SIMPLE AND CLEAN
THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: PATRICK BOYD-LLOYD, DAVID ROLSTON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
dallasgardens.com
We asked Patrick Boyd Lloyd to create a modern design featuring
drought-tolerant plants. “During the last couple of decades, it’s become
not only popular but imperative to watch how we plant our gardens and
be mindful of the resources we use,” he says. But that doesn’t mean that
we have to settle for a yard of gravel and cacti. The solution is to
use native and adaptive plants. He also suggests using a series of rain
harvest catchment cisterns under the porch and adding gutters that will
feed into them. Even if a homeowner can’t add a full irrigation system,
this will help when there’s a drought and/or water restrictions.
Boyd-Lloyd also suggests wrapping the northeast corner of the property
with a low galvanized steel fence and removing much of the sod and
replacing it with decomposed granite for a large seating area.
SOFT AND MODERN
THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: CHRISTA MCCALL, PAPER KITES STUDIO
paperkites-studio.com
Christa McCall began with the restrictions enforced by Winnetka Heights. “I
started with the ordinance, and I looked at specific things as far as
trying to maintain a certain look or style without detracting from the
architecture,” she says. After driving the neighborhood and studying the
house, as well as street access and visibility, she began creating a
“soft and modern” design. She created an environment that appeared lush
at first glance, even though it’s a water-conscious design. The trick,
she says, is to find plants like Texas redbud and pair them with plants
that have the same needs in the same areas.
McCall says the
biggest misconception people have about water-conscious design is that
there isn’t a need for any water ever. People also unfairly expect
perfection. “Everyone knows that Mother Nature is random, but people
want their yards to constantly be perfect,” she says.
