Upon turning 35, I became hell-bent on learning the name and genius of native plants; part of my 20-year plan to becoming a good old southern lady -- one who strategically plans garden beds, pours cold drinks from tall pitchers, and who speaks softly except when hollering at her dog.
I soon learned my gardening style more Hunger Games than gentile. After several failed attempts I chose random players from my favorite garden stores to represent each 'district,' sat back, and let the games begin!
I needn't have.
Alongside masons, cabinet-makers, and glaziers, the landscape architect is a rare breed of specialists available here in New Orleans. More than mere gardeners, these skilled experts can plan structures, water features, and so much more.
They take landscapes to another level, which is essential because, like so many things in New Orleans, there's no such thing as 'too much,' when it comes to our outdoor spaces. After all, our New Orleans ancestors fully utilized every inch of their property, often creating spectacular outdoor rooms.
The trend of reclaiming "outdoor rooms," has skyrocketed across the country; and with reason. The more time we spend at home, the more we appreciate everything the light touches... within our property line. In fact, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends that homeowners invest up to 10 percent of their home's value into landscaping alone.
I wanted to know. Just who are these so-called landscape architects? What do they do? What should one consider in their own home? And, was I now free from a future of pocketing clippings while strolling home from brunch?
I explored these questions with Kim Alvarez, a landscape architect with more than 25 years of experience designing outdoor spaces in New Orleans. I put her to the test by conducting the interview in her own backyard, and we filmed it for your benefit.
The following unedited video allows you to stroll with Kim and me through her beautifully landscaped yard. You'll learn all there is to know about landscape architecture, learn how to turn your outdoor space into valuable outdoor rooms, and pick up a couple of tips and DIY tricks too. We even discussed native plants worthy of the most brutal hunger games.
Press play. Sit back. Relax. Tall pitchers optional.
Prefer to not to watch? You can read the interview below:
Elisa: Hi everyone. It's Elisa Cool-Murphy with French Quarter Realty. And I have the honor and privilege today to be with Kim Alvarez of Landscape Images. Kim is a professional landscape architect.
Kim, can you tell me a little bit about what it means to be a landscape architect?
Kim: I can tell you that I have been a landscape architect in New Orleans for over 25 years.
Elisa: 25 years!?
Kim: Yes, and so I have had the privilege and the honor of being welcomed in so many different, fabulous gardens throughout the city [of New Orleans], in Marigny, French Quarter, really all over.
Elisa: All over, and the way that I understand it... [land scape architecture] means you cover anything that's exterior, so plants, pavement, fountains, you name it?
Kim: That's exactly right. Once you step outside from whatever door you are in the house, anything that you need, we can help design that.
A lot of times, people make the assumption that because we're landscape architects, that we are just designing things with plants. But, if you want to customize, say, a fence, or any of the outside architecture of the house, or the space that we're designing, we can do that.
Elisa: For example?
Kim: For example, if you're looking for a hardscape, whether that be a patio, a deck, a swimming pool, really any kind of hard surface that would be outside, we can do that.
Also:
- focal points like fountains
- featuring a special piece of art
- lighting
- irrigation
- pots and furniture.
Really anything that you want outside.
Elisa: I love it. It makes me think of the Lion King when Mufasa says, "anything the light touches." That's you guys.
Kim: That's us.
Elisa: I've got a couple of notes here, so I don't go too far astray. We're currently standing in your backyard.
Kim: We are.
Elisa: This is your garden, which is utilized by your family. But you also have an in-home short-term rental, right?
Kim: Right.
Elisa: So you are entertaining guests visiting New Orleans, and they enjoy the space as well?
Kim: We advertise it actually, specifically as a garden apartment, because we feel like, that the space is so unique. Also, [the space is] tied indirectly. They can come out here and enjoy it, as really just another room, another experience in their visit to New Orleans. They have just really loved having the space. [She gestures to a patio with a beautiful outdoor table and chairs space].
Elisa: Oh, it feels so private, it's wonderful. Like when you go out on the town, and you come back, and you want to unwind.
Kim: Right.
Elisa: Or maybe you're just vacationing and unwind; it's perfect. It's perfect—very low-key. So I love that you touched on the term room. This feels like a room; that's intentional.
Kim: It is very intentional. When people ask me what I do, I explain to them, when we're creating spaces outside, it is very similar in the same way you would arrange your living room.
You may have a sofa in your living room, but you're going to have other things that happen in that living room as well. You create different experiences in different places, for people to sit when you have guests, et cetera.
