Victoria Garden

This compact garden was a fun little puzzle to design. Our clients have a charming, meticulously kept home, and also wanted their outdoor space to be somewhere that they could tend to and spend time enjoying in the same way. This required a total overhaul of their flat, uninspiring and difficult-to-use garden space.

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A rickety deck off the French doors at the back of the house was replaced by a more majestic patio with built-in potager and a substantial set of St Marc Stone stairs, which lead down to a perpendicular path that connects to the driveway. Another set of steps between black planters offers access to a compact barbecue area and the basement porch, atop which a green roof was added for the clients to grow herbs.

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To deal with the further grade change to the bottom of the site, a series of deep perron grassy steps gradually descend to a paved patio where we placed an outdoor living area. Alongside, three hornbeam trees shield the view to the parking spot, while ammonia planted below adds texture, movement and delicate blue blossoms to the borders.

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Utilizing the red-brick garage wall, we mounted a bench that serves one side of a dining table and an industrial-style light fixture overhead. Additional dining chairs accompany the table, while a trio of loveseats face one another across a fire pit—allowing the space to be enjoyed during cooler evenings.

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At the end of the garden, terminating the pathway running all the way from the back door is a gate that leads out to the verdant college campus beyond and offers access to even more natural splendour.

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Team:

Sophie Robitaille  Partner, CSLA,  ASLA, AAPQ

Teressa Peill Landscape Architect, CSLA, AAPQ

Samantha Williams

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Photography © Nanne Springer