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An A sia-inspired w ater featu re,
lefty
provides
soothing sounds for the backyard terrace.
A n atu rally hollow cd-out boulder,
above*
creates
a birdbath and autum n reflectin g pool.
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home renovation
meant big changes for Sue and Ray Kwasnick,
including big windows to offer big views of
their Boston-area backyard. Which made for
one big problem: The yard was a disaster.
“ There was nothing out there—just a lot of
tree roots," Sue says of the tiny, sloped space.
“ We couldn't even put furniture out there. We
knew we would need a garden of some kind.”
The couple were open-minded about
the design, but they didn't want a lot of
maintenance. Landscape architect Wesley
Wirth's low-care, high-impact solution? A
terrace with hard surfaces rather than a
plant-intensive garden. To make it work, he
suggested a modern “hybrid" Asian style—
one with the simplicity of Japanese gardens
and plants to match, such as Japanese maple
and bamboo, but without more traditional
Asian icons, The clean lines, Wlrth felt,
would mesh well with the modern look of the
Kwasnicks' house.
Large rectangular granite pavers form
the terrace floor, setting the stage. Moss and
black river rock fill gaps between the slabs,
softening angles and giving character. In some
places, the couple added rocks they'd collected
on beaches during their summer vacations
in Truro, Cape Cod, softening the hardscapc
with some sentimentality.
ItKTTEIt H O M ES ANI) OA II DENS |
OC TOE Eli 2 010 |
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