Stratford
I once heard a mentor say, “I have never had an original idea. I have only reinterpreted what I have seen before”. When hired for this residential renovation, an original tax map 1940 picture of the property hung on the wall. Perched atop Red Mountain overlooking Birmingham, Alabama, this 1930’s simple brick home with limestone details on 1.4 acres had encountered some unfortunate design decisions. In particular, the front motor court of stamped concrete painted red and in back a clam-shaped pool also with a stamped concrete pool deck. The garden won a Merit Award for design from the Alabama Chapter of the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects).
The original front terrace retaining walls were in bad repair and removed to make room for the same concept with slightly different proportions. The front door terrace pattern was brick with limestone details, while the adjoining fountain terrace was paved in limestone with brick details. All the limestone is an Alabama limestone to match that used on the original house and walls. Although some mature Oaks were lost to accommodate the new layout, the fountain terrace included 6 Amelanchiers framing the view to the city beyond the shelf wall fountain.
Landscape Contractor: T Joiner Inc.
Pool: Cox Pools
Photography: Sylvia Martin
Marcia Unger Interiors