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Photo by : Jason Dewey .
At the intersection of rustic and chic , The North Face and Christian Dior , lies Aspen , Colorado . Originally a working urban center of silver miners , it has become a harbor for well - heeled snow - skiing devotees and fame from Clint Eastwood to Lance Armstrong looking for a paparazzi break . Surrounded on three side by mountains , it is nest neatly in the wild , and the natural beauty is one of the big draw .
Paradoxically , the exodus to the hills has put serious stresses on the very nature that spark it . That ’s what happen in a town only 3.5 miles square - at some full stop there ’s really nowhere else to go , or to work up . The challenge is to balance the demand of an active citizenry with the protection of the landscape .
That was the office face Valerie Alexander Yaw , principal with Aspen - based landscape painting architecture firm Bluegreen , when she began a project on the easterly boundary of town , in an area along the Roaring Fork River called Stillwater . situate near the North Star Nature Preserve ( an area of tremendous biological diversity consort with the Nature Conservancy ) , the neighborhood , which has big lots and unconscionable topography , has more in common with the preserves than the town proper , including stand of trees 100 of years onetime . Alexander Yaw call the area a " minuscule treasure in the vale . " Of picky concern at the Stillwater positioning was a dependency of Ponderosa true pine some 100 year one-time , reasonably strange for the neighborhood , especially for their revered eld and size of it .
On Alexander Yaw ’s green to - do tilt , " site preservation arrive first , " and for this project , it was fortuitous that she was able-bodied to work intimately with the designer ( Bill Poss of Poss Architecture + Planning ) and the contractor from the outset . And by well-chosen coincidence , the client very much had green in mind . As Jason Jones , consulting arborist with Aspen Tree Service , remembers it , " The homeowner suppose , ' Let ’s do this right field , ' which hardly ever happen . " Despite get one of the most progressive tree diagram - saving code in the land , even Aspen can fall short when it come to protecting large , fragile tree diagram if faced with homeowners who are n’t tender . As Jones explains , all it takes to lose an awe - inspiring stately specimen is one radical - discerp deep for irrigation or a walk . In this case , the guest was even willing to make excogitation modification and reduce square footage in the interest of preserve the timber .
While protecting the natural milieu is paramount , the constructed part of a project present endless possibilities for Bluegreen to be green . According to Alexander Yaw , come on an integrated house - and - garden project like Stillwater from a sustainability perspective means thinking about every layer in the figure mental process , justly down to the midget detail , " from vision through implementation , including project goal , materials specifications , construction method , and even criminal maintenance and user manual of arms . " This scat the gamut from siting trees to serve with heating and cooling the house , to channeling overflow , to irrigation rain sensors , to the concrete mix used in the foundation . Some of it " is n’t very aphrodisiacal , " as Alexander Yaw couch it , but the behind - the - picture eco - sound elements can have a big shock on the total picture and present some interesting design opportunities .
For example , after construction , fresh building material are unremarkably haul aside to the dump , but at Stillwater , the leftover stone veneer from the house was reprocess into a seam for the man - made stream that runs under a walkway between the main house and guesthouse . subsist granite Boulder were integrated into the terrace , not only reducing the energy needed to take them , but also cast anchor the house and garden in the landscape . And for Bluegreen , esthetic retainer are always on a parallel course with sustainability - the stones in the stream and the boulders are beautiful as well as smart .
body of water is a central part in the garden , and Bluegreen has thought of everything here as well . Runoff from rainfall and snowmelt is channeled into a stream that empty into a modest syndicate at the boundary of the four flush overlooking a large natural pool and wetland , visually connecting the built landscape with the natural one . The body of water also cool down the mansion in the summertime and provides an irrigation resource . The plantings admit many indigen , such as aspen and amelanchier , and revegetation was an important part of Emily Price Post - mental synthesis . The limited plant palette at 9,000 - foot elevation also meant Bluegreen could be " playful with the plant material , " order Alexander Yaw , and nonnatives are part of the mix , though the selection was carefully tailored to microclimates around the business firm ( which minimizes upkeep ) .
But living in Aspen is also about reveling in your surroundings . At Stillwater , the house and garden were sited for maximum viewing pleasure ( from window , sit areas , apertures in garden walls ) and a serial of three outdoor terraces adjoin the home situation , sustenance way and kitchen . From the first terrace with its stainless - sword reflecting puddle , a walkway leads past beds of perennials - Artemisia , Bergenia , Heuchera - to a patio for dining and reposeful , complete with a copper fire pit and an outdoor kitchen blot out within an architectural column .
The third terrace introduce a bit of landscape art and whimsy with a grouping of unsullied - brand poles meant to be an abstractedness of the woods beyond . They ’re also a handy space to hang your robe when pamper in the nearby spa , and some Pole are equip as outdoor lighting . The " jerkwater poles , " as Alexander Yaw and her squad call them , were created by Bluegreen , proving that the landscape painting computer architecture firm really can handle every view of a project , from the hard-nosed to the sublime . As Alexander Yaw put it , " We consider ourselves artist . "
To convey the component of water supply onto the website ( the ocean being one of the obvious reason people move to the Hamptons , though this holding is n’t ocean adjacent ) , Groft designed a little consortium of aquatic plants just off the terrace outside the living elbow room . sit just so , the late - good afternoon sun reflects off the water , casting a warm glow into the house . A swim pool beyond , behind the garage ( which doubles as a pool star sign ) , has a lap - pool field as well as a shallow wading pool for little ones . Groft designed the pool to fit well into the landscape painting , surrounding it with lush plantings that are reflect characterisation - perfect in the water , at least when the grandchildren are n’t slush about . With the sea only 600 ft away beyond the hedging and within easy earreach , sitting in a deck chair by the pool , the householder can feel like she ’s at the beach , enjoying the life of a Hamptonite , but with a natural twist .
No Detail Too Small
Often one of a situation ’s greatest assets is what is already there . This is peculiarly on-key if a location is near a rude area or bear on . Be mindful of the nearby landscape , not only for its beauty but also as a vulnerable habitat for native works and wildlife . Call in an expert to measure the internet site and tender advice for protecting it . And do n’t draw a blank to preserve beautiful view when locate trees and outdoor - living area .
mix : Ideally a sign and garden should harmonize in form and function . Close coordination can also have a cumulative burden on sustainability . No detail is really too pocket-size - from light-emitting diode lighting , to irrigation rain sensors , to the type of concrete used , to reprocess fabric . The best and greenest results happen when guest , designer , landscape painting designer and declarer are on the same Thomas Nelson Page .
Protect : Construction is a critical meter , and the best - laid plans can quickly go awry , sometimes irreparably . In a few minutes , a trenching machine can destroy the root system of a tree that has withstood one C of years of weather vagaries , human interposition and instinctive disasters . Equipment parked on - site can ruin soil structure . Be open-eyed with anyone and anything participating in the edifice of your home and garden .
Get crown fordesigning a garden in the stack .
