The garden is organized
by three vertical planes. A black slate terrace and reflecting
pool are flanked by freestanding sandstone walls. The
entry terrace leads to a bocce lawn and a secret garden
(photo: Scott Smith).
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The entry terrace and reflecting
pool meet the sandstone wall at the garden’s entry.
Movement is inferred amid stillness. Proportion, geometry
and scale provide order within a restrained planting palette
(photo: Scott Smith).
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RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AWARD OF HONOR
Private Residence/Garden of Planes, Richmond,
VA
Gregg Bleam Landscape
Architects, Charlottesville, VA
Remarkable. . . the landscape architect has made the space
feel so much larger. . .very familiar vocabulary of mid-century
modernism, but is much richer. . .extraordinarily precise. . .
nice scale to the materials.
2005
Professional Awards Jury Comments
For this project the client asked Gregg Bleam Landscape Architects
to design a minimalist interpretation of an Italian terraced
garden. Economy and proportion are intrinsic qualities of
the design. Freestanding Tennessee sandstone wall planes flank
the entry to the new garden. Bronze gates, reminiscent of
Japanese shoji screens, lead to a black slate terrace whose
edges are defined by a naval brass reflecting pool and a bronze
vine scrim supporting grape vines. On the left, a cantilevered
slate step leads to a bocce lawn surrounded by stucco walls.
A long cedar bench suspended from the vine scrim faces the
perennial garden for spectators to sit and enjoy a match.
Staggered rows of European hornbeam border the end of this
upper garden terrace. On the right of the entry terrace, slate
steps subtly cross the adjacent reflecting pool. Serviceberry
trees planted in a quincunx pattern similar to that of Tuscan
olive groves disguise a path that leads to the secret garden,
a pleasant place to enjoy a glass of wine.
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A cantilevered stone step
creates a union between the two adjacent levels of the
terraced garden. Grape vines create a dynamic interplay
of light, shadow and transparency on the bronze vine scrim
(photo: Scott Smith).
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A cedar bench is suspended
from the bronze vine scrim (photo: Scott Smith).
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Two slate steps cross the black reflecting
pool. Concrete edging defines a crushed stone surface upon
which serviceberry trees are planted. Their branching disguises
a path to the secret garden (photo: Scott Smith).
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A long sandstone coping
marks the change in elevation between the pool and the
lower terrace (photo: Scott Smith).
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Freestanding stone walls
and bronze gates as viewed from the serviceberry grove
(photo: Scott Smith).
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The dark umber patina of
the bronze gates compliment the shadow-set joints of the
stone wall (photo: Scott Smith).
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A sliding bronze gate opens
to the bocce lawn at the upper terrace (photo: Scott Smith).
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A chokeberry grove mediates
the interplay of the stone walls. Bronze gates unify the
entry sequence providing momentary stasis in the dynamic
forms of the garden (photo: Scott Smith). |
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