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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

Room to Roam

July 19, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Exterior designer Daniel Keeley proves that outdoor spaces can add valuable square footage

With stately, Southern homes, designers walk a fine line between improving on the original and muddling something that was already beautiful. But when Daniel Keeley of DK Design received a call that his clients were breaking ground on a remodel of this favorite Fayetteville estate, he didn’t hesitate to jump at the challenge, working alongside Alan Madewell Architects of Tulsa and Tim Janacek of Janacek Remodeling.

The remodel allowed for a series of outdoor rooms around the property—the main terrace with an outdoor hearth and cozy seating area is a welcoming spot on cooler nights, while the fountain courtyard is a perfect reading nook. A dining area and fire pit around the pool terrace offer seating and lounging space for summer entertaining. Keeley used hedges and lush plant life to separate the rooms from one another and create a sense of intimacy, while luxurious furniture pieces in a monochromatic palette give the outdoor rooms a cohesive feel. “The homeowners’ commitment to quality and their ability to trust us and invest in the quality of the project is what makes this so great,” Keeley says.

Lush Landscaping
In keeping with the classic Southern style of this stately home, Keeley utilized hydrangeas throughout, including Endless Summer, Limelight, and Oakleaf varieties. Tall planters were given shape and structure with Kimberly Queen ferns, while purple Scaevola—Keeley’s favorite annual—adds a bright pop of color to the otherwise muted palette. Neatly trimmed boxwood and holly hedges juxtapose the lushness of the hydrangeas and ferns.

Double the Appeal
The front lawn is divided into upper and lower halves. Keeley surrounded the upper lawn with hedges and lush plantings to create an intimate arrival area and extension of the front porch.

Carport Conversion
Because a garage was on the list of additions in the remodel, an old carport off the dining room was no longer needed. Keeley repurposed the space as an intimate courtyard with comfortable seating and a water feature. The result was so beautiful, the homeowners added French doors from the dining room to access it more easily.

Hearth of the Home
Keeley teamed up with a local artisan to design a concrete console table that has the appearance of draped cloth, while chevron upholstered chairs and a white iron sofa create a space that feels as comfortable and chic as any indoor room. “I always tell people that outdoor furniture can and should be just as sophisticated as indoor furniture,” he says.

DK Design Outdoor, Fayetteville, dkdesignoutdoor.com

A Gracious Planting

June 21, 2016 by Norma Edwards

In Mayflower, an avid gardener creates an elegant setting for his hillside home

Alan Robinson isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. In fact, he invites the opportunity. As the owner of this stunning Mayflower home, he has planned and planted a garden that continues to evolve and thrive year after year. “I started in the spring of 2011, and it has kind of developed as I’ve gone along. I had the yard sodded but ended up removing sod in the places where I wanted to put in beds. There was no master design per se; Everything just kind of came to me as we went,” Robinson says….

Four Tips to Creating a Backyard Haven

May 19, 2016 by Norma Edwards

The Grey Barn’s John Hendricks shares tips to make your backyard a retreat from the everyday routine

1/ Design an Extension of Your Home
“These homeowners entertain frequently, so they needed additional space and wanted to extend the house into the wooded area,” Hendricks says. A flagstone walkway with multiple spaces for use, including the firepit and spa areas, is an inviting and natural way to accomplish this in any backyard.

2/ Make It User-Friendly
Consider your needs before you design or install. Since this couple often hosts guests, having a bench in the firepit area was key for seating a crowd. They also wanted a place to relax at the end of the day; a roomy spa satisfied this desire. Thinking about how you will use the space before starting work will help to ensure you get the most out of it in the long run.

3/ Work with Your Surroundings
Hendricks notes that numerous boulders and rocks were found on the property. “About half of the retaining wall was created with pieces from on-site,” he says. Incorporating these with other native stones and the terrace’s flagstone material create a look that is in line with the environment and matches its aesthetic.

4/ Keep It Low-Maintenance
“The landscaping on the property is very low-maintenance. We kept it loose so they wouldn’t have to prune frequently,” Hendricks notes. Plantings such as knockout roses, a Japanese maple, an Oklahoma redbud tree, day lilies, and hostas all work together for a beautiful setting that doesn’t require a lot of upkeep.

Design Resources
Landscape and hardscape design and installation The Grey Barn, Fayetteville, (479) 521-8162, thegreybarn.com
Spa Luther Stem Pools & Spas, Fort Smith, (479) 646-7772, lutherstem.com

Lasting Beauties

April 26, 2016 by Norma Edwards

A grouping of colorful, fragrant plantings is a Mother’s Day gift that will continue to give for seasons to come

It’s hard not to love a gift that keeps on giving—especially when that gift is in the form of flowers and herbs you can enjoy in your own garden. Tipton & Hurst put together this wicker basket that is filled with individually potted azaleas, hydrangeas, kalanchoe, cyclamen, ranunculus, and two different herb plantings—lavender and spearmint. As the plants mature, the azaleas, hydrangeas, and herbs can be transplanted to your home’s garden, and the kalanchoe and cyclamen can be repotted and enjoyed as continuous houseplants—ensuring the thoughtfulness and memory of both the gift and its giver last far beyond the holiday.

Tipton Hurst, Conway, Little Rock, North Little Rock, (800) 666-3333, tiptonhurst.com

Beauty Contained

March 22, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Better Lawns and Gardens’ David Munsey III shares a planting for spring

Even before the last frost of the year has passed, home gardeners are eager to plant the containers that so often greet guests at their front door or line the perimeter of their porches and decks. Here, David Munsey III of Little Rock’s Better Lawns & Gardens, shares one of his favorite spring pairings: a simple grouping of coral and purple tulips paired with trailing English ivy. “For this planting, we used a Spanish oil jar by Elegant Earth Pots from Antique Brick Outdoors,” Munsey notes. “These containers are especially great because there are so many different things you can do with them depending on the time of year and what you plan to grow. This particular planting could go into the container any time between March and May based on what that year’s temperatures are like,” he adds.

Better Lawns & Gardens, Little Rock, (501) 454-9803, betterlawnsar.com

The Start of Spring

February 17, 2016 by Norma Edwards

Exterior designer Daniel Keeley transformed a former backyard workshop into a cabana that can be used year-round

Long before moving into his Fayetteville home, Daniel Keeley had alternate plans for a small workshop area in the backyard. Desiring a space that could be used in all four seasons, he turned the room into a small but fully functional cabana area. Perfect for relaxing on an early spring day, the cabana room has French doors that open to the home’s garden along with a built-in daybed that offers storage drawers underneath the base. Durable, outdoor fabrics on the pillows and daybed cushions stand up to everyday wear-and-tear as well as nature’s elements. Additionally, a heater and fan ensure seasonal comfort, while a small refrigerator keeps drinks close at hand. Slender beaker vases filled with gerbera daisies line the wall as an official welcome to the season.

DK Design, Fayetteville, (888) 670-4899, dkdesignoutdoor.com

An Enchanting Orchid

Christmas With a Twist

A Place to Plant

French Connections

Room to Roam

A Gracious Planting

Four Tips to Creating a Backyard Haven

Lasting Beauties

Beauty Contained

The Start of Spring

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At Home in Arkansas