Southern Innovation Balances Client Needs and Regulations
1 Jul, 2008 By: Bridget White Livescapes
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
> Extensive outdoor amenities: pool, kitchen, lounge area, etc.
> A rose garden
> Cool color palette
CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS
> Blending very different styles together
> Extensive septic and drainage lines
> Local regulations limiting the amount of impervious materials
Fueled by a nearly year-round growing season and a long tradition of gardening, the South is becoming one of the hottest areas to find landscaping trends, with young designers like Julie Liles leading the way.
 Despite a drought, high-end construction continues throughout the Southeast for those who can navigate water restrictions. |
Despite being plagued by a severe multi-year drought, the Southeast has seen the spread of multimillion-dollar homes continue to increase — along with correspondingly large landscapes. Through innovative products, a balanced use of color and a distinct design aesthetic, Liles has found a way to tap into this high-end market and continue to grow her business in a down economy.
 With strict local restrictions on the impervious surfaces allowed, Liles created stepping-stone paths whenever possible. |
A Balancing Act
The Witek residence was a challenge from the very beginning of the project, as the husband favored formal elements and the wife leaned toward an English country look. Aside from the logistics of accommodating a full request list (a pool long enough to swim laps, an entertainment area including an outdoor kitchen, a child- and dog-friendly design, and a specified color palette), Liles had to find a way to balance very different customer requests.
 The pool shape was dictated by the clients' request for a large pool balanced by sewer and irrigation line layouts. |
"We started out with the front being a little bit more formal and the back being more informal, with perennial beds and roses and things like that," explains Liles. "What I ended up doing was marrying those two together more by using common elements such as low hedges or the cool color palette that you find in both styles.
 Liles added secluded seating areas and minor focal points at strategic places throughout the design. |
"I actually use a lot of the formal mixed with the informal," Liles adds. "For example, using an evergreen with a defined shape as a backdrop and mixes of seasonal color in the forefront."
 By joining the outdoor kitchen and pool area, Liles was able to create a dynamic entertainment area with double impact in a smaller space. |
By using a balanced plant palette that blends formal with informal, green with color, Liles avoids what she calls the "Disney World effect" — so much activity that the eye is overwhelmed. Liles consistently uses evergreens in at least half of her designs, adding punches of color to draw the eye to a focal point and where it will have the most impact to justify the added maintenance.
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