Timeless Tropical
design, installation
An era-specific, yet effervescent aesthetic update to a historical home
Scale of Vision
Here our homeowner’s vision was to bring the architecture of the home back to a 1920’s era-specific design, and receive recognition from the historical society. The 1925 home would likely not have been landscaped at the time, but for the potential chickens roaming amongst the fruit trees in the yard. So, without much of an era-specific landscape palette to work with, we determined that he actually wanted it to feel like the tropical coast of South Florida. We decided on a coastal, tropical aesthetic that maintained an overarching cleanliness to compliment the newly renovated house. To them, it had to be picturesque.
Humbly Collaborate
Based on their desires, we determined we could eliminate everything except a few coconut palms. We also moved all the old plant material away from the home while they renovated.
Design Your Environment
We began by cleaning up the area around the driveway treads to help the homeowner accomplish that 1920’s feel. We then complimented the fence with vines to soften the look. The homeowner modernized the irrigation through an automatic Wi-Fi controlled system.
Finally, everything we planted made sense functionally. Queen Emma lilies and hibiscus were chosen, as we did not need to create any sub-climates or shade to make them thrive. We then utilized and relocated their existing palms to create a more thought out, efficient environment. In the front, we moved the coconut palms to the side to open up the house, frame the architecture, and encase the landscape.
Overall, we chose hearty, tropical textures that were not super temperamental.The material we used complimented the architecture of the house and took into account the small dimensions of the property; we planted items that would grow, but not outgrow the property.
Experience your Environment
With hopes of gaining retail and architectural recognition, the house needed curb appeal to draw natural attention. We created a beautiful environment that complimented the house, keeping the original aesthetic, but with better construction. The property was transformed from a hopeful, yet disparate vision to a cool, cozy, and cohesive spot.
Sustainable Enjoyment
In the end, we helped the homeowner update this historical home by designing a tropical environment in South Florida that will last for years to come. By bringing back the history and reviving a portion of the community, the real estate value also improved significantly.
