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Private Gardens

Red garden cabana. — Inspired by her client’s affection for peafowl, Phyllis was motivated to include a stately boxwood Peacock Topiary and an open-framed arched wooden gate at the entrance to a wild planted allée, tamed by evergreen topiary shapes that draw the eye to the landscape beyond. The topiary’s tail will be planted with potted seasonal flowers. It is pictured in a winter display of elegant evergreen boughs and pine cones.

Garden hardscaping by structure. — Inspired by her client’s affection for peafowl, Phyllis was motivated to include a stately boxwood Peacock Topiary and an open-framed arched wooden gate at the entrance to a wild planted allée, tamed by evergreen topiary shapes that draw the eye to the landscape beyond. The topiary’s tail will be planted with potted seasonal flowers. It is pictured in a winter display of elegant evergreen boughs and pine cones.

Private residence landscape plan - Concept A. — Concept A Landscape Plan

Private residence landscape plan - Concept B. — Concept B Landscape Plan.

The landscape design drawing reflects the visual representation of the overall plan for the site. The architecture, pathways, and garden style nearest the home, pool, and poolhouse are formal and complement the home’s architectural style. The plantings further away are less formal.

Formal gardens are generally laid out in straight lines and symmetrical arrangements of plants on either side of a central axis that guides you to a decorative focal point. Pathways, hedging, and topiaries establish the bones of the garden. The filler plants add color and fragrance. Phyllis’ chosen filler plants are a diverse selection of noninvasive plants and native trees, shrubs, perennials, proving that well chosen native plants can complement a formal design and benefit local ecology.

Spring azure (Celastrina ladon) with background removed.

The Spring Azure Butterfly (Celastrina ladon) uses maple-leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) as a host plant, the leaves of which make up the background of this section.

Before and After

Wells Garden

Well garden landscaping before treatment. — **Before**

Wells garden before landscaping treatment. — **Before**

Silver-spotted skipper with background removed.

The Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) uses black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) as a host plant; the leaves of which make up the background of this section.

Landscape Plans

National Aviary

In 2011, Landscape Design Studio was contracted to develop a concept plan to enhance the visitor’s experience and the habitat of the Andean Condors at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA. The proposed plan for Condor Court included many of LDS’s design concepts. However, due to a change in funding, not all of the proposed features were implemented.

Landscape Plan - Option B of National Aviary.

Question mark butterfly (Polygonia integerratonis) with background removed.

Eastern comma butterfly (Polygonia comma) with background removed.

The question mark (Polygonia interrogatonis)-right, and the eastern comma (Polygonia comma)-left, butterflies both use the American elm (Ulmus americana) as a host plant; which is the background of this section.

Acid Mine Reclamation at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

Red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) with background removed.

The red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) feeds on the wild black cherry (Prunus serotina), which is the background of this section.