From Boring To Enchanting
The Gardener|October 2018

The delightful thing about design is that the moment you relegate a purpose to a space, the rest falls into place.

Lindsay Gray
From Boring To Enchanting

There always seems to be one troublesome area in a garden, and in the case of this beautiful Georgian-style home it used to be the area behind the house. The home is set back on the property, with a long strip of garden behind it that had no immediate purpose, and which had possibly been used by the previous owners as their utility area.

It’s not uncommon for an area that is not visible to remain neglected, and yet with a bit of thought the space can be turned into something quite enchanting.

This is exactly what happened when design team John and Tanya Keating from Tandi Projects were tasked by the owner to create a formal, low-maintenance garden in the back in keeping with the rest of their design.

New purpose for a tired space

The design team immediately identified the spot outside the kitchen as ideal for an al fresco dining area. It was the perfect place – convenient for the host and sheltered by the building.

The area was paved and covered by a pergola that supports the charming ‘Catawba’ grape (Vitis labrusca).

This story is from the October 2018 edition of The Gardener.

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This story is from the October 2018 edition of The Gardener.

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