Kalorama Contemporary

By refreshing the front landscape and renovating a small rear patio and garden, this Kalorama home experienced a beautiful minimalist makeover that the owner’s frisky dog could not destroy (he has his own pebbled section for private use). The lot called for shade-tolerant plants, so we used Clematis and Sweet Potato vines in planters on top of the retaining wall. Water travels the length of the garden from the upper pool to the rill to the lower pool via a bluestone weir, recirculating back to the upper pool where lotuses and lilies thrive. A simple Ipe fence keeps the garden space visually and acoustically private. Hydrangeas and hardy perennials fill the raised planting bed that can also serve as additional seating and is dog-proof. Thermal bluestone paving creates a natural look with a sleek finish. A variegated red twig Dogwood adds color and graceful lines to this Asian-inspired garden. 

This project won the 2020 Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) Award.