All About Starting Seeds
Friendly Ways to Battle Garden Pests
Design an Engaging Entryway
How to Start a Vegetable Garden
Building a Compost Bin
The Only Shrubs You Need to Grow
A gardener's checklist for early summer
Backyard Makeover Game
Off With Their Heads: Deadheading Perennials
Soil Testing is Worth the Effort
Lilacs: Time for a Fresh Look
How to Grow Raspberries
Big Flowers from Bigleaf Hydrangeas
15 Deer-Resistant Plants
Garden Catalog Collector
25 Robust Summer Bloomers
Perfect Edges for Your Beds and Borders
Viburnums are Versatile Shrubs
Variegated Plants Create Drama
10 Perennials Easily Grown from Seed
Video: Make a Straw-Bale Garden
Enchanting Japanese Maples
Make Your Own Hypertufa Container
Find the Perfect Tomato
Cool-Season Annuals

READER PHOTO! A happy orange and lime theme for a busy patio

comments (11) July 8th, 2010 in blogs

Michelle Gervais, Associate Editor

23 users recommend

Click here to enlarge this photo.

Photo: David Brockman

Add Comment
Print

Today's photo is from David Bockman in Fairfax, Virginia. Recently David's studio, greeneyedesign, llc, was approached to design the outdoor dining area containers for Fresh Lunch Catering. The owner, Matt Bresson, recently relocated to the historic Joshua Gunnell House in Old Town Fairfax. Built ca. 1830, the house has a lovely small outdoor patio that Matt wanted to use for catered events as well as lunch customers. David says, "Keeping in mind the client's branding and desire for a distinct, unusual look, I combined culinary potted arrangements with traditional container plants, and chose a very traditional wrought iron furniture maker, Fermob. We chose eyepopping colors in the client's branding colors (carrot orange and lime green), and I carried that orange into the bloom choices for site harmony. The juxtaposition of traditional with the new works beautifully." Thanks, David, for sharing these photos with us!

Welcome to the Fine Gardening Garden Photo of the Day blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

Sign up to get new posts delivered to your inbox each morning so you'll always remember to take a look, or add us to your RSS feed. We look forward to sharing our garden travels with you.

If you think you have a photo that we should share on the Garden Photo of the day, email us. Send hi-res images to mgervais@taunton.com with GPOD in the subject line. We'll only respond if we plan to use your photo.

posted in: Seating, Virginia

Add Comment Print

READER PHOTO! A green roof good enough for a gnome...

Back to List

READER PHOTO! A faux borrowed view

Comments (11)

LVtulandscape writes: Really love the pop of orange and lime, two of my favorite colors!Also great chairs for small area. I love the umbrella,and hope to do that also! Maybe no more blown over umbrella's. But I thought it was plants in wine barrel(sorry bad eye's). It would work for that also!
I love to read that he created with a low budget~that is most inspiring!
Posted: 12:09 am on July 9th

PositivelySimplified writes: love, love, love it! Bright and cheery - great atmosphere - can't wait to see it in person! Posted: 6:45 pm on July 8th

AliceMiller writes: Wow! This looks like the spot for a relaxing lunch. Can't wait to try it out! Posted: 5:46 pm on July 8th

freshlunch writes: Client here. Dave's work is amazing. The courtyard is my favorite place in the world at the moment. As the proud visionary of this space, I must re enforce the fact that there are no metal beer vessels on site. Reclaimed Keswick Vineyard wine barrels only. Finally, if each of you fine gardening buffs would stop Old Town Fairfax this summer to eat at Fresh Lunch -- David would have ample resources to buy any pot he'd like.

very cool coverage! thanks for everything, Dave. Posted: 3:26 pm on July 8th

David_Bockman writes: @arboretum WOW, ok brother it's on! (jk) I completely agree actually with your suggestions, they're all excellent... just to clarify the umbrella/condiment table is a salvaged oak wine barrel from a local vineyard.

The client had a modest budget for garden renovation/improvements, but what they did have was all the inherited containers left behind from a previous tenant years prior. So, I was somewhat confined by the necessities of budget and existing conditions, as well as the switch out schedule for more summery compositions (we're rocking seriously spring combinations as long as we can, then probably go right into fall designs a bit later-- maybe next year we can hit all three seasons and do some overwintering fun holiday arrangements as well.)

With regard to your other ideas-- yes they're spot on for the space. I hope to phase in garden improvements all through next year as time and client budget allows.

Thanks for such a thoughtful reply!

Dave Posted: 2:43 pm on July 8th

arboretum writes: If that is indeed an aluminum beer barrel being used as an umbrella/plant stand; that is a VERY clever effect!
Now, dave,ya gotta convince your client to let you use bigger terracotta planters; these are way too dinky to make the statements possible w/ your jazzy choice of plantings!
(and big purple leaved orange flowered cannas would look so cool in the middle of your plantings!)

And THEN you need to convince the client to let you do a splashy verdant vine covering for that fountain wall.
A Gold Heart ivy, deep green w/ yellow centers, would be a great evergreen there(and pick up the bright yellow from your container plantings) and should grow quickly in that reflected-off-all-the-brick Old Town heat. Likewise cover that trellis arbor outside the door. ( Maybe the caterer will even let you do a lattice patio roof with wisteria/roses etc. hanging down!!) An orange beach hat for the lion and some orange and green mini glass-globe/beachballs in the water............Like a stage, it's a great and changeable canvas; go for it!
best,
mindy
www.cottonarboretum.com/
a teaching website
Posted: 2:07 pm on July 8th

atillakocsis writes: What a lovely eating area. And the shade is great in this heat. Very inviting with the potted plants on the ground and on the walls. Posted: 12:50 pm on July 8th

KatieMcGowan writes: Love the feel of this space. The formal elements make it feel timeless and informal elements make is feel like home. Posted: 12:27 pm on July 8th

Cucinelli writes: Great space! What a lovely spot! Posted: 11:34 am on July 8th

Zinta writes: Cozy & cute! Can't wait to try it out and it's walking distance to all the stuff to see and explore in the City of Fairfax too. Posted: 11:27 am on July 8th

MoffettCPA writes: I love the way the chair and table colors complement and accent the plant and flowers colors!
Very nice - not overstated, friendly atmosphere! Posted: 11:14 am on July 8th

You must be logged in to post comments. Click here to login.

Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog!

Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

Sign up to get new posts delivered to your inbox each morning so you'll always remember to take a look, or subscribe to our RSS feed. We look forward to sharing our garden travels with you.

If you think you have a photo that we should share on the Garden Photo of the day, email us. Send hi-res images to mgervais@taunton.com with GPOD in the subject line. We'll only respond if we plan to use your photo.