The couple that own this home also own Saffron Fields Vineyard. (The vineyard tasting room is home to a Kurisu designed and installed garden, probably the only one in the world with drifts of lavender.) The property sits above the vineyard, with wonderful views in every direction.
We wanted to design a garden that was modern, with a bit of a Japanese influence. How to create a garden as striking as the house without taking away from the natural views? That was the challenge. A secondary challenge was the need for the garden to be drought tolerant and very low maintenance.
Their completed garden is anchored by two sizeable dry gardens. One is more formal, with sharp straight edges and salt and pepper granite chips. The other is flowing and utilizes decomposed granite. Planting islands are mounded and mass planted, to create something that echoes the contours and textures of the surrounding hills.
A bluestone labyrinth speaks to the Indian heritage of one of the owners. And the 75+ year old olives, brought up from California, help the garden feel like it must have been there much longer than just a few years.
This was a wonderful project, from design through installation. The clients showed us an unusual amount of trust, resulting in perhaps our most unique garden.
Would you like to talk to our designer about your landscape design-build project?
