Fontana Park - Fontana, California

Fontana Park

Fontana Park is the largest new park built in Fontana California in many years.  The park functions as a recreation and community center for a rapidly expanding suburban community in Southern California.  As part of a multi-disciplinary team, I was primarily responsibility for the planting design.

Aerial view of the main gateway into Fontana Park  The grand entry features a boxwood-edged formal rose garden and deciduous trees that provide much needed summer shade.

View of main promenade and rose garden.

The aquatic center flanked with climatically appropriate Mediterranean plants for an attractive, low-water using plants for a thematic backdrop.

Perennial and shrub planting accents key nodes in the park. 

Custom-designed play equipment creates a unique play environment for the community’s children.

Location:  Fontana, California
Firm: BMLA, Inc.
Associate In Charge: Marty Zollner
Role:  Responsible for planting design.  Worked as part of a multi-disciplinary team to produce construction drawings.


Fontana Park Team:
Landscape Architect & 
Project Team Leader:
BMLA Landscape Architecture 
Baxter Miller
Governing Agency:
City of Fontana
Civil Engineer:
Madole & Associates
Architect:
John Bates Associates
Irrigation Engineer:
Scaliter Irrigation Engineering, Inc.
Lighting Engineer:
Reedcorp Engineering
Wayfinder:
Hunt and Associates
Aquatic Designer:
Aquatic Design Group
Skate Park Designer:
Site Design Group
Kinetic Sculture:
Cornermark Fine Art
General Contractor:
Douglas E Barnhart Inc.
Construction Management:
Caltrop

Lake Elsinore Outlets

Adding Value By Designing Comfort

The property developer wanted to redesign the outdoor shopping environment for a outlet mall in a readily developing area of Southern California.  BMLA, Inc. was tasked with design development and construction drawings based on a conceptual preliminary design produced by Glatting and Jackson.  The scope of work included siting massive fabric shade structures and upgrading planting and adding several fountains and outdoor dining area.  The improved site features have improved shopper comfort and spruced up the retail environment.

A new fountain and outdoor dining area was added to create enjoyable spaces for shoppers to sit and enjoy.  Before the renovation, there was no place for shoppers to eat or rest.  Now, shoppers can spend more time at the mall which results in more dollars spent on average.

View down the central shopping corridor.  The shade structures help reduce temperatures and increase customer comfort in the arid environment.  Careful placement allows for emergency vehicle access and full visibility of store advertising signage.

Back-to-school shoppers enjoy the more comfortable surroundings.

One of many entry points featuring expanded seating, rejuvenated planting, and shade structure.  The shade structures had to be placed in order to allow fire trucks complete access to the mall.

Location:  Lake Elsinore Outlets, Lake Elsinore, California
Client: Castle & Cooke
Firm: BMLA, Inc.
Associate In Charge: Steve Sanhamil
Project Manager: John Denson
Role:  Responsible for design development, presentation drawings of finalized design, working drawings, fountain and site furniture selection, and field observation. 

Jess Ranch Parkway - Apple Valley, California

Beauty in the Desert - Backbone of the Community

Del Webb community entry drive in Apple Valley, California.  The client wanted a lush and inviting streetscape to tie the large residential community together and guide homebuyers towards the model homes and sales center.  Jess Ranch Parkway became the major vehicular circulation route with many key nodes that served as the backbone of the residential community. 
The high desert climate with it’s extremes of summer heat, winter chill, and aridity proved challenging.  The plants selected provide a colorful and lush appearance in the high desert while using moderate amounts of water.  A mix of evergreen and deciduous trees create year round structure and support the client’s marketing agenda.

Median planting mixes colorful flowering accent trees with durable evergreens for year-round beauty.

High water use and high maintenance planting was concentrated at nodes where there is maximum impact.  Other plantings used only moderate amounts of water and maintenance.

Parkway planting created interesting places for residents of the active adult community to walk and exercise.

Location:  Jess Ranch, Apple Valley, California
Client: Pulte Homes
Firm: BMLA, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Baxter Miller
Project Manager: Steve Sanhamil
Role:  Streetscape planting design and plant palette selection.  Completed working drawings and conducted site inspections.

Model Home Complex

Designed to Sell - Model Homes

Model Home Complex - The Masterpiece by Beazer
Client:  Beazer Homes
A model home complex featured front and backyard design, planting, and irrigation work.  Scope also included a sales center.
Location:  Corona, California
Firm: BMLA, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Baxter Miller
Project Manager: Maro Urena
Role:  Planting design, irrigation design, detail design, construction documents.

Del Webb Active Adult Community Center

Oakmont Clubhouse - Beaumont, California

Entrance to the clubhouse. Planting design creates a lush and welcoming setting while conserving water.

Entry signage for the clubhouse.  Planting harmonizes with the semi-arid climate and conserves water while creating maximum impact for the developer.

Oakmont Community Center
Client: Pulte Homes
The community center is at the heart of Pulte’s Del Webb active adult community. 
Location:  Beaumont, California
Firm: BMLA, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Baxter Miller
Project Manager: Steve Sanhamil
Role:  Planting design and irrigation design.  Selected key specimen trees at Valley Crest nursery.

