Peachy the Magazine May June 2015 | Page 38

Elegant Simplicity The goal was to create a home that fit within the Montgomery County, MD, neighborhood context, offering a more open lawn with trees in the front yard, but also providing privacy from adjoining neighbors and featuring a contemporary minimalist garden. Simple yet stylish, minimalist gardens take their cue from de-cluttered houses, offering a thoughtfully designed space that works for today’s busy lifestyles. Minimalist gardens feature a bold but simple design that is usually lowmaintenance. Minimalism in the garden starts with boundaries. Limiting the number of hardscaping materials and 36 PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE.COM maintaining a limited plant palette is essential to achieve a modern, clean look. In Garrett Park, Bleam and Williams truly had a blank slate with which to work, as the previous residence had burned to the ground. Bleam used plant material in a manner that creates planes, garden rooms and overlapping outdoor spaces. The entry threshold is defined by a double row of redbuds flanking bluestone steppers. To reinforce the publicto-private transition, layers of ground cover were used at the front of the lot. The walkway leads to the front terrace and entry where the steps, made of stacked pavers, echo the stepping stones.