30/60

The Beaches, Toronto

This couple had recently completed a major interior renovation and wanted the garden to feel like an extension of their new modern open concept interior. What this small upper beaches backyard lacked was a reason to venture into it. A small space sandwiched between a garage and a fence was private enough but not very inviting. We created a dynamic layout by rotating the axis of the design 30/60 degrees off the existing buildings. This created narrow triangular planting beds just big enough to plant with Red Bud trees, Paper Birch and European hornbeam for added privacy.

A small deck off the kitchen door acts as a great little sun drenched breakfast nook. Stairs lead you down to the intimate little patio of 8”x12” unilock umbriano pavers. The plantings of Japanese forest grass (hakonechloa macra) and cotoneaster horizontalis spill over the patio edges and the redbud’s branches arch above it to give the feeling of a grotto garden. We also added an architectural arbor at the back of the patio that frames a vibrant tigereye Sumach.