Ward Residence

November 5, 2019by Monica Perrone

When it comes to completely transforming a landscape, there are a lot of details to take into consideration. In every project that I work on I dedicate many hours to design details, plant placement, site meetings, and coordination. I believe through hard work and perseverance you can achieve anything you set your mind to, truly making your dreams become a reality. In this blog, I would like to highlight a project located in the Central Valley that I completed several years ago. This project was on a larger scale and took us over a year to complete as we were transforming the entire front and back exterior of the home. This project also included a need for demolition of some existing elements such as fences, trees, large shrubs, turf, and concrete.

The two styles that we strived to achieve in this ambitious, family friendly remodel were Contemporary California Ranch and Clean Traditional. We accomplished this by including dramatic, era-specific plant material which adds interest and softens the setting. We hid and camouflaged the wood perimeter fences by painting them a dark brown color so that they would blend in with the surrounding area. To promote consistency, we repeated elements and proportions from the architecture and existing concrete. We also included a modest recirculating fountain in the front courtyard and creative lighting within planters to add beauty to the exterior of the home. 

Aside from enhancing beauty, it was important to my clients that the space was functional enough to support entertaining and fun activities, as well as relaxation and daily life tasks. We designed the space with elements to assist their custom-designed pool in complementing the home’s era and their modified, generous back patio.We added umbrellas to keep guests comfortable and protected from the sun during events hosted at their home. Fire was also incorporated by using ecosmart fire and candles as well as candle lanterns. At one point, we also considered installing a screen on an exterior wall for movie nights. My clients also wanted a kitchen garden to provide beauty and functionality. We created a raised bed garden, incorporating citrus, on the south side yard as well as planted culinary herbs in pots near the kitchen.

Privacy and security were also a prime concern for my clients. We utilized panels around the house as well as in the driveway to accomplish this. We also remodeled the landscape to allow for automobile access at the south side yard. My goal was to ensure that my clients, as well as their guests, felt safe and were able to view the exterior in its fullest potential no matter where they were inside or outside the home. To achieve this, I designed the landscape to showcase beauty at every angle while enhancing privacy by controlling views in and out of the front windows and at the front door. 

Overall, this project was a very pleasant experience! I enjoyed working with these clients in designing and achieving the landscape they had always dreamed of. Supporting clients in creating their ideal, unique living space is very satisfying. I will be forever thankful to have had the opportunity to work on this project.

Monica Perrone

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Monica Perrone is a Professional Landscape Architect with over thirty years in her industry. She has lived and worked in various regions of the United States with diverse experience including urban planning, landscape contracting, and event design.

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With excerpts from Gardens Are for People by Thomas D. Church.

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