Giardino Verde

By Lara Moffat, MLA

The Renaissance styling for this Preston Hollow, Texas estate features a wine tasting court with a 17th century marble cistern plumbed as a fountain. The fossilized limestone hardscape adds historic verisimilitude. Custom inset wall planters hold cascades of bougainvillea. Weeping yaupon holly, climbing roses, clematis, holly fern and acanthus add interest.

Renaissance designers have long been celebrated as masters of organizing spaces—drawing heavily on architectural principles, each thoughtfully and deliberately designed. They capitalized on the undulating and rocky Italian terrain, manipulating vertical landscapes by terminating at a focal point, and maximizing views to visually expand the garden. Furthermore, these Renaissance designers relied on the hierarchy of architecture to define the formal from the informal.

The main cobble drive, reminiscent of a Tuscan lane, is interplanted with buffalo grass. Abelia shrubs, Italian cypress and rusticated pilasters with finials from a dismantled Italian villa create a vertical perspective. Oversized Impruneta terra cotta olive jars flank the driveway.

On this property in Preston Hollow, Texas, a subdivision in north Dallas, the garden architecture, fountains, patterned limestone paving, mature plantings and antique garden ornaments are orchestrated to create an authentic and stunning setting true to the architectural style of this magnificent home. The Lambert Landscape Co. design team was led by award-winning landscape architect Paul Fields, ASLA, with support by garden designer Lara Moffat, MLA.

Situated at the convergence of three residential streets, this Italianate residence is veiled behind a green screen with spectacular glimpses into the 1.8 acres of gardens reminiscent of Renaissance Italy. As the original designers of the clients' gardens, we were asked to assist with the seamless addition of a one-acre site that was purchased to the east. And as part of the design team including the architects, interior designer and the clients, we were pivotal in all decisions. Fortunately most of the new site was dedicated to the concept of creating a home within a garden, including both elements to be recognized by all to be of equal importance. True to the Italian Renaissance style, the sloping terrain was terraced and garden rooms were created to balance the home's additions.

All exterior ironwork was designed by Lambert Landscape Co. Impruneta terracotta pots (Seibert & Rice and Tuscan Imports) containing hawthorne trees and box globes are used throughout for their frost-proof nature and manicured look.

Razing, Relocating

To meet the client's completion schedule, construction on this expansion began before finishing the house renovation plans. This allowed our design/build firm to begin the project immediately, however, this also demanded daily coordination and plan revisions with many trades, both ours and the homebuilder's. With minor modifications to the proposed footprint of the home, the conceptual master plan for the landscape surprisingly received minimal revisions.

Before the garden's development could proceed it was necessary to remove the home and pool, relocate a city sewer main and do an extensive drainage evaluation. Removing the home and pool were relatively painless and occurred quickly. Conversely, the relocation of the city sewer main, which was incorrectly noted on the survey, took more planning and coordinated efforts. To further complicate the situation, the only viable option for the sewer main relocation was directly below a 75-year-old red oak. The oak was relocated, requiring a 50 ft. long bore six feet below grade. We're happy to announce the tree is fairing well after seven years.

Drainage

Second on the list of challenges was drainage. The grade from west to east dropped 10 feet. The grade was segmented by terracing four nearly level areas. North to south, the grade change was minimal in relation to the east-west grade. A series of drainage systems were necessary to capture the water and move it throughout the site to the natural low spot on the east side of the property. In respect to neighboring properties, the home is the last on the lower end of the block. Residents at the upper elevations have over time created drainage issues for those at lesser grades. This area can receive considerable rain in a short time, which does cause significant flooding. Rather than divert the water underground and then offsite, we designed a detention basin to capture the high flow of water and slowly drain it through a dry creek bed in a woodland garden. The homeowner finds this spot to now be one of her favorites.

Refined design elements—the clipped box hedges, fresco detailing, the 250 plus hand-carved square balusters and solid limestone steps—bring an authentic Renaissance look to the garden.

Designing a Home within a Garden

The design, as noted, was driven by the need to integrate an existing home and garden with the addition of land doubling the site's acreage. The original landscape dictated the major axial lines; however, the land acquisition enabled us to design a home within a garden and achieve an estate-like ambiance without significant modifications to the initial design intent.

