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upper westside garden
view
garden before reconstruction
The clients of this Upper West Side townhouse asked that their
new garden be a calm, yet visually rich, retreat from the city.
The new space is a refuge from hot summer days but it is far
from static. Viewed from several locations, the backyard is
now an extension of both the living room and ground floor parlor,
and can be enjoyed from an upper deck or among the foliage below.
To begin the transformation, all four stories of the adjacent
stucco walls were stained, using an iron oxide patina, to create
a warm, indelible finish. The neighboring shingles and fence
were stained and painted to complement the stone retaining wall,
while the existing brick walls were painted to minimize their
pattern. Additional retaining walls were constructed by finish
to match brick and limestone materials.
With new bedding areas established, finish
began plant selection and installation over several seasons
(principal Phoebe Tremalio-Slater was trained in landscape architecture
at the Rhode Island School of Design). Perennials were selected
to anchor the perimeter and compliment an existing magnolia
with a new hydrangea (quercifolia ‘Vaughn’s Lillie’), several
climbing roses, and three contrasting black Japanese maples
(Acer palmatum ‘Nigrum’). To bring light to shaded areas, hostas
and Japanese ferns were added for their acidic color palette
and leafy texture. Corsican mint was planted between the flagstones
and a mix of structured iris with black-eyed susans were located
in the main bed to keep pace with the seasons. A fall-blooming
clematis (terniflora ‘Sweet Autumn’) crowns the staircase for
a final sprint before winter.
view garden before reconstruction
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