When Paul Hendershot and his trusty dog Chief walk through the door, our day at Eye of the Day becomes just that much better.  Paul likes to stroll through the store, seeing new products and picking the pieces he wants to show his clients. He’s funny and warm and stiletto sharp.

We were looking at his website one day and were pulled in by his remarkable, unique style.  He often works with clients in Ojai and given the heat and water problems particular to that area, we wanted to ask him about how he works within the inherent parameters as well as get a little background.

EOD: When did you become interested in landscape design and how did you begin?
PH:  I always had my own garden starting at a young age.  In my mid-30s I decided to be a landscape designer. I started by doing garden maintenance on my own. I read all the best books, such as those by Russell Page. Slowly people started asking me to help design their gardens and from there it took on a life of its own.

EOD: From whom or where have you drawn the inspiration for your style?
PH: Traveling, especially in Europe and noticing. Russell Page was the most dramatic influence as well as Sydney Baumgartner from Santa Barbara.

EOD: What do you want in a water feature and how do you include them in your designs?
PH: I use water features in courtyards and places where people linger, the sound is great. I also use them in gardens to attract birds. It depends on the space if it is a wall fountain or more of a pool-like fountain.

EOD: What challenges in your designs and with your clients do you deal with when considering the drought?
PH: My biggest challenge with clients is to convince them to get rid of their lawns.  People are really attached to their lawns. Lawns use more water than trees, shrubs, etc., lawns are water guzzlers.

EOD: So what do you offer them as an alternative? How do you get them to give it up?
PH: I usually suggest courtyards with trees for shade and pea gravel as the surface and of course some kind of fountain. Pea gravel is inexpensive, good looking and allows the rainwater to return to the water table. With trees and shrubs, it has a very lush look. Also, groves of trees with pea gravel pathways and boxwood clipped in geometric shapes and pots as accents.

I think we need to change our aesthetic about gardens in California. We should use the examples of Spain, the South of France, Italy, and Morocco which often feature a courtyard with trees, shrubs, pots and water features. Connect them to the house and make outside rooms.

EOD: Are there any advantages or disadvantages to container planting?
PH: Depending on the space, containers, or I should say beautiful pots, add interest and beauty. Also, you can control the soil in a pot. You can make it more acidic or use the correct soil for orchids and unusual plants.  There is nothing more classic than a citrus tree in a beautiful pot.

EOD: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Paul, we can’t wait to see you and Chief at Eye of the Day really soon.

View more of Paul’s work: Paul Hendershot Design 

FOUNTAIN AS MUSE

Sunday morning.  Outside the bank of our bedroom windows, the fountain’s splash and play completely encompass the peacefulness of home.  Our shy friend, a tiny iridescent green hummingbird is curiously eyeing the droplets arcing into the air. Especially while we are all thinking about water problems in California, enjoying a few moments with the sound, sight and spray of our fountain is almost intoxicating.

Throughout the years we have consistently added to Eye of the Day’s library of books pertaining to gardening, fountains, pottery, terracotta and European antiques. While I was mesmerized by the muse of my fountain, I remembered a book I found for Brent a few years ago:  Fountains Splash and spectacle: Water and Design from the Renaissance to the Present edited by Marilyn Symmes. The book traces the history of fountains throughout the world from the renovations of ancient Roman aqueducts to choreographed, computer controlled displays combining light, music, and fireworks.

Photographs, paintings, illustrations, etchings and drawings are so plentiful and varied that even if you only pick up the book to see them you’ll be drawn into reading a few paragraphs like this one:

Water possesses almost magical qualities.  A spraying fire hydrant can transform a sweltering city street into a temporary oasis, offering neighborhood children a showery playground as welcome relief—from the dry, hard pavement…the sound of moving water—sometimes a roar, at other times a whisper–breaks the stillness and can provide an aural refreshment on a warm day.

The last photo in the book is the best possible illustration of this paragraph.

Though our water problems have no foreseeable end and we may need to regulate the use of our fountains, the birds, bees and butterflies not only enjoy, but need water to survive and even a few hours a day provide a magical quality.  And that’s not just for animals, but for those of us staring out the window on a Sunday morning as well.

 

Fountains: Splash and Spectacle – Water and Design from the Renaissance to the Present. Edited by Marilyn Symmes. The Smithsonian Institution, 1998.

GROUNDSKEEPING is about my travels for my life’s work, keeping Eye of the Day fresh and exciting not just for me, but our clients and customers. I am always trying to find what others are seeking for their designs.  Like a chef experimenting with ingredients and flavors to interest his public, I look for those things that different places and cultures want and need, and that architecture requires for exteriors to be in harmony with structures.

