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Tag: Fences

  • Jake Hobson’s Garden: A Tour of the Niwaki Founder’s Mini-Forest Backyard

    Jake Hobson is a master pruner. He’s written two books on pruning: Niwaki: Pruning, Training, and Shaping Trees the Japanese Way and The Art of Creative Pruning: Inventive Ideas for Shaping Trees and Shrubs. And he’s the founder of Niwaki, a Japanese-inspired garden tool company headquartered in England. So, it should come as no surprise that his home landscape in Dorset is full of artfully shaped, precisely pruned shrubs and trees. But it isn’t your usual English garden with clipped hedges—nor is it a replica of Japanese gardens.

    “Everything I do is inspired by Japan, but I’m deliberately not making it all Japanese,” explains Hobson. “There’s no koi pond or red bridges.” Not only does Hobson eschew any decorative Japanese elements, he avoids ornaments altogether. “For me, a Japanese garden is creating a sense of a landscape—an idealized landscape—within the plot. If you bring in ornaments, you ruin the magic of scale. Whereas, if all you’ve got is plants, you can create a sense (if you squint and after a couple of drinks) that maybe you’re looking out into a deep forest.”

    Hobson has successfully created this illusion of landscape within his small space. Looking out the windows of the home he shares with his wife, Keiko, and their son, or gazing at photographs of Hobson’s green, layered garden, it’s hard to believe that it’s not much bigger than a tennis court. 

    When Hobson and his wife bought the house, the backyard had four sheds, a mismatched bunch of overgrown conifers, and a ton of concrete paths. They ripped it all out, leaving just the evergreen hedge that blocks the view from a neighboring building. Hobson commissioned a local carpenter to build a single new shed inspired by a Japanese “summer house” at the back of the plot. Then he planted dozens of evergreen and coniferous shrubs and trees that he has been training and pruning for the last fourteen years. The result is a garden that feels like its own miniature world, full of living sculptures.

    Let’s take a tour of Hobson’s garden, which he photographed himself. (You can follow him on Instagram @niwakijake.)

    Every year Hobson lets the grass grow long and mows a new path through it. “Zigzagging through the garden is a really Japanese thing,” he notes. “You never just go straight into a house.” At right are some of Hobson’s undulating boxwood and a Phillyrea latifolia, which Hobson calls a “cloud-pruned tree.” (He had been growing it for years at his parents home before moving it to the garden.)
    Above: Every year Hobson lets the grass grow long and mows a new path through it. “Zigzagging through the garden is a really Japanese thing,” he notes. “You never just go straight into a house.” At right are some of Hobson’s undulating boxwood and a Phillyrea latifolia, which Hobson calls a “cloud-pruned tree.” (He had been growing it for years at his parents home before moving it to the garden.)

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  • Before & After: A 1940s-Suburban House Grows Up Gracefully in Mill Valley, CA – Gardenista

    In the first decade of America’s post-war boom, a million and a half new houses were built, creating vast tracts of suburbia and giving young families their first opportunity to own a home. Nowadays, however, homebuyers who stumble on a 1940s relic in vintage condition often wonder if it’s worth it to buy a house that needs a major remodel?

    For Raleigh and Michael Zwerin, the answer was yes. In 2004 they bought a circa-1944 cottage in Mill Valley, California. From the moment they moved in, baby in tow, they started thinking about the house they wished they had. Nearly a decade later, after having a second baby (and learning firsthand that the charming creeks that crisscrossed the neighborhood were prone to flood in winter), they asked architect Kelly Haegglund for help.

    For Haegglund, who lives just a few blocks from the Zwerins, the challenge was to design a modern-family-sized house that didn’t loom like the Hulk over the rest of the neighborhood, where one-story bungalows and cottages were built on narrow lots. The result? A modern three-bedroom bungalow with pleasing architectural details borrowed from the Arts and Crafts era. A low-water landscape, designed by Mill Valley-based Bradanini & Associates, surrounds the house in year-round greenery.

    Photography by Mimi Giboin.

    After searching for months for just the right dark stain color, Raleigh Zwerin suddenly saw it by accident when she drove by a house under construction in nearby San Francisco.
    Above: After searching for months for just the right dark stain color, Raleigh Zwerin suddenly saw it by accident when she drove by a house under construction in nearby San Francisco.