So the majority of our living space out here is this, [she gestures to an outdoor living space with a patio, table, and chairs]. When we have people over for a glass of wine, a cup of coffee, this is where we all sit and have a chat. On the weekends, if I want to relax and have my own space and time, I tend to sit over there because it's a little off to the side; it's cushioned—[She gestures to a second outdoor living space with plush outdoor furniture].
I can read a book, I'm close to the fountain, and I also have a perfect view of the bird feeder, which has loads of different birds every morning. So that is my own little, personal thing that I do in my little garden.
Elisa: I love that. It's almost like the ultimate open floor plan.
Kim: There you go. Exactly. That's a good way to look at it.
Elisa: You have to be really thoughtful about these vignettes that you create, the different ways you have utilized things, space, and lighting.
[Can you tell me more about the holly trees along the fence?] .... this is holly, right?
Kim: Correct. These are holly trees. Yes.
Elisa: Got it right. Yay! They would seem to extend the fence line to give you the privacy you would want, in an interior room, but outside.
Kim: It does. So what happened when we first bought the house, there were no trees here, and most of our living is actually on the second floor, so from up above, we had a straight view in.
So by planting the hollies, it worked on this level. When we're down here, we really feel like we have privacy, and then when we're up in our living areas upstairs, it's the same thing, that they're high enough, that when we look out the window, it still feels like we're in a green garden space.
Elisa: Completing the room.
Kim: Correct. Completing the room.
Elisa: I also wanted to ask you about, let's see here, some of the projects that you've done; we'll get to that in a minute, but can you paint a picture... of what it was like when you got here?
Kim: None of these trees were here, this tree was here, and this one we moved to here, and then the patio was existing, but they really had a lot of hardscapes.
So a lot more of this patio... what we did is what I call an edit. We took some of it out... and we felt like we could create the space, the rooms that we wanted, and get a bigger lawn.
Because when we moved in, our child was younger, and we wanted that space for him. We designated this as our little adult space, and the lawn and what was a trampoline up until four weeks ago, where the fountain is, was his space.
We knew eventually he would grow out of it, and we would grow into it, and COVID came, and I said, okay, well, now's the time.
Elisa: We all have a little bit of extra time and brain space, hopefully, for creative projects.
Kim: Exactly.
Elisa: I love it. It's beautiful, by the way.
Kim: Thank you.
Elisa: So when someone is looking at a lawn... it doesn't require an enormous space?
Kim: No, it doesn't.
Elisa: This is not a tiny space like mine in the Marigny, but it isn't an enormous yard, but you've managed to do so much with it. Where do you begin?
Kim: You begin with an interview. I interview my clients... about what they really want. What do you want to do? How do you want to experience these things? Because really that's what's most important. Because it's your home.
Elisa: Right.
Kim: So we start with that, and whatever that list is it, is it an outdoor kitchen? Is it just a place to gather? Is it you love to garden, so you need more gardening space? Or just I want herbs? It's whatever that is for you. Because really, if you only had this much space and the garden ended here, you still have a beautiful space.
Elisa: Absolutely.
Kim: So [I ask] what do you want to see in it? And we can create the most wonderful intimate space, in a small space, or something bigger if you have the room to work with.
Elisa: I love that, which is how, as a realtor, we think about houses.
Kim: Exactly.
Elisa: We ask, 'what's your wishlist? Let's try to find something that facilitates that!
Kim: Right.
Elisa: And if I can't find all of it, we can work with you guys to make it happen outside. I love that. I love that.
[Looking around]. You have a couple of projects in addition to the pavers that I would love to see, two fountains.
Kim: Okay. Yes.
Elisa: How did the idea come to you?
Kim: I asked my son, are we done with the trampoline? Yes, mom, we are done. Okay. So it was right here. It went away. And all of a sudden I'm sitting there where we just stood, and I saw this wall.
This gorgeous brick wall that I hadn't seen in eight years. And I said this is what we need to look at. So I had this bronze piece because prior to having my son, I used to go to estate sales every Saturday. And I slowly collected different pieces and either worked them into the garden or worked them into the house.
And this has always been in my garden, but always more of a bird feeder or a focal point. And I said this is it. It's been 15 years. We have found a home. And so that was really how the whole inspiration and all of it came together. So the trampoline went out, fountain went in. We did it ourselves, but I wouldn't really call this a do-it-yourself project—[turning the bronze sculpture into a fountatin].
