Miss Rumphius' Rules » paving pattern

Garden Design Details: Cleveland Underfoot

Susan aka Miss. R — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:08:30 +0000

I was visiting gardens in the greater Cleveland area last week and what struck me most was the details. There were wonderful, thoughtful ideas in almost every garden of the more than 30 we visited.

Here are some of the wide variety of uses for natural stone paving and steps seen in the gardens. Some of these were found on modest properties, others on grand estates. All are interesting and can be easily reinterpreted…all except the hand carved steps that is.

At landscape designer, Ann Cicarella’s home garden…

Carved rosette and bluestone set in pea gravel

Masterful intersection of four types of stone

At a private garden…the house was mid-century…

Double sets of limestone treads used as risers

At designers Sabrina Schweyer, APLD and Samuel Salsbury FAPLD’s home garden in Akron…

Natural stone steps and wall with 'mushroom' light

Slab bridge over small stream

At Stan Hywet Hall, now a public garden, once a grand country manor in Akron…

Hand carved limestone risers

Ellen Biddle Shipman--classic bluestone/brick walkway

And at two different private gardens. Unusual sandstone paver driveways. The second is at a private home. The second is part of a grand manor designed by LD Taylor from 1929-32.

Stone paver patterns

Sandstone car park in a classical pattern

Many of the rest of my photos will be used to illustrate ideas throughout the coming months…hope you stick around and enjoy!

Showhouse Season V, Issue 6, In Real Life

Susan aka Miss. R — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 10:16:00 +0000

Yesterday morning was dedicated to show house business. Frank Scheppe, my contractor extraordinaire, and I were at a local wholesale nursery soon after it opened to choose two Styrax japonica for the garden. After they were loaded we delivered them to the show house site.

Styrax blooms

image via Ambleside Gardens, Hillsborough, NJ

With one week to go, Sheep’s Run was a flurry of activity, mud, and mayhem. There were delivery trucks stuck in the mud, people trying to get plants and accessories into spaces that are rapidly being cut off by the spaces adjacent them, and a general feeling of rapid fire problem solving.

All of the gardens are formal. A full trailer of boxwood was delivered last week and ours was included with that. The stonework for the paths & patios was finished earlier this week. We were able to use some bluestone that was leftover from the home’s original terrace that is also one of the adjacent spaces.

Peagravel, granite cube edging & bluestone walkways and patio

The goal for yesterday was to layout the big plants and mark off the area that will be filled with groundcover. I also had to decide on what annuals we’re using for the parterres and containers. More on that next time…

Defining the four quadrants

The arcs and angles w/space left open for containers

Footprints

Susan aka Miss. R — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Several years ago on a garden tour, I found myself looking at what was on the ground plane rather than what was in the gardens. I started shooting photos of paths and patterns of what I saw for future reference and inspiration. I didn’t always record where I took the photos, so I really can’t tell you in some cases where the garden is, or whose garden it is. Below are a few that I do remember and have done my best to credit them appropriately. When I need inspiration, these images are some of what I look at–there’s even one of mine in there.

Paving pattern: Chanticleer, PA

Paving pattern: Lotus Land, CA

Paving pattern: Private residence, NJ (my design)

Paving pattern: Greenwood Gardens, NJ

Paving pattern: Private residence, CA (designer: Nancy Goslee Powers)

Paving pattern: Greenwood Gardens, NJ

Paving pattern: Lotus Land, CA