    “I went back to that house in the city several times until I met the lead contractor and asked him for the color, but he said the owner of the house said it was proprietary information and he didn’t want to give it out,” says Raleigh. Luckily, though, the contractor took pity on her plight. “He said, ‘I’ll meet you somewhere and give you a shingle so you can match the color.’ We ended up in a rendezvous by the side of the road. He brought two shingles in his truck, I brought a box of cookies, and it was great.”

    The custom trim color? The Zwerins also gleaned it from the same side-of-the-road exchange.

    A curtain of cape rush (Chrondopetalum elephantinum) will reach heights of from 4 to 6 feet, creating an airy screening layer behind the picket fece.
    Above: A curtain of cape rush (Chrondopetalum elephantinum) will reach heights of from 4 to 6 feet, creating an airy screening layer behind the picket fece.

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  • Rental Garden Makeovers: 10 Best Budget Ideas for an Outdoor Space – Gardenista

    This week, we’re revisiting some of our all-time favorite stories about gardening in New York City. Cultivating plants in the Big Apple comes with challenges—yards tend to be small and shady, and privacy is rare—but if you have the patience, these urban gardens can produce some big-time magic. Behold…

    Most renters, especially if they’re not planning a long stay, prefer not to spend too much time or money fixing up someone else’s property. But what if they still want a nice outdoor space? We asked Brooklyn-based garden designer Brook Klausing for recommendations for finessing a space that you don’t own. Not only has he done it for clients of his company, Brook Landscape, he also has plenty of personal experience, having fixed up several rental gardens for himself.

    To start, Brook suggests, figure out what your goal is and how much time you’re willing to commit. Maybe you only have a year’s lease, and just want a weekend project. Or maybe you plan to be there a few years, and you’d love to spend the summer playing in the garden because you enjoy the process. Either way, don’t get overly enthusiastic and embark on something you won’t finish. Assess your own ambition and organize a project that’s right for you.

    His other directive: Go big. “Don’t get distracted at the nursery and pick up a lot of random small things just because they’re cute,” he advises. Better to start with strong moves to organize the space.

    Read on for 10 more rental garden tips from Brook:

    Photography courtesy of Brook Klausing except where noted.

    1. Accentuate the positive.

     Take note of what
    Above: Take note of what’s great about the space and find a way to accentuate it. With judicious editing, Brook created focal points in a backyard garden.

    “If there’s a great view or a tree you’re really into (even if it’s in your neighbor’s yard), clear out any weeds or shrubs that are in the way and position your seating and enhancements to maximize the sight lines.” By the same token, identify what you don’t love in the space and remove or, if that’s not possible, downplay the distraction. (See below for suggestions on dealing with ugly walls and fences.)

    2. Prune boldly.

    A smoke bush (at L) is a visual focal point in a backyard garden designed by Brook Landscapes.
    Above: A smoke bush (at L) is a visual focal point in a backyard garden designed by Brook Landscapes.

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  • Brooklyn Backyard Visit: Pea Gravel Stars in the Transformation of an Urban Garden by Verru Design

    Brooklyn Backyard Visit: Pea Gravel Stars in the Transformation of an Urban Garden by Verru Design

    Post-renovation, the back yard was filled with debris, including shards of concrete. “Instead of dumping the stuff, we used what was there to create what I call an urban berm,” says Arrington. The berm was built on shards of concrete that were covered with a little landscape fabric, and topped with about two feet of soil, which was brought in for the entire yard. “When we pop elevations into a garden, the shadows change, the way we can see the plants inside changes. If you’re in the hot tub and you’re looking at a berm, it’s like the plants are surrounding you. That sense of privacy is something we wanted to create,” says Arrington.

    3. Focus on local materials.

    With the naturalistic aesthetic, hot tub, and gravel as their starting points, Arrington and Green leaned into local materials and native plants. Arrington notes that because the rock steps, pea gravel, and cedar are all locally sourced, they are more sustainable—and just feel right. “The colors are already a part of the landscape,” he says.

    4. A small garden needs curves.

    Sarah Jefferys Architecture Brooklyn Backyard

    To create the wild, rambling feeling their clients desired, curves were essential, says Green. Using cedar shakes to edge the beds allowed them to perfect each swooping bed design. “The curves are informal, but still there is an art to creating and finessing them to feel natural, ” says Green, who describes how one of them would look down from the deck while the other placed the edging.

