They’re in London if you want them…at Christopher Jones Antiques  or on 1st Dibs.

On the patio...

The food was delicious and the product was impressive.  These ovens can be wood fired, gas fired or a combination of both.  They heat consistently because they are a single ceramic unit–a problem I have had when trying to cook in a kit built oven.  I like to cook as well as garden and eat and I’m picky about my tools for both!

Lamb Chops

As much as I would love to have one of these, it’s not in my budget this year. I do have a client in mind who I think will absolutely flip for it.

The Flatiron neighborhood shop

I finally visited in early December and my first taste of what I hoped would come was outide in the adjacent square– the umbrellas in the classic Unikko pattern over cafe tables and chairs. Out came my camera phone to snap the Fatboy brand tag to explore later.  I was in a hurry to get inside!

Fatboy Marimekko Market umbrella

On first glance, this was a treasure trove of possibilities.  Bold, happy, iconic prints.  Surely they had some for garden use!

Inside the Marimekko store

My dreams of boldly colored outdoor pillows and objects were dashed.  There was a very, very small selection of coated fabrics for use as table cloths.  That’s it.

Choices for coated tablecloths

They weren’t UV stabilized and it was suggested to me by a salesperson that these be taken inside after use.  Now, come on.  These prints are but a small sampling of what Marimekko does so well and exactly what we need for our gardens, decks and patios!  Pretty please, Marimekko…make some outdoor fabrics.

Photo credit:  Store exterior and interior overview all others, the author.

The most important thing that is lost is time.  That is the case on the project pictured in progress below.  We had hoped to finish this before the holidays but since landscape installs last…well we’re now slogging in deep, deep mud.  This is a large project that includes a pool, new pool house, spa, pergola, garden areas as well as new steps up the steep hill to the house and an extensive dry stream and subterranean drainage system.   I was involved in the design and placement of all of the landscape elements except the pool.

The Garden and Woodland Concept

The overall concept for the garden and woodland areas.  This board was created using the online mood board generator Olioboard.

The original patio plan

The original design for the pergola had planter bases.  Those were eliminated to trim costs and the patio was made smaller.  Hence the design of the pergola had to be modified.

The modified pergola with completed pool house and spa

This is an expansive entertaining space for an active family.  We did not lay the patio or build the pergola–that was the domain of the building contractor.  A separate pool contractor was responsible for the pool.

View through the pergola to new steps on hill and boulder wall in progress

The mud is clearly visible and ankle deep.  The drainage system hasn’t been connected yet and will eventually solve that problem.

Recycled granite curb steps now make the hill easier to traverse

The boulder wall will be completed this week and we will start on a low dry stacked garden wall that will help to satisfy the town’s setback rules for the poolhouse.  Once that’s done we’ll begin the drystream and in early spring connect all of the drainage systems to culminate there when there is overflow which is typical on this very wet property.  More as the progress happens!

Flash forward…as a landscape designer who loves to create outdoor living spaces, I’m asked to plan for and purchase chaise lounges more than any other piece of furniture other than those for dining.  Sure some people want a conversation area or a kitchen, but that’s after the lounge.   Here’s a roundup of chaise lounge options in my resource library for backyards, patios, pools and decks  that  I have used in the past as well a couple that are new to me.

Photo credits: Top row L-R: via Momoy, via OKA, via Dedon; Center row L-R: via Branch, via Mckinnon and Harris, via Andrew Crace; Bottom row: L-R: via Lebello, via  Arthur Lauer, via Fanuli

In the case of the  almost completed project pictured below, the clients–who are wonderful to work with–had a laundry list of things that they wanted to keep:  mature trees, two sheds, a gazebo, a deck/patio combination, a fire pit area built by the client, and an existing 25 year old vinyl pool with a too small and decrepit paver deck and a retaining wall built of landscape timbers.  My job was to unify all of these disparate elements into one unified party space.  The  pool deck was to be replaced as part of that effort and a spa hot tub added–but not in the pool area.

A color study for the proposed party space

My biggest design challenge was to create a logical flow of movement that would allow people to get from each of the existing areas to the others on a complex but not steep slope.   The home was built in a ‘bowl’ and the pool was 3′ up a slope above the patio and the gazebo was above that.  There was space available to enlarge the pool deck.  Three new sets of steps were added to create a seamless flow–to the front of the the gazebo, to the existing wooden deck and to the new and greatly enlarged pool deck.  The new bubbling box (read hot tub) was placed next to the deck allowing for winter use.   A  stone retaining wall was built into the existing slope to enable to pool deck to be enlarged and actually be useful–the old deck was a 3′ strip of brick that didn’t accommodate people or furniture.  No ‘before’ photos–I started the project last January when it was under ice & snow.

Overview existing and new garden elements still to be planted

Rather than try to unify all of the somewhat randomly placed geometric structures, I opted for a curvilinear plan that would allow each structure to function within a more natural setting.  The photo above (with newly seeded lawn areas under salt hay) shows the curvaceous layout.

New stone deck allows for entertaining and relaxation by the pool

Bluestone, granite and sandstone were combined in this project and all are local to my region.  The pool deck was originally going to be aggregate but we couldn’t settle on a style.  Once stone was chosen, the challenge was to find one that worked after all of the other materials had been installed.  The blond sandstone was partially picked because it will be fairly cool on bare feet.

Three stone detail on new steps

Another challenge proved to be the surpise that the 25+ year old pool was not aluminum–it was plywood and therefore had to be treated with kidgloves and couldn’t have a new stone coping added to it–the plastic ‘clips’ had to stay.  We scored the concrete deck foundation to allow for future replacement should that become necessary.

Slab steps were added to the gazebo to allow for access to the front.  Previously the only way to access this space was to walk all the way around it.  Steps were also added to the deck on the gazebo side to allow easy service from the grill and kitchen–again previous access was to walk all the way around and up the hill.

Slab steps added to gazebo

The plantings have been added and there are hoses on timers that will remain for a few weeks until they are established.  I’ll take photos of those next summer.  This project was started in April and was supposed to take 6-8 weeks.  It took 16 due to over a month of rain, changes in materials, modifications to the original plan, a couple of small ‘flubs’ and a mason who is an absolute perfectionist and could not, would not work any faster.

It’s now ready to party.

This is part of the project I’ve been updating here, it started with design work last spring and is now the last build of the season. The photo below shows a partially completed stone ‘carpet’ in the larger patio. What you see is a snapped salt & pepper granite ribbon border, random granite flagstone interior with a detail of 4 x 4 salt & pepper Belgium block. This is obviously before it’s been cleaned up.

The stonework is taking a very long time due to the difficulty of working with the granite. It will be fits and starts now due to the weather window closing–rain and cold have dogged us all week long.