
With rapid development continuing to take effect in Austin, it's not often we get to work with a gem like this four-unit complex built in the 1930's. That's back when the Mueller Airport just opened their doors, Austin mainly composed of downtown, East Austin, and the UT campus, and Hyde Park was considered the suburbs.
For our client it was important to create a garden that included areas for gathering and entertaining in a style that harmonized with the existing architecture. He not only wanted to create a cohesive scheme for the entire complex, but create a space for him and his residents to enjoy, as he also lived on the property.
The design took on a Mediterranean feel with xeric plantings like rosemary and olive, decomposed granite, and numerous terra cotta pots. A new outdoor kitchen with deck and storage solutions, as well as a water feature that tied in with the existing rock work, helped create that tuscan-feel with added style and warmth. We finished it off with a compact zoysia lawn, so passersby can sit and relax under a lacebark elm.