    5. Rethink the privacy fence.

    Not all fences are created equal. “The first day we stood back there, it was so hot and the air was really stagnant,” says Green of the existing fence. To get better air circulation in the garden, Arrington and Green proposed a louvered design. Crafted from rough cedar, it provides natural texture and will become grayer over time. Because privacy was still a concern, they designed the angle and span between louvers to be on the tighter side; relaxing the span would bring even more air in.

    Caption: The bed at the base of the stairs is the sunniest spot in the garden, the amsonia turns golden yellow in fall. Photo courtesy of Verru Design.

    6. Select a strong color theme.

    A pale blush color theme holds the plant palette together in this garden. Designed to bloom throughout the year, Arrington and Green included Magnolia virginiana, which blooms a a silky white-almost blush color in spring; Geranium Biokovo, which is really light blush on the inside; and ‘Limelight’ hydrangea, which turns a twinge of blush at the end of the season.

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  • The Merz House in Brooklyn Heights: Nishiel Patel Reconfigures and Re-beautifies the Landmark Home’s Backyard

    The Merz House in Brooklyn Heights: Nishiel Patel Reconfigures and Re-beautifies the Landmark Home’s Backyard

    A couple months ago, I wrote a story for Remodelista about a modernist landmark Brooklyn Heights townhouse restored by Starling Architecture. The post focused on the sophisticated midcentury-style kitchen, but I was equally enamored with the verdant backyard, cleverly laid out as multiple outdoor “rooms.”

    The goal, says landscape designer Nishiel Patel, the mastermind behind the exterior overhaul, was to forge a better connection between the inside and outside. “Previously overgrown with non-native shrubs, the garden acted as a barrier between the two ‘living rooms’ (interior and exterior), discouraging use of the garden completely,” she explains. In addition, the path from the home to the rear pergola (the main living space in the backyard) was awkward, requiring “two sharp turns to even enter the garden.”

    Her solution: “We designed the garden to re-orient the home and the exterior deck [the rear pergola] towards a central and usable verdant courtyard, unlocking new views and connections between the two.”

    Here’s how Nishiel reset the landscape design on the right path.

    Photography by Adrian Gaut, styling by Glen Proebstel, courtesy of Starling Architecture.

    Above: “The facade of the house is landmarked, including the integrated large plant beds and entry stairs, so we treaded lightly,” explains Nishiel. “We did, however, add a Hollywood juniper and two Japanese maples to the front with a shrubby understory of rugosa rose and ‘Pee Wee’ oakleaf hydrangeas. The junipers and maples were selected for their twisted and gracefully open forms, respectively, as a contrast to the monolithic cube form of the house. Both trees are commonly found in the neighborhood which, over time, will make them feel as if they’ve always been there.”
    Nishiel redirected the path from the interior living room to the exterior living room (the raised deck with pergola in the rear) so that it was more straightforward and easily accessible. In the middle, she added a fire pit area with Adirondack chairs (left) and a hot/cold plunge station (right).
    Above: Nishiel redirected the path from the interior living room to the exterior living room (the raised deck with pergola in the rear) so that it was more straightforward and easily accessible. In the middle, she added a fire pit area with Adirondack chairs (left) and a hot/cold plunge station (right).
    Above: “While the garden’s primary exposure is from the south, the light is filtered through two existing and large honey locust trees on the adjacent street. Naturally, the light is dappled, and the pockets of more direct and intense light change throughout the day. So we chose to create a matrix of plants that do well in the shade (oakleaf hydrangea, Pennsylvania sedge, Japanese anemone, Actaea, and Brunnera), and then a lot of perennials that prefer varying levels of direct sun (Amsonia hubrichtii, Sesleria autumnalis, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea ‘White Swan’, Martagon lilies, Verbascum, and Penstemon), with the goal of letting nature take over at some point. The plants will do well if they find themselves in a location that allows it!”
    The cedar hot tub is from Northern Lights with the all-electric pumps, and the cold plunge is the Cold Stoic from Renu Therapy.
    Above: The cedar hot tub is from Northern Lights with the all-electric pumps, and the cold plunge is the Cold Stoic from Renu Therapy. “Both are intentionally recessed into the new deck so that they appear almost like pure shapes carved into the deck rather than stand-alone objects. This meant that we needed to excavate and retain the earth below by almost four feet to maintain airflow around them and provide subgrade drainage (in the form of a dry well) when the pools needed to be drained. We took advantage of the space below to also hide the hot tub equipment and provided a secret hatch in the deck for access below.”