Recently I decided to return to the East Coast, which is the market we ship to more and more frequently. While walking throughout New York and Boston my goal was to come up with new ideas and directions.

Revisiting and walking the length of Central Park, one of my favorite urban places on earth, was a specific goal.  It is 2.9 miles long (in a straight line), but my meandering probably added another half mile or so.  Fredrick Law Olmsted was a remarkable genius and I marvel at his accomplishments. The Ramble is still my favorite area of all.  It is hard to believe you’re in the city at all.

As I approached the northern end I came to the Conservatory Garden, the only formal garden in the Park. It’s truly an intense, wonderful experience for garden lovers. I recommend that you go to Google images for more wonderful photos. From the corner of 110th Street I took the bus down 5th Avenue to my reward, lunch at Gramercy Tavern. I needed plenty of oysters to soothe my soul and rest my sore feet.

Next, I traveled to Boston ($ one-way bus ticket) to compare cities and get a better feel for this historic place and the homes and offices of its famous residents. Boston is to NYC as Santa Barbara is to LA; while it is a major city and urban center, it feels much more intimate.

Boston Public Garden, like Central Park, is right in the center of the city; it’s smaller, but very dynamic. The 24-acre park was the first public botanic garden in the USA, established in 1837. My favorite site is the magnificent bronze statue of George Washington on his horse.

Across the street from the Park is Beacon Hill. The word “historic” doesn’t begin to do justice to this neighborhood. Walking its narrow streets is not for those of weak ankle. I immediately saw what I was looking for, something you rarely see in the West: window boxes.  They were everywhere and many decorated for Halloween.

I could have walked all day through the streets of Beacon Hill, taking pictures of the Federal style homes packed side by side sporting window boxes below every wonderfully fenestrated opening.  San Francisco, Pasadena, and Brentwood: why don’t you have any window boxes?  They are jewelry for the home. Designers, what are you afraid of?  I want window boxes.  I have window boxes.

Next, my pilgrimage led me to the unassuming home office of Frederick Law Olmsted in Brookline, Massachusetts. This is the location where The Master worked on his brilliant, timeless designs. The Park Rangers and volunteers were wonderful, helpful and spunky. It is moments from downtown Boston, just a short cab ride.

Finally: the fountain I stumbled upon when I walked through Boston’s main library.  In the courtyard is a fountain that replaces my favorite for many years, The Electric Fountain at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills.  In the courtyard of Boston’s public library is the most wonderful fountain, Frederick MacMonnies’ Bacchante and Infant Faun.

In its unique setting it is difficult to think of another fountain I’ve seen in my travels that could make me smile more.

Where to next??

City Fountains I Have Loved

My love of city fountains begins with my formative years.  I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles where my father was a news photographer and intimately knew the nooks and crannies of the city.  Family drives all over the state and especially throughout greater L.A. were always amazing; there was so much to see. My sisters, brother and I were all given our own park, freeway, tree, public garden and fountain and I always thought my fountain was THE BEST. What a coincidence that when I met Brent I soon discovered my fountain was also HIS fountain. At the corner of Los Feliz Boulevard and Riverside Drive, near Griffith Park, is MY fountain, the William J. Mulholland Memorial Fountain. Each time we drive by the fountain, we both claim it. It’s still my favorite, but the two of us have also found other fountains to love in other US cities.

THE FACTS: The first “decorative” fountain in the US was dedicated in City Hall Park, New York City in 1842. Before that, fountains were primarily used to provide clean drinking water and had few decorative qualities. In the 20^th century, fountains weren’t needed for drinking water and became purely ornamental, designed to honor events or individuals. There are now many computer controlled fountains that can even dance and perform music.

SOME FOUNTAINS OF CHOICE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. William J. Mulholland Memorial Fountain, Los Angeles CA. William Mulholland was the “father of the Los Angeles Water System.” His greatest contribution was being the engineer of the 233-mile long Los Angeles Aqueduct, completed in 1913. Unfortunately, many L.A. officials, including Mulholland were accused of shady dealings, from using scare tactics to convince Angelenos that the aqueduct was necessary to ensure the survival of the city, to buying up the San Fernando Valley from unsuspecting ranchers.  Remember Chinatown? After his death, all of these issues were forgotten and public funds were raised to construct a permanent shrine to Mulholland: The William J. Mulholland Memorial Fountain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The Forsyth Park Fountain, Savannah. GA.  The most well known feature of Forsyth Park is its fountain.  It was installed in 1858 and selected from a manufacturer’s catalogue, rather than being an individually commissioned artwork.  Unlike other monuments in Forsyth Park, such as the Confederate Memorial and the Spanish American War Memorial, the fountain’s purpose is only its beauty.  It has been witness to the Civil War, survived vandalism and the forces of weather and through the generous support of the Savannah community, it lives on today.

3. The Fountains at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA.  Even if there were no fountains at the former estate of Pierre DuPont, the beauty of the 1100 acre, multi-faceted gardens is worth a long visit. It’s fantastic that Pierre DuPont himself made all the hydraulic calculations for the elaborately controlled, electrically illuminated and fountains known collectively as “The Waterworks,” the first of which began flowing in the mid 1920s.

4. The Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, NY, also called “The Angel of the Waters.” Everyone knows this fountain, it seems like it’s in every movie shot in New York City and Bill Cunningham loves it, especially when it’s frozen.  The fountain was designed in 1868 by Emma Stebbens, the first woman to receive a public commission for a major work of art in New York City and was the only statue called for in the original design of the park.  Beneath the angel are four cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Health and Peace.

This is the short version of the Fountain Favorites tour, but the best of the best so far seen in our worldwide review.

Image Credits:
Fountains Longwood Gardens via Flickr/Joshua Ludwig
William Mulholland Memorial Fountain-Griffith Park via Flickr/Konrad Summers
Bethesda Fountain via Flickr/V Manninen
Licensed under  CC by 20

Stylish and Sustainable Garden Design

Living and designing in California, the ongoing and severe drought we’re experiencing is on everyone’s minds. And as such, drought-tolerant gardens are rapidly replacing outdated water-thirsty landscapes. While everyone is on board with the concept of a drought-tolerant garden I inevitably hear the same hesitation from clients – they don’t want their low-water garden to look like their neighbor’s new garden down the street. They want to make sure their new garden still reflects their personality and individual style.

This is a valid concern as it seems many drought-tolerant gardens seem to focus on the same twenty plants over and over again, with the end result being one of uninspired predictability. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to avoid this common trap.

For my clients who want a more traditional East Coast feeling in their garden, color is key. It’s important that I include low-water plants that contain a higher proportion of greens, maroons, blues and purples to mix along with the more common gray tones. The effect will be the same – a reduction in water use – but the garden will appear cool and lush.

For my clients who prefer a Mediterranean feel in their gardens, I tend to use a larger amount of warm colors, such as oranges, golds and reds mixed in with the greens and grays. The result is a garden that appears to glow in our perpetually sunny days.

But just because I’m reducing the use of water in these gardens doesn’t mean I’m eliminating it all together. On the contrary, it’s important to include a source of water in the garden as the sight and sound of it not only reinforces that we’re not living in the Sahara Desert but it also provides a much-needed source of water for wildlife during these thirsty times.

And depending on the style chosen, the fountain is one more way to help further define the character of the garden. For my East Coast inspired gardens, a traditional, stately three-tiered fountain is right at home, nestled among the Corsican hellebore, lavender and native penstemon.

And for my Mediterranean-inspired gardens, a simple antique olive jar blends seamlessly into the surrounding garden filled with succulents, salvias and grasses.

Elements of Style: The Classic Mediterranean Garden

A classic Mediterranean style garden is typically low-maintenance, drought tolerant and perfect for a climate dry and hot in Summer and warm and moist in Winter. For those of us living in California, this seems a perfect fit. Traveling throughout the Mediterranean region, focused on the landscape and gardens, reminders of California are constant.

The defining characteristics of the Mediterranean style are:

• Focus on hardscapes, with very little or no lawn
• Citrus, olive trees, rosemary and lavender often planted in terracotta pots
• Fountains and water features are key. Water features became popular in the gardens of the Italian Renaissance. They reflect the garden and provide the relaxing elements of sight and sound.  Because of the scarcity of water in the Mediterranean,  many water elements offer a relief from the heat.
• Large and small terracotta pots and urns and statuary. Pottery in many forms has been a part of Mediterranean gardens since their origins in ancient Roman households. From intricate bas-relief to simple and plain, they are quintessential for a European garden.  Statues, urns and planters provide focal points and because their footprints are small, they are particularly useful in a small garden. The Greeks and Romans filled their pots with flowers to add color to their courtyards and pathways without depleting the water supply, or they used them to grow fruit trees that could be moved about  according to the outside temperature.  But pots were also used as beautiful objects on their own – a classic oil jar at the end of an allee, a row of terracotta pots topping a balustrade, or an urn crowning a pedestal.

You don’t have to live in Spain, Greece or Italy to reflect the siren call of the Mediterranean classic garden.  A few carefully chosen garden elements… an antique Greek pithari, a scattering of large terracotta pots and urns and a simple water feature will create your classic otium.  Being water conscious and embracing a rustic, muted look will go a long way toward making your space the place to be.