Garden Neighborhood of the South The Landscape Architects' responsibilities included site planning, hardscape and landscape. All 380 apartment homes are easily accessible from a central parkway which arcs through the development. The parkway becomes the central spine for the community-- connecting the clubhouse, pools, mail kiosk, trash compactor, recycle center, recreation facilities and more. Apartment buildings are clustered around tree save areas and recreation facilities. On the north end of the site six acres were retained for a natural recreation park. The park provides a playground, picnic areas, jogging trails, exercise stations and even a fire circle. This waterfall-- one of several on the property-- not only creates an accent but also functions as a retaining wall. This fescue play field was planted on a sewer easement to preserve the woodland setting. Areas adjacent to picnic shelters were landscaped with native azaleas (Rhododendron simsii), oak-leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia), ferns (Nephrolepis), indica azaleas (Rhododendron indica), and other shade ornamental plants to enhance the area. The picnic shelter, tables, grills and playground are nestled in the woods near the play field. The grand staircase leads to the second pool. The freeform pool uses details expressed in the clubhouse pool. The bridge into the stair tower leads into the bath house or down the hill to the woodland trail. The mature forests of the northern Atlanta suburbs have long featured large, single family estate homes, prestigious clubs and residential golf communities. Local Landscape Architects were recently challenged to blend luxury apartment homes into these posh surroundings-- by combining English cottage architecture, wildflower gardens, a unique, multi-acre park, and a lush Southern landscape. Honored by the National Association of Home Builders with the "1996 Pillars of the Industry Award for Best Luxury Multifamily Development" for Aylesbury Farms, The Dominion Companies-- the community's developer and builder-- successfully assembled a design team to create high-end, luxury apartment homes that would be accepted (and expected) in an area of "well-heeled" neighbors. The Aylesbury Farms site plan prepared by the Landscape Architects at Pickering Firm, Inc. clustered buildings in mini-neighborhoods along a central, tree-lined parkway that arcs through the thirty-four-acre site. By concentrating buildings and parking in open fields and pasture land, community recreation space was developed on six acres of undisturbed forest; in essence, this woodland area became a private park complete with recreation facilities-- including trails, bridges, picnic shelters, picnic areas with tables and grills, open play fields, playgrounds and a campfire circle. Miles of lighted sidewalks and meandering woodland trails provide pedestrian access to the neighborhood's 380 apartment homes. Vehicular transportation begins at the grand entrance (one of two entrances), and proceeds along a central parkway. Responsible for site planning, hardscape elements, planting design and construction observation of the site, Pickering Landscape Architects strategically located the primary recreation facilities near the leasing office and clubhouse. Custom "wrought iron" fences supported by stone columns enclose a covered spa, rock water feature and a freeform pool. This graceful pool with 1,900 square feet of water surface slides behind large boulders, waterfalls and landscaping to add dramatic effects; the pool was designed to accommodate lap swimmers in the deep water, passive group gatherings on underwater seats, and young children playing in the shallow end. On the extensive porcelain tile deck, smaller seating areas separated by landscape berms, boulders, waterfalls, and structures provide a variety of atmospheres. Some allow active participation with the swimming pool and others provide a combination of open views and safe, sheltered spaces. From one of the high points on the site, a babbling brook drops gently over crane set boulders and hand placed rocks into a stone lined pond. On the outside of the pool deck the water dramatically falls ten feet over magnificent boulders to a lower pond. A vine-covered, white trellis near the clubhouse and the spa gazebo structure on the opposite end of the swimming pool provides shelter from the sun. Pickering set another woodland pool at the terminus of the parkway. The dramatic bridge entrance crosses over the pool to the grand stair tower which provides access to the club facilities, park and trail system. Views from the tower look into the park and the native forest and creek below. A natural landscape theme is continued here at this woodland pool with waterfalls and streams, rocks and boulders. Throughout the entire project, Pickering concentrated on special details, including hardscape elements such as stone entrance monuments with marble signs and precast details, custom "wrought iron" fences and gates, concrete pavers for the street, stacked stone around exposed manholes, specialty street lighting and much more. Buildings, monuments, water features, retaining walls, columns, and signs continue the intricate stone work throughout the site. Stone directional piers and parkway signs provide traffic information and facilitate "way finding" within the community. To develop the landscape concept, Pickering looked at the native vegetation existing in the open fields and the old forest ravines. After consideration of the developer's desires, Pickering decided the landscape would constitute a rich blend of native and ornamental plants, providing a strong diverse evergreen backdrop for colorful floral displays. To evoke the sense of the old field and create the desired floral image, Pickering planned the landscape layout to include masses of container wildflowers with accents of ornamental grasses, drifts of seeded wildflowers, pockets of perennial flowers and bright accents of seasonal color. Along the walks and trails Pickering created garden pockets with diverse landscape environments for the residents enjoyment. Honored with the "1996 Environmental Award for Multifamily Residential Installation over $150,000" by the Metro Atlanta Landscape & Turf Association, Phillips Landscape, Inc. planted new trees to augment existing tree save and to create unique character in each neighborhood cluster. This attention to every outdoor detail by Pickering, combined with the effort by each member of the design team, created the finest garden apartments in metropolitan Atlanta. LASN ***LASN publishes exclusive material only. If you are going to reproduce any article, you must cite the publication volume and month, which are provided on the heading of each article. Back issues of magazines and reprints of individual articles with full graphics may be available by calling the LASN Editorial Staff at 714-979-5276 for availability and pricing. All photos provided courtesy of Pickering Firm, Inc. Project Team: Developer:The Dominion Companies Land Planner:Pickering Firm, Inc. Civil Engineer:Doulgerakis Consulting Engineers, Inc. Architect:Pucciano & English, Inc. Interior Designer:Design Environments, Inc. Landscape Architect:Pickering Firm, Inc. Landscape Contractor:Phillips Landscape Editorial Contributors to this Article: Jon Benson, ASLA, Pickering Firm, Inc.