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Contain Yourself

September 27, 2017 by Stephanie Maxwell Newton

Jennifer Gibson at The Good Earth Garden Center provides all you need to know about planting mixed containers meant for Arkansas autumns

For transitional seasons with hard-to-predict weather patterns, container planting offers the appeal of low-maintenance landscaping. “I think people tend to be a little intimidated by doing containers, but it’s a matter of simple balance and contrast,” Jennifer Gibson of Little Rock’s The Good Earth Garden Center says. “The key is to bring contrasting foliage colors and textures together to maximize visual interest.”

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1 Backyard, 5 Outdoor Rooms

July 18, 2017 by Norma Edwards

Defined areas for enjoying nature dot this Little Rock backyard—making it the perfect spot to unwind almost year-round

It’s often said that word of mouth is the best advertisement one can receive. In this West Little Rock neighborhood, perhaps the term should be altered to sight of garden. “There’s a group of sweet friends who all live in this mountaintop neighborhood. I worked with the homeowners across the street and the ones next door, and they led me to help this couple,” landscape designer Chris H. Olsen of Botanica Gardens says.

When the homeowners contacted Olsen they were looking to update their front and back lawns to make them more current and practical for everyday use. The backyard had an existing deck but it was in need of repair and stopped short of taking full advantage of the view of Chenal Mountain as well as creating a space for year-round enjoyment.

In talking with the couple, Olsen learned they were social people who enjoyed entertaining and gathering, and he felt they could benefit from an outdoor area that gave them multiple opportunities to do so. He planned out five defined spaces: a covered porch off the home’s back entrance, a dining area, a sitting area, a covered nook, and an open pavilion on the exterior side of the double-sided fireplace.

To soften the new hardscaping, Olsen added an abundance of filled-to-the-brim containers. “My philosophy on containers is to shove it and cram it full,” laughs Olsen of his more is more approach to garden color. “I want it to look like a living floral arrangement,” he adds. Olsen also wanted the pots to be low-maintenance. He chose heat-tolerant, sun-loving plants along with several evergreen selections for a durable mix that would last from late spring all the way through fall with a few updates. They also installed a drip irrigation system that is woven through the decking into the containers, making the plants easy to water.

“If you create a destination, you’re going to use your backyard more,” Olsen says. “Before there was a lot of dead space, but now there are zones they can enjoy every day.”

Design Resources
Contractor Botanica Gardens
Landscape and fireplace design Chris H. Olsen, Botanica Gardens
Accessories—containers, fountain, lighting, millwork, and plants Botanica Gardens

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Backyard Bliss

June 19, 2017 by Norma Edwards

Exterior designer Daniel Keeley creates a backyard retreat for a Fort Smith family that is equipped for any summertime occasion, from pool parties to weeknight barbecues

“I have known this family for several years and worked on other major projects at different residences,” Daniel Keeley of DK Design says of the friendship and history with his Fort Smith clients. After moving to this home, the owners had a desire to breathe new life into its exterior spaces. Read on to see how he, along with the home’s interior designer Chris Goddard of Goddard Design Group, created a backyard setting that’s perfect for a crowd or a quiet night at home.

Good Bones
Sitting on over two acres, the expansive greenspace was a perfect starting point for Keeley’s outdoor design. “The hardscaping was there, so the yard had great bones,” he says. Existing features, such as the double-sided outdoor fireplace, pool area, stone terraces, and brick work, ushered in an outdoor design primed for entertaining. A stone feature wall—one of the few newly added elements—accented with greenery and flowering bushes adds grandeur to the front elevation.

Mix and Match
When choosing outdoor furnishings, Keeley notes his fondness for an eclectic mix of textures and surfaces. “I didn’t want this to be too matchy,” he says. Throughout the different areas, Keeley blended hand-forged iron elements with classic wicker furniture. Metal chairs around a stone table create a dining space for eight, while groupings of wicker chairs surround glass-topped, iron tables to create intimate spaces for relaxation. A mix of patio flooring options, from stone to red brick pavers, adds to the design.