Woodbine Estate

Formality on a Grand Scale - Woodbine Estate

A massive formal cascade is the central organizing feature of this new house and garden in Atlanta, Georgia.  There are three distinct levels that have their own purpose and program.  The terrace closest to the house has a large lawn for outdoor entertaining.  The next level is a grand lawn that is large enough to accommodate a large temporary event tent for expanded outdoor entertaining opportunities.  A mysterious negative edge pool creates a tranquil reflective surface when not being used bye the client’s children.  The highest level features an orangarie designed by the building architect.  The cascade connects the levels together and creates an impressive focal point from the house.  This is possibly the longest residential cascade built during the 20th Century.

A view towards the main house from the pool terrace.  The balustrade and stairs were custom fabricated out of Texas Cream limestone and assembled on site. 

View of the raised coping negative edge pool.  Water constantly trickles over the carved coping and creates a mirror to reflect the sky.

Detail of the carved limestone balustrade and cascade details.

Detail of the carved limestone balustrade and cascade details.

Photos by John Denson. This work has not been published in magazines at the request of the client.

Location:  Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Firm: Dargan Landscape Architects, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Hugh Dargan
Project Manager:  Graham Pittman

Role:  Responsible for technically complex construction drawings.  Worked closely with the project manager in order to execute the project on schedule and within budget.  The work shown is only a small portion of a large estate.

Atlantic Coast Garden - Sea Island, Georgia

Celebration of Genus Loci

This coastal south Georgia house are garden were planned in tandem and there was extensive coordination with the architect throughout the design process.  A design review committee and several wetlands posed additional requirements for design approvals prior to construction.  The garden features a mix of formal spaces near the home and informal spaces that blend into the stunning natural environment.  Views of the Intercoastal waterway were carefully preserved and protected. 

A small, sunken herb garden is one of many richly detailed spaces surrounding the main terrace and swimming pool. 

The landscape gradually becomes less formal as it transitions into undisturbed forest and wetlands. A whimsical swing provides a play place for the couples grandchildren.

Photos by Mary Palmer Dargan.  Published in Timeless Landscape Design by Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan.

Location:  Sea Island, Georgia
Firm: Dargan Landscape Architects, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Mary Palmer Dargan
Project Manager:  John Denson
Role:  Project manager for design development and construction drawings.

Walden Garden - Altanta, Georgia

Making Useful Spaces on A Hilly Site

Late record producer Phil Walden purchased a lovely older home in Atlanta’s elite Buckhead district and required an exquisite garden to match the grandeur of the house.  To compensate for the extreme elevation drop from the front of the property to the rear, a design solution utilizing terraces and sloped lawns connecting spaces was implemented with stunning results.  A swimming pool, sports court, guest house and extensive gardens were all part of the program.  Garden parties were frequent events for this garden. 

Upper terrace garden. Boxwood and pierced brick walls provide structure for seasonal color.  The pool pavilion can be seen in the distance.   Photo by Mary Palmer Dargan.  Published in Timeless Landscape Design by Hugh & Mary Palmer Dargan.  Mr. Denson was responsible for the design development and construction drawings.

Grading plan for the Walden Estate.  The rear garden features numerous retaining walls and sloped terraces. 

Custom pool features a gray Pebbletec finish.  Underwater speakers were embedded in the pool shell so that the client could hear music under water.

Client: Phil Walden
Location:  Atlanta, Georgia
Firm: Dargan Landscape Architects, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Hugh Dargan
Project Manager:  Graham Pittman
Role:  Responsible for a portion of the presentation drawings, design development, and most construction drawings.

Kennedy Garden - Atlanta, Georgia

Residential Design - Making Vision Into Reality

A major renovation of a fine home required a complete redesign of the gardens and grounds surrounding the house. One area of special emphasis was the parking court.  A formerly bland expanse of asphalt was transformed into a welcoming and finely detailed parking court for guests.  An existing Italianate gazebo was carefully dismantled and relocated as the focal point of the parking court cutting garden.  Seasonal color enlivens the space and provides cut flowers in the summer while clipped boxwood provides structure throughout the year.

Above:  Cutting garden and gazebo.  Photo by Mary Palmer Dargan.  Published in Timeless Landscape Design by Hugh & Mary Palmer Dargan.   Mr. Denson was responsible for the design development, construction drawings, and laying out the design in the field with the contractor. 

Frontal view of cutting garden and relocated gazebo.  Wide joints were left between the bluestone pavers for creeping plants to grow in order to soften the paving. 

View of the parking court.  The gazebo  can be seen from the house and is a focal point for the residents.

Client: Mrs. Kennedy
Location:  Atlanta, Georgia
Firm: Dargan Landscape Architects, Inc.
Principal In Charge: Mary Palmer Dargan
Project Manager:  Graham Pittman
Role:  Responsible for design development, construction drawings, and site observation.  Assisted contractor in laying out cutting garden in the field and making minor adjustments to preserve the quality of the design and the client’s intent.

Saint Thomas Moore Prayer Garden - Conceptual Sketches

St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Manhattan, Kansas is planning to construct a prayer garden on the southern side of the existing church.  I participated as a member of a planning committee and produced some initial rough concept sketches using Google SketchUp to help the committee visualized some of the possible design solutions based on the program elements.  The design process is ongoing.

Portfolio - 2010