South Side "garden room"

The south side garden includes an old drive right next to the house flanked by an overgrown boxwood hedge (on the left). The fountain pump and filters can be seen at the end right next to the new brick stairs.

Existing

The owners and I discussed refurbishing the boxwood hedge. (It's about a 5-year process but boxes are notoriously tolerant of severe pruning). 

Tall Hedge

This next image shows the boxes renovated into a tall privacy hedge on the left. I propose that it be pruned to match the height of the trim on the house wall. This maintains the symmetry of Greek temples. This creates a garden room adjacent to the entertainment area at the back (photo right).

Shrubs and a bench hide the pumps and create a focal point.

A bed of pea gravel fills the space.

Tall privacy hedge

Medium Hedge

This next image is the same as the previous just a bit shorter. This allows a bit more light, a chance to see over the hedge when standing, but privacy when seated.

Shorter privacy hedge

Short Hedge
This image shows the box hedge renovated to its minimum size. It's very open and provides completely unobstructed views of the garden, the fountain, the street. Some protection from the hot summer sun is lost.

Minimum hedge size

Box Allee'

My own favorite option for the hedge renovation is to prune the trunks bare from the ground up to the height of the house trim. This makes the former hedge into an "allee" of small trees. There are several advantages.

Boxwoods grow very slowly. Renovation pruning to smaller sizes takes years. "Pruning up" has no recovery time. Instant gratification.

There is a certain cache' in having an allee of such slow-growing plants. It emphasizes the age of the house and garden. Removing them is also removing a testament to time. It would take 100 years to replicate. There's value there worth keeping.

Boxwood Allee'

Exposing the trunks of the boxwoods provides a view into the garden, fountain, etc. but still provides some small degree of separation/privacy. Air circulation is improved. 

The space beneath the boxwood allee provides the perfect spot for other shade-loving plants like ferns.

Should this design fail to satisfy, the first 3 options are still available.