Friday, March 13, 2009

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE: FREE LANDSCAPE DESIGN

At the opening of Something's Gotta Give I was enjoying the dialogue, scenery & Jack Nicholson. Then they pulled into the LANDSCAPE. Forget Jack. At first glimpse, in the driveway, I knew the landscape was a masters class. Landscape simplicity is for the brave & daring. Only the Italians seem to consistently get it right.

I have to see interiors to design landscapes. Above, I see: white hydrangeas, blue salvias & blue hydrangeas, 1 antique rose to match the soft pink pillows and 3-4 asclepias (butterfly weed) to match the orange in the painting. Placing the asclepias to look as if a bird planted them. Patio furnishings match interior seating: pair of benches, pair of chairs, huge coffee table, 4 end tables.

The dining room, above, again shouting: white & blue hydrangeas. Use them in drifts, not mixed.
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Evergreen hedges are indicated by the built in bookcases & breakfront. In Atlanta I would use sasanqua. Choose whatever is delicious in your zone.
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Interior rooms prove, Elegance is refusal. It's also serene.
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Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
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pics via Columbia Pictures, Joni at Cote de Texas has an incredible post about the interior of this house.

6 comments:

Velvet and Linen said...

I can't tell you how many clients use this house as a reference point. It is beautiful and relaxed.
I never thought of using interiors as inspiration for gardens, but it does make sense. Thank you for sharing your view of the world.

Have a great weekend, Terri.

xo
Brooke

Sheila said...

Interesting take! I love that house and do remember the huge blue hydrangeas around the front porch!

cotedetexas said...

I swear, I am going to write a book about this house one day and its infuence on people - it's unreal. loved your take on it. and thanks for the shoutout!

Shirley Bovshow "EdenMaker" said...

I'm like you, I always notice the landscapes and gardens in movies. I happen to have noticed them in "Somethings Got to Give" too!

The interior of a house and the way it is decorated is a great insight into the design sensibilities of the homeowner. As a garden designer, I have to be able to articulate in plant selection the plants my clients would select if they new more about gardening.
Shirley

Shirley said...

I love this house! I even blogged about it:
http://shirley-adventuresinanotsounusuallife.blogspot.com/2010/08/somethings-gotta-give-on-dvd.html
I read recently though that what we see on screen isn't the actual interior of that house. Something to do with it not actually matching up. I'm not sure. Has anyone else heard or read this? Can anyone verify if it is really the interior of that lovely home?

Mary Jo said...

I recently rented this movie again because I remembered being transported to a wonderful place. Watching it the first time, I was taken by how artful many of the scenes were--like paintings in which people were acting. It was wonderful to watch again because I could focus on the beauty of it. Interesting you blogged about it.