The home's frontage, now curved, allows for a lengthy drive reminiscent of a Tuscan lane. Made of Valders cobble and interplanted with buffalo grass and wildflowers, the frontage sets the tone for the home and gardens. Italian cypress and oversized Impruneta terra cotta olive jars create vertical repetition. Carved limestone and stucco flanking pilasters punctuate the new from the old while unifying the two as well. Furthermore, the continuation of existing plantings with similar sized material immediately connects the sites.

At the entry court Valders limestone cobbles are interplanted with dichondra and encircled with clipped box hedges. Hollies and live oaks offer screening and shade. Through the gate is a glimpse of the rear garden.

Of note in the front, Lambert's designed an intimate courtyard adjacent to the residence's wine tasting room. Structurally, the space acts as a divider between the much-used room and the garages beyond. Functionally, it provides a focal point and exterior space that can be used year-round in Dallas' climate. On axis from inside, a 17th century marble cistern, plumbed as a fountain, creates visual and auditory interest. In contrast, fossilized limestone paving is softened by lush textural plantings. The enclosing wall was designed with integral irrigation and drainage for custom inset containers planted seasonally.

In the rear garden, the creation of terraces exaggerates the subtle 10 ft. slope. The use of terracing ties back to the Renaissance principal of terrain manipulation with hardscape features. Along the property line of the two sites, there was a dramatic three ft. grade change retained by a paver wall. As an answer to this problematic situation, Lambert's designed a functional and decorative retaining wall with parapet and arbor that transitions seamlessly with the architecture of the addition and provides a linkage to the gardens beyond. Holly hedges and transplanted live oaks help define the terrace and draw a visitor further into the space.

Walking down the solid carved limestone steps, the view back reveals elements such as fresco detailing on the wall and hand-carved square balusters. A 19th century lead fountain backed with marble tile creates a vertical focal point. Framing the ground plane of an open lawn are identical clipped box parterres surrounding standard Indian Hawthorne.

A 19th century lead fountain with a marble tile background creates the focal point of this integrally-lit arbor terrace. Transplanted live oaks and specimen box globes provide scale and maturity.

The terminus of the east-west garden axis is a 20-ft. diameter Vicenza limestone fountain that was hand-carved in Italy. Fashioned after the Pantheon fountain in Rome, the seat-wall basin was designed to accommodate water plantings and fish. Bordered by a circular allée of 'Natchez' crepe myrtles and a crushed limestone walk, the garden visually directs guests to reorient their view back into this magnificent Italian Renaissance Garden!

An 18th century lead fountain spills into a renovated sunken Romanesque spa, backed with antique marble mosaic tiles. The pool and pavilion are part of previous construction work by the Lambert Landscape Co. The pool pavilion terminates the main axis of the residence. Flora here includes magnolias, clipped boxwoods, azaleas and Italian cypress.

Although the original entry design was untouched, salt-finish concrete surfaces were replaced with cut Texas cream limestone and Valders cobble. Plantings with seasonal interest, such as azaleas and dogwood flank the entry. Boxwood hedges continue here also, plus yaupon hollies and red oaks.

About the Firm

With its 90th anniversary in 2009, Lambert www.lamberts.net is the oldest design/build landscape architectural firm in Dallas (and the nation) with maintenance and tree care divisions that focus on residential gardens. Lambert has practiced organic gardening principles in all its services since the late 1980s.

Lambert has a staff of over 150 talented people. Paul Fields, ASLA, president and director of design continues to spearhead Lambert's award-winning garden development. During his more than 20 years with Lambert, Paul has built his reputation on creating classical garden designs for the high-end residential market.

The home's master plan shows the alignment of the drive, circular garden with central fountain, parterre garden with arbor terrace, library courtyard and the pool garden addition.

About the Author

Lara Moffat, MLA, has loved gardens since childhood visits to many fine homes throughout Europe. She studied art and directed a fine art gallery before studying ornamental horticulture at Richland College and embarking on her master's in landscape architecture at UTA. Lara interned with the American Horticultural Society in Alexander, Va., the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society before joining Lambert as a garden designer. In addition to her role on the design team, she also serves as Lambert's marketing and recruiting manager.