So, what’s new and exciting in TerraTrellis and TerraSculpture land? 

So much new work!  We just debuted four limited edition abstract sculptures: Joy, Gravity, Figure and Egress. For TerraTrellis we introduced new sculptural wildlife habitats, the Hanging Bee Bungalow and the Hanging Bird Bungalow. Last year we introduced the Annabel Tipi Trellis and Geo Tomato Cage. So, yes, we’ve been pretty busy in the studio!

‘Joy,’ weathered steel and powdercoated steel.

The Annabel Tipi Trellis helps a red cape honeysuckle defy gravity.

Red cape honeysuckle.

Geo Tomato Cage, hand welded sturdy steel frame, weather resistant zero-VOC powdercoat finish.

‘Egress,’ stainless steel and weathered steel.

How would you describe the aesthetic of your home and garden?

I have great respect for classic design and modern architecture. I’m originally from Northern California and spend a lot of time on Martha’s Vineyard so I think my home and garden reflect a mix of those style influences in a way that fits with our life in Southern California. Quality of light both inside and out is very important. I wanted to create a peaceful, nature-centered environment to raise my family and a place where I can design and display my work.

How’s the Martha’s Vineyard influence invoked? 

Outdoors: sense of peace, level space, simple lines, bluestone, gravel, grasses, mature trees, lots of mulch.

Mulch! There is a lot of it here. Is there a story behind these wood chips?

Last year we planted natives, succulents, grasses and some vines in the front yard to display the Annabel Tipi Trellis but we needed a lot of mulch to finish the space. I noticed a tree-trimming crew in the neighborhood chipping their cuttings. I called the number on the truck. They would give us mulch for free but we needed to take the entire truckload. A few days later, a truck showed up and dumped a mountain of gorgeous pine mulch on our driveway — more than you can imagine! It deeply covered every planting bed on our property and we had plenty more to share with our neighbors and friends. It was hilarious seeing troops of neighbors walking up and down the street with wheelbarrows! We got thousands of dollars of free mulch; it looks great and keeps the prized moisture on the ground.

Dwarf mat rush (Lomandra longifolia ‘Breeze’) bursts from a layer of mulch. Many of the plants in this area around the tipi are young, planted just six months ago.

Agave americana ‘Mediopicta Alba’ and red fountain grass (Pennisetum x advena ‘Rubrum’).

Aeonium arboreum.

What are some of the plants you grow?

A sampling: coast rosemary (Westringia fruticosa ‘Wynabbie Gem’), Westringia fruticosa ‘Smokey,’ cape mallow (Lavatera maritima), Agave attenuata ‘Blue Flame’, Agave ‘Vilmorniana,’ Lomandra longifolia ‘Breeze,’ varieties of bougainvillea, Aloe brevifolia, Aloe nobilis, Aeonium ‘Kiwi,’ Aeonium ‘Sunburst,’ Aeonium arboreum, Senecio mandraliscae, Agave americana ‘Mediopicta Alba,’ elephant’s food (Portulacaria afra), Olea europea ‘Little Ollie,’ red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria ‘Flamenco’), kangaroo paw (Anigozanthus ‘Harmony’), red fountain grass (Pennisetum x advena ‘Rubrum’), germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides), Russian sage (Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’), Podocarpus ‘Henkelii’, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Silver Sheen’, Ceonothus griseus horizontalis ‘Yankee Point,’ Buddeja davidii ‘Black Knight,’ red cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria Capensis), upright rosemary (Rosmarinus offinalis ‘Tuscan Blue’), California lavender (Lavandula ‘Multifida’), creeping fig (Ficus pumila), scarlet milkweed (Asclepia curassavica), white wisteria (Wisteria floribunda ‘Shiro Noda’).

Edibles: Varieties of blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuces, herbs, artichokes, lemon, tangerine, lime.

Trees include: California sycamore (Platanus racemosa), jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosafolia), coral tree (Erythrina abyssinica), non-fruiting olive (Olea europaea ‘Wilsonii’), edible fig (Ficus carica), evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii), Citrus limon ‘Meyer Lemon,’ Citrus x latifolia ‘Bearss Lime,’ Citrus limon ‘Eureka Lemon.’

