Foxtail Garden
an unusual, award-winning, low-water-use garden with a sculptural approach
The Dream
The client had two adjoining lots on open space fronting the flatirons in Boulder, Colorado. A third adjoining was purchased and the house was removed to set the stage for this exceptional garden. Our client felt that the sculptural imagery of Viriditas owner and sculptor Jay Markel would be a perfect match for this extraordinary location.
The Challenge
The garden site was quite narrow and long—20 feet by 150 feet—set against a stunning mountain backdrop. The design needed to bring the distant views into the garden.
The Garden
The long narrow site wouldn’t be amenable to a more traditional rock garden design. Viriditas created an open-grid mountain-like form, which floats over the plantings and water feature. The sculptural form is substantial, yet open and elevated, leaving all available garden space for the plantings.
The RESULTS
As the plantings grew in filling the space under the structure, the rock and greenery mimicked the look of the Flatirons. The dramatic visual effect—looking out from inside the home and from the patios—is to bring the magnificent mountain view to you, and the home, as a great borrowing garden does.
Challenging projects offer the possibility of unique and creative solutions. Foxtail Garden is a prime example.
The view used to be there, but now it’s right here, even inside the house.
Owner, Le Jardin De Mon Coeur