October Lighting Tour in Chevy Chase, MD and DC

Dawn Szelc  LDG Secretary

On October 20, 2015 the LDG and a number of guests were treated to an evening tour of residential designs which highlighted the landscape lighting of Olson Weaver Lighting Design & Install.

The first house was the Everett residence in Chevy Chase, owned by the landscape designer Kathryn Everett. Kathryn had taken a backyard composed of just lawn and converted it into a cozy set of garden rooms with a European feel. Within a set of adjoined circular shapes she used multiple hardscape materials that included brick, bluestone, loose rocks, and a koi pond and fountain. The space was also framed with Degroot’s Spire Arborvitae. The areas to the sides of the circles had framed beds with perennials and herbs. As the sun set, the lighting came alive with lights on the wall behind the fountain and encircling the pond. Karen Olson explained that pendant lights hung in the rose covered archways which lead from one garden room to another.

 

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The second property that we visited was the Camper residence. Kathryn Everett created the landscape design for this property as well. The home is one of the oldest in Chevy Chase. The property included a sunken garden and fountain designed by Rose Greely, the first licensed female landscape architect in Washington. The lighting highlighted the facade of the house and the large cherry tree on the right side of the front yard.  We walked around the side of the house through the backyard where there was a dry creek bed to catch the rain runoff, as well as capture points from the home’s downspouts that channeled rain water into the creek bed.  We then walked to the sunken garden where the fountain, as well as small and large trees were highlighted by landscape lights.

The next property was the Strachan residence, this time just over the border into Washington D.C.  This was a smaller backyard project but with big impact. Lynn Church was the designer for this property and created a small patio and seating area with a beautiful urn that Olson Weaver had up-lighted from the hardscape patio. The evergreens along the side and back fence were also lit from below, creating rhythm and displaying the texture of the trees. Plants used in the design included Itea “Henry’s Garnett”, Mahonia, Viburnum dividii, and Taxus baccata “Repandens”.

The fourth property was the Doyle residence owned by Brendan Doyle and well-known sculptor Larry Kirkland. Our tour began at the front of the house which was nicely planted with small trees and shrubs.  Olson Weaver had installed brushed stainless steel “L” shaped path lights along the paths that leads from the front door to the rear yard. Along the way a narrow spotlight highlighted the St Francis of Assisi statue. The back patio was nicely situated next to their breakfast room, and Brendan described that he used the theory of the “Golden Triangle” to lay out the space. Along the fence there the crape myrtles were lit from below creating a lovely glow. Walking further into the yard revealed a dramatically lit stand of bamboo. A side discussion with Elizabeth from Yankee Clippers revealed that it is entirely possible to have bamboo without it invasively spreading. Continuous maintenance pruning can keep it under control. We were also invited into the house to view the art collected by the couple, and the amazing working studio where Larry explained his current work for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

The final stop on the tour was the Lanphier residence. This was a new home, 3 years old, and the owner explained that the previous house had exploded mysteriously. It was a very contemporary design that required an equally contemporary landscape designed by Brendan Doyle. Brendan described it as his tribute to Dan Kiley. There was a stone parquet walk around the front of the house which faced Rock Creek Park. The stones had been painstakingly laid atop individual concrete bases and smaller rock filled the spaces. Brendan had extensively researched plants that would be deer resistant since the deer could easily cross the street to the front yard from the park. Planted within the stone walk was white creeping mazus ground cover and white lobelia. White Natchez crape myrtle, White Vitex or Chaste tree, hellebores, and various grasses were also used along the path and included lighting features. Many of the large trees on the property were original including a beautiful Red Virginia cedar and a 200 year old Mulberry tree near the road.

Thanks to all the designers, Kathryn Everett, Lynne Church, and Brendan Doyle, for being available at each property to discuss their work and also to LDG members Karen Olson and Tony Weaver for providing five wonderful examples of Olson Weaver lighting installations.  http://www.olsonweaver.com