Stunning, Artistic Features Highlight St. Armands Key Landscaping Renovation
Major renovations were happening at Jeff and Heather Herr’s waterside home in St. Armands Key and construction crews were everywhere.
So, what’s a bit more disruption from landscaping crews, right? Bring the mess.
The landscaping definitely needed some help.
Towering pitch apple bushes completely enclosed the yard, planted years ago for complete privacy.
“We thought that was going to be kind of amazing,” Jeff Herr says. “But it actually shrunk the backyard quite a bit.“
The family, which includes three daughters, wanted privacy, but not that much.
“We wanted to feel more like we were part of nature, part of the canal,” Herr says.
Finding “Ninja” Landscapers
When it was time to hire a landscaping company to open things up and improve their outdoor space, the Herr family wanted the perfect fit.
“When you undertake a project of this size, you want to make sure that you’re working with real ninjas on every single aspect,” Herr says.
Several area landscaping companies bid on the project, submitting proposals and pricing.
“Tropical Gardens just came across as the prize of show,” Herr says.
He loved the company’s clear and up front communication; the detailed plan to integrate the yard and landscaping with the home; and their creative, artistic ideas that would set the property apart.
“Nobody else had that,” Herr says. “Everybody else was all spreadsheets and quotes. They didn't have the design and art flair that we wanted. It was a no brainer for us at that point.”
Tropical Gardens owner and landscape designer Ryan Empey had a blank canvas to improve. He loves that.
“I love thinking through how a family will use and enjoy the space,” he says. “I wanted an estate-like feel in a smaller yard, but still very tropical.”
First, some stuff had to go.
Out with Old Plants, In with New
Those huge bushes Herr talked about were towering pitch apples that closed in the outdoor space.
”When we showed up you wouldn’t even know they lived on the water,” Empey says.
Empey envisioned an open pool space with a view of the picturesque canal beyond.
That meant almost all the backyard plants were removed. Only a couple tall coconut palms made the cut.
The front yard needed major help, too.
“The front yard was an absolute jungle,” Empey says. “You could hardly see the house.”
Empey takes inspiration from homeowners’ favorite colors when he plans what plants to include.
In this case, it was all about pink. A few of the showstoppers:
Hibiscus ‘Seminole Pink’
This stunning variety boasts large pink blooms with deep red centers.
Dwarf Powderpuff Tree
This perfectly named tree offers intriguing foliage but its claim to fame is the vivid puffball blooms that appear on and off all year.
Ti Plants
A tropical broadleaf evergreen with big, colorful palm-like leaves, it sprouts light pink growth at first that turns to a darker pink over time. One plant, two pinks!
Lots of pink annuals also add bright splashes of color.
A Courtyard to Impress
The family converted their two-stall garage into a large master bedroom and added a stand-alone garage, which created a large expanse Empey envisioned as a stunning courtyard.
He designed a geometric pattern underfoot that combines a poured concrete grid and lush green artificial turf. He used the tile pattern from the family’s bathroom as inspiration for the design. It’s a common Empey strategy to let the indoor design inspire the outdoor design, tying the two together.
Laying out the geometric concrete and turf area was a painstaking process, with measurements within a 16th of an inch.
After the concrete shapes were poured, crews hand cut strips of artificial turf to fit each opening.
The result makes a stunning impression.
It’s Not Just Pretty, If’s Practical
The landscaping renovation is a show stopper, but it’s for living, not just looking.
Practical features abound, from widening the driveway to make room for the three Herr daughters‘ friends to park to adding a short privacy wall between the house and the street.
A planned pergola will have handy motorized louvers overhead to open and close conveniently and possibly a motorized screen on three sides for a cabana feel.
Empey incorporated gorgeous pink plants; the family’s desire for privacy without being closed off; and Herr’s love of symmetry for an outdoor space that wows — and impressed artistic Heather Herr, who has a master’s degree in art education.
“It’s just perfect,” Jeff Herr says. “Ryan was able to come in and build out features that opened it up but kept the privacy, and that was really important to us.”
Next Up: Phase Two
Empey is in the midst of designing phase two of the project, which includes an outdoor kitchen and pergola, an impressive water wall feature and a fire bowl near the pool to warm up after a cool dip, or to stay toasty while canal gazing at night.
Empey envisions a comfortable shady seating area where “the kids can hang out when the adults are in the pool and vice versa.”
The extended patio space will offer more room to gaze at the water and watch boats as they pass by, he says.
You’ll be able to hear the soothing sound of cascading water as you approach.
A tiled water wall will feature cascading water that’s collected in basins at the base. The tiles will be inspired by tiles inside the home.
“I really love how this turned out,” Empey says.
So does everybody who sees the impressive property.
“Every time we've been on this property, after completion, there are people walking past taking pictures and asking us questions about the project,” Empey says.
“We've already had offers from people to buy our house, turnkey, with the furniture and the forks and knives in the drawer,“ Herr says, laughing. “There’s no chance, no way, that we're ever going to sell.
“It really has become something very special that we all enjoy,” he says. “It's been a great investment for our family, both financially, but also personally, which is even more important.”
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