A Cedar Trellis and Pergola Create A Shaded Retreat!

Urban gardeners are often faced with space limitations and the awkward spaces created between homes can become overlooked, as more focus is placed on front and back gardens.  However with creative design these spaces can become beautiful and functional gardens.  These small spaces can transform to elegant and intimate, lush and tranquil retreats within the city scape!

Essential within the design process is the creation of a strong "skeletal system" for the garden, which is created through the use of Patios, Walkways, Garden Walls, Decks, Fences, Pergolas and Trees.  These are the "Bones" of the Garden which will be visible at all times of the year, but become especially evident in the Winter.  In this Garden the most essential "Bones" are the Trellis-Pergola structure, which transforms the brick walls and patio from an overwhelming expanse of Brick, to a beautiful back drop for the Garden itself.

This space is approximately 9' x 22' and walled on three sides with brick and also has a brick patio.  The old worn bricks were a valuable asset that were re-set to even out  areas that had sunk over time.  A garden bed was reclaimed, and a large Cedar Trellis and Pergola designed and built to take advantage of the small space by angling the Pergola at approximately 37.5 degrees from the Trellis.  This created a shaded area in this sun-baked side patio just large enough to contain a small table for two or three.   Pink tints in the Cedar blend perfectly with the rose bricks.  A blue patina medallion adorns the Trellis, providing a perfect cooling contrast with the warmth of the Cedar and Bricks.  Wisteria will eventually cover the whole Trellis and Pergola providing lavender spring blossoms and Summer Shade.  The lovely twisting vine will also provide winter interest as well as have an architectural function as it grows larger over time and will wind its way around the cedar.

Not only does the Pergola create shade, it also enhances the entry through the side door of the home, providing a graceful transition from street to home.  Walking up the steps into the space one enters a well defined garden, with a strong structure that will be adorned with appropriate plants.    It is always a joy to work with small spaces as they provide a design challenge and opportunity cultivate the relationship between human structures and the natural world, bringing that relationship into harmony and balance.

Before

After

A Peaceful City Garden

Baltimore is full of narrow city lots, often with a garage at one end and the town house at the other. Fences often surround them, and sometimes walls. It is only when one enters the gate or walks through the home or garage that one can see the beautiful and lush oasis' that have been created by the homeowners! What the city garden lacks in space is more than made up for in intensity of landscaping. City gardens provide a unique opportunity to create a garden space that is pure landscaping, lacking the usual lawns of their suburban counter parts. Homeowners enjoy grilling, gardening, entertaining, sunbathing, reading, and more in these beautiful and intimate spaces.


This "city garden" began as a rather bare yard with an old brick patio and a shaky privacy fence.

The homeowners decided to have us replace the fence with a brick wall, and re-use the existing brick to make new patio, as well as raise the garden beds with dry-stack Pennsylvania field stone walls.

The brick wall was selected to blend in with the brick on the existing carriage house and was a full 6 feet high to maximize privacy. The subtle pattern of end bricks was also carefully selected to reflect surrounding walls and the garage itself.


The homeowners had found a decorative terracotta which had been salvaged from an old Baltimore building. We were able to incorporate this into the wall at a prominent location where it was sure to be appreciated for many years to come.
A raised bed below the terracotta serves to blend the "old with the new"...


Pennsylvania field stone complete with moss provides natural borders for the raised beds, giving the appearance of having been in the garden for years.

The majority of bricks which made up the new patio came from the original patio itself, we brought in additional salvaged bricks from Baltimore which allowed us to complete the patio without the addition of glaringly new bricks.

The rectangular patio merged with a circular patio space which created a natural sitting area for the homeowners and guests.


As we came to a completion with this project it was wonderful to see how the garden looked as if it had been there for years. The moss covered stones, the old brick, the solid wall and the unique terracotta blended perfectly to create this private, peaceful city garden.

A rare glimpse from the alleyway taken before the gate was installed, a lush magnolia tree behind the adjoining fence adds rich color to the background.

The name SEVEN WINDS

THE NAME SEVEN WINDS

Many people ask me the meaning of the name "SEVEN WINDS". The name comes from Seven Energies or Spirits which are all involved in what I do. The first energy (spirit) is of course the EARTH herself, the foundation of Life; without her we have nothing. The second is the MOUNTAIN, that which gives us all the stones, the form to our landscape and all the minerals and elements that we need to live. The third is the SUN which generates the warmth and power for the life on the Earth to be fruitful and sustainable. The fourth is WATER, which not only is essential for life but also shapes the stones, shapes even the Mountains and Earth. The fifth is the WIND or AIR, also essential for Life, which also shapes the stones and the Earth and also carries communications of all kinds. The SIXTH energy or Spirit is the "Ancestors" all those who came before us all around the entire Earth who have given rise to the collective understandings of how to work in healthy ways with the Earth, all her resources and eachother, the Seventh is the Spirit of all the tools we use to work, from the simple shovel used to pick up a stone to the modern excavators, from the simple hand saw used to cut a log to the mechanized masonry saw, to huge sawmill equipment. The name SEVEN WINDS honors these seven energies or Spirits that are critical to the work that I do.

The Zodiac Mosaic

The Zodiac Mosaic

The clients in Whidbey Island, WA also requested a mosaic to be made for their entrance hall. This was a larger piece, made entirely from marble. It was to be a representation of the zodiac. After some design consideration, we suggested the zodiac circle around a representation of the Earth with a Sun at the South pole and a Moon at the North Pole. The zodiac itself consisted of 13 signs which is actually the true number of constellations on the zodiac line, the actual shape of the constellations are depicted by white marble "stars".

The colors are brighter and more intense than the photo depicts. There are literally thousands of different pieces which make up this mosaic.

Close up view of mosaic showing North Pole "Moon".

Three Snowy Owls

Three Snowy Owls!

Clients from Whitbey Island, WA requested we design and build a mural of an owl for their newly constructed dream home. After discussing available structures such as walls, patios, porches where this mural could go, we suggested a series of three smaller murals to be placed on a wall near the entrance of their new home.

The three Snowy Owls are made from a white marble tile set on a naturally colorful slate background. The first Owl is stationary in front of a full moon, the second is landing, and the third is in full flight.

All murals were designed and created at our workshop in New Windsor, MD and were shipped to our clients home in Whidbey Island, WA where the murals were installed by a local mason.