My favorites include Westringia ‘Smokey,’ Agave americana ‘Mediopicta Alba,’ [and] white wisteria (Wisteria floribunda ‘Shiro Noda’).

Westringia fruticosa ‘Morning Light,’ or coast rosemary.

Germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides).

‘Taffy,’ weathered steel.

Tell us about how the sculptures work in your surroundings. How do they interact with you and your environment on a daily basis?

Sculpture and plants all play their part in the landscape. We have pockets of sculpture gardens all around the property. I often invite collectors and clients over to see my work. Since many of the sculptures are scaled to a human size, the ubiquitous steel sculptures create a presence of abstract co-inhabitants. They are so integrated into the garden that when one gets moved or sold, it feels like a roommate has moved out. They are always missed.

Any special stories behind particular sculptures?

Each sculpture is informed by the memory and feeling of one single moment. Leap was a moment during a beautiful Martha Graham dance performance. Figure was a moment when I was studying life drawing and sketching a female nude in Italy. Gravity was a moment when I watched a rocket launch on TV. Embrace was a moment from a memorable kiss. All of my sculpture and trellis works are intended to create a form of dynamic tension in the garden.

What’s your philosophy on sculpture placement? 

We actually wrote an entire article on our blog about placing sculpture in the landscape. It’s best to design a space with sculpture in mind; however, I work with what is here. Placement is often determined by what the plants are doing: growth habits, form, textures, colors. Some are focal points. Some are surprises. I like contrast and effect.

‘Gravity,’ stainless steel.

‘Embrace,’ stainless steel.

Another view of ‘Embrace.’ The groundcover surrounding the pool is recycled turf from a football field, an excellent water-saving move. (In places, white field stripes are still faintly visible!)

What kind of wildlife visits your garden? How do guests react when they see your beautiful surroundings? 

Wildlife is integral to living on this Earth and very important to welcome into the garden. Living in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains we cohabitate with deer, bobcats, coyotes, red tail hawks and many species of beautiful birds and amazing insects.

I’ve designed the gardens with lots of inviting and native plants to attract birds, bees and butterflies. Flowers are a big attraction for hummingbirds but I’ve noticed that planting native trees like Platanus racemosa (California sycamore) provides wonderful architecture for hummingbird nests! Human guests seem delighted and intrigued when they move around the outdoor spaces.

California sycamore (Platanus racemosa). Jennifer planted the sycamores in her front yard 10 years ago, when they were just six feet tall. Today they’re approximately 50.

‘Figure’ and ‘Leap.’

You said the house was your first big job as a landscape designer. Tell us a bit more about that.

I now devote all of my time to my sculpture work, but I studied landscape architecture and design. I was my own first client back in 2002. I was attracted to this property in large part because of the very mature trees that were here. I am tree hugger — ask my kids.

As a landscape designer, I always advised clients: trees first, plants second. I designed the elements around the existing trees and added more, including natives, Mediterranean, citrus and fruit trees. It gets pretty hot here in the summer so we built a classically designed pool that looks like it’s set in a lush lawn. Our little secret is that the “lawn” is actually sections of a recycled football field turf that would have ended up as landfill (there are even some faint white field stripes that won’t come off!). Between the no-water recycled turf, the Mediterranean, native and low-water plants, the generous mulch and established trees we use very little water. I created a couple of edible gardens (one potted) where we rotate tomatoes and lettuces and berries alongside succulents and perennials. Attractive edible perennials like Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Tuscan Blue’ (rosemary) and Cynara scolymus (artichoke) are great anchors in the edible garden.

What is your favorite spot in your garden? Favorite season?

Favorite spot is under the pergola when the gnarled Wisteria floribunda ‘Shiro Noda’ (white wisteria) explodes into full bloom in early spring. The flowers hang like massive fragrant icicles from the structure. From there I can also see trees, sky, water, sculpture, and it smells like heaven. I can hear the hum of the bees and watch them work their pollinating magic. But my favorite season is actually winter. The air and sky are so clean and crisp and the quality of light reminds me of where I grew up in Northern California. The native plants are in their full glory and occasionally we even get a few drops of rain to refresh it all.

—TH

‘Relaxed,’ weathered and brushed stainless steel.

We also followed Jennifer into her in-home studio, where the design magic happens.