Saturday, September 26, 1:00 to 2:30pm | Highland Park Garden by Lake Michigan by Maria Smithburg of Artemisia This property by Lake Michigan provided a magnificent framework for the new space by using the reflective quality of the water as a metaphor for the creation of the garden: a moving landscape of passing clouds by the lake. The owners were empty nesters and had no need to keep the swimming pool alive. The landscape architect’s idea was to replace this pool with a collection of water features to include a series of sculptures. The soft rhythm of the undulating pools captures the sky in the water and echoes the colors of the lake. This is emphasized by the combination of perennials and ornamental grasses that follow the movement of the lines. The water cascades down into different levels until it reaches the lower pools in the garden. Intimate seating areas were nestled among the pools, providing the perfect spot to enjoy the lake views and the sunset. Photo by Maria Smithburg

Saturday June 27, 2:30 to 4:00pm | Bluemont Piedmont Retreat by Jay Graham, FASLA of Graham Landscape Architecture, with Ralph Cunningham, FAIA Nestled at the base of the Shenandoah foothills in Virginia, this 178-acre site, once used for agriculture, has been transformed by the current owners into an attractive country retreat. The expansive landscape surrounding the residence incorporates Modernist design elements while acknowledging the site’s vibrant agricultural history. Visitors enter the property along an extended driveway, aligned to perfectly capture views of the nearby foothills before meandering through a wooded area featuring a beautiful array of stone walls and mature oak trees that terminate abruptly in a clearing, offering guests their first glimpse of the main residence. Pathways, and terraces, encircle the home where a wedge-shaped entry garden beckons, drawing visitors through the front door. Other spaces include the Tapestry and Master’s gardens, which were designed to introduce a diverse palette of plants to the property, direct views, and provide an additional splash of color and personality to the outdoor area. Adjacent to the home and bounded by natural boulders found on site, a turf platform provides flat ground for outdoor games. Beyond the lawn, a newly established meadow completes the design plan as it draws attention outward to more natural aspects of the environment, a pond, and restored woodlands. Photo copyright Maxwell Mackenzie

Saturday, March 28, 1:00 to 2:30pm Register Online: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-florida-gulf-coast-2015 Aquadisia by David Young of DWY Landscape Architects, with David Lowe, Interior Designer, David K. Lowe Interior Design Situated on a barrier island overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this landscape is a dazzling mix of geometric form, carefully manicured lawns and the shaggy manes of numerous bamboo trees. The landscape architects collaborated closely with the owner to create a garden that takes full advantage of the site’s location, views and climate. The site’s sequence of designed spaces carefully balances large but simple geometric shapes with a well calibrated plant palette. Entry to the house is gained via a concrete walkway that passes over a water garden and through a glass cube flanked by marble Foo Dogs. The water garden continues to a glass-enclosed lower-level where a waterwall provides the perfect backdrop for a beachside spa and fire pit. The experience of this exquisite landscape is not limited to the ground; a wooden terrace allows full view of the Gulf and a new spiral glass staircase leads to a crow’s nest overlooking the property. photo by SRQ360 Photography

Saturday August 8, 9:00 to 10:30am | Denver Cranmer Park Residence by Gretchen Wilson and Laurel Raines of Dig Studio Perched on a high point of Denver’s Cranmer Park, one of the great park landmarks of the Mile-High City, this designed landscape complements and enhances the architectural aesthetic of the home; a stucco-clad Italianate mansion built in 1917 by renowned architect Jacques Benedict and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The landscape, designed and constructed in three phases over a twelve-year period from 1998 to 2010, creates a functional outdoor living space that supports the owners’ contemporary lifestyle while remaining sensitive to the original architectural vision and elegance of the home. An Italianate garden, framed by the home’s loggias and a stunning boxwood garden, reinforce the design of the historic property. In contrast, the addition of a pool house and outdoor spa area add a modern touch. A linear lap pool, fountain, patio area, basketball court, and fire pit contrast with elements of the earlier landscape, providing a relaxing private outdoor space with spectacular views of Cranmer Park, and the great Rocky Mountains that dominate the Denver skyline. Photo copyright Williamson Images

Saturday June 27, 10:30am to 12:00pm | Sperryville House at Fletcher's Mill by Richard Williams of Richard Williams Architects, with Gregg Bleam of Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect This modern complex set directly in the working agrarian landscape of the Virginia Piedmont recalls local traditions once strongly held. A new residence and guest house are perched on a picturesque knoll, abutting gently sloping meadows. The compound formed by the two structures is bordered by woods, and a new entry drive. From this vantage point, the minimalist house of concrete, cedar, copper, bluestone, and steel windows features views of the meadow, Thornton River, and three nearby peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Old Rag. The living spaces open up to broad views of the lower river meadow to the south and the wooded hills beyond the river. A linear pool, nestled into the landscape, occupies one of the choicest locations on the site. Photo copyright Tom Arban Photography, Inc.