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  • Privacy Landscaping: The Best Plants to Use to Enclose Your Outdoor Space

    Privacy Landscaping: The Best Plants to Use to Enclose Your Outdoor Space

    If you’re lucky enough to have a garden in a big city, you learn to accept the fact that while you’re out there, you’re in full view of everyone whose windows overlook your yard. Hanging an awning over your entire backyard or planting a tree big enough to screen everything isn’t a good option, since usually, getting the light you need to grow things is already a challenge.

    So what are the best ways to make a small urban garden feel more private—or at least to create the illusion of privacy? For advice, we asked landscape designer Susan Welti, a partner in the Brooklyn-based Foras Studio. Susan has designed countless urban spaces; two of her gardens appear in our Gardenista book.

    Here are some of her ideas to create privacy in a small city backyard.

    Photography by Matthew Williams for Gardenista, except where noted.

    Above: An eastern white pine tree draws the eye away from the neighbors’ houses in a Brooklyn garden designed by Foras Studio.

    Is it really possible to have privacy in an outdoor city garden?

    Let’s admit that it’s almost impossible to create as much privacy as you might want. “There are so many buildings surrounding you, and they’re so much bigger than you,” Susan says. “But while you can’t block out the buildings, what you can do is to create something beautiful and compelling that will hold the eye within the confines of the site, and make you feel enclosed and secure.”

    The neighbors
    Above: The neighbors’ Japanese maple trees (at right) create a bower and privacy barrier.

    How can you use trees to create privacy?

    “You can’t just throw in a big tree to block the view, because that also blocks the light,” says Susan. “In most city gardens there are trees in your sightline, but they’re often really big—such as oaks or maples or ailanthus. It’s nice to put in a tree that’s a more human scale. We use a lot of fruit trees—crab apple, dwarf apple, even pomegranate and fig. These all flower, which is always nice.”

    Susan also recommends small understory trees like Chionanthus virginicus, known as “old man’s beard”; Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (serviceberry); and Magnolia virginiana—native magnolia or sweetbay. And if you’re not going for bloom, consider a Japanese maple—“They fit beautifully into a pared-back grassy landscape.”

    A row of small hornbeam trees (Carpinus caroliniana) are pruned tightly to create a flat screen against a fence.
    Above: A row of small hornbeam trees (Carpinus caroliniana) are pruned tightly to create a flat screen against a fence.

    What are the best trees for fence-line privacy?

    When space is at a premium, Susan often uses trees that are pleached—trained and clipped to grow on a flat plane, like an espalier.

    “Pleached trees are a powerful visual element, and you can control where they canopy out,” she says. Susan’s choice is hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), a native tree that takes well to pruning; she buys them already started off from Brooklyn’s Urban Arborists. “Pleached trees don’t bloom; it’s more about the shape and the beauty of the foliage.”

    Can vines and climbers be used to create privacy?

    “Vines are great for adding a green layer to a fence or pergola,” says Susan. “For an airy look, you want plants that have some visual porosity. We use Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls,’ a native plant that’s less vigorous than Chinese or Japanese wisteria, and has a nice bloom.” For other flowering vines, she recommends clematis, honeysuckle, and crossvine, such as Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty.’ To create a wall of green, Susan suggests the vigorous, shade-tolerant Akebia ‘Shirobana’—but be aware that it’s considered invasive in some areas, so check with local authorities before planting, and be prepared to monitor its growth carefully.

    Brooklyn garden fence by Matthew Williams

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  • Fencing installed around Ellipse near White House in preparation for NATO Summit – WTOP News

    Fencing installed around Ellipse near White House in preparation for NATO Summit – WTOP News

    In preparation for the NATO Summit in D.C., crews installed tall, latticed steel fences on the sidewalk along the Ellipse near the White House on Monday.

    Listen live to WTOP for traffic updates on the 8s.

    Crews installed anti-scale fencing Monday morning around the Ellipse near the White House. (WTOP/Neal Augenstein)

    In preparation for Tuesday’s NATO Summit in D.C., crews from a contractor installed tall, latticed steel fences on the sidewalk along the Ellipse near the White House.

    A small forklift unloaded pallets of the fencing onto the sidewalk on Monday morning while crews dragged and then assembled the fencing.

