Marion Brenner Photography

Photo: © Jude Parkinson-Morgan

This almost cottage style desert landscape displays an almost seamless transition between existing plantings, transplanted specimens, and new additions to the landscape. Photos by Meagan Hancock

The front garden for an innovative property in Fulham Cemetery - the house featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in January 2021. The design had to enhance the relationship with the bold, contemporary architecture and open up a dialogue with the wild green space beyond its boundaries. Seen here in the height of summer, this space is an immersive walk through a naturalistic and pollinator rich planting scheme.

A walkway is bordered with synthetic lawn and drought tolerant landscape w/ Australian natives and succulents. Mexican Beach cobble and white precast concrete are additional accents to this space.

Entry arbor. Photography by Lucas Henning.

A contemporary roof terrace designed to be a place to entertain and relax. Planted with predominately evergreen plants to give year-round structure, texture and privacy. Powder-coated steel planters were made in differing shapes, heights and colours to give more interest, and reflect the light. Some planters were placed on wheeled bases so that they could be moved around for large parties! The planting was also wind tolerant with a flowing colour pallet of lilac and white. We installed an irrigation system to water the plants and shots of colour came from cushions (outdoor fabric) and ethnic floor cushions. High quality outdoor lighting gave the space atmosphere with additional hanging lanterns used with large candles.

A blend of native grasses and wildflowers looks great and transitions into the surrounding open space. In addition to looking great, this area is low maintenance and water friendly.

An abundance of blooms fill the Retreat with color in spring. "Very Peri" Cleveland Sage and bright green Dwarf Coyote Bush define the property line. In the distance, the delicate blooms of fragrant White and Pitcher Sages stretch out toward the street.

This very social couple were tying the knot and looking to create a space to host their friends and community, while also adding much needed living space to their 900 square foot cottage. The couple had a strong emphasis on growing edible and medicinal plants. With many friends from a community garden project they were involved in and years of learning about permaculture, they wanted to incorporate many of the elements that the permaculture movement advocates for. We came up with a California native and edible garden that incorporates three composting systems, a gray water system, rain water harvesting, a cob pizza oven, and outdoor kitchen. A majority of the materials incorporated into the hardscape were found on site or salvaged within 20-mile of the property. The garden also had amenities like an outhouse and shower for guests they would put up in the converted garage. Coming into this project there was and An old clawfoot bathtub on site was used as a worm composting bin, and for no other reason than the cuteness factor, the bath tub composter had to stay. Added to that was a compost tumbler, and last but not least we erected an outhouse with a composting toilet system (The Nature's Head Composting Toilet). We developed a gray water system incorporating the water that came out of the washing machine and from the outdoor shower to help water bananas, gingers, and canailles. All the down spouts coming off the roof were sent into depressions in the front yard. The depressions were planted with carex grass, which can withstand, and even thrive on, submersion in water that rain events bring to the swaled-out area. Aesthetically, carex reads as a lawn space in keeping with the cottage feeling of the home. As with any full-fledged permaculture garden, an element of natural building needed to be incorporated. So, the heart and hearth of the garden is a cob pizza oven going into an outdoor kitchen with a built-in bench. Cob is a natural building technique that involves sculpting a mixture of sand, soil, and straw around an internal structure. In this case, the internal structure is comprised of an old built-in brick incinerator, and rubble collected on site. Besides using the collected rubble as a base for the cob structure, other salvaged elements comprise major features of the project: the front fence was reconstructed from the preexisting fence; a majority of the stone edging was created by stones found while clearing the landscape in preparation for construction; the arbor was constructed from old wash line poles found on site; broken bricks pulled from another project were mixed with concrete and cast into vegetable beds, creating durable insulated planters while reducing the amount of concrete used ( and they also just have a unique effect); pathways and patio areas were laid using concrete broken out of the driveway and previous pathways. (When a little more broken concrete was needed, we busted out an old pad at another project a few blocks away.) Far from a perfectly polished garden, this landscape now serves as a lush and inviting space for my clients, their friends and family to gather and enjoy each other’s company. Days after construction was finished the couple hosted their wedding reception in the garden—everyone danced, drank and celebrated, christening the garden and the union!

Simply gorgeous at tour time, the water positive features at the Retreat go to work during rainy season. Expansive tree canopy slows rainfall. Large shrubs and ground covers help spread it. Rock bands in the driveway catch and redirect it into planted spaces. Bioswales help the garden sink water into the groundwater table. In fall and winter, the copper leaves of a Western Redbud add a pop of seasonal color to an abundance of lush, leafy greenery. Along the right, several native holly leafed cherry shrubs define the property line, providing privacy as they feed the birds.