I'm Getting Spring Fever---Virginia-Highland garden

Back in the last century when Steve and I started attending the Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour (yippee!! I finally learned to spell it without spell checker!!) this is one of the first-- if not THE first--garden we visited.

I was totally smitten--head over heels in love--and knocked for a loop.
Since then I've seen this garden published a number of times.  Truth be told I almost cyber stalk it.


source BHG.com

I can honestly say this garden is what got my attention and attracted me to living in town;
especially living in Virginia Highland and Morningside.

The houses were small enough to manage and there were such incredible gardens.
This is the home of David Ellis, owner of landscape design company, Ellis Designs.


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You just don't do this in the suburbs.  For one thing this is the sidewalk in front of the house and most neighborhoods in the 'burbs don't have sidewalks and for another thing, the neighbors might think you were loony if you landscaped like this.

source: me

Not saying you can't, just most folks just don't.


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This is the front yard garden.
You have to really study this picture to "see" it.

Nearly every inch of Ellis' property is planted with vignettes of succulents to trees to colorful perennials, like these roses and clematis. "I like it if a person comes here and spends time zeroing in on little sections," said Ellis, 46. "If they span for 30 seconds and walk out, they didn't get it." STORY: KATIE LESLIE PHOTOS: MIKKI K. HARRIS / AJC  source

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This is the driveway for crying out loud.

source: me



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I love this next picture.
The gates, the dog statue, the azalea blooming in the rustic pot, the tiny fern peeking out from under the stone step... umm, umm, umm

These temple doors, which Ellis found at Scott Antique Market in Atlanta, lead to an Asian-inspired shade garden. "The back garden is completely different from the front -- it's the ying and the yang with the house in between," he said. The canine yard ornament is an homage to his late dog, Amos. STORY: KATIE LESLIE PHOTOS: MIKKI K. HARRIS / AJC source

 (He's cute, too, don't you think?)

Ellis said his backyard garden was designed around this seating area. When he first moved into the house, he placed three lawn chairs in this spot because of the way the afternoon sun lit the area. "This became the center of everything I wanted to do," he explained. From there, he created privacy by planting trees and shrubs along the border of his property. Next, he planted trees and built pathways within the garden itself. STORY: KATIE LESLIE PHOTOS: MIKKI K. HARRIS / AJC source

 This view from the back porch into the shade garden is Ellis' favorite. "Part of a garden is walking into it and forgetting the space outside of it," he said. "My efforts were to make it otherworldly." STORY: KATIE LESLIE, PHOTOS: MIKKI K. HARRIS / AJC source

To read the whole article and see a few more pictures please visit the link below.

Gallery | Linger in this Virginia-Highland garden | ajchomefinder.com

I so hope this garden will be on tour again soon.

Later,
Patti

A Collection of Pretty Old Houses

Today I have a treat:

A Collection of Pretty Old Houses.

courtesy of the FMLS--enjoy 

To search for a Pretty Old House in Georgia click here

Guest Blogger--Our Urban Bungalow

A few of you have asked when I was going to do another house.

Right now, I'm up to my ears in finishing the one we have, but Holly has taken on a new project.

I think I'll just live vicariously through her for a while.

You can visit Holly over at Our Urban Bungalow for updates.

This is one Pretty Old House!

We Did it Again!

 That's right we bought another dump! I'm pretty excited about it too.

 It's another 1920's bungalow, with great bungalow features. Like the front porch - it's granite with neat trim details around the ceiling.

And the front door with beveled glass.

And the shelving that flanks the brick fireplace.

Some of the house isn't too bad as it is.

The original windows are mostly intact and the brass dining room chandelier is going to be great with a couple coats of spray paint (I'm considering something bright and bold - like green - I may be too chicken though).

The butler's pantry is also in pretty good shape, with the original glass and hardware.

Imagine the hardware stripped and the back painted a robin's egg blue, with silver and white dishes in front.  It makes me giddy to just think about it.

It's a good thing too, because that giddiness distracts me from this kitchen.

There are few redeeming qualities about this space - it will be gutted.

Oh, the back door is neat though.

I think it may become the bathroom door - with a frosted glass window.  I really want French doors back here to look into the yard:

It has 3 pretty standard bedrooms and this one bathroom:

... which has some salvageable pieces: the built-in medicine cabinet and the cast-iron bathtub are in great shape.  And the floor tile has a neat pattern.  It does still need a sink, toilet and wall tile though.

So that's pretty much it.  I'm so excited to chronicle this project as we go so stay tuned...
Holly

I'm excited, too--you know how I love bungalows with real granite front porches and how I relish the smell of fresh paint and elbow grease. While this one will involve an addition and lots of interior updates, it won't be even half as hard as the last one she did.  Take a look at her previous "project" here.

Like Holly said, "Stay tuned..."

Later,

Patti

Sunday Open House-- Lanier Boulevard Bungalow

Today I stopped by an Open House in the neighborhood.
This is a 3 bedroom bungalow with 2 and a half baths over on Lanier; an easy walk to Elon's and the Family Dog.

According to the listing the house was built in 1925. 

The style is 1920s all the way with modern additions. 

Upon very close inspection we determined that the front porch originally stretched all the way across the front. The old porch column pillars are visible behind the bushes.  I told you it was close inspection.

This house has been in the same family forever. It was renovated by an heir back in the early '90s--that's 1990's.

Let's take the tour:

The front door opens into the living room--thankfully the door is offset...

with the fireplace over to the side.  There are five--count 'em five windows in the living room--and they're original with wavy glass--8 panes over one.  Such classic styling.

 To the right is an addition--they built in half the front porch back in the 1940s or '50s making an office or den.  The knotty pine paneling and pine bookcases are almost cool.  I prefer my knotty pine painted, but lots of folks like it as it is. 

Next is the dining room--very classic.  A word about the oriental rug;

this one is awesome--its naturally worn. Patina, baby, patina.

I wouldn't be surprised to find it was original to this house.

There's a center hall with a new modern staircase that leads to two bedrooms and a bath upstairs.

The doors along the hall open into the laundry closet with stacked washer and dryer, storage closets, the basement stairs and a powder room.

Originally the stairs were narrow and twisted their way up. In the renovation they were relocated and extended--much better, believe me.

A new galley kitchen was added with modern styled cabinets and Silestone, I believe.  For a galley kitchen, this one isn't bad; there's plenty of counter space and tons of cabinets. It feels roomy. The light fixtures are a little dated and I'd rather have a white kitchen, but again--to each his own.

The dishwasher has to be 20 years old, but it's a Kitchenaid so it'll probably never die.

This family room is part of the addition.
Again, the lighting is not my cup of tea, but it's a really nice space right off the kitchen.

Now for the reason I wanted to see this house:

it has a vanishing threshold.

In layman's terms you walk out onto a patio.

I gotta have that.

The master bedroom was added, too, and you walk right out through the vanishing threshold.

And the master bath. It's very 1990s but the space is great.

The addition was designed by an architect who just happens to be the owner.
You can always tell an architect designed addition--it just looks better.

Now, if I were to buy this house there is one big huge thing I'd do...

 that's build a pool right here.

The rest of the house would be a piece of cake to redecorate, but it takes a special lot to have this:

image source Brooke Giannetti 
                                                                                                                                                              Open House images from FMLS                                                                                                                                                                 



What do you think?




Patti