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The
front yard to this home in the historic district of Bethlehem
had been left unattended for years . . . the Hemlock tree was
diseased and placed too close to the house for its mature size,
the Rhododendrons were sparse and leggy, and the grass did not
thrive due to the shady conditions (see the "before"
photo above).
The
objective of this project was to create an inviting entrance to
this 19th century home. Several factors were taken into consideration:
(1) the design had to be in keeping with the time period of the
district, (2) since the area did not receive much sun, plant material
had to be tolerant of shady conditions, and (3) the space had
to be aesthetically pleasing, yet functional.
The
project objective was achieved by creating a brick walk leading
to a courtyard space and the front door. The elevation difference
between the walk and the courtyard was bridged by using a wide
granite tread. This wide walk draws the user into the welcoming
courtyard space.
Plant
material helps bring the space into scale with the two-story house.
A large Sweetbay Magnolia planted away from the house creates
depth with its placement and scale with its imposing size. Its
foliage creates a light and airy feel to the space due to its
open nature. On
the other side of the walkway is an existing Cutleaf Japanese
Maple whose form adds a sculptural element. The courtyard is edged
with traditional boxwood. Shade tolerant evergreen shrubs and
flowering perennials were added to create seasonal interest.
The
front yard now has a simple, yet elegant style and materials used
were indicative of the 19th Century time period.
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