KONNICHI-CA

Japanese design and southern Californian planting come together to create a peaceful and elegant exterior space

- Karsha Green

Famous modern landscape architect Garrett Eckbo wrote a seminal book called Landscape for Living, which speaks about “single-family residential gardens being as equally important as the adjacent home — and should enjoy the freedom of design and accommodate leisure and socialization”. Los Angeles company Terremoto Landscape uses Eckbo’s principles as a script for designing exterior spaces, and this southern Californian garden is a perfect example.

The modern, mid-century home was owned by a “trusting and easy-going” homeowner, her young son, and their playful puppy. Terremoto Landscape’s lead designer Rachel Tucker and principal David Godshall were given three primary requests by the client: a space that supported her love of entertaining, one that complemented the elegant architecture of her home, and a safe space for her son and dog to play endlessly. The native landscape was an important part of the design process as a large number of native species surrounded the home, as well as “a mess of ivy and tired plants, and a rather horrendous hardscape”.