 
We took occupancy in August 2004. A week later, after staring for a few minutes, a woman walking
by said that her family had vacationed in Lewes for years, but they simply could not remember our house. “We
don't know if it's the new paint job or the renovation that's confusing us,” she explained.
Objective met: Fitting a brand new house into a great old neighborhood!
We installed the bluestone walkways in fall 2004 and the picket fence in February 2005. We began planting
the garden in March.
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| View out right side gate to street, with hydrangeas and sweetbay magnolias on right |
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| The setback matches the neighbor's--sited about 100 years earlier! |
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| The front porch -- our 2nd living room! |
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| Small fountain we made from architectural finds |
| The same fountain, below, in late summer 2005 |
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The fountain, made from architectural building blocks
found at a junk shop, is fronted by ice plant, which tumbles down the wall (also built from the block); with panicum
behind. To the left and right are dwarf daylilies; and franklinia is at right.
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| Pergola off the den (other shots show it natural; we recently stained it white). |
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Lewes Lips
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Landscape
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Each major first floor interior room is connected to an
outdoor room. The living room has its porch. The den opens to a terrace, which overlooks a perennial garden and views
beyond. The dining room opens at rear to a small deck and another terrace; and at front to the porch and a small
entry garden.
The minor rooms to the left of the house look out onto an irregular,
shady path.
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| Gate to right side of porch. Pomegranate standards in front; hydrangeas, magnolias behind. |
A small seating area with a bench and fountain
are just behind the gate. This small garden includes hydrangeas, daylilies, lavender, a franklinia, ice plants and
panicum.
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| View down walkway along the dining room |
Off this terrace is a low point, where water gathers.
It is planted with water-loving plants, including variegated swamp iris, ginger lily, canna, calla lily, perennial lobelia,
and perennial hibiscus.
We store the ocean kayaks along the narrow walk
on the shady, left side of the house.
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| View from den out rear, over terrace and bed of echinaceas |
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| Hardy gardenias line the terrace |
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| Late Summer 2005 |
An unclipped rosemary hedge fronts the porch. The rosemary provides fragrance with
the slightest breeze; and we often see neighbors brushing it as they walk by, releasing the spicy scent.
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| Before gate, seating area & landscape were installed |
The dining room has views on 3 sides:
--Into the small front garden behind the gate
--Along the side walkway, densely planted with crepe myrtles,
catmint, cherry laurel and hypericum
--And to the rear, toward the stone terrace and a shed and outdoor
shower.
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| Similar view, before |
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| Space pictured at left, before landscape |
The irregular stone path is lined with hollies,
viburnum, camellias, astilbes, hostas, pieris, mahonias and other shade-lovers.
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| Roses line the fence |
The space past the terrace outside the den includes
a row of hardy gardenias, and a mass of echinaceas and other perennials blooming in phases. Roses, underplanted
with perennial blue geraniums, line the rear fence.
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| View over echinacea bed, back towards den. The pergola has subsequently been painted white. |
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