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Knight-O’Brien Garden

By Emily Young
When new owners renovated a 1927 house by architect Paul Kingsbury, who worked on the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, they took pains to create a new landscape that looked like it belonged with an old house. Among the additions: a backyard dining pergola and outdoor fireplace on opposite ends of an olive allee, which is underplanted with succulents. “The upper space was odd, almost but not quite rectangular,” designer Scott Daigre says. “With the allee, you don’t notice so much that the shape is off.”  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Scott Daigre, owner of Powerplant Garden Design in Ojai and Los Angeles, helped owners of Spanish Colonial Revival house in Los Angeles turn a tough hillside lot into a series of outdoor rooms with drought-tolerant plants.

The view from the street.

The view from the street.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Daigre's first move was to redo the aging entry staircase by widening it and paving it with new flagstone. The homeowners looked at many wrought-iron gates before settling on the scrollwork for the entry by the street. The design was actually copied from a gate at another Spanish house in the neighborhood, then enlarged to fit this house.

Daigre’s first move was to redo the aging entry staircase by widening it and paving it with new flagstone. The homeowners looked at many wrought-iron gates before settling on the scrollwork for the entry by the street. The design was actually copied from a gate at another Spanish house in the neighborhood, then enlarged to fit this house.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Daigre carved a broad landing where visitors can sit on a stone bench beneath an old magnolia, kept by the owners as a reminder of their Southern roots. The view takes in the olive trees, lavender, rosemary, agaves, aloes and echeverias that soften the retaining walls leading up to the Spanish Colonial Revival house.

Daigre carved a broad landing where visitors can sit on a stone bench beneath an old magnolia, kept by the owners as a reminder of their Southern roots. The view takes in the olive trees, lavender, rosemary, agaves, aloes and echeverias that soften the retaining walls leading up to the Spanish Colonial Revival house.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

At the top of the stairs, Daigre laid out flagstone and shrank the oversized patio with plenty of comfortable seating and containers of greenery. The centerpiece of the courtyard-like space is a quatrefoil fountain whose gentle splash fills the air with tranquil sound.

At the top of the stairs, Daigre laid out flagstone and shrank the oversized patio with plenty of comfortable seating and containers of greenery. The centerpiece of the courtyard-like space is a quatrefoil fountain whose gentle splash fills the air with tranquil sound.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Reproduction Malibu tiles from Mission Tile West in South Pasadena add rich color and period detail to the fountain.

Reproduction Malibu tiles from Mission Tile West in South Pasadena add rich color and period detail to the fountain.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Containers overflowing with rosemary, iresine and parrot's beak extend the planted landscape. Daigre used Moonlight limestone flagstone from Bourget Flagstone Co. in Santa Monica to blend the entry staircase and front patio with the house exterior. The wrought-iron lantern is a custom fixture made by Reborn Antiques in Los Angeles.

Containers overflowing with rosemary, iresine and parrot’s beak extend the planted landscape. Daigre used Moonlight limestone flagstone from Bourget Flagstone Co. in Santa Monica to blend the entry staircase and front patio with the house exterior. The wrought-iron lantern is a custom fixture made by Reborn Antiques in Los Angeles.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

The living room's arched window provides a view of the quatrefoil fountain against a green backdrop throughout the day or, thanks to outdoor lighting, at night.

The living room’s arched window provides a view of the quatrefoil fountain against a green backdrop throughout the day or, thanks to outdoor lighting, at night.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

One of the homeowner's father built the wood dining pergola, where the only outdoor lantern original to the house was rewired and given pride of place. Brown Jordan furniture with cushions covered in fade-resistant Sunbrella fabric complete the space.

One of the homeowner’s father built the wood dining pergola, where the only outdoor lantern original to the house was rewired and given pride of place. Brown Jordan furniture with cushions covered in fade-resistant Sunbrella fabric complete the space.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Another view of the outdoor fireplace through the olive allee.

Another view of the outdoor fireplace through the olive allee.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

For continuity, designer Daigre borrowed created the outdoor fireplace using details from inside the house: hexagonal terra cotta tiles from the original living room hearth and glazed ceramic tiles from the remodeled kitchen backsplash. Openings below the fireplace provide storage for firewood.

For continuity, designer Daigre borrowed created the outdoor fireplace using details from inside the house: hexagonal terra cotta tiles from the original living room hearth and glazed ceramic tiles from the remodeled kitchen backsplash. Openings below the fireplace provide storage for firewood.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Simple railings and fencing set off the staircase and transition between the lower and upper rear gardens. They were handcrafted by Roberts Iron Works in Azusa, and the lantern was made by Reborn Antiques of Los Angeles. From the double gate at the sidewalk to the Juliet balcony off the master bedroom to the lanterns hanging outside doorways, the metal accents lend vintage ambience.

Simple railings and fencing set off the staircase and transition between the lower and upper rear gardens. They were handcrafted by Roberts Iron Works in Azusa, and the lantern was made by Reborn Antiques of Los Angeles. From the double gate at the sidewalk to the Juliet balcony off the master bedroom to the lanterns hanging outside doorways, the metal accents lend vintage ambience.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Potted lemon trees frame an alfresco dining spot just outside the formal dining room. The fountain features a Bauer Pottery jar and colorful reproduction ceramic tiles from Mission Tile West.

Potted lemon trees frame an alfresco dining spot just outside the formal dining room. The fountain features a Bauer Pottery jar and colorful reproduction ceramic tiles from Mission Tile West.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Potted kumquats provide refreshing foliage and the bonus of edible fruit on a balcony. The front slope's gray-green backdrop of olive trees, a low-fruiting variety of Olea europaea called Wilsoni, are from Boething Treeland Farms in Woodland Hills.

Potted kumquats provide refreshing foliage and the bonus of edible fruit on a balcony. The front slope’s gray-green backdrop of olive trees, a low-fruiting variety of Olea europaea called Wilsoni, are from Boething Treeland Farms in Woodland Hills.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Echeveria, donkey tail and other succulents create a drought-tolerant container garden on the balcony overlooking the street. Hexagonal terra cotta tiles from Ann Sacks in Los Angeles echo smaller terra cotta tiles original to the living room hearth. The wrought-iron railing, also fabricated by Roberts Iron Works, complements the existing grate.

Echeveria, donkey tail and other succulents create a drought-tolerant container garden on the balcony overlooking the street. Hexagonal terra cotta tiles from Ann Sacks in Los Angeles echo smaller terra cotta tiles original to the living room hearth. The wrought-iron railing, also fabricated by Roberts Iron Works, complements the existing grate.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

French doors in the living room open to the bubbling of the quatrefoil fountain and a view of the hot pink bougainvillea. For the full article on this garden, go to our L.A. at Home blog. More profiles: Southern California homes and gardens

French doors in the living room open to the bubbling of the quatrefoil fountain and a view of the hot pink bougainvillea.
For the full article on this garden, go to our L.A. at Home blog.
More profiles: Southern California homes and gardens  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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