Blue Two Panel Screen
Since today is the day we celebrate the red, white and blue, I could not resist this bright blue screen by landscape designer Jan Kirsh as the lead photo. Jan was the first design professional I met after my move to the Eastern Shore in 2004. One of my early Houses of the Week featured her garden design that also highlighted her special affinity to incorporate hardscape elements, sometimes with juxtapositions of different materials and scales
At that same time, Jan began thinking about designing sculptures to enhance the gardens she created for her clients. Her garden design work is well known for the creation of ‘outdoor rooms’ and adding three-dimensional art was a natural segue. She experimented with different media and soon study models appeared in her studio that became full-scale or oversized sculptures in her garden. Trios of tall, slender asparagus, a reclining glistening red pepper sweating in the sun, and a sensuous eggplant in her form-fitting aubergine gown were some of my favorites.
One of Jan’s many fruit and veggie sculptures, the pear sculpture’s curves are reflected beautifully into the pool
By 2009, her fruit and vegetable collection grew to include artichokes, asparagus, carrots, eggplants, figs, pears and peppers that made their public debut at the Architectural Digest Show in NYC and have revitalized the gardens of many Eastern Shore residences since.
The Avocado fountain sculpture installed at the St. Michaels Public Library invites imaginative play!
Jan’s sculptures have been part of exhibitions and collections in galleries and museums nationally and internationally as well as local and regional collections.
Her love of designing outdoor rooms also led to exploring her concept of art screens that combines her love of garden design and art. These partially transparent walls define “walls” of “outdoor rooms” or gentle boundaries between neighbors. Inspired by plant forms and shapes, her new screens have been executed in various materials including Corten steel, natural and painted aluminum.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting with Jan and her client who owns a condominium in Martingham, near St Michaels. The client’s rear wall overlooks a community green space but only three cramped steps and a small concrete patio originally defined her area in which to enjoy being outdoors. Jan Kirsh’s client had a clear vision for what she wanted in an “outdoor room”- semi-privacy was foremost which was ably provided by the 6’-0” high, Succulent Plant inspired Screens. Flowers, a retractable awning for shade, space for seating and dining and the soothing sound of water rounded out the ‘wish list’.
Jan’s talent is on full display in this thoughtfully redesigned “outdoor room.”
Every square inch of the existing compact patio and planting beds was considered during the design process. The existing stairs and handrails were removed and redesigned to more gracefully divide the outdoor room into sitting and dining areas, while providing another ‘perch’ from which to enjoy the garden.
The Outdoor room is framed by one of Kirsch’s signature screens featuring a succulent motif
The ‘Succulent Screens’ on each side provide the perfect balance of privacy and proximity to the neighbors and the terrace was transformed into an outdoor room. Porcelain tile adds a layer of subtle color and texture over the reshaped concrete slab. The Owner is new to gardening and wanted to include in the planting area surrounding the terrace a selection of her new favorite plants and flowers, instead of groupings of a single plant. White is the dominant color in the composition and the slender, elegant powder-coated handrails were inspired by a simple design suggested by the Owner. Red is used as an accent for the metal chairs; the Arctic Fire’ red twig dogwood has bright red stems in the winter and visually ‘anchors’ the garden corner, the “Nubia” clematis that bloomed early this spring spreading over the custom steel lattice trellis next to the steps and the slight deep reddish glaze of the fountain-bubbler. I relaxed in a chair and listened to the Owner and Jan Kirsh talk about the plantings as I appreciated the soothing sound of water as it trickled down over the edge of the tall ceramic fountain-bubbler onto gray-black pebbles.
‘Nubia’ red clematis
I appreciated the layering of the plantings including the dwarf form of ‘Hydrangea paniculata’ opposite the ‘Nubia’ red clematis; the Gaura ‘So White’ with flowers on tall thin stems that dance in the breeze, and the white variegated sedge in the window boxes. The low-growing rose is Rosa ‘Drift White’ and the lime green grassy groundcover, Acorus gramineous ‘Ogon’ provides a sweet contrast.
View of the screen from Neighboring patio
The adjoining neighbor’s patio now enjoys sharing the beautiful Succulent Screen. Who knows, soon there may be many more along this row of townhomes!
Corten steel, ‘Mid-century Modern’ screen.
Other current screen designs of Jan Kirsh’s include a ‘Mid-century Modern’ screen that was produced in Corten steel. This commission grew out of a collaboration between Jan Kirsh and clients whose garden she was designing. Corten steel is a wonderful material for it weathers naturally to a soft rusty patina and is incredibly weather resistant and low maintenance. (Corten steel is the same material Jan Kirsh recently selected for the new St. Michael’s Community Center planters). The ‘zig-zag’ configuration of this screen provides a sense of division for two small terraces at a poolside garden on the waterside of the client’s home. The design was inspired by the mid-century themes used in the interior furnishings. The panels sit 4′-0” in height and the panels are either 3′-0” or 6′-0” in length.
The Grape Screen is Aluminum 8′-6″ in height x just over 8′-O” in width.
The ‘Grape Screen’ was produced in both a clear-coated aluminum or the blue-painted version that is the lead photograph of this article. The clear aluminum ‘Grape Screen’ was commissioned by patrons for their Annapolis garden. It sits in a mature tulip poplar woodland where it provides a visual buffer of the neighbor’s rear garden. The piece was sited so that it is seen from the main outdoor deck and interior dining space. The screen measures 8′-6″ in height x just over 8′-O” in width. The Grape Screen is also available as a two-panel piece that is 6′-9″ in height x 8′-0 in width.
The location of screens within her landscapes is carefully considered to ensure a year-round show!
I imagine this stunning pix of the grape screen surrounded by this snowy landscape will be the Owners’ Holiday Card this year! I love how the solid and void parts of the screen read so clearly against their background of white.
Once again, Jan Kirsh has tacked in a new design direction with these whimsical and creative screens…who knows what this imaginative landscape designer will think of next tuned to the Spy!
Landscape Designer: Jan Kirsh, Jan Kirsh Studio, www.jankirshstudio.com 410-745-5252
Porcelain Tile from Solid Tops in Easton
Stair handrails fabricated by Eric Harvey
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