
Flowers overflow in this lush, sun-filled garden for a charming and historic farmhouse. The landscape for this Amagansett retreat includes a courtyard and pool area. In the courtyard garden, a central axis provides structure to the design while old large evergreens provide height and a sense of enclosure. A rose pergola and vine-covered arbor lead to garden spaces beyond. Small evergreens complement older established ones, creating a secluded enclave. The patio was paved with warm-hued stone and edged by planting beds. A rustic pavilion provides a cozy place to sit and observe the light dancing off the water and to listen to the sound of birds and wind in the trees. Large broadleaf and needled evergreens provide privacy and year-round interest.
Sunday, June 27, 10:00-11:30 am, Brooklyn Heights Townhouse, Brooklyn led by Robin Key, ASLA, of Robin Key Landscape Architecture.
The landscape architect worked closely with the owners to design the front and rear gardens of this Brooklyn Heights townhouse. Located in a historic district, the front garden ironwork and original bluestone sidewalk were restored with the approval of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. In the rear garden, materials were carefully selected to create a balance between the historic landscape and the new elements. The stone patios, laid using salvaged bluestone already existing on the site, are defined by two linear, stacked-stone fountains where water cascades gently into low pools. A raised wood deck at the back of the property is nestled within a bed of soft moss and wispy ferns, creating a peaceful seating area surrounded by woodland plantings. Here modern garden furniture and sculpture create a bold contrast. Throughout the property, the site’s existing mature trees were preserved to serve as a framework for the garden. A lower level seating area adjacent to the house provides the owners with an outdoor kitchen and area for entertaining.
Saturday, June 27, 1:30-3:30 pm, Jane Street and 11th Street Gardens, Greenwich Village led by Robin Key, ASLA, of Robin Key Landscape Architecture.
See the hidden side of Greenwich Village with an exclusive visit to two enchanting townhouse gardens. The first, on Jane Street, includes a front garden, rear garden, and second floor terrace. In the rear garden a large, curved seat wall defines the space, creating a niche for the garden’s dining table and providing additional seating. Custom-made copper planters hold lush, shade-tolerant plantings backed by a cedar and copper trellis, adding warmth and texture to the walled garden. Tucked away in a corner, a compact outdoor kitchen provides the perfect spot from which to entertain. A quick walk will take attendees to 11th Street, where the design for this townhouse rear garden is structured around three outdoor rooms. The geometry of the contemporary space is softened with lush, massed plantings, while two columnar hornbeams provide height. The perimeter fence takes design cues from the steel deck and railings, while the bluestone paving in the upper areas echoes the floor pattern inside the home.
Saturday, June 27, 4:00-5:30 pm, Pool Farm, Manhattan led by David Seiter, ASLA, of Future Green Studio.
High above Midtown Manhattan, this transformed rooftop pool is now a farm-to-table restaurant, the Press Lounge, offering guests a dazzling view of the New York City skyline. From the 19th floor of Ink Hotel, a beautifully designed edible garden is meticulously cared for to create seasonal food and drink options from ingredients grown onsite. Utilizing themes of material reuse and urban infill, this custom design and fabricated system of wood terraced planters transforms an underutilized rooftop pool into a dynamic private dining experience. The project is inspired by the structure of a sushi mat- with flexibility in one direction and rigidity in the other, the mat rolls fluidly from deck to bench to planter to wall. In an effort to make the project sustainable and cost effective, ipe wood decking was salvaged from a recent renovation and repurposed. The planting palette was selected in consultation with the restaurant’s chef, professional forager and a rooftop farmer in order to orchestrate the edible garden with unique seasonal food and drink menus. A small slice of paradise has been found in Hell’s Kitchen.
House at Fletcher's Mill, photo by Richard Williams
Five Dialogues are offered in the Washington, DC Metro Area on Saturday and Sunday, June 27-28. Tickets to the Dialogues are $45 each or $125 for a special three-pack on June 28:
Saturday, June 27, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, House at Fletcher’s Mill, Sperryville, VA, led by Richard Williams of Richard Williams Architects, with Gregg Bleam, FASLA, of Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect.
This modern complex set directly in the working agrarian landscape of the Virginia Piedmont recalls local traditions once strongly held. A new residence and guest house are perched on a picturesque knoll, abutting gently sloping meadows. The compound formed by the two structures is bordered by woods, and a new entry drive. From this vantage point, the minimalist house of concrete, cedar, copper, bluestone, and steel windows features views of the meadow, Thornton River, and three nearby peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Old Rag. The living spaces open up to broad views of the lower river meadow to the south and the wooded hills beyond the river. A linear pool, nestled into the landscape, occupies one of the choicest locations on the site.