English Elements
“The homeowner loves English design,” Keeley says. These touches are easily seen throughout the landscape with numerous topiaries, evergreen plantings and hedges, urns filled with colorful blooms, and classic garden ornaments. Keeley notes the same appreciation of English architecture is found in the home’s interior style.

Inside-Out
“What the homeowners asked of Chris Goddard and me was to help update the home to its fullest potential, while tailoring the living spaces, indoors and out, to complement the family’s needs and style,” Keeley says. By creating separate zones for conversation, dining, grilling, and sunning, Keeley made cozy room-like spaces, each with a specific function. Taking cues from the interior floor plan, the outdoor rooms are positioned accordingly. For example, double doors from the home’s interior living room open up to the outdoor dining area. “We centered this grouping right off the living room doors in order for traffic to flow outside seamlessly.” The outdoor furnishings, upholstery pieces, and accessories also tie the outdoor spaces to the inside décor and overall style. “Chris and I picked out the seafoam accent color on the outdoor dining upholstery directly from the interior wall color,” Keeley says of the cohesive design and color palette. Through new landscaping and furnishings that add style and function, Keeley restored this outdoor retreat’s charm.

Design Resources
Contractor Tony Kimes Construction, Inc
Exterior design Daniel Keeley, DK Design
Interior design Chris Goddard, Goddard Design Group
Lighting, outdoor furniture, and plantings DK Design

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Above It All

May 19, 2017 by Norma Edwards

The design of this classic yet cosmopolitan Little Rock rooftop garden proves to be as inviting as its view of the city

Rooftop venues have long been popular in cities such as Charleston and New York—places where space is often at a premium and must be maximized. However, while necessity may be touted as the mother of invention, it need not be present for one to enjoy the fruits of its labor. Space in Arkansas’ capital city runs rampant in comparison; however, the view is one that, in opinion, may only be fully appreciated from a perch. The owners of this Little Rock condo recognized this and decided to cultivate an exterior space that would allow them to enjoy the skyline, as well as each other’s company. With the help of three local experts, here’s how they created a rooftop oasis in the heart of downtown.

The Groundwork
While the pool was already in place, many of the space’s hardscape areas were in need of renovation. The homeowners called on outdoor living expert David Munsey III of Better Lawns & Gardens to update the pool’s coping and mastermind an intricate installation of pavers and artificial turf. “She wanted a checkerboard-like pattern with pavers and grass,” Munsey says of the homeowner’s vision. “It was a challenge to make this aesthetically pleasing and also functional. Our design now has the entire floor on a custom drain that keeps everything intact and prevents water from accumulating,” he notes. “Water is a big concern when you’re designing a rooftop space and you need to make sure you can control it. We have the resources to do that and put those to use here.”

In regard to the pool, the directive was to refresh the top surround to give it a sleek and clean look. The same Atlas Concord pavers used for the floor were employed along the sides of the pool for a streamlined feel. Tiles were cut at a radius along the entry steps to add flair. The repetition of this one material, along with the existing charcoal herringbone pattern seen on the base, allows the surroundings to become the focus. “It’s so important to consider the view when you’re working on a rooftop project. You really want to step back and see how everything looks in the environment,” Munsey adds.

The Furnishings
Designer Tobi Fairley, who worked with the family on their home’s interiors, helped to make selections for the outdoor kitchen and furnishings. The kitchen features a grill, refrigerator and bar area, along with a workspace for prepping cocktails or dinner. “The furniture for the exterior is an extension of their chic and sophisticated style,” Fairley says. “The homeowner and I were both fans of the always classic Chinese Chippendale fretwork pattern on the seating, and the black-and-white-striped fabric is the perfect combination of bold and timeless; plus, it is a continuation of a striped floor pattern in the entry of the home. I always love bringing the indoors out so that the exterior space feels much like a real room inside the home,” she says.

The Plantings
Chris Olsen of Botanica Gardens designed a variety of plantings to complement each of the aforementioned elements. Trellises, which were inspired by the fretwork on the furnishings, line the wall space, adding both dimension and texture. Both the iron trellises, which were made by Accent Iron in Benton, and the actual containers had to be able to travel via elevator to the rooftop—a consideration that both Olsen and Munsey had to take into account for all parts of the project. Thus, they were designed and built to travel to the penthouse and be assembled onsite.

