Sunday, May 16, 2010

Glenridge Hall


The last home on the Garden Tour that I'll post about is Glenridge Hall.
This 45 acre estate is in Sandy Springs.
The website is http://www.glenridgehall.com/.  Take a look it's wonderful.  I never knew it was there.

The estate is so big I have to focus this post on small details.

There's a "dog" theme that runs through the grounds.  The owner's dogs also run through the grounds even during the garden tour.  They got plenty of loving attention from the "tour-ists."



Chinese "Foo Dogs" guard one of the many entrances to the home.




Leaded glass doors and windows are used exclusively.
I was admiring the doors in the side veranda, paying no attention to the two men sitting in the wicker when one commented that the leading is cast with a vine design.  It's incredible.
That man was the owner/occupant.
This picture doesn't capture the detail.


Steve and I were looking for ideas for a terrace.  Boy did we get plenty!
Here's a small side terrace.  Small for this estate that is.  It would be just about right for me.



Notice the leaded glass doors and windows.
I loved this wrought iron set.


The last feature I'll leave you is the porch.
This ceiling is the very best!
I think this could be copied.



Do go to the website and read about the history of this Atlanta Mansion.

Patti

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Gardens for Connoisseurs: Part II

Touring gardens is really strenuous and Steve and I work up an appetite so we always go someplace we like for lunch--not necessarily snazzy.  This year we went to Panera on Peachtree.  I suggested it so we could sit outside on the shaded patio.   Thought that was in keeping with the garden theme for the day.

After lunch we hit the road and went to our 5th garden.
This one is in Sherwood Forest in Midtown.  The house is a 1950s ranch built on the side of a ravine with a creek.

This garden had extensive water features.


But, the best water feature was the creek at the bottom of the ravine.



The neighbors had built patios next the creek and bridges over it.
I had to really zoom in to get this shot.
Isn't this scene just great!
Gladys Kravitz--eat your  heart out.



The next house and garden look like a typical 1980's traditional.
It has a great open porch and a glassed in sunroom.
The pool was well done with good looking stone walls.


Back in the car and off to Buckhead.

One of the big houses on the tour, this one has a style we call Mo'munee'.
It's huge, ostentatious, and we believe only two people live in it.
I'm sure they're very nice--they grow lovely orchids.


Here's a shot of the greenhouse.



I have to say that sometimes in a garden a little of one thing is nice, but a lot is spectacular.
How about these foxgloves?


The twirling wind mill in the background was great. It's twin was in the bed on the opposite corner.




The pots were nice as well.


The house has many of the design features I'm seeing in magazines and designer blogs.

Don't the beams and hanging lantern have the look?
This is the open porch you can see at the end of the pool.

 

I'll leave you with this vignette.
Love this style.


Stay tuned for one more MANSION.
It's so grand it gets it's own post.

Patti

Monday, May 10, 2010

Gardens For Connoisseurs Tour 2010

Every year Steve and I go on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens' Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour.
We always come away with a million ideas.  This is where we saw what we still call the "Dream House" that inspired our pool. This is a very costly Mothers' Day tradition.

This year was no exception.  We are again inspired and will probably have to take our a second mortgage as a result.

We are always careful NOT to follow the order suggested in the brochure.  We like to pick out specific gardens based on the description and locations--we avoid certain types until the end of the day-- if we have extra time then we squeeze them in.

NOW on to the Gardens:

Our first stop was Garden #7  located in Decatur on Willivee Dr.



This home is a very common brick ranch--the kind you see all over the country.  It was probably built in the late 1950s or 1960s.

The owners have turned the large yard into a wonderful garden.  Here's the big bed in the front yard.


...A close-up of the urn.


We were some of the first people there a 10am.  The morning light was super.

The house next door was not invited to participate in the tour. 
This very tall privacy fence hides the "scenery."  Good idea #1 for intown living.  The fence is a lot taller than it looks in this photo.



As good as this house looks from the front, the back was better--it just knocked my socks off.
This stone terrace is about 30 feet deep and I don't know how wide.



There are lovely stone steps leading from the French doors.
This was one of my favorite gardens.

Our next stop was on Morningside Drive.  I watched this garden being built.  Big trucks filled with plants would pull up to the curb.  My curiosity was killing me. 

The garden started at the curb--as it should.


Here's how a crepe myrtle should look.


The house sits up on the hill overlooking the street and a church across the street.
It's a bungalow with a big front porch... my very favorite.


In this front yard is a wonderful koi pond.



The home ower is also the garden designer.  I spoke with him briefly--he's a real nice guy.

He does a mean pot.



check out his window box.  Good idea #2 --What a good way to hide a bad view.

The next house was in Midtown.
The front was traditional, the back was contemporary.
The pool took up the whole backyard-


...not a problem in my book.



We exited this garden through the rear.
Really cool--
and walked down the alley to the next house.



This garden was designed by David Ellis--he's well known and is published in magazines.
Notice how you always look down the bed.  Plantings look better from this angle since any spaces are hidden.  The bed looks full, fading flowers don't show up so much.

Here's looking up the other way.



"Tour-ists" always try to sneak a peek.



The front of this house surprised me--remember, we entered through the back and came out the front.




It was a long day.
We're only half way through.

Come back tomorrow for more.

Patti

Sunday, May 9, 2010

I have "Garden Envy"

This is the first time in fifteen years I don't have a yard I can plant flowers in.
We're moving from this house in June and the new/old house isn't ready for flowers.

My name is Patti and I have Garden Envy.

This is my next door neighbor's yard.


It's their FRONT YARD!
Everybody on the street walks by it and it's wonderful.


I took these first two pictures from MY DRIVEWAY.
Venus has her back to my house.
I wonder why.


The gals next door have a real knack for color.
I'm sure the yellow irises next to the gorgeous blue urn are no accident.


I ducked down and sneaked a shot of the front.
I hoped they weren't home.
They terraced the front yard with stone walls which gave more area to garden plus the different elevations really show off the plants.


I wonder how many different plants they have in this "not so big" garden.


Take a look at the mullion pattern in the windows.
I think I'm developing Window Envy.



Maybe they'll let me come over and weed--if they have weeds.
Otherwise I guess I'll peer over my trash heap and lust.

Patti

Friday, May 7, 2010

More Progress on the Morningside House

Well, I'm back after a three week hiatus.
The real estate business has picked up--thank goodness.

There's been a bit of progress on the house since my last post.
The siding is on.




The gable vent has been ordered, but isn't here, yet.

The "stucco" material that's the board of the board and batten is really Hardi board. It has a texture stamped into it that looks like old fashion stucco.  I'll try to get a close-up shot for a later post.  We used this material on a house we renovated a few years ago--we loved it.


The Men on Stilts came and installed the sheetrock.  It's starting to feel like a real house.
Notice, everybody just works around the potty.


Here we are at the end of the day.


...the living room's new ceiling,

...my office to be,



...the guest room.

I know all of you are just dying to visit and spend the night.

I'll close with this parting shot.



I'm going for artsy fartsy.

Patti