I do a lot of travel for work during the summer months each year and while doing so I get the opportunity to see a lot of cool gardens; both private and public. A few weeks ago I was up in Baltimore for a conference and had the opportunity to tour a unique almost-off-the-grid private home. The homeowners wanted a new modern home, but didn’t want to leave their beloved neighborhood. So they tore down their old house and built a new “green” home and landscape in its place. It’s the sort of home and garden I’d love to see more of in Dallas.
This is the “front porch”…yep. Complete with a full view into the downstairs living space, a raised porch with seating for neighbors AND a pizza oven just off-side. In the FRONT yard. That’s my kind of garden party.
Strategically placed around the entire exterior were large slabs of real bark siding. REAL BARK. I couldn’t stop touching it. It is the new “it” green thing to do y’all.
This was my view when I stepped inside the home’s side entrance. Initially a bit disorienting…but ultimately amazing. Why not make your floors skylights for you plants???
The home boasts a series of terraced roof gardens that integrate with living spaces. This is a view from the rooftop garden of a lower level lounging garden adjacent to the living and dining rooms. The owners harvested those vintage columns from an old home being torn down. Kept them in storage for 20 years until they found just the right use for them in their new home.
And to top it all off, a rooftop Japanese maple tree and a vegetable garden. And OH, a bar and dumbwaiter on the roof to easily courier supplies between the kitchen and rooftop hangout.
All the plantings were strategically integrated with the home for an always indoor/outdoor feel to living. And yes, there were solar panels, water reclamation and other technology that helps this house be almost totally off the grid.
So, who’s building me this house and garden in Dallas?
