Surrounds overhauls a dull garden into an elegant, cohesive whole
By Sharon Jaffe Dan | Photography by Bob Narod
MARCH/APRIL 2014
On his initial walk-through of a lackluster Great Falls, Virginia, site, landscape architect Howard Cohen recalls the owner asking him to create a “grand vision” for the project. Cohen got the picture. Surrounded by a tiny deck, the existing pool was offset from the rest of the property. “The landscape had no flow and was not very functional,” he says. “We wanted to create something that was going to make the property look like it should.”
Cohen’s plan started at the driveway, where he designed a stately stone gate with a wrought-iron fence to usher guests into the backyard. From there, a limestone cobble walkway leads down an allée lined with crape myrtle to a small stone wall, then turns left past an outdoor grilling area, eventually arriving at the newly revamped pool. “The pool deck has plenty of room for chairs,” says Cohen, “so now you can actually lounge around it.”
The project also encompassed a new outdoor room complete with a massive stone fireplace, limestone floors and a pitched pine roof where the owners entertain year-round. Meanwhile, a new stone storage shed creates a focal point on the other side of the lawn. “The shed is functional and roomy,” Cohen says. “But from an aesthetic perspective, it’s kind of like a folly—a random building in the middle of nowhere that’s just nice to look at.”
AWARD: Grand, Outdoor Living Area (Design/Build). LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & CONSTRUCTION: HOWARD COHEN, Surrounds, Sterling, Virginia.
Read the full article at Home & Design here
Begin your project with a dream and a plan!
You are at the threshold of an exciting journey. This eBook will provide sound guidance as you take your first steps.