Tuscan Home Landscaping Ideas

A visit to midtown home takes you to Tuscany

Jon Cook's midtown residence looks more like Tuscany than Tucson these days.

Cook's front yard, once home to knee-high hedges and dying grass, is covered in aged, reclaimed brick, giving his newly built, European-inspired courtyard a rustic, Old World feel.

A large fountain attracts birds and wildlife and lies only a few feet away from a custom stucco and concrete block bench that snakes along the western wall on a raised patio.

The wall itself features large river rock columns, built-in open air windows and an arched entryway with panels of painted clay birds, butterflies and flowers by local artist Gail T. Roberts, along its edges.

A solid tongue-and-groove pine door with black metalwork, like something out of a fairy tale, keeps things private, while adding an element of fun.

"It has a very 'Who goes there?' feel to it," Cook said.

The courtyard was a labor of love for Cook, a remodeler and handyman who spent the last two years putting the whole thing together.

Cook and his wife, Victoria Cook, moved 17 years ago into the La Madera Neighborhood, near North Tucson Boulevard and East Fort Lowell Road.

They enjoyed the area - Victoria grew up there - but weren't fans of their front yard.

"We hated to water the grass," Jon said. "We wanted to wipe it clean."

The two went on bike rides through the Sam Hughes neighborhood for remodeling and landscaping ideas. They also drew on Victoria's experiences traveling through England and Italy.

They had already built an English-style garden with smaller columns and a wooden-slat fence in their backyard. A courtyard with a similar theme seemed appropriate.

"We wanted the area to be usable," Cook said. "Once we had a plan in mind, it started coming together."

Since Cook was working almost entirely by himself, the process was slow going.

Out went the shrubs and grass and in came the concrete footers for the walking path, as well as the main wall and the two sitting walls that line the sidewalks from the front gate and carport to the front door.

The fountain, the raised patio and the bench followed.

Cook set up a cactus garden on the east side of the courtyard to provide a contrast to all the brick he was putting down.

"There was already a lot of hardscape," he said. "This was something different."

The ongoing work attracted curious onlookers from all over the neighborhood.

LAYGS.COM » Blog Archive » Reserve your Favorite Tuscany Rent Home ...

People want to visit Italy as their destination of holiday right now. Most of them would like to see Pisa in Tuscany. It makes that region is full or strangers and foreigners in some time which is known as holiday month like in summer. Because of the over visitors, most of home stay are fully booked at that time. It complicates you to get a free room if you did not reserve it before. What thing you may prepare is reserve your home stay before you go to there.

There are so many types of rent house in Tuscany. You may see a simple one, like villa. Villa is also have many types, depend on the price and the amount of facilitates. You may also see another Tuscan homes like farm house which its landscape is fulfilled with wide farm field that really green and awesome. You can take any apartment that is fabulous and modern.

Some of them may give any additional serves like offer any guide and tour package to you. It could be visiting the best spot of Tuscany itself, like legend sites and museum or food and culinary tour that will satisfied your appetite. Even you can take another tour like Tuscany wine tour that would be so interesting for you.

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