Congratulations to G3 Associate, Marianne Simon, of Poetic Plantings Landscape Design for winning one of three berths in the Santa Monica Airport Demonstration Garden Contest!

Local landscape designers were invited to submit designs for three unique sustainable demonstration gardens to be installed at the Santa Monica Airport. A panel of experts then narrowed the field down to nine designs.  Finally, those 9 designs were posted on the cities website and the public was able to vote for their favorite.  Marianne’s design was one of 3 selected and will soon be installed at the Santa Monica Airport for all to enjoy.

Marianne’s garden was designed to create a sense of privacy for the homeowner, while still maintaining a relationship to the neighborhood.  It is elegant, simple to install, and will work with an assortment of architectural styles.

The patio is comprised of both linear and organic elements.  It is completely permeable, and can be built with an assortment of materials.  It sits, nestled in the center of the garden, accessible via the indirect route between the street and the entry.  The sense of privacy is created via the multi-trunk specimen tree near the street as well as the smaller trees and shrubs that provide separation from the neighbors.

The path from street to entry provides a journey through the rest of the garden, where it will pass through a plant palette of both native and California friendly plantings. When established, this garden will require a minimal amount of water to keep it looking fresh and lovely.

The small water feature by the patio, the variety of plantings, and the abundance of birds and butterflies they invite, all combine to create a delightful garden sanctuary. For more information about Marianne’s work at Poetic Plantings Landscape Design, including this amazing garden, please visit her website.