photos: APLD/Grace Design Associates
Margie Grace of Grace Design Associates in Santa Barbara, CA, is this year's APLD Design of the Year. Grace won a gold award for her "Sycamore Canyon" design ... right across the street from Lotusland.
As Grace notes on her website, "...OF COURSE we like to think of our little garden as Lotusland South. To me, that means distinct gardens, each organized around a theme, with a little whimsy and a lot of personality."
From a landscape of asphalt and majestic mature trees, Grace terraced the landscape, added contours, and used broad stone steps throughout the garden to unify the spaces.
A Purple Rain Garden and a pink palette pay homage to Lotusland and Grace says "I like to think that Madame Walska would have delighted in its aubergine hoops and the light dancing across the garden off the strings of tiny mirrors."
Retention of existing trees and perimeter screening contributes to what Grace calls "a park-like" feeling. In all, there are two dining areas, a pond lined with sandstone, and pots with dramatic plantings placed throughout the yard.
"Bringing the outside in was a top priority," she says, "and purposeful design features make it seamless."
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