BEACH CONTEMPORARY GARDEN
海滨现代风

As the garden slopes to the street, the first step was to construct a low retaining wall to create a level surface for both the deck and gravel seating areas.The wall, veneered with cobble cubes also extends around to contain the gravel.

The designer then built a raised IPE wood deck,positioned to maximize the ocean view and to create a lounge seating area for adults. IPE wood has a beautiful naturally dark color, is resistant to termite damage and decay, is strong and durable,and maintenance is minimal.

The wood, gravel and cobble tones are neutral to allow the plant material to take centre stage in this garden. The contemporary feel of the wood creates a contrast against the gravel and cobbles.

The gravel area was designed for the children to gather around the firepit and roast marshmallows on cool evenings. The gravel allows for easy clean up and allows rainwater to percolate down and remain on site.

The natural concrete pathway is centered on the front door dividing the two seating areas. The concrete pads are broken up by 0.1 m wide grass and elfin thyme, allowing for drainage between pads.

Next, the designer designed a trellis that would provide privacy and a windbreak, but feel green and lush. The designer designed the trellis to mirror the existing arbor on the front of the house in shape but the designer used metal rather than wood. As the Pandorea jasminoides ‘Lady Di’vines grow, the family will have privacy from the street as well as glossy green leaves and a profusion of white blooms – a true green ‘wall’.

The plants were selected to suit the coastal southern California climate.The designer chose a subtle color palette of whites, greens, pinks and purples. The Dipladenia splendens ‘My Fair Lady’ in containers against the house are suited to the strong afternoon sun, and flower profusely with white trumpet flowers throughout the year.

The deciduous Clematis ‘Ramona’ vine growing on the house arbor will provide extra protection from the sun in the summer but will allow the sun to warm the house throughout the winter whilst adding an abundance of large lavender blooms from Spring through Autumn.

The delicately weeping branches of the maytens tree also shield the house from the afternoon sun while the Aeonium urbicum provides a stunning visual effect with its ground hugging rosettes. These and the remainder of the plants all enjoy being bathed in sun and can survive periods of drought.

The outcome is a timeless, elegant garden. With natural sustainable materials and water-wise plants the designers created an outdoor space that is full of charm and function.

The rectilinear design of the hardscape is broken up by the gentle graceful arching branches of the weeping Maytens tree, and the delicate flowers of the Salvias, Gauras and Heucheras, interspersed with the rounded shape of the boxwood globes and Pittosporum crassifolium ‘Nana’.

由于本案庭园向街道倾斜，因此设计师首先建造了一道低矮的护墙，形成一个平台，以设置栈板和铺砌着砾石的座位区，而围绕着砾石区而建的护墙表面则饰以鹅卵石块。

其次，设计师打造出一个高于地面的重蚁木栈台，让居住者能最大限度地观赏到海景，同时也作为供成年人休息的休闲座椅区。选用重蚁木这种材质是因为它具有自然的深色调，十分美观，既能防止白蚁侵蚀，又不易腐烂，木质坚固耐用，只需极少的维护。

在色彩纯净的木材、砾石和卵石的映衬下，植物素材便成了庭园的主角，而富有现代感的木材则与砾石、卵石形成了鲜明对比。

砾石区经过精心设计，以便孩子们在凉爽的夜晚围炉而坐，分享烤棉花糖的乐趣。砾石易于清洁，能让雨水过滤后留在土壤里。

一条自然的混凝土小径位于前门中心，座椅区在此处一分为二。混凝土地砖之间被0.1 m宽的草丛和蔓草百里香分隔开来，以便水从这些间隔中排出。

再次，设计师设计了一道花架，既保护了隐私，又可挡风，还能让人感觉到浓浓绿意。花架在形状上呼应了屋子前门原有的藤架，不过这次设计师使用的不是木材，而是金属。当‘帝美人’粉花凌霄（ Pandorea jasminoides ‘Lady Di’）的藤长出来时，形成了一道名副其实的“绿墙”，可阻挡街上行人的目光，保护业主一家的隐私，还带来了绿油油的叶子和许多白色的花。

庭园中的植物均经过精心挑选，以适应南加州海岸的气候。设计师选择了白、绿、粉红和紫这几种颜色进行巧妙的搭配。正对着房子的花盆里种着‘窈窕淑女’艳花飘香藤（ Dipladenia splendens ‘My Fair Lady’），这种植物能适应下午强烈的日晒，全年均能开出大量喇叭状的白花。

落叶植物‘雷蒙娜’铁线莲（ Clematis ‘Ramona’）的藤爬在屋子的藤架上，炎炎夏日，这里可成为遮挡阳光的一道额外的屏障；凛凛寒冬，藤架又可让阳光照进屋里，为居住其中的人带来暖意；春去秋来，这里繁花点点，一片淡紫。

美登木优雅地垂下枝条，为屋子阻挡下午的日晒，而丛丛大叶莲花掌（ Aeonium urbicum ）则贴地而生，看上去十分壮观。以上提到的和未提到的植物都是喜阳植物，在一定时间内能耐干旱。

设计师利用自然环保材料和节水型植物，创造出一个充满魅力而不失功能实效的户外空间，最后，一个具有优雅、永恒之美的庭园就此诞生。

美登木那优雅柔美的曲枝和波纹鼠尾草、山桃草以及矾根属植物那娇嫩的花朵共同打破了硬景观直线型设计带来的刚硬感，而点缀其间的圆形的黄杨树球和‘娜娜’厚叶海桐（ Pittosporum crassifolium ‘Nana’）也是对直线型设计的一种补充。