Heat and wind were top considerations for Olsen as he selected plantings. White Confederate jasmine, an evergreen with a sweet scent, climbs the trellises and will continue to offer color and cover the expanse of the structure in years to come. Wintergreen boxwoods and dwarf mondo grass fill the planters for what Olsen describes as a “clean and elegant” approach. At the pool’s edge, charcoal black planters hold succulents and blue scaevola, heat-tolerant options that will not drop into the pool. “There are really endless options to what we can do with these,” Olsen says of the containers. The same may also be said for the number of ways in which one can enjoy this refreshing oasis.

Design Resources
Contractor Baldwin & Shell Construction Company
Appliances and tile pavers Antique Brick Outdoors
Furnishings Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Hardscaping and pool resurfacing Better Lawns & Gardens
Plantings Botanica Gardens
Trellises Accent Iron, Inc.

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Opening Statements

April 17, 2017 by Norma Edwards

Inspired by the season, three local floral designers share their ideas for front entry style

Bright & Sophisticated

David Kirkpatrick, owner of Cabbage Rose, and floral designer Felecia Pleis played off of this home’s blooming spring garden when filling the wrought iron baskets on the doors. “We wanted to keep it natural, and we really felt that this home’s entry doors lend themselves to this look,” Pleis says.

The baskets, which mirror one another, are filled with parrot tulips, field tulips, English ivy, forsythia, dianthus, hanging amaranthus, ‘Monte Casino’ aster, and tweedia. Classic terracotta planters filled with seasonal plantings line the entrance and complement the door displays. Pleis notes that while this arrangement uses fresh flowers—perfect for an event or party—Cabbage Rose could also create the look with silks for a longer life.

Cabbage Rose Florist, Little Rock, (501) 664-4042, cabbageroseflorist.com

Soft & Enchanting

His own front porch was the starting point for About Vase owner Dale Wallace’s take on welcoming warmer weather. He wanted to play to the character of the French revival home where he and his husband Jim Gunnell live, while also reflecting their style preferences. “Jim likes color but I tend to gravitate toward neutrals,” Wallace says. “When decorating, I try to infuse both to show our personalities.”

Having been in the floral design business for 23 years, Wallace admits that he loves having fresh flowers at home, especially on the porch where the pair spends most evenings when weather permits. He foraged their yard for branches, berries, ferns, and other greenery, and then added roses and hydrangeas from his shop to soften the arrangements in the urns. He notes that changing out these garden-picked items—along with providing fresh water—can be a way to maintain the creations and increase their longevity. The wreath, which features more fresh-cut hydrangeas and roses, follows the lead of the containers, while moss topiaries and spheres complete the look.

About Vase, Little Rock, (501) 603-9200, aboutvaselittlerock.com

Bold & Lively

Northwest Arkansas’ PIGMINT floral design company is known for using large doses of color. Their sister shop, Garden Living Supply Co., which offers outdoor supplies and nursery items follows suit with out-of-the-box plantings. To accent the charming porch of this historic Fayetteville home, owner Chelsea Hermez and Garden Living manager Jeffrey Waggoner brought an array of vivid plantings. “This house has a lot of pastel features and a beautiful jade green floor, so we played that up. We also thought about the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday and incorporated a number of pink and purple blooms as a nod to moms,” Hermez says.

The hanging grapevine wreath, a locally made choice, is filled with a few of PIGMINT’s signature cut flowers, including ‘Coral Charm’ peonies, parrot tulips, double tulips, and ‘Free Spirit’ and ‘Pink Floyd’ roses along with a variety of foliage.
Wisteria vines anchor the large teal planters on either side of the door. The team opted for these over traditional evergreens to add visual interest. ‘Angel wing’ begonias, verbena, ‘Mona Lavender,’ bougainvillea, and artichokes—which Waggoner notes “have beautiful foliage” add to the vibrant creation. Several cut flowers were also placed in water picks to give additional blooms and color—an idea that can spruce up any planted container for an event.

