Palm Springs style front yard unites two units into one
Existing site
Two homes unite through landscaping
“Help me connect the two” said the owner of these two houses in San Rafael, California. She had gone to extreme lengths to update the facades of the buildings with similar paints, yet they still look detached. This powerful executive woman needed an outstanding front yard that would unite the two houses, suit her bold style, and be sustainable in the long term. I proposed two designs:
Option 1: Palm Springs xeriscape
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Option 1: View from right
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Option 1: View from left
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Option 1: Aerial of the planned driveway
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Planting Plan
For each option, I provided renderings of the designs so that she could visualize the space in two and three dimensions, along with planting plans, blooming calendars, and finally a budget for the project to give her visibility on the installation phase.
Both landscape designs cover both front yards uniformly, repeating the plant palette in harmony. The planting plans extend beyond the yard to the median strip to increase the property size and give more weight to the houses on the street. Finally the curb appeal is anchored with the repetition of larger plants on each side of the connecting central driveway, giving a more formal entrance to two the buildings.
Option 2: Mediterranean planting with ornamental grasses
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Ornamental grasses & plants frame the driveway
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3D model of the front yard