Sunday March 22, 10:30am-12:00pm Register Online: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-2015 Patsley Residence by Keith Williams of Nievera Williams Design Incorporated This exquisitely detailed garden created during a complete exterior renovation is the result of a close collaboration between the owners (Texas natives and self-described perfectionists) and their landscape architect. The couple wanted to bring the flavor of their Lone Star State garden and its spatial relationships to lush Palm Beach, and they wanted to spend time outdoors. The resulting carefully articulated garden features a series of “rooms” for dining, lounging and entertaining – day and night – arrayed around a classically elegant pool. The layered plantings provide a richly textured green backdrop with palm trees offering some shade. Colorful accents come from bright pink blooms of bougainvillea climbing the side of the house and wrapping about the brick columns of an existing pergola that was redesigned and relocated to one end of the pool. Tucked into one corner is a fountain, while a courtyard space features an intricate pattern made from hand set stones and well manicured lawn panels. Photos courtesy Nievera Williams Design

September, Date and Time TBD | Saratoga Blackwell Hillside Garden by Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush of Design Focus International Each detail of this spectacular Saratoga landscape was considered with its hillside site in mind, from the size of the pool to the choice of antique stone masonry. Working closely with the owner, the landscape architects created a series of intimate garden spaces on three terraces. At the top of the site, entertainment is the name of the game where a bocce ball court and a fire pit take advantage of the site’s commanding views of the Santa Clara Valley. Below the house, a jewel-like pool captures the eye, with its intricate glass-tile and bronze water jets. At its end, a seating area and fireplace are shaded by an arbor covered with climbing roses, adding both fragrance and hue. Visitors descend a series of terraced stone stairs set into the hillside, punctuated by raised beds of strawberries, lavender, artichokes, and citrus. A formal parterre flower garden on the terrace is replanted periodically with colorful blooms in acknowledgment of the changing seasons. Photo by Lauren Devon

Saturday August 8, 9:00 to 10:30am | Denver Cranmer Park Residence by Gretchen Wilson and Laurel Raines of Dig Studio Perched on a high point of Denver’s Cranmer Park, one of the great park landmarks of the Mile-High City, this designed landscape complements and enhances the architectural aesthetic of the home; a stucco-clad Italianate mansion built in 1917 by renowned architect Jacques Benedict and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The landscape, designed and constructed in three phases over a twelve-year period from 1998 to 2010, creates a functional outdoor living space that supports the owners’ contemporary lifestyle while remaining sensitive to the original architectural vision and elegance of the home. An Italianate garden, framed by the home’s loggias and a stunning boxwood garden, reinforce the design of the historic property. In contrast, the addition of a pool house and outdoor spa area add a modern touch. A linear lap pool, fountain, patio area, basketball court, and fire pit contrast with elements of the earlier landscape, providing a relaxing private outdoor space with spectacular views of Cranmer Park, and the great Rocky Mountains that dominate the Denver skyline. Photo copyright Williamson Images

A space conceived as a complete composition, where every detail contributes to a subtle visual harmony.
Example of a huge trendy living room design in Montreal

Saturday, March 28, 1:00 to 2:30pm Register Online: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-florida-gulf-coast-2015 Aquadisia by David Young of DWY Landscape Architects, with David Lowe, Interior Designer, David K. Lowe Interior Design Situated on a barrier island overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this landscape is a dazzling mix of geometric form, carefully manicured lawns and the shaggy manes of numerous bamboo trees. The landscape architects collaborated closely with the owner to create a garden that takes full advantage of the site’s location, views and climate. The site’s sequence of designed spaces carefully balances large but simple geometric shapes with a well calibrated plant palette. Entry to the house is gained via a concrete walkway that passes over a water garden and through a glass cube flanked by marble Foo Dogs. The water garden continues to a glass-enclosed lower-level where a waterwall provides the perfect backdrop for a beachside spa and fire pit. The experience of this exquisite landscape is not limited to the ground; a wooden terrace allows full view of the Gulf and a new spiral glass staircase leads to a crow’s nest overlooking the property. photo by SRQ360 Photography

