Show Stopper!!!
This brick house sits in a neighborhood of old Tudor homes on a busy Brookline street. The young family had spent their first years remodeling much of the inside and now, to their neighbor’s delight, focused on the landscape. I knew that the plant material would have to be simple yet striking and work to soften the brick facade. In addition, it was important to complement the client’s modern aesthetic. We chose hornbeams for their vertical nature, and a ring of bright roses and plantings in the front beds We added a bespoke wrought iron fence and gates, handmade by Kenny Brackenridge, to protect the property from wild turkeys!
Mason Francis Andrade built stone piers, straightened out and built a new bluestone walkway and landing, and added gorgeous granite steps.
After we removed the odd overhang, Architect Bruce Miller designed a beautiful front porch and landing. Carpenter extraordinaire Mike Souza and his team built the new overhang using huge white oak beams. He also fabricated the copper roof.
Two Japanese maples complement the brick home, while astilbe, blue hydrangea and catmint adds a pop of color.
The old stairs from the side street needed to be replaced and enlarged for the new backyard entrance. We removed an existing wall that broke up the outdoor space and reused it in building new entry walls and a firepit. Limelight hydrangeas and shade plantings flank the new walls and will add privacy from the street. Mike built a modern fence to complement the oversized pavers. Now all we are waiting for is the outdoor furniture and kitchen grill to be placed at the far end of the terrace.
We captured a lot of new square footage and created a step up firepit area for cool nights.
Raised veggie gardens were high on the wishlist. Grandma came for a visit and brought all her special plants.
Perhaps the biggest complaint from the neighbors was the old hedge that blocked the view of the intersection. We removed it and wrapped our beautiful fence around the corner containing a pretty cutting garden. Now neighbors, walkers, runners and people just driving by stop to remark just how much they enjoy the new look, hence the name “Show Stopper”!
The landscape continues to delight in the evening, highlighting the beautiful trees and masonry.
Thank you to my clients who trusted me with their landscape dreams. Thank you team Faithfulflowers whose attention to detail never lets me down. Lighting and irrigation by Mike and Bill Rose of Suburban Lawn. Carpentry and general “hold my beer attitude” by Mike Souza and crew. Shoutout to Peter Needham, master electrician and magician, and of course mason Francis Andrade whose pride in his work is evident in the result. Praise to Victoria Petrovsky for her ability to draft my crazy drawings! Finally, thank you to all the neighbors who have watched our progress and showered us with compliments!