Saturday, June 27, 2:30 pm-4:00 pm, Piedmont Retreat, Bluemont, VA, led by Jay Graham, FASLA, of Graham Landscape Architecture, with Ralph Cunningham, FAIA.
Nestled at the base of the Shenandoah foothills in Virginia, this 178-acre site, once used for agriculture, has been transformed by the current owners into an attractive country retreat. Visitors enter the property along an extended driveway, aligned to perfectly capture views of the nearby foothills before meandering through a wooded area that terminates abruptly in a clearing, offering guests their first glimpse of the main residence. Pathways and terraces encircle the home where a wedge-shaped entry garden beckons, drawing visitors through the front door. Other spaces include the Tapestry and Master’s gardens, which were designed to introduce a diverse palette of plants to the property, direct views, and provide an additional splash of color and personality to the outdoor area. Adjacent to the home and bounded by natural boulders found on site, a turf platform provides flat ground for outdoor games. Beyond the lawn, a newly established meadow completes the design plan as it draws attention outward to more natural aspects of the environment, a pond, and restored woodlands.
Chalon Residence, photo copyright Paul Warchol
Sunday, June 28, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, Chalon Residence, Bethesda, MD, led by Lisa E. Delplace, ASLA, of Oehme, van Sweden & Associates with architect Alan Dynerman, FAIA, of Dynerman Architects PC.
An idyllic gathering place for a large, extended family, this distinctively modern home and garden in Bethesda, Maryland, is the result of a strong, collaborative process between the homeowner, architect, and landscape architect. It’s reflective of the family’s desire to balance function, craftsmanship, and superior aesthetics within the comprehensive site design. A prominent fence constructed of eye-catching steel slats defines the expanse of this two-acre property, creating an enclosed, private enclave for family activities and intimate gatherings. Indoor and outdoor living areas converge as the garden and lawn space form a hub for family functions. A sports court, sledding hill, and vegetable garden support a myriad of activities, while the backyard terrace, pool, and spa provide a modern space for entertaining. Farther from the central house, a mixture of understory plantings enhance a half-acre of preserved woodlands.
Sunday, June 28, 1:00-2:30 pm, Forest Hills Residence, Washington, DC, led by Jay Graham, FASLA, of Graham Landscape Architecture with architect Christopher Morrison, FAIA.
Adjacent to Rock Creek Park, a large urban park and natural area, the landscape and gardens reflect both the woodland character of the nearby park and the modern architectural design of the home. Throughout the renovation process, the architect and landscape architect worked cooperatively to create a memorable outdoor space. Moving the original garage entrance allowed for an extension of the entry garden, where an extended walkway and ornamental screen along the street front provide enhanced privacy for the residence and create a garden backdrop visible from inside the home. Plantings in the rear of the home occupy the site’s natural slope as the property descends steeply into Creek Valley, a spur of Rock Creek Park, and provide residents with a rare scenic view of dense woodlands and a space for quiet contemplation in the midst of the bustling metro region.
Sunday, June 28, 3:30-5:00 pm, Family Retreat, Potomac, MD, led by Lila Fendrick, ASLA, and Doug Stookey of Lila Fendrick Landscape Architecture and Garden Design.
The landscape architects incorporated an adjoining lot to create this delightful family retreat where the clients spend time with their two sons growing vegetables, swimming, playing in splash pools, soaking in the hot tub, hiding in a below-grade fort, and running through a maze of paths formed by towering shrubs. The landscape architect designed dramatic lawn steps up to the new pool and pool house complex, designing tiers of waterfalls around a sunken spa, terracing the site with playfully hidden paths, and concealing a lower level parking area and garage. The project uses locally sourced Western Maryland stone on the pool house/guest house and Delaware River Jacks for the pebble paving. Utah-sourced quartzite-sandstone boulders reflect the clients’ appreciation for rugged western American landscapes.
Launched to critical acclaim in 2012, the program has become one of the most popular programs in TCLF's history, with most Dialogues sold out weeks in advance. In 2015, Dialogues will be held coast-to-coast, from March through October, at exceptional gardens designed by leading practitioners. Register now for Dialogues in your area.