September, Date and Time TBD | Saratoga Blackwell Hillside Garden by Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush of Design Focus International Each detail of this spectacular Saratoga landscape was considered with its hillside site in mind, from the size of the pool to the choice of antique stone masonry. Working closely with the owner, the landscape architects created a series of intimate garden spaces on three terraces. At the top of the site, entertainment is the name of the game where a bocce ball court and a fire pit take advantage of the site’s commanding views of the Santa Clara Valley. Below the house, a jewel-like pool captures the eye, with its intricate glass-tile and bronze water jets. At its end, a seating area and fireplace are shaded by an arbor covered with climbing roses, adding both fragrance and hue. Visitors descend a series of terraced stone stairs set into the hillside, punctuated by raised beds of strawberries, lavender, artichokes, and citrus. A formal parterre flower garden on the terrace is replanted periodically with colorful blooms in acknowledgment of the changing seasons. Photo by Lauren Devon

Saturday June 27, 4:00 to 5:30pm | Manhattan Pool Farm by David Seiter of Future Green Studio High above Midtown Manhattan, this transformed rooftop pool is now a farm-to-table restaurant, the Press Lounge, offering guests a dazzling view of the New York City skyline. From the 19th floor of Ink Hotel, a beautifully designed edible garden is meticulously cared for to create seasonal food and drink options from ingredients grown onsite. Utilizing themes of material reuse and urban infill, this custom design and fabricated system of wood terraced planters transforms an underutilized rooftop pool into a dynamic private dining experience. The project is inspired by the structure of a sushi mat- with flexibility in one direction and rigidity in the other, the mat rolls fluidly from deck to bench to planter to wall. In an effort to make the project sustainable and cost effective, ipe wood decking was salvaged from a recent renovation and repurposed. The planting palette was selected in consultation with the restaurant’s chef, professional forager and a rooftop farmer in order to orchestrate the edible garden with unique seasonal food and drink menus. A small slice of paradise has been found in Hell’s Kitchen. Photo by David Seiter

Sunday March 22, 10:30am-12:00pm Register Online: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-2015 Patsley Residence by Keith Williams of Nievera Williams Design Incorporated This exquisitely detailed garden created during a complete exterior renovation is the result of a close collaboration between the owners (Texas natives and self-described perfectionists) and their landscape architect. The couple wanted to bring the flavor of their Lone Star State garden and its spatial relationships to lush Palm Beach, and they wanted to spend time outdoors. The resulting carefully articulated garden features a series of “rooms” for dining, lounging and entertaining – day and night – arrayed around a classically elegant pool. The layered plantings provide a richly textured green backdrop with palm trees offering some shade. Colorful accents come from bright pink blooms of bougainvillea climbing the side of the house and wrapping about the brick columns of an existing pergola that was redesigned and relocated to one end of the pool. Tucked into one corner is a fountain, while a courtyard space features an intricate pattern made from hand set stones and well manicured lawn panels. Photos courtesy Nievera Williams Design

Sunday, May 31, 3:30-5:00pm | Hollywood Hills Hollywood Hillside Residence by Judy Kameon of Elysian Landscapes Nestled in one of L.A.’s iconic canyons, a barren one-acre plot was transformed into a lush landscape - embracing the indoor/outdoor experience established by the architecture while preserving the panoramic vistas. A series of linked garden spaces were created for daily use and entertaining and plant materials used strategically to screen out the neighbors, but not the views. One of the many challenges at the site was integrating two structurally required retaining walls into the design to accommodate the 30-foot elevation change on the steep hillside. An intimate nook with cascading vines creatively masks one wall, while the other area was transformed into an elegant outdoor dining patio that includes a new spa, an L-shaped pool, and a variety of intimate spaces to lounge in and relax. The dramatic palette of silver, burgundy, blue and green subtropical succulents and Mediterranean perennials, along with the enticing scent of lavender, thyme and rosemary, are layered throughout the property to create a private urban oasis. Photo copyright Erik Otsea

