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When Steve Martino begin his life history over 35 years ago , people thought of the desert as a blank canvass on which they could paint their own variation of paradise , often a profuse haven that acquit little resemblance to the natural milieu . " When the ability of water is shut off , your garden should not die , " notes Martino whose desert landscapes showcase indigenous plants and natural scenery .
See more : Desert Landscaping : transubstantiate Your Yard with Natural Beauty
In Paradise Valley , Arizona , a burst of golden desert blooms from theCercidium floridum(blue palo verde ) help merge the ochre and rust tone in the landscape painting with the natural beauty of Camelback Mountain beyond . pic by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARTINO ‘S workplace
“ It ’s been ingrained in us that desert is a wasteland , ” says Martino . Yet it ’s his love for the desert — the interplay of twinkle and shadow , the color , plants , and wildlife — which inspires his work . “ I want my gardens to say something about the internet site and its history , ” he says . Inherent in that philosophy is not only a respect for , but a festivity of the natural elements that go here . “ Native works plug into the landscape to the area and give your garden soulfulness . ” Though it ’s become plebeian practice for designers to stress indigenous plant , Martino was a groundbreaker in elevating aborigine from “ weeds ” to an integral part of the landscape painting .
At this landscape painting in Scottsdale , Arizona , a foreground planting ofEchinocactus grusonii(golden barrel cactus ) relates to , in smaller scurf , theCarnegiea gigantea(saguaro cactus ) and boulders in the backdrop . In front of the red bulwark areEchinocereus engelmannii(strawberry hedgehog cactus ) . Other cactus let in : Cylindropuntia versicolor(staghorn Opuntia cholla ) andStenocereus thurberi(organ pipe cactus ) . Photo by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARTINO ‘S WORK
Of course , plants are only one part of what make Martino ’s designs stand out . Boldly color stucco walls frame compelling opinion of the desert and sky , expanding the out-of-door support domain while solving common land site problems such as deficiency of privacy or refinement . “ I bed ruins ; gardens should make wonderful ruins , and I think they should bear on their own as a space even without plants , he say . In fact , mention Martino , “ Gardens are made up of two world : the man - made and the natural worldly concern . I essay to juxtapose these two . I ’ve discover my garden design style as ‘ gage and Walls — Nature and Man . ’ ” The lighthearted habit of unexpected shapes , material , and colors is one of the most salient elements of Martino ’s landscape painting . And his enthusiasm for try Modern things has led to some interesting discoveries . Years back , when he visit a local producer of race - car constituent and realized they could build custom structures from semitransparent fiberglass in graphic hues , he come alive with melodic theme for colourful bower , outdoor showers , and internally lit benches . “ When I try something new , sometimes I do n’t lie with right away whether it ’s the straight thing I ’ve ever done , or the dumb thing I ’ve ever done , ” he order . But his inventiveness means that the walls , subtlety structures , and accent can be perfectly tailored to the personalities , interior design , and website characteristic in each labor , as well as the desert fructify beyond the garden fencing .
SET aim
Though Martino ’s piece of work is deeply connected to the natural Earth , he also has a flair for the spectacular , which is apparent from his lively color pick , modeled use of plants , and peachy care to inflammation , shadows , and reflections . “ We take care at garden more than we use them , ” he manoeuver out , “ so I create temper and atmosphere the same as for a theatre . I ’m essentially a set designer , and I edit out and manipulate elements to control views on the site . ”
In front of the “ pianissimo central ” bulwark are plantings ofAgave americanavar.medio - picta‘Alba ’ ( white - striped one C plant),Cleistocactus strausii(silver blowlamp ) , andEchinocactus grusonii(golden barrel cactus ) . Photo by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARTINO ‘S oeuvre
Colors are used to evoke emotion , and for this Palm Springs project ( envision above ) , Martino pick out upbeat colors that enhance the desert mise en scene , such as ochre , coppery orange , and impassioned redness . This sets the stage for an outside living area that is cohesive with its surroundings , while creating an inviting and energizing scene to sop up people out of doors . He also used the power of iconic object or plants . “ If you have a white room and you put a Chinese chair in it , suddenly it ’s a Taiwanese way , ” he say . “ you’re able to do that with plants . If you have an empty courtyard and you put a cactus against the wall , on the spur of the moment it ’s a court in the desert . ”
For this particular design , the client asked for a “ slap-up , cool , and sexy ” space in which to harbour . Each area has a distinct personality , with loungers built into the pool so swimmers can sunbathe while being cooled by the water , a contemporary seating area and hearth set against a background of vivid red - orangish , and an eye - catch ocher rampart with pillars that tolerate offset like pianoforte keys in motion .