Elisa: Right.
Kim: We did it ourselves because it's what we do.
Elisa: You're a professional.
Kim: Correct.
But there's a lot that goes into planning this; you really need to get the elevation of the stone correct. You need to have the right platform for the fountain piece, for the electricity, the plumbing, and so forth. So if you really are into construction and know what you're doing, you could do it, but it's not something I'd recommend taking on if you don't.
Elisa: Correct. But it is beautiful. And there are fish in there, which I'm impressed by.
Kim: Yes.
Elisa: Yes, [to the camera], but please do not mess with electricity, especially not electricity and water. If you don't know what you're doing.
Kim: Exactly. We have a GFI outlet. So we're good.
Elisa: She knows codes.
Kim: Right.
Elisa: There is a reason for that. It keeps everyone happy and alive. But one thing I love that you touched on this is you said that you collect things from estate sales, that's a hobby of yours.
Kim: Yeah, over 15 years.
Elisa: Over 15 years, and you've finally found his home.
Elisa: You had mentioned that with clients, if there is something they want to incorporate -like this - to let you know.
Kim: Absolutely. Sometimes they have something, and they don't realize it, that it can be worked into the garden.
Elisa: Got it.
Kim: Obviously, it has to be something that would be okay outside. But there are sculptures and pots, maybe just some sort of candle piece. It could really be anything. We can make it interesting once we know what they want to do with it.
Elisa: Exactly. You create it, and you can engineer and execute! I'm so impressed.
Now, this was fountain number one.
Kim: Right.
Elisa: I'd love to see the slightly more DIY fountain.
Kim: Ok. [we walk to the second fountain]. This is definitely a do-it-yourself fountain, this one I did completely on my own. Honestly, it took me really no time.
So this is a marble frog that was a client of mine's, and they got a different water feature. And she said, oh, do you want this?
And again, it was more of an object in the garden, not a water feature. And then this is the top of an old outdoor fire pit that we had that we never used. And then I had the urn that I just used for plants and stuff.
So put the three together. Literally, this is just sitting level on top of here. There's no water in here, and then I bought this little terracotta pot to hide the pump. So the pump is under here, through the hole in the terracotta pot, and then into the frog, and it just recirculates right here, plug it in, and you're done.
Elisa: That's so smart. I didn't realize it was a terracotta pot. It looks, at a distance, like the whole urn is part of the water. It's such a good mental trick.
Kim: And that's it.
Elisa: That's great.
Kim: I would start with the small water feature, something you like, and then find the pieces and parts from there to put it together.
Elisa: Got it. And the pump, I know those are often sold as a kit.
Kim: Correct.
Elisa: That you can find at a local hardware store. I love that. I love that. That's so sweet. It's really cute. And you have added technology to the mix. Do you want to show us?
Kim: Yes, I did. So we only had one feature at first. And so plugging it in occasionally was not too much trouble. When we added the second fountain, we added some lights, every time I came out here, I was plugging in, unplugging, plugging in, unplugging, and it just got to be a lot of trouble.
So a friend of mine, when I was at their house, had this little remote, it's fascinating. What's that, like, oh, we're just going to turn the lights on. So you literally just plug it into whatever you want to turn on or off. And that's it, it's on, and it's off.
So if we're upstairs and we want to come down for the night, we can turn the fountain on, we can turn the lights on, and we're ready to go. And then go back upstairs and then just click everything off. So it's a very inexpensive way to do something remotely, without getting into your phone or higher technology or something more expensive. This is just a very simple thing.
Elisa: I love it. The defined rooms, the lawn, the fountains, the tech! Thank you so much, Kim!
Kim: Thank you!
[All photos above - with the exception of the photo of Elisa Cool Murphy - are courtesy of New Orleans based, Landscape Images Ltd and feature their designs and their work. To work with Landscape Images Ltd. reach out to them via their website or call them at 504-734-8380].
Voted Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor, Team Cool Murphy is a top-producing, licensed real estate team based in New Orleans, brokered by Cool Murphy, LLC.
Celebrated for her next-level creative approach to real estate, Elisa Cool Murphy is an award-winning, top-performing agent in New Orleans and the founder and leader of Cool Murphy, LLC.
Contact Her -
email: cool@coolmurphy.com
Facebook: @homeinneworleans
IG: @coolmurphynola
YouTube: @coolmurphynola
phone: 504-321-3194
Comentarios