Saturday June 27, 10:00 to 11:30am | Riverside Riverside Waterfront Residence by Susan Cohen of Susan Cohen Landscape Architect A stately grove of white birches greets visitors at the entry to this hilltop home – a nod to the birch forests of the owner’s native Sweden. The house and gardens of this riverfront estate were carefully placed to take full advantage of the site’s spectacular waterfront panorama. A long bluestone terrace runs along the back of the house, providing ample seating areas from which to enjoy the views. Spring-flowering trees are planted throughout the landscape and a large country garden overflows with old-fashioned roses, perennials, and annuals. The lush flower border here, blooming in shades of pink, purple, blue, and yellow throughout the summer season, can also be seen from passing sailboats. At one end of this garden is a small spa, surrounded by flowers. The landscape, like the gracious house, was designed to be a welcoming place for gatherings of family and friends, and it serves this purpose well. Photo courtesy Susan Cohen

Saturday August 8, 9:00 to 10:30am | Denver Cranmer Park Residence by Gretchen Wilson and Laurel Raines of Dig Studio Perched on a high point of Denver’s Cranmer Park, one of the great park landmarks of the Mile-High City, this designed landscape complements and enhances the architectural aesthetic of the home; a stucco-clad Italianate mansion built in 1917 by renowned architect Jacques Benedict and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The landscape, designed and constructed in three phases over a twelve-year period from 1998 to 2010, creates a functional outdoor living space that supports the owners’ contemporary lifestyle while remaining sensitive to the original architectural vision and elegance of the home. An Italianate garden, framed by the home’s loggias and a stunning boxwood garden, reinforce the design of the historic property. In contrast, the addition of a pool house and outdoor spa area add a modern touch. A linear lap pool, fountain, patio area, basketball court, and fire pit contrast with elements of the earlier landscape, providing a relaxing private outdoor space with spectacular views of Cranmer Park, and the great Rocky Mountains that dominate the Denver skyline. Photo copyright Williamson Images

Saturday June 20, 1:30 to 3:30pm | Ossining M. Bakwin Estate by Michael V. Ruggiero, RLA of MVR Landscape Garden Nestled among an impressive array of large rock outcrops, this Tudor-style home and garden offer panoramic views of its central ten-acre groomed landscape. From the house and terraces, visitors enjoy a vista of towering trees, spacious lawn areas, dramatic rock outcroppings, lush gardens brimming with seasonal color, a three-acre pond, orchards, and meadows. An 'integrated' deer fence protects such gardens as the vegetable garden, a Japanese style garden, and a perennial border. Forty acres of mature, deciduous forest completely enclose the property. A dense, planted understory and years of moss overgrowth carpet the forest floor and exposed rock, revealing the interplay between the designed and natural and celebrating the rugged vernacular New York landscape. Photo by Michael Victor

Saturday June 20, 10:30am to 12:00pm | Willistown Willistown Country Estate by Allan Summers of Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects, Inc. Situated on 40 acres, this estate is a harmonious composition of the regional vocabulary of the Brandywine Valley, from gentle hills of pastureland and wood lots, to stream valleys, stone walls, and fences. The landscape architects carefully placed the house and outbuildings, entry drive, fences, orchard, swimming pool, and gardens to take advantage of sunlight and the expansive views. The residence, designed by architect John Milner, is inspired by the vernacular fieldstone farmhouses that can be seen throughout the area. At the rear, a terrace and naturalized water feature transition between the house and elegant pool garden beyond. The lush plantings are designed in broad sweeps sympathetic to the scale of the surrounding landscape, juxtaposed against the garden with a more varied palette near the home’s entrance. Photo by Allan Summers

Saturday, March 28, 1:00 to 2:30pm Register Online: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-florida-gulf-coast-2015 Aquadisia by David Young of DWY Landscape Architects, with David Lowe, Interior Designer, David K. Lowe Interior Design Situated on a barrier island overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this landscape is a dazzling mix of geometric form, carefully manicured lawns and the shaggy manes of numerous bamboo trees. The landscape architects collaborated closely with the owner to create a garden that takes full advantage of the site’s location, views and climate. The site’s sequence of designed spaces carefully balances large but simple geometric shapes with a well calibrated plant palette. Entry to the house is gained via a concrete walkway that passes over a water garden and through a glass cube flanked by marble Foo Dogs. The water garden continues to a glass-enclosed lower-level where a waterwall provides the perfect backdrop for a beachside spa and fire pit. The experience of this exquisite landscape is not limited to the ground; a wooden terrace allows full view of the Gulf and a new spiral glass staircase leads to a crow’s nest overlooking the property. photo by SRQ360 Photography