Architect Shawn Leatherwood, of The Architectural Studio, has done a marvelous job of blending architecture with site for instant maturity by designing a new home and siting it next to existing stone retaining walls. Landscape architectural scope included landscape site work, garden structures, fence design, and landscape design.
Design details included the guest parking, and border garden that are given enclosure with a custom fence design and planting. The existing walls were not code compliant for requirement of railing system. The home design featured eave brackets that inspired both the fence and arbor design and stained the same color for unity. The architect used what he called ‘Old Chicago’ brick for the front steps and stone pedestal caps. That gave the opportunity to use the same brick for the front walk. The brick actually was sourced from a decommissioned mill dismantled in Spartanburg, SC. Walk is on axis with existing ‘English Roseum’ Rhododendron saved in the lower garden to tempt a visitor to move into the lower garden. The lower garden features a swing arbor that is placed on axis with a matching sculpture arbor (at the base of the upper garden retaining wall. The arbor has yet to receive antique climbing roses (white) and clematis (deep purple) as well as a sculpture to be chosen by owner.
Prior to landscape construction, the existing walls had gone without drainage and freeze-thaw cycles had cracked the wall and were threatening a demolition. Extensive surface and sub-surface grading and repairs not visible in finished product were required to save the existing retaining wall from years of damage. After landscape construction , grade change is more apparent with lower garden contained by the existing retaining wall and fence.