The brief
This small garden in Los Angeles presented several challenges for designer Neive Tierney of Nectar Landscape Design. Among the problems she needed to solve was the fact that the floors of the home were much higher than the grade of the garden, and a significant part of the garden was taken up with a guest house that had been converted from a garage. The space needed to incorporate a saltwater pool and hot tub, while including plenty of space for entertaining and parties. It also needed be fully accessible for one of the owners, Sasha, who uses a wheelchair without incorporating any 'ugly' mobility equipment.
Neive is an old college friend of Sasha and her wife Rachel, and she worked on the project during the evenings after work, before setting up on her own. "The project was very special, because I knew Sasha and Rachel well, and I knew what they wanted," says Neive. "I wanted to create different hangout spaces and some green areas, with the idea that everything could be ADA [American Disability Association] accessible. My biggest challenge was avoiding it looking like a concrete jungle."
Essential elements
1 Pool garden
2 Ramp
3 Saltwater pool
4 Hot tub
5 Dining terrace
6 Boardwalk
7 Bedroom garden
8 Guest-house garden
9 Guest house
10 Main house
The design
The L-shaped garden comprises two main areas: the decked seating area (approximately 9m x 6m), which is between the master bedroom and the guest house, and the pool garden (around 18m x 9m), which is overlooked by the dining area above.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion
Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”
WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset
THE FEMININE TOUCH?
Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes
'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'
Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next
FRIENDLY ADVICE
When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool
Passing the baton
The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting
My sweet gourd
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks
ANDY JASPER
The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall
Bedding in
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials
Late summer dreams
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn