Diamond in the Rough

Downtown Toronto

This garden is a diamond in the rough. It is situated in a tightly packed downtown neighborhood and backs onto a laneway. Our clients insisted that we celebrate its urban nature by embracing the raw feel of the location. Their penchant for mid-century modern design aesthetic gave us our inspiration. The blackened steel I beams, large porcelain subway tiles, and corten steel planters give this garden a strong and somewhat masculine presence. Translucent glass panels were incorporated into the high privacy fence to allow more natural light into the small yard. To soften the hard lines of the architecture we made use of Coral bark Japanese maples, a Star Magnolia and various ornamental grasses.