When landscape architect Susanne Fyffe of Fyffe Landscape Architecture designed this 14-by-23-foot French country-style courtyard outside a house in Arlington Ridge, little did she know what a leading role it would play during the pandemic.
“It was originally conceived of as an inviting garden view from the dining room windows looking out,” recalls Fyffe of the step-down courtyard she installed to the right of the main entrance to the home. “Maybe a place to sit down and read the mail.”
The manicured courtyard is covered with pea gravel, a timeless Old World material, and surrounded by a U-shaped hedge of pruned boxwoods, which adds the formality that goes so well with classical gardens.
“The boxwoods are a structural element and always green, with the two larger ones in the back,” Fyffe says of the greenery that lives year-round.
In season, groupings of purple and silvery lavender bring a flourish of color and a feeling of Provence.
“We anchored the courtyard with a teak bench, which has weathered beautifully over time, and we gave the space its own focal point with an antique armillary,” she says of the feature mounted on a pedestal.
Though the intent was always to create a pretty courtyard at the front of the house, during the pandemic, the space has become a haven for the homeowner. She might join a friend or two outside to sip a glass of wine in the evening or enjoy a morning cup of coffee while skimming the paper and chatting with passersby.
This story appeared in our March issue as part of a roundup on luxury outdoor spaces. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
