A Trip Through a Tuscan Landscape

An Exclusive Interview with Micahel K. Sullivan, SITE Design Studio By Leslie McGuire, managing editor

Site Analysis Plan: The site plan for this Tuscan style house and gardens in Shady Canyon is designed to provide a welcoming sequence of spaces that gradually take you from the street 20 feet above to a naturalistic garden that is both visually and emotionally connected to the natural environment. A series of steps, walls and topographies transition gradually downward. The site grading was used to eliminate the required metal fence at the rear and embrace or ?EUR??,,????'?????<

This custom home, winner of the 2005, Southern California Chapter of the ASLA Merit Award in the Residential Garden Design category, was created for a Tuscan farmhouse style house on a sloping site and within a native California landscape.

The house fits into the Shady Canyon master planned community and is required to adhere to the community guidelines.

The vehicular entry invites one down the cobble drive with an overall image of the house entry framed within the natural and designed landscape. A retaining wall, not seen to the right, mitigates the initial 12 foot, 2:1 drop from the street and allows for a reasonable driveway slope.

The house and gardens are set on a sloping 35,000 square foot lot. The owner wanted a compound-like site to accommodate a growing and extended family with a series of spaces for use by children and teenagers, as well as adults. His desire was to create a comfortable family atmosphere while embracing the adjacent natural character of the region.

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The overall concept became to create a site and garden spaces sympathetic to the Tuscan country architecture, create a comfortable family atmosphere and capture the spirit of the surrounding natural landscape. Various heights of stone retaining walls were placed to allow a gradual transition in grade from the street to the house.

 

The pedestrian entry transcends the contour grade slope at an angle to the flat drop off area. The initial descent through the planted oaks and coastal sage-like garden prepare one to enter the Tuscan/California ambiance of the house and gardens. The rubble walls and natural field boulder site stones set the tone for the arrival at the house and gardens.

Melding Slope Changes and Transitions

The Landscape Architect's role was to reinforce the design vision through all phases of the three year process, from concept to design implementation. His services included extensive field observation and working closely with contractors. Since the site had a considerable slope -- a 20-foot elevation drop from front to back -- grading became somewhat of a challenge and opportunity at the same time. The grade change also created opportunities to place oak and olive trees that engulf the house yet allow views to the best advantage.

The design emphasizes the creation of garden spaces evocative of Tuscan country architecture, while capturing the spirit of the surrounding canyon and hillside. It also took advantage of significant slope change, utilizing creative grading in a series of transitions between individual landscape spaces. The building was sited 12 feet below street level. The designer used the grade differential as an opportunity by placing a series of meandering steps from the street that created a sense of anticipation and discovery. The initial entry road curves into the site, gradually revealing the architecture and landscape.

The wall edge at the back of the pool provides a sharp visual transition across the hidden canyon below, creating a dynamic tension. The end result creates the perception that it isn?EUR??,,????'?????<

An Enticing Entryway

The grade is slight until it intersects with a stone walled pedestrian entry from the street and then more steeply down to the motor court, which provides a sequence of pedestrian levels to the front door. In order to make the final change in grade within a short distance, graceful stone steps gradually widen as they wind down the grade to the forecourt in the entry courtyard. A trough-like fountain appears in the court as you descend down the steps. The fountain is reminiscent of a Tuscan farmhouse where the transportation was horses and they were provided a place to drink.

The front door has an expanse of glass that allows views through the house into the garden spaces. A large olive is placed with boulders and grasses set at the base to capture the pool and natural view beyond. The idea is to entice one out into the garden and to eventually be immersed in the natural view. The lines of the gardens, intended to repeat the simple geometric forms of the Tuscan farmhouse, gradually transition into more natural curving shapes and eventually draw in the adjacent natural forms.

The grade continues to fall in a series of steps into the garden. The steps are of natural stone, random in the fields and cut at the columns to connect with the architecture. Natural boulders are used to provide the edges to steps and to create natural appearing plant pockets to separate hardscape and house with vegetation.

Continuing down to the motor court, a turf panel and sitting area as well as an entry to the garden come into view. A forged iron gate and vine covered rubble walls frame the entry to the rustic grape and rose-covered bough trellis. Descending the circular steps takes one down to the entry courtyard and front door.

Recreating a Tuscan Garden

Early on in the initial site review, a strong connection from the site to the natural landscape was observed. (See site analysis plan). A natural canyon at the rear of the property created an enchanting view and a strong visual connection as the light and shadow varied throughout the day. The farther back on the site one traversed, the stronger this connection became. This created the compelling intent of the overall design to ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Citrus, fruit trees, avocados and pomegranates were placed within a side yard orchard as well as perennials and an herb garden.

In the rear yard the visual connection to the natural landscape is readily apparent. The connection is carried through with careful placement of boulders found onsite to provide a visual tie to the outlying rock outcroppings. The lines of the gardens are intended to repeat the simple geometric forms of the Tuscan farmhouse, yet away from the architecture, they gradually transition into more naturalistic, curving shapes. These forms continue to the edges of the property, where they merge into the adjacent natural forms. A large olive tree is planted next to the pool and is surrounded by grasses and boulders to frame it and focus attention on the canyon views beyond. Native oaks and sycamores blend with Mediterranean plants, orchards and perennial color. These serve to respect both the Tuscan design intent and the local setting.

The patio outside the family room gradually makes the transition from cut stone, to random stone, to pavers in turf and eventually to a grassy area requested by the owner for play.

Managing California Requirements

The greatest challenge to embracing the natural was the community requirement for perimeter fencing. Looking through metal pickets would do little to embrace the view. The solution was to use the sloping site to our advantage and create a 5-foot retaining wall at the rear. This satisfied the 5-foot pool fencing requirement and allowed for a vanishing edge pool. The wall acted as a ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The pergola patio, initially seen from the front door, entices one out to comfortable sitting and dining space. The pool can be seen more clearly and the stone outcropping in the water becomes more visible. To the left is the cabana with fireplace that frames the view to the pool.

Boulders were placed in association with grasses, stone walls and oaks to reinforce the connection to the natural throughout the site, provide a consistent reference to it and connect with the distant view of the rock outcrops. The oaks were placed to enhance the natural views and provide privacy.

A detail of the spa shows the naturalistic flowing stone coping lines and adjacent turf with stone paving. The inner spa edge is set below the coping to blur the transition from pool to spa. Once in the spa, a dramatic long view up the canyon comes into view.

Blending Mediterranean and California Plantings

Native oaks, suber oaks, sycamores as well as the Mediterranean olives, cypress, arbutus and peppers are used to provide a blend of Mediterranean and California plantings, as well as provide a strong vegetative context to the Tuscan house. The middle court of the house provides a rose and cutting garden adjacent to a lodge pole arbor resplendent with eating grapes and climbing roses. A bocce court is hidden to the rear of the pool walls and leads to a promontory at the edge of the property for private meditation.

The ground plane of the gardens is consistent with groupings of native and Mediterranean shrubs, perennials and grasses. Citrus, roses and pomegranates are included in the ornamental plantings to create a richness of greens and color, adding to the comfortable friendly atmosphere.

At the rear of the property the vanishing edge of the pool comes into full view with its stone outcrop. The pool plaster provides the green tone of the water, which blends with the native landscape. The stone shelf allows for the placement of teak lounges within the water to take advantage of views of the natural hillside. The purpose of the pool placement and vanishing edge is to ?EUR??,,????'?????<

In its totality the landscape design is sympathetic to both the natural California canyon environment and the Tuscan architectural vernacular. The landscape image reflects a relaxed, country atmosphere, which works as a retreat from the family?EUR??,,????'?????<