Less is more
A low-maintenance garden for a traditional home

by Katie Vaughn / photos by Dasja Dolan

Sometimes small changes can make a big impact. That's certainly what Sumana and Ravi Rao found when they revived their charming home and front yard by making simple renovations.

Keeping in character with the neighborhood, the Raos spiced up their plain house with a small octagonal window trimmed in black, as well as wrought-iron railings. A new brick edging added width to the walkway, creating a real entrance.

The Raos bought the pre-World War II house, tucked in Palo Alto's picturesque Southgate neighborhood, in late 2003 from its original owners. Painted white and offset by overgrown oleander bushes, the plainly shaped house was neat but lacking in style.

"It was very blah," Sumana says. "The house has some cute detailing, but that wasn't being brought out."

After renovating parts of the house's interior, the couple turned to the elements that encompass its front entryway. They wanted a home that not only looked good, but fit in with its surroundings.

"It was important to us that it kept in character with the neighborhood," Sumana says.

The Raos also knew they wanted their new garden to be low-maintenance, and began looking at neighbors' yards for ideas. They also found inspiration in clippings Sumana had saved over the years from home and gardening magazines.

Armed with a stylistic concept, the Raos turned to landscape designer Julia Powers, who helped them turn their ideas into a succinct plan to bring out the house and yard's hidden charm.

The house now pops with beige exterior walls. New windows with white plantation shutters and a small octagonal window are trimmed in black, echoing the color of the front door and wrought-iron railings. And the garden follows this trim, tailored look.

"The style of the house is traditional," Powers says. "The garden isn't trendy, it just fits. It looks liked it's always been there."

On both sides of a concrete walkway lie rectangular brick-bordered areas that curve into half circles at the ends of the house. Placed on either end are lime and lemon trees that were given to the couple by special family members. The rest of the mulch-bedded garden is filled with such plants as the temperamental gardenia mystery, the perennial ground morning glory and perennial linaria and variegated winter daphne, a small-scale winter-blooming shrub.

"The garden is a very subtle combination of plants," says Powers. "It's a mix of textures more than anything else."

The Raos chose small plants to save money in creating their garden, and also because they will grow into their mature sizes without needing much pruning to keep them in proportion. Additionally, landscaper Stephen Kovacs installed small low-voltage lighting fixtures and a drip irrigation system to water plants individually.

"You actually water at the very base of the plant," Kovacs says. "It minimizes waste and weed growth."

A final yet important element in the entryway project was improving the walkway. A fresh coat of gray paint and a brick border like the one used in the garden completely revamped the path.

"The old walkway was fine but its width made you feel like you had to enter the house single-file," Powers says. "The brick edging added about 18 inches to the width and now it feels like a real entrance."

The Raos, as well as their neighbors, are pleased with the results of the remodel. Sumana attributes the success of the transformation to working with professional designers and landscapers and knowing the style she and her husband desired. Doing so, she said, enabled them to get a fresh look for a modest price.
"It helps if you have a clear vision of what you're looking for," Sumana says.

"Then small changes can have a good impact."

Resources:
Landscape designer: Julia Powers, Julia Powers Landscape Services, (650) 269-4975, www.juliapowers.com
Landscape contractor: Stephen Kovacs, Eni-Ko, (650) 924-0777, www.eniko.com

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