outdoors
in
the
garden
B y D e s i g n
Before beginning any
work, David created
a plan for the home’s
garden and exterior.
Putting his vision on
paper helped keep his
efforts on track for
the 10-year duration
of the makeover.
1997-1999 David
installs flowerbeds,
paths, and trees such
as burr oak and
magnolia for privacy.
2000-2001 Flagstone
is mortared over the
old concrete surface.
2002-2004 New front
doors are hung and
David installs the
backyard gardens.
2005-2007 More
plants are added to
the garden. French
drains solve drainage
problems.
•••• 2008 The house gets
a new coat of gray-
green paint, and
custom window
screens and porch
railing. A new path and
garden bench are
added to the front.
A SMOOTH LANDING
David overlaid the old
porch surface with
flagstone and added
custom wood railing,
turning a dated
concrete entry into an
inviting welcome.
G
oming home to a drab house and
yard every day wasn’t an option
for David Morello. “When I
bought my house in 1997 it
needed interior work, but I began
on the yard and exterior,” he says.
David went for a “parklike
setting” with great vistas from inside his Houston-
area house. “When I’m inside looking out, I want to
see nature, not my neighbor’s house,” he says. David
planted trees on the perimeter of the yard, but closer
to the house he kept sight lines open with low
plantings flanking quaint garden paths.
The upgrades are appreciated by neighbors, who
often stop to say “hi” when they see David in his
garden. “Beautiful gardens are like small children or
pets,” he says. “They’re an ice breaker.”
BEFORE
TODAY
9
4
F E B R U A R Y
2010
B E T T E R H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S