Garden Living Supply Co., Fayetteville, (479) 435-6999, shopgardenliving.com; PIGMINT, Fayetteville, (479) 444-0404, shoppigmint.com

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Front Porch Blooms

March 17, 2017 by Norma Edwards

A seasonal planting welcomes guests

Container plantings, with their versatility and mobility, are a favorite among both gardening beginners and green-thumbed aficionados. As Arkansans can attest, fickle weather patterns can pose challenges when choosing blooms for the official arrival of spring. Here, Allison Griffin of Westwood Gardens shares a grouping ready to withstand today’s temperatures and beyond.

“We chose a Crescent Garden™ planter for our mixed container,” Griffin notes. “They are lighter than concrete, won’t crack or break like other plastics and concrete, and come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes.” Griffin used bridal wreath spirea, ‘Orange Storm’ quince, ‘Fire Alarm’ heuchera, ‘HGC Merlin’ helleborus, ‘Matrix Lemon’ pansies, cyclamen, ivy, and ferns to create the planted container. “Most of the plants featured here are cool season plants. They can be planted immediately and, as spring progresses, will tolerate any sudden outside temperature dips, which isn’t abnormal for our state,” she adds.

Westwood Gardens, West Fayetteville, (479) 442-3500, East Fayetteville, (479) 571-1500, Rogers, (479) 633-0200, Springdale, (479) 872-9200, westwoodgardens.com

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An Enchanting Orchid

December 19, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Add natural color to your home with a low-maintenance Phalaenopsis orchid

For many people, orchids can be equal parts intriguing and intimidating. If you’re looking to nurture your first orchid bloom, try a Phalaenopsis. Known for their brilliant array of colors, these are one of the easiest varieties to grow—in part because they tend to thrive in the same temperatures that humans enjoy, preferring a range of high 60s and 70s.

Adding to their ease of care, they require little light. They can be placed in almost any room of your home as long as they don’t receive direct sunlight exposure. When it comes to watering, less is more. They require an adequate drainage system that allows all water to completely draw off of them. Allowing them to sit in water will lead to root rot. Most Phalaenopsis orchids, such as the one shown here, come pre-potted in vessels that allow for drainage. Additionally, using a balanced fertilizer, which can be found at your neighborhood garden center, can be beneficial for continued growth and overall health. Follow these simple tips and you’ll likely enjoy continuous blooms throughout the winter season.

Potted Phalaenopsis orchid available at Tipton & Hurst. Tipton & Hurst, locations throughout central Arkansas, (501) 666-3333, tiptonhurst.com

Christmas With a Twist

November 22, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Chris H. Olsen mixes a traditional color scheme with unexpected elements to create delightful holiday décor

“When it comes to Christmas décor, my philosophy is dare to be different,” Chris H. Olsen says. As a well-known home and garden guru, he puts this principle to practice in his Little Rock shop, Botanica Gardens.

For this particular setup, Olsen mixed a few of his holiday favorites with down-to-earth, organic pieces, including volcanic rock topiaries (seen on the mantel), suspended decorative rope balls, and fluffy white cotton, which Olsen says reminds him of snow. “The sleigh is kind of the star of the show,” he notes. “I love that this is a piece that can be used indoors or outdoors.” He suggests adding decorative pillows (as shown here) or using it to display poinsettias.

Olsen brings in live plants through the addition of two potted ‘Red Beauty’ holly bushes that help to continue the red-and-green scheme. The bases of these plants are covered with plastic ornaments for added holiday flair. Additionally, a pair of ‘Emerald Green’ arborvitae, potted in square containers, gives the effect of natural, fresh-cut Christmas trees.

