A park of one’s own
From a bare lot to a forest
Beverly Hills ― More than 200 trees turned this formerly barren lot into a woodland. “The transformation from bare lot to verdant forest is amazing,” one juror remarked. “That’s why we love plants.”
The goal for designers Mia Lehrer, Esther Margulies, and Sara Fairchild was to screen the neighborhood from the large contemporary home. In the process, they created the illusion that the house had been built in a park.
An irregular stone path meanders through the grounds, connecting the various gardens: a square thicket containing nine crape myrtles in rows of three; a circular fountain surrounded by tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Arnold’); and an amphitheater with a firepit. Bands of blue fescue ornamental grass interspersed with sections of lawn are among the most striking elements. This garden is all about fabulous textures, one juror noted.
