A small fountain bubbles at the intersection of the rose garden's central walkway and side paths
Last week, I toured the 3/4-acre landscape owned by Cheryl Bode and Robin Colman, a lavish garden developed over the past 10 years in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Tomorrow, April 26th, they are generously sharing their lush and serene property as one of six private, residential landscapes on the Altadena Garden Conservancy Tour.
My story, “Botanical bounty in Altadena,” about Cheryl and Robin’s abundant landscape, appears in today’s edition of the Los Angeles Times.
Since we had to cut the original piece due to space, I have included the full story below.
Take a virtual tour through this web gallery of photos from my visit:
-
-
Two urns contain twin Sansevieria cylindrica “Skyline” v. angolensis plants
-
-
Layers of the garden surround the original home
-
-
A vignette: A clay urn juxtaposed with a dragon tree
-
-
Mexican weeping bamboo softens the edges of the lawn while a stand of palms thrives in the distance
-
-
Salmon pink azaleas below; blood red Japanese maples above
-
-
New retaining walls and steps mimic the original architecture
-
-
A collection of beautiful clivia, planted with shade-loving ligularia
-
-
Four raised beds contain plenty of edibles
-
-
A new kitchen garden includes an espaliered fig
-
-
The 1925 Spanish Colonial Revival home has a deep, covered veranda
-
-
Carved into an oval, the lawn doubles as a dance floor
-
-
Cheryl found salvaged spindles and repurposed them into an entry gate
Here is my original story. Enjoy a peek into the lives of two who are passionate about the place they possess:
By Debra Prinzing
Ten years ago, Cheryl Bode and Robin Colman discovered the house and garden they soon called Casa dos Mujeres (House of Two Women).
Prompted by the desire for more space as they combined their individual households, the two Pasadena residents considered buying in nearby Altadena, a village in unincorporated Los Angeles County wedged between Pasadena and the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
“Cheryl went to Altadena on a lark with our real estate agent,” Robin recalls. “This house was in terrible shape, but part of it really captivated her.” Later, when Cheryl returned with her partner in tow, she couldn’t help jumping up and down with happiness when Robin pronounced: “I could live here.”
READ MORE…
