GARDEN TOUR: SUNSET HILLS TERRACE GARDEN

The Greensman worked on this garden for 20 years. The front terrace used to have a giant Oak tree so we removed traditional landscaping and replaced with the oval brick patio with the boxwoods planted in it. There are different ways to walk through the patio, you can access the front door and side doors walking through the boxwoods. We built all the trellis structures when the fence on the side of the house blew down in a micro burst. In between each trellis section is a different plant to provide privacy that was an option different from replacing the fence. The owner is an active gardener which allowed us to do a lot with perennials and she liked to experiment with a variety of shrubs. The yellow sculptures were designed and built by Kristopher Dabner for a DIFFA fund raiser 10 years ago and the home owners purchased it to install in their yard.

GARDEN TOUR: 2007 BACK YARD OF THE YEAR

This was an entire yard renovation, we enlarged the pool, built a pergola, the fireplace mantle was found and shipped in from Chicago, there was a new basin built for the original to house the fountain. The owners had some rudimentary plantings when we first saw the project, we tried to create scale for the house and create big sweeping gestures. The fountain was moved to coordinate with the view from the main foyer of the house. There are three total pergolas that divide the space, one for dining, fireplace, and a third that is by the garage.

GARDEN TOUR: MANY MOODS IN OLD LEAWOOD

This client was preparing for a 60th birthday party so we completely redid the landscape. We removed the simple front porch and sidewalk and installed the big brick patio with circular stairs and a fountain which creates a place to sit in the front. The hand rails are all custom made and the finials in the fountain come from the Chicago World’s Fair that were converted into a fountain. The sound that comes from the fountain is relaxing, like listening to raindrops on a metal roof. The clients wanted lots of areas for annual color so we installed the ring around the crab apple tree which is directly outside the master bedroom windows. The sunken gravel patio was in the far corner of the yard and was all but forgotten, we transformed it into a “destination garden” so it could be enjoyed again. There is a fountain in the back corner that creates a nice soothing sound and there are annual beds in that garden as well. We played a lot with color and texture on this property. The blue spruce and the chartreuse spiaria combination and we outlined all the beds with brick or stone.

GARDEN TOUR: FORMAL IN LEAWOOD

This was a client who had relocated from California to Kansas City, they wanted a garden with many different areas and spaces. They also wanted the opportunity to grow lots of food. The property is a corner lot but the house was set on a diagonal which made for a lot of odd shaped spaces. We divided it into four separate spaces in the back. On one end is the oval lawn with the water garden that includes lilies, lotus, and the bubbling pot. In the far back corner is a gravel patio with the beautiful lion fountain. Next, is the flagstone patio under the shade of an established Oak tree and then a vegetable and cut flower garden that included a fence made out of espalier apple trees. Each espalier apple tree had a different apple variety on each branch. We built the pergola over the existing deck and added a second set of steps, this way you can enter and exit the deck from both sides making the back yard more accessible. Building the rose arbors made entry points to the garden and planting hornbeams provided privacy between the home owners and their neighbors.

GARDEN TOUR: MID-CENTURY RENOVATION

This is an original Drummond house in Prairie Village, it had very dated landscaping with a lot of railroad tie timber walls and overgrown groundcover. The lot is very shady with over 25 hedge apple and walnut trees so we had to plan appropriately. The stone wall encircles the sides and back of the house and creates terrace levels. There are 2 patios relating to indoor spaces, all the patios are circles or have circles worked into them, there are also insets of exposed aggregate concrete in plain concrete. A water garden located next to the home features a bubbling fountain feature. We used lots of mass plantings of shrubs and ground cover to play up the modern aesthetic and texture. There is also a forest of Japanese maples on the side of the house which is an interesting contrast to the stone wall.

GARDEN TOUR: WHIMSY IN THE COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT

We have been working with this client for close to 20 years.  The Greensman started by installing the paver brick patio on the side of the house which serves as a dining, seating, and lounging area.  We also designed and had the covers to all the patio furniture custom made.  Two metal arbors were built on the far corners planted with wisteria that serve as anchors for the patio and provide privacy from the neighbors. We installed a stone fountain and landscaping in the front yard.  The existing sad cracked concrete was replaced with colored and scored concrete on the patio and front walk way.  We have done lots of Holiday Décor for these clients over the years, each year our Seasonal Color team tries something different and inspiring for this home for the holidays.