The program was to have the interior of the original house restored, and a new wing was to be added to include a pool house, garage, and auto-court. The landscape architectural design concept was to compliment and restore the old garden elements while relating new garden elements to the interior functions.

The view from the belvedere retains and enhances the site line towards the house.

While the original house maintained the sight lines and vistas to the landscape, the new wing added its own axial relationships and created cross-axial opportunities. The design developed through the use of historic and traditional ideas and elements including maintaining indoor/outdoor relationships, framing of dramatic views, creating a progression of events along the garden walks, and utilizing terraces to create usable spaces in the landscape.

Given the existing location of the house on the site, the landscape design created outdoor functional use zones such as the great lawn and entry court, the motor court, the grand terraces, the lily pond and rose garden, the belvedere, and the conservatory greenhouse. In addition, a new pool and spa, fountain terrace, oval terrace, and gallery walk were designed to complement the architectural components, both new and old.

The main porte-cochere area incorporates an imported custom sandstone star within a field of herringboned bricks. The star pattern was a prevalent motif used by the house architect. Native limestone steps lead up to the great lawn area beyond.

The Great Lawn and Entry Court
The double entry gate from the cul-de-sac was eliminated to create a single gated entrance. A pair of swinging electric gates were added and designed in a pattern to match an existing wrought iron detail in the house. The driveway location was altered only slightly to maximize the axial view towards the front fa?????ade. The driveway was repaved using native Texas basalt gravel with an antique brick border.

Upon arrival at the front entry court, a set of four pilasters with large urns frame the space, with steps down from the great lawn. An oval nautical star pattern, which is prevalent in many of Adler?EUR??,,????'?????<

A stabilizing wall made of concrete and native limestone was added to shore up the belvedere foundation and create an exterior balcony. The wrought iron railing borrows details from the original ironwork found on site. Native gravel was filled in between the belvedere and the railing to create the balcony.

The Motor Court
A new wing was added to the architectural design which included an auto court, pool cabana room, and upstairs bedroom to be used as a guest quarters. This allowed for the opportunity to create a larger motor court to expand on the amount of parking and give the space required to turn today?EUR??,,????'?????<

The hardscape was designed utilizing a simple, yet elegant diagonal pattern with acid washed concrete simulating native limestone. A pair of period urns flanks the entrance into the kitchen of the
main house.

In the western garden, a ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Grand Terraces
When first entering the site from the road, a great expanse of lawn draws the eye downward toward the rose garden. The original Hare and Hare concept of lawn terraces was retained and replanted with St. Augustine grass. The existing trees were then carefully cleaned and pruned to return them to their original stately splendor.

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The basic shape and design of the original Hare & Hare designed lily pond was retained; however, the old paths had to be restored. For the hardscape, Texas basalt gravel bordered with heavy steel edging was used as the garden walk. The concrete faux bois trellis columns were refurbished and a new wood trellis was added on top. Old and overgrown plant material was replaced with new roses, clipped pomegranate hedges, liriope, and Japanese maples to add variety, color, and textural contrasts. The pond was resurfaced and the centerpiece sculpture of a boy with a flute was retained as a reminder of the past. A bio-filter was added to allow the breeding of Koi fish.

The front fa?????ade was returned to its original design intent, flanked by Southern Live Oak trees, with native Texas Sabal Palms on either side of the entrance loggia.

The existing belvedere structure, which terminates the eastern axis from the house, was restored by the architect. A gravel walkway with railing was added to the back area to help shore up the structure and provide a viewpoint towards the native landscaped slope below.

The fountain terrace incorporates a simple elegant lawn pattern whose shape echoes the pool.

Conservatory Greenhouse
The old greenhouse was in shambles. It consisted of a central pottery building with two flanking greenhouses on opposite ends. The old potting building was restored and a new glass greenhouse was built on the south end so that the owner could keep her orchids as well as other sensitive plants during the winter months. The northern greenhouse was dismantled, but the low walls were kept to create a garden area for fresh herbs and vegetables.

Reflecting the shape of the adjacent covered terrace, an oval pattern of native Dwarf Yaupons surround a mass of seasonal color. This planting was kept low to retain views from the terrace to the Trinity River Valley in the distance.

The pool was designed in a traditional rectangular Mediterranean fashion, on axis with the new architectural cabana wing. The raised spa terminates the opposite end of the pool with a weir spilling into the main pool. The end of the pool deck cantilevers over the existing slope, into a preserved area with native trees. A tiled star pattern in the bottom of the pool reflects the entry court paving.

The western garden walk utilizes a ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Fountain Terrace
The fountain terrace was created on axis with the breakfast room of the house. An external terrace leads down to a gravel court with a lawn panel in the same shape as the pool. An antique stone tiered fountain which was found on site was refurbished and relocated to this area as the focal point of view, reinforced by pots, benches, and a Fosters holly trees within beds of boxwood and dwarf loropetalum.

The entrance to the kitchen from the auto-court is flanked by urns from Archiped Classics from Dallas. The auto-court paving is made from salt finished concrete which was then acid washed to resemble aged Texas Lueders limestone.

Oval Terrace
The oval terrace has dramatic views that overlook the Trinity River valley. Located directly under the library of the house, it was kept per its original layout. Over the course of many years, the floor level of the terrace had been raised to correct some drainage issues. The old topping slab was removed and the rear of the site was re-graded in order to provide more headroom and restore the rear yard to its original grade. The original stone pattern found under the topping slab was restored. The terrace was then complimented with a simple oval.

The formality and profile of the pool reflects the historical Mediterranean design of the home. Native Texas Lueders limestone was used for the pool deck and coping. The pool mosaic pattern and tile pattern was supplied and installed by Ohlenburg Inc. from Dallas, Texas. The pool plaster is the ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Gallery Walk
The gallery walk is located on the west side of the house connecting the driveway in front to the oval terrace in the rear. Sculptures, pots, benches, and a focal urn with a fountain are strategically located on axis from the house and at key viewpoints. The walkway is made with antique brick using a herringbone pattern to match the original brick work on the front porch. The walk was carefully re-graded in order to eliminate all steps.

The shape of the fountain terrace is defined by low boxwood hedges with a contrasting Dwarf Loropetalum inside on the ground plane, and Foster?EUR??,,????'?????<

While doing the initial design, it was always intended to use locally available hardscape materials such as limestone, brick, and native Texas basalt gravel. The use of traditional southern garden plant material such as boxwoods, roses, azaleas, nandinas, and hollies were used, which could be both easily maintained and manicured into a formal fashion to reinforce the formality of the design.

Now completed for five years, with the gardens restored to their original glory, the estate serves as a vital part of Fort Worth?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Project Team
Landscape Architect
Archiverde, LLC., Dallas, Texas

Architect
Dobbins & Crow Architects, Fort Worth, Texas

Builder
Westbriar Construction, Fort Worth, Texas

Landscape Contractor
Texas Land Care, Dallas, Texas

Landscape Maintenance
Haydon Horticulture, Fort Worth, Texas