Garden Of The Year 2015
The inspiration for the design of the house is the “Prairie Houses” designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Characteristic features include flat roofs reminiscent of hills and horizontal lines peculiar to the prairie landscape. The house is built on a slight elevation with a lower edge of clayey brick to create a “natural” transition between soil and rising building. Due to site constraints, an undercroft containing the garage, among other things, was chosen, making an exit ramp necessary.
Before the design of the house by architect Rob Klein Goldewijk was completed, landscaper Harry Esselink was asked to create a matching garden design. This early collaboration resulted in the whole thing being submitted to Welstand for review. When the house was built, the garden walls, etc. were included immediately.
Since the properties number 9 and 10 are quite close to each other, a “green buffer” has been chosen behind the driveway that hides part of the pool building (and the heat pumps present with sound barrier) from view. Overhanging greenery can be found in many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs. The color scheme of the “hard materials” in the garden and that of the house are completely coordinated.
Prairie houses are usually on a gently sloping hillside with grass and no plantings against the house itself. This is reflected in the front yard. In doing so, the three hedges reinforce the characteristic horizontal lines. Frank Lloyd Wright more or less “hid” the entrance to his homes to achieve a surprise effect. This was not chosen for this property. Harry Esselink still managed this effect by situating the hedges relative to the stairs in the path to the front door.
The backyard is the fusion of the living areas with garden doors, terraces and lines. Indoor-outdoor living is fully experienced here. The multi-stemmed Prunus provides the desired privacy in summer. The beech hedge makes the garden wall less dominant. The flower beds of purple and white attract people and butterflies. The cloudscapes and sunset reflect in the pond. This is located in line with the lounge area. This design fulfilled the brief: a sunny patio with a good balance of outdoor living and greenery.
The garden lighting is subtle and complements the lighting architecture of the residence well. The trees in the front yard and along the garden wall in the backyard create a “moody” setting at night.
