evolution with glass

It has always been a dream of mine to design with glass.

It was during my last two years in a high school drafting class that I started working on a house design that had a glass stair case and a sunken glass living room. ( yes it was the early 70’s when sunken living rooms were all the rage ) .

Photo from Hospitality Design

From October 31, 2011

My high school drafting teacher , Mr. Nolan, didn’t tell me that my glass house design was impractical or unattainable . Instead he encouraged me to continue to design and handed me an application to Harvard’s Graduate School of Design summer program in architecture

Nervous and armed with an immature portfolio I headed off to Harvard in 1976.
In a rather odd turn of events I did not get into the Architecture department as I had hoped , instead I was placed in the Landscape Architecture program.
Inside Gund Hall - my desk was on the second floor about where that jacket is hanging.

From October 31, 2011

Outside view of the GSD

From October 31, 2011

Link to the GSD website
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/#/news/all-news/feed.html

It’s been 35 years later from that first class in L.A.(landscape architecture) and I am still intrigued to design with glass.

Working with recycled broken glass

From San Francisco Garden Show 2008

From San Francisco Garden Show 2008

From San Francisco Garden Show 2008

From San Francisco Garden Show 2008

A Burle Marx influence.

Twenty some odd years ago I was influenced by the work of Roberto Burle Marx, (1909-1994)
He was Brazil's most influential landscape architect and is internationally recognized as the "creator of the modern garden." Mr. Marx is also recognized for his discovery of many native Brazilan rainforest plants. One of my favorites is Tibouchina , which I often use in my garden designs here in Northern California.
Below is a photo of a garden wall that Mr. Marx designed using discarded and collected building shards.

From Water fountains in the landscape

Below is a garden that I designed for the 1990 S.F. Garden Show. I was inspired by the wall that Mr. Marx had created in his garden in Brazil.
I came across these old photos today while cleaning out a bookshelf.

From Water fountains in the landscape

From Water fountains in the landscape

Terrariums. Simple and fun.

Ever wondered how to make a terrarium ?
The folks at POTTED - http://www.pottedstore.com/our-blog/ have a great tutorial that is easy to follow and will offer lots of inspiration.


I vaguely remember making a terrarium back in the 1960’s with my mom. We used a small oval fish tank and colored aquarium gravel. It was probably pretty gaudy looking when we finished but it remains one of those memories where as kids we were encouraged to create arts and crafts without any derogatory judgement.

I tried my hand at making a terrarium a few days ago.
I used a glass domed cheese serving dish , a glass vase and a small glass candle votive holder.
Inside the containers I placed moss, shells, succulents and some willow branches.

It was pretty simple to make and I am inspired to try making a few more for the upcoming gift exchange season.

From terrarium

From terrarium

New ON LINE Garden Lifestyle magazine : LEAF

The debut issue hit the web waved on October 17 2011.
The cover shot is a beautiful photo by Saxon Holt shot of a garden designed by Topher Delaney.

I think it is rather fitting that Topher made the cover issue, She is after all, a female landscape design trailblazer that has done much over the course of her 30 year career in brining to the forefront the field of site specific sculptural landscaping.

Open publication - Free publishing - More design outside

and check out page 66 - an outdoor fire sculpture that we designed for a family in Squaw Valley
http://issuu.com/leafmag/docs/leaf_previewissue/63#share

Dalbokia land 2011

And now for some XXX porn for your garden lust pleasure.
Garden Porn bring you Dalbokia, also known as Dalbokia land.
A subtropical hillside paradise nestled in the oak studded hills of Marin county CA.

Entering threw the Balinese wood gate sets the emotional tone. Your blood pressure will immediately drop, stress melts away and a feeling of calm embraces the body and mind.

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

Slowly wander down the palm lined path taking in the jewels of the understory plantings. Ruby red aeoniums sparkle next to sapphire blue senecio. Stalks of amber colored grasses beckon you to explore further down the path.

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

Come around to the heart of the garden where friends frolic in the warm healing pool waters

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

After a soothing dip, recline restfully while overlooking the sanitas por aqua.

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

The owner of Dalbokia lends a helping hand to a young explorer discovering koi fish for the first time in his life. Prized moments.

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

Object d' art are found throughout the garden, tucked in foliage, sprouting from tree ferns and growing out of tree trunks.
This peice shown below is by Marcia Donahue

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

A cluster of pots obscures the surface of the driveway,

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

Feeling like exploring the garden, take a stroll threw the thoughtful vignettes and evocative foliage

From Dalbokia land aug. 2011

The owner of Dalbokia land is Davis Dalbok.
He is a highly respected designer of evocative spaces, both inside the home and out doors in the garden.
His large atelier known as " Living Green " is located in the heart of the Design District in San Francisco
A successful buisness man , a perennial party host that makes everyone feel special and a spirital man who with his own hands has has helped many people in poorer South East Asian countries build temples and communities for spirital devotion.

It's almost a wrap.

We’ve been working on this stone project for many months now.
It is finally coming to an end, much to the delight of the owners who have been patient throughout the entire spring and summer.

Here are a few progression photos.

a portion of the construction plans:

From Oranje project

the site

From Oranje project

the steel for the flat work- stripping the veneer stone off the existing wall. new slatework

From Oranje project

building the fireplace

From Oranje project

From Oranje project

granite counter tops and bar tops installed

From Oranje project

Arbor going up. - Still some stone work to do such as the hearth, spark cap, plinth cap.

From Oranje project

From Oranje project

the wrought iron decorative inlay work is still at the fabricators. It will go into the bluestone panel and a pair of wrought iron doors are being made for the firebox.

From Oranje project

plinth cap and hearth still to come

From Oranje project

hopefully we’ll be done by Labor Day.

more later.

Master plan for a wine country garden.

This Sonoma job was installed two years ago. We designed it in collaboration with the homeowners and the homeowners installed with their building contractor.

I think the garden has grown in enough to show you a few photos of the project.
This was a master plan project.

Below is a over head shot from Google maps - it gives you a good idea of the lot layout and the various elements such as the location of the house, tennis court , pool, bocce ball court , rose garden, patios and vegetable garden. It must of been taken just as the hardscaping was wrapping up.

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Entrance border

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Copper post and wood arbor with Climbing Josephs Coat rose

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Beautiful touches by the homeowner , she has a great eye - this is by the front door

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Pots found at Artefacts Salvage in Sonoma - soon to be planted

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Arbor to the rose garden from the bocce ball court to the pool

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Pretty nice growth on those climbing Iceburg roses for just 2 years.

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Picnic bench on dining terrace designed by owner in collaboration with John Lamos, a local sculptor
BBQ in the back ground - the stone for this was recycled from a demolished area in the old garden.

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Sitting sculpture by John Lamos in collaboration with the talented homeowner, did I mention she was beautiful too ? A professional model. Some people have all the luck ;-)

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

The vegetable garden - raised stone planters are made from tumbled bluestone that was on site . An old patio was demolished and recyled back into the garden as planter boxes.

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Bocce ball court

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr

Fountain in the rose garden

From Sonoma - Freudbrgr