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Susie Dowd Markarian Design

In the beginning

The saying "Good things come to those who wait" definitely describes the creative process of this tranquil garden landscape for Randy Tavenner and Jean Moore of Petaluma, California. Randy and his wife Jean own and operate H & R Building Services, a landscape construction company in Petaluma, California. Randy and his 22 employees develop and install garden landscape for their own clients, day in and day out. As in the case of the "cobblers children having no shoes', the Tavenner's personal backyard landscape design and installation kept taking the "backseat" to their company's landscape projects. As the months turned into years it became apparent to them that perhaps they should bring in some outside assistance.

The Tavenners had a concept in mind, which included having the sights and sounds a large body of "moving" water as a focus. They hired Susie Dowd-Markarian, APLD a landscape designer in nearby Santa Rosa California. Having collaborated successfully with Susie on client projects in the past, they were familiar and comfortable with her client-friendly approach. Through a series of meetings, they laid out the body, the movement and the spine of the design, and carefully framed in focal points. Most important of these was the main featured element, a naturalistic waterfall and Koi pond. The goal was to develop a garden design that would combine all the elements into a tranquil setting that would transition into the neighboring native creek-side environment that borders the back of their large lot. An abundance of trees were added, and a large undulating lawn was created. The shapes mimicked and reflected the surrounding Sonoma County terrain, consisting of golden rolling hills dotted with clusters of native oaks. This added benefit of borrowing the views of the hillsides as a backdrop was the icing on the cake. The Tavenners have a great view extending as far as the eye could see into the distance, along with native creek plantings consisting of willows, bays, and grasses up close and personal.

The process

Their flat, level lot would soon begin to grow some rolling hills of it's own, with the addition of hundreds of yards of topsoil and countless tons of very large native field stone boulders. The boulders developed and defined the very large berms, outlined and supported the pond and became the splash plates for the waterfall. Large field grown olive trees became the anchors of the landscape and set the stage for the plant palette.

Which came first the boulder or the egg?

Throughout the positioning of these large and numerous boulders, we faced the dilemma of carefully driving the tractor around a precariously placed Shore Bird's nest. The mother bird would run around fretting and calling out to us that she was there. Her nest was on the ground in the middle of the entire operation. Protecting our bird population was one of the main obstacles (and pleasures!). Other more long term obstacles we had before us stemmed from the horrendously heavy adobe type clay soils native to the Petaluma area, the abundant deer population grazing throughout, (they are fenced), and the strong Petaluma winds, that blow through the area on a daily bases. The installation of this garden was done in several phases over the period of one year with the finale coming together in just a matter of days.

Blending culture and natives

Jean, an avid student of Ikebana flower arranging, desired plant material for use in her Japanese Ikebana arrangements, and incorporating her other interest by adding numerous grasses, conifers and perennial color. The plant palette I selected included Weeping Cherry trees, Prunus serrulata 'Pendula alba', white Japanese Anemone japonica alba, Calla Lilies Zantedeschia aethopicia, Chaenomeles Toyo Nishiki, Flowering Quince, Acer palmatum Sango Kaku, Red Bark Japanese, Maple, and Cupressus macrocarpa 'Greenspire a low horizontal Monterey Cypress as potential Ikebana materials. We also brought in Lagerstromia inidca, Maytenus boraia, Koelreuteria paniculata the Goldenrain Tree and Cercis occidentalis Western Red bud as specimen and landscape trees. Masses of perennial color were used as the connectors amongst the bladed plant material that provided leaf contrast. I choose to use a variety of grasses, Phormiums like Apricot Queen, and Yellow Wave, Dietes vegeta Fortnight Lilies. A few of the perennials I choose and knew to be somewhat deer resistant, and good performers in the area included Nepeta fassenii, Lavandula stoechas, Erigeron karvinskianus and Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'. Hundreds of plants were designed into the garden, and still we were able to maintain a sense of calm and peacefulness. Proper placement and good sense of color was the ingredient for a successful project.

The Finale

I feel we have mastered the artistry of our initial purpose beyond what we had imagined, as the transformation of the Tavenner's flat and level lot into a garden of serene tranquility is truly our treasure. One can view the garden from any angle and be drawn to hidden areas nestled throughout the site, or walk up on the flat boulder steps and stroll along the path to see what rewards may lie ahead, sit on the deck allow the magic and sounds of the waterfall transport you. The beauty of the Koi swimming beneath the magnificent water lilies and the coolness of the large green lawn reminds us all that "time is of the essence", and the time for this garden has come.

Signed Susie Dowd-Markarian, APLD
Landscape Designer

Susie Dowd Markarian, APLD, has more than 25 years in the field of horticulture working throughout Northern California. Her first experience producing organic food and flowers inspired her to branch into estate garden maintenance management. As a horticultural student, she was eventually certified in Ornamental Horticulture in 1989 and soon became an instructor of both horticulture and landscape design. The past 15 years have been devoted primarily to landscape design. Her designs have earned her numerous industry awards, including a commission with Sunset Books to design several gardens for Sunset's "Low Maintenance Gardens" published in 1999. Susie became APLD certified in 2001.

Susie Dowd-Markarian, APLD
608 Los Olivos
Santa Rosa, CA. 95404
Phone: 707-537-0508
Fax: 707-537-1523
E-Mail: bloomful@sbcglobal.net

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