BORROWED SCENERY
At this project in Scottsdale , Arizona ( pictured below ) , Martino used instinctive boulders in the background to frame a view of homes in the valley and the plenty beyond . The position is no chance event . “ The first thing I do when I get on a project is I put my hands together , rub them diabolically , and ask : What do the neighbors have that we can utilize ? Scenery ! ” says Martino . Most interior decorator are intimate with the concept of borrowed scenery : framing the most attractive scene beyond the property line to give the landscape a intuitive feeling of expansivity . But Martino claim it a step further by considering how to enlarge the national space by connecting it to the landscape . In this home , the bread and butter elbow room floor is on the same level as the exterior paving , and the pool “ looks like a spillage on the concrete , ” he says , because of thrifty coalition of the vanishing bound pool with the paved terrace .
Martino frame an attractive view of rude Boulder beyond the property telephone line to give this Scottsdale landscape painting a feeling of effusiveness . photograph by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARTINO ‘S study
To borrow scene efficaciously , verify that your garden fence or walls do n’t describe a strong dividing line between your property and the view beyond . In this display case , a 5 - foot security fence around the kitty was made nearly inconspicuous through the use of chicken feed panels and a glass handrail , with a small gap between each control panel rather than traditional mullion which would have been obtrusive . Another fashion to de - accent the height and scale of any less visually important element ( like a required fence ) is to pose it on a crushed grade so that you look over it from entertaining areas .
NATIVE PLANTS
Though Martino is known for his originative employment of wall and structures , a reverence for the local habitat is what tolerate his inventive fashion to blend so seamlessly with the surroundings . “ I set forth to habituate native plants to make the modulation from the construction to the contiguous raw desert . If you have 100 acres next to you , by bringing native plants right up to the building , you visually take ownership of all of that , ” he explains . “ It seems like a no - brainer as a proficiency to visually claim the side by side farming as part of your project . or else of designing within a small-scale blank space , it wee the landscape painting the big way in the house . ”
Fusing man - made with natural , this landscape painting portmanteau privacy screening and shaded entertaining areas with a selection of natives designed to repeat the naturally happen plants on the mountain beyond . The cooling Co of the Fletcher Benton sculpture contrasts with the chicken wisps ofAcacia farnesiana(sweet acacia ) andEncelia farinosa(brittlebush ) . photograph by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE photograph OF MARTINO ‘S workplace
On a smaller scale , an added source of interest in his landscapes comes from watching the life of worm , birds , and other creatures blossom out before your eye . “ Native plants bring along their own cortege ; they are exploit into the food mountain range . The pollinators and piranha are like a parallel universe to our life that you never see , and native plants are the window that let you see them . ” revolutionize by a study that enjoin people wish songbird more than bench or water system features in the landscape painting , Martino exclaims , “ How do you get songbirds ? Songbirds eat insect ! If you desire songbird you need insects , and if you want worm , you need native plants . ”
Desert aborigine such as the ones used in this undertaking — sahuaro cactus , Fouquieria splendens(ocotillo ) , andEncelia farinosa(brittlebush)—create an ecosystem where rich lizards do push - ups on tilt , cactus wrens nest within spinous pillars , and bay lynx imbibe from water features . That sense of connection with the rhythms of the desert immeasurably enriches his node ’ lives . As Martino say , “ I never make apologies for the desert . The plants are so alone here , and it should be celebrate as a particular place . ”
ZONING CHALLENGES
Looking at this entertaining space ( pictured below ) , you ’d never guess the privacy challenge the land site initially posed . An lofty public sidewalk runs along the back of the prop , above the existing 8 - foot wall ( run into in the background ) . Since the garden is on a lower level than the street , passersby were looking straight into the proprietor ’s landscape and home as though she was in a fish bowl . tough , zoning limitation dictate that the existing paries could go no taller .
Zoning restriction prevented Martino from building a tall privacy bulwark at the back of this belongings . Instead he found a loophole , choose for a multilevel , 15 - base - eminent shed , which did not expect a licence . Photo by : Steve Gunther . SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MARTINO ‘S body of work
“ My approach to garden design is pretty straightforward . I look at it as problem - solving with style , ” says Martino . Preferring to utilize permanent elements rather than Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for screening , Martino key out a loophole in the city ’s rule . “ My undercover weapon is ‘ sheds . ’ Here , you could work up a 200 - hearty - foot , 15 - foot - in high spirits shed without a permit , yet a wall can only be 6 feet marvellous . I ’ve build sheds which turn as garden walls to provide privateness and define the space . ” With the addition of a multilevel shed , the backyard became a pliant entertaining and seat area , with a crushed - rock floor . An exalted view deck allows a glimpse into the natural areas nearby . A grim concrete reflecting pool , next toHesperaloe parviflora‘Perpa ’ Brakelights ® , mirrors the passing clouds . In the heat of the twenty-four hour period , guests can take shelter under the ghost screen , which is made of perforated steel punched with differently sized and wrought holes . By overlapping these sheets in varying ways , psychedelic pattern and shadows are range as the sun moves across the sky . TwoFouquieria splendens(ocotillo ) flank either side of the shed entry , and aCarnegiea gigantea(saguaro ) andBaileya multiradiata(desert marigold ) adorn the front of the step . OneOpuntia ficus - indica(prickly pear or Native American fig ) sits next to the butterfly stroke chair ; another is to the left hand of the paving .
