A Design Garden

Overview
In 2006 Betsy Schulz and Wendy Austin created an Arts-and-Crafts inspired landscape to complement the Holcomb residence, with design solutions that were both creative and practical. Their kids’ paradise included an interactive multimedia retaining wall to greet large and small visitors, sidewalks that double as skateboard paths, a five-foot climbing wall that also retains the soil and supports a patio, and dry river beds with rock paths for exploring the dense plantings. One river bed leads to a secret sandbox under the Craftsman-inspired tree house. Also included were two small storage units for toys, four child-sized garden beds, and grassy areas for baseball, football, tag and picnicking. Completing the design are trellises for wisteria and passion vine, a patio with two fountains, an outdoor shower clad with original Arts-and-Crafts tiles, a basketball hoop, a large driveway seeded with pebbles, and a creative privacy fence and gates to frame the house and garden.

Specifics