This week Shelly Long, from the HAPA Collaborative reached out from her work placement in Rotterdam. Shelly worked on this Project and this talented woman is preparing for her final exam to receive registration in B.C. as a Landscape Architect. Joe you did well to bring this talent onto your team at Hapa. This post is a nod and thank you to Hapa Collaborative and Shelly : such a star.
These wood block pavers create a great play between the charcoal pavers and the fabulous fence (more to come on the fence shortly). The wood blocks were chosen as they are a direct nod to the old roads and what lies beneath the asphalt, particularly on Union St.. If you’re interested in that history here’s a link to an article in Scout Vancouver that featured that story — https://scoutmagazine.ca/2017/01/16/you-should-know-our-city-streets-were-once-paved-with-these-little-wooden-blocks/ Since the original house here was built in 1898 you can rest assured those roads in this hood had those wooden blocks.
Next to the wood pavers to the east we have a crazy fun fence, I promised to show. Everyone who comes to the property can’t help but comment positively on how cool, fun, different, playful … it is. I see it as a theme wall for all the parties to follow. We debated on wether to paint it the racoon fur colour used on the Octopus and all the new additions to the Pink House or to just leave it the natural wood color. You can see what we ended up doing, which I think looks great, but I’m sure you can appreciate why it was a debate/ deliberation (yet another decision) at all. Right?
Let’s take a look at another interesting wall and entrance to the Project that focuses on another material. You guessed it, the concrete hag is coming out. I love the contrast of material and lush soft plants as they interplay on our visual senses (note to Olfaction: the most fragrant roses are close to the path as you head to the main entrance, by the guys in the window (smile)).
Small stones lead you to the entrance of the Pink House (as you can see in the photo above) and larger stones are used to create the garden’s retaining walls and function for drainage as well as looking “Beauty”. Here’s a bit of that progress.
… and in a few short weeks to a month it looks like this.
I really love the interplay with hardscape and plants and these photos are a sneak peak at the before of that play. Corsican Mint will be planted between these pavers so not only will the visual be pleasant but it will keep giving in a non-skunk like manner. This will be a stones throw away from the Katsura tree growing through the back deck.
On the note of fragrance and smelling, the Katsura tree will be connected to a pink party most assuredly. In the fall when the leaves change color certain people, genetically pre-disposed, can smell it. Hmmm, I think we may have a theme developing for that fun fence…
See you at the party!