    Most of the security fencing along the sidewalk isn’t blocking access to the sidewalk. It’s running parallel to the sidewalk to prevent someone from climbing over it. So pedestrians still have access to the sidewalk.

    Fencing was already in place around the Mellon Auditorium and Washington Convention Center, where the summit will take place from July 9-11.

    A number of roadway closures come into effect on Monday near Mellon Auditorium and White House and the Washington Convention Center.

    Roadway, parking closures beginning Monday

    CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE: Closures nearby Mellon Auditorium amid the 2024 NATO Summit in D.C. Red zones designed areas where pedestrians are restricted. Blue zones designate areas where vehicles must be screened before passing through. (Courtesy D.C. Mayor’s Office)

    Parking isn’t allowed on these streets from Monday, July 8 at noon until Thursday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m.

    • H Street from 15th Street to 17th Street, NW
    • Connecticut Avenue from H Street to I Street, NW
    • 16th Street from H Street to I Street, NW

    Vehicles can’t drive on these streets from Monday, July 8 at noon through Thursday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m.

    • H Street from Vermont Avenue to 17th Street, NW
    • Connecticut Avenue from H Street to I Street, NW
    • 16th Street from H Street to I Street, NW

    No parking is allowed on these streets from Monday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m. through Tuesday, July 9 at 11:59 p.m.

    • Constitution Avenue from 15th Street to 17th Street, NW
    • 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    • 10th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
    • New York Avenue from 14th Street to 15th Street, NW
    • From 14th Street to 15th Street, NW
    • From 14th Street to 15th Street, NW

    These streets will be designated as emergency no parking from Monday, July 8 at 9:30 a.m. through Friday, July 12 at 6 p.m.:

    • I Street from 6th Street to 10th Street, NW
    • New York Avenue from 10th Street to 13th Street, NW
    • Massachusetts Avenue from 10th Street to 13th Street, NW

    This street will be closed to all vehicles on Monday, July 8 at 9 a.m. through Friday, July 12 at noon:

    • L Street from Seventh Street to Ninth Street, NW

    Traffic, parking and pedestrian closures will continue to increase over the next few days.

    Pedestrian access will also be restricted nearby the event spaces; you won’t be able to walk into those areas without a pass. The bottom line: leave extra time to get around downtown between Monday and Thursday.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Neal Augenstein

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  • The Art of Garden Etiquette: 10 Ways to Show Respect to Neighbors – Gardenista

    The Art of Garden Etiquette: 10 Ways to Show Respect to Neighbors – Gardenista

    It’s always a good idea to give the gift of courtesy to your neighbors. Even if they’re not the type to fly into a yard rage, they’ll still appreciate a little kindness in the garden.

    What do the basic tenets of neighborliness require? Keep your yard tidy (dazzling horticultural displays are always welcome, but not mandatory). Mow your grass (if you have any), rake the leaves, and try not to leave stuff  like bikes, toys, and garden tools littering the lawn. A good rule of thumb is to consider how you’d like your neighbor’s yard to look, and then apply it to your own. Oh, your standards aren’t that high? Then try imagining yourself as a discriminating person with a penchant for orderliness and good taste.

    City gardeners, you’re not off the hook. The neighbors whose windows overlook your backyard or balcony may be a tad jealous of your outdoor space. If you can’t invite them over for a barbecue, at least keep your outdoor space looking decent (and, OK, enviable).

    For garden etiquette insights we talked with Melissa Ozawa, the former gardens editor at Martha Stewart Living (and now the director of content and communications at the Perfect Earth Project). Ozawa herself tends a small outdoor space in New York City and also gardens upstate in Columbia County. Here are 10 common-sense good-neighbor suggestions:

    Respect Property Lines

    Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. See more of this garden at Garden Visit: At Home with Architect Kelly Haegglund in Mill Valley, CA.
    Above: Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. See more of this garden at Garden Visit: At Home with Architect Kelly Haegglund in Mill Valley, CA.

    Prune your trees, shrubs, and vines so they don’t encroach on your neighbor’s space. “And keep safety in mind,” says Ozawa. “Remove any big branches that look damaged or diseased—a storm could make them more precarious, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Trimming overhanging branches also helps prevent your leaves from falling into a neighbor’s yard—and you don’t want your leaves in the neighbor’s yard.

    Plant Natives

    Above: Sunflowers (Helianthus). Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer. For more, see Field Guide: Sunflowers.

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