Urban Hillside Garden

In total contrast to the modernist style of the house on this sloping site, our client desired a garden that recalled his Italian heritage. The steep grade and restrained site proved challenging in creating usable space, but contributed to the dramatic gestures we were able to introduce through curved architectural elements.

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The garden is centered around a sweeping staircase that creates a procession from the street and front entrance down to a patio area at basement level. Lush plantings on either side and a red Japanese maple juxtapose the built elements. The flat patio area is framed by low parapets and a belvedere wall, all hewn from locally sourced, natural finish Ducharme limestone and cut adair stone, which have a warm hue and soft appearance, yet evoke a sense of permanence through their enduring materiality.

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Neutral-toned furniture for the lounge and dining areas was chosen for its gentle lines. Above the eight-seater table, we designed a custom, carefully detailed wooden pergola that creates spatial intimacy and further recalls the Tuscan countryside. Other details like the curved bronze guardrail that follows the stairs and the rounded stone steps from the basement door also play their parts in this aesthetic.

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From the patio, stone slabs form a stepped, trail pathway through the lower, wilder part of the site. Here we planted 44 trees to build out the canopy, and create a greater sense of separation from the neighboring built environment beyond. Cedar fencing and aerial hedges on either side of the garden also aid privacy.

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We were able to turn a dark, gloomy and unused space into a bright and warm garden for entertaining guests or spending time relaxing through the seasons.

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Team:

Sophie Robitaille  Partner, CSLA,  ASLA, AAPQ

Teressa Peill  Landscape Architect, CSLA, AAPQ

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Photography © Marc Cramer, Maxime Desbiens