Custom installations

burgundy residence

Client Wishlist:

Entertaining, of course!

The main priority was creating a beautiful space that allowed our clients to entertain friends and family. Ideally, the garden would have a formal design interjected with casual seating and space dedicated to growing vegetables. They also wanted a space that, in the future, could be dedicated to raising chickens.

…and if we can?

While traveling in Europe they noticed bocce ball courts were common among the gardens. They had played a few games and wanted to incorporate a court of their own into the renovation.

We built a regulation size bocce ball court using steel. The base material is marble sourced from Marble Falls.

Getting Started

Establishing the perimeter of the backyard.

Custom steel structures were erected to create the vegetable garden.

Vegetable gardens at ground level for chicken feeding.

Crape Myrtle trees were used to define the space between the vegetable garden and the bocce ball court.

Espaliered Apple Trees: Anna and Gala apples

We selected espaliered apple trees for several reasons. They are easy to train, grow in a confined space, and fruit is brought down to eye level which makes harvesting easy. We chose Anna and Gala apple varieties which are well suited for North Texas.

Design Details:

We designed an herb and vegetable garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Intending to have free-range chickens, the goal was to dedicate specific beds to a kitchen garden and the remaining beds to free-range chickens.

For this reason, the gardens were designed at ground height where one row could be exposed for feeding while the others were covered. The feeding cycles would help turn the soil and keep the land fresh.

A tiered lawn separated the walking space from the exterior trees and seating areas. Italian Cypress and Hollies frame the perimeter to complete the European garden design.

lake highlands residence

Client Wishlist:

"High design in a small space."

Our client is an advocate of the small-house movement and commissioned Modern Shed to fabricate their home. The house provided strong architectural features and an opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind garden. The property's elevation provided numerous opportunities to create beds which were retained with boulders and rocks.

Plants:

Front Yard: loropetalum. yuccas, agave, cotoneaster, native grasses, and sedum

Backyard: sedges, grasses, azaleas, Siberian and Louisiana iris, and blue atlas cedar trees

Texas native plants were used throughout the front yard gardens and a large steel planter was used at the entrance as a sculptural feature.

Backyard:

We created a wide swale with a river rock lining and plants that thrive in moist conditions along the sides. We used evergreen ferns, sedges, grasses, azaleas, and Siberian and Louisiana iris to meet our client’s wishes for a Kentucky-styled garden. For additional interest, we planted blue atlas cedar trees, a stately and majestic evergreen with a strong, vertical trunk and open, almost horizontal limbs.

Blue Atlas Cedar tree

Design Details:

Both partners felt strongly about various aspects of the garden. When designing the front yard, one spoke passionately about wanting a Texas native garden. Since their space overlooks the stone tables at White Rock Lake, they wanted to make sure that their front garden complimented this beautiful space.

The backyard, however, was inspired by the other’s Kentucky roots. She requested we use plants that would remind her of her favorite gardens. Her needs were easily met as the backyard was relatively shady and conditions were moist.

 

The backyard drops considerably from the parking area to the home. In order to traverse the area, a bridge was installed. We continued the garden design underneath the installation with river rock.

 Woodgrove residence

Porch before renovation.

The planting choices were based on a shade loving garden and a habitat for the “gorillas” hovering in the back yard.

Client Goals:

The client had a 1955 front porch and wing wall which was original to the house. We decided to design a new wooden porch and remove the wing wall altogether.

The front yard is fairly shady and the client wanted a modern feel. We designed rectangular beds and selected azaleas, yews, and standard mondo grass as our plant pallet. We also installed a cloud schists boulder which became a focal point in the garden.

Challenges:

The front yard had considerable drainage issues which stemmed from water shedding from the neighbor’s property. Since the style of the home was not conducive to having gutters, we solved the drainage issue by installing numerous water collection points and installing a 2’ wide gravel bed around the perimeter of the house.

Front garden renovation and custom porch.

Backyard :

The backyard was a blank canvas, as it also had a porch which was original to the house. Our design called for complete removal of the porch and brick retaining walls. In its place, we designed a wooden deck with two descending levels. The landscape overhaul was significant. We created an herb garden with the use of steel planters. Backyard landscaped beds were designed to frame the backyard and a former water feature was disassembled and repurposed.

 Ready to get started?

Head over to our consultation page to schedule a time to speak with Tapp Gardens.