Botanica Gardens, Little Rock, (501) 614-3000, botanicagardens.com

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A Place to Plant

September 26, 2016 by Norma Edwards

A Little Rock homeowner uses warm tones and cozy details in her renovated potting room

They say when it’s love, you just know. When Leslie Pender was a little girl, she visited her grandmother in the Little Rock Heights neighborhood and a house down the street caught her eye. At that moment, she knew. She would go back to her hometown of Fort Smith telling her mother all about that house. Years later, when Pender and her husband were living in Little Rock, she saw the homeowners putting a “For Sale” sign in the yard, and she fought with all her might until her dream home became a reality.

Pottering Around
You might call it luck, or fate, that the home contained a potting room, connected to the main house by a breezeway. Pender, a life-long gardener, set to work updating the room and making it her own. She preserved the original concrete floors and old-fashioned grow lights, but added a second window to allow for more natural light. “I immediately knew I wanted pine countertops and warm green cabinets,” Pender says. To achieve a lived in, cottage feel, she hired a painter to distress and age the cabinets with stain. The fabric accents were an antique find that Pender fell in love with and wanted to incorporate.

A Handsome Spot
The resulting space has a cozy, earthy feel. Pender moved her collection of clay pots into the room which she uses to plant seasonal flowers, as well as house her tropical plants during colder months—all under the watchful eye of her rescue cat, Handsome, who is the potting room’s permanent inhabitant.

French Connections

August 18, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Order, symmetry and classic touches add formal flair to a Little Rock garden

Overlooking the Arkansas River in Little Rock stands a quintessentially French maison, complete with a copper Mansard roof, climbing ivy and trademark formal gardens. The French Revival-style home was the first of its kind in Cammack Village, and the adjoining gardens designed by renowned Arkansas landscape architect Neil Hamill Park are acquisitions of the Smithsonian Institute’s Archive of American Gardens. When the current homeowners moved in, they began restoring the gardens to their former glory with the help of Scott Connerly at Landscape Architects.

Jardin à la Française
The philosophy behind formal French gardens encourages symmetry and clean lines—the imposition of order on nature. The result feels both traditional and modern, with symmetrical allées, or walkways, juxtaposed against bloom-filled parterres. The lead sculptures that dot the property are original to the home, and the homeowners took great care to restore and retain them during the renovation.

Local Flavor
Though the overall style of the gardens has heavy European influences, the homeowners wanted to include a nod to Arkansas by finishing the parterres with plants that had a more regional feel. Jordan Parker of The Good Earth Garden Center customized the gardens with annuals that thrive in the Arkansas heat, including white and yellow lantana, purple scaevola and Angelonia. Though it isn’t native to Arkansas, oak leaf hydrangea was used for its close resemblance to local varieties. “They’re very natural and local-looking,” Parker says, “and they can be used in a more formal design to tie it all together.”

Pretty Parterres
In keeping with the French style of the home, the remodeled gardens are separated into seven different parterres, including an apple orchard, an intimate gated courtyard with a geometric cobblestone walkway, and a formal oval garden filled with seasonal blooms. Lead sculptures backed by ivy-covered treillage are placed throughout the gardens to mark the intersections of the allées. Those fortunate enough to stay in the guest suite get a spectacular view of the third parterre allée, looking down toward the small wading pool which is appointed with lead swan fountains. At the edge of the property, a steel-framed pavilion with a Mansard roof overlooks the classic oval pool.

Design Resources
Contractor Chris Roystuart, Roystuart Brown, Little Rock, (501) 580-6262, roystuartbrown.com
Architect Rodney Parham, Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects, Little Rock, (501) 378-0878, polkstanleywilcox.com
Landscaping Jordan Parker, The Good Earth Garden Center, Little Rock, (501) 868-4666, thegoodearthgarden.com; Scott Connerly, Landscape Associates, North Little Rock, (501) 758-8711, landscapeassociatesar.com
Ironwork Mike Sedder, Sedder Iron Works, Paron, (501) 821-4068
Pools Brooks Pools, Little Rock, (501) 771-1501, brookspools.com

Contain Yourself

1 Backyard, 5 Outdoor Rooms

Backyard Bliss

Above It All

Opening Statements

Front Porch Blooms

An Enchanting Orchid

Christmas With a Twist

A Place to Plant

French Connections

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At Home in Arkansas