See what Blondie’s clients are saying…

“We just wanted to say what a great job you did with the gardens, tree pits, and especially the window boxes. The window boxes are spectacular with the birch, and the lights add so much at night. We have gotten many compliments on them!

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Meatpacking District | Terrace

Located in New York’s Meatpacking district and adjacent to the High Line, this 3000 SF of exterior space offered a unique design opportunity. By combining two apartments, the clients created a wealth of exterior space, but it was a non-contiguous and unharmonious space. Blondie’s designers, Tina Dituri and Charles Casanova, sought to design spacious living and entertaining areas, while working around the confines of existing structural elements. On the list of the client’s must haves, were a spa area, a kitchen and a considerable amount of seating, without the added burden of storage. To accomplish the seating, 84 linear feet of deep concrete benches were custom fabricated and craned up to the site. Seat backs were angled and constructed of Ipe. This created seamless seating areas almost everywhere in the garden. The spa was created with multiple levels of steps that also act as benches. They surround the spa in what terminates at the top with spa level seating, creating an area that can be intimate, or also be the setting for a gathering. There is a shower just hidden from view adjacent to the spa. In the spa area, as well as wrapping to the long South seating area, a wall of lateral ipe fascia leads the eye from one side of the garden to the other. The crowning glory of the garden is a Jaume Plensa sculpture of a seated figure. It is placed reverently in a corner looking back toward the house. It is surrounded by upright Karl Foerster grasses, Vanderwolf Pine, Miscanthus, and various flowering perennials which make up the lovely frame for the entire garden.

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Trump Tower Transformation

The Trump Tower New York, located at 725 5th Avenue, is a 58-story mixed-use skyscraper in the heart of midtown Manhattan. As part of its public space atrium, Blondie’s renovated the exterior gardens on the 4th floor brick terrace to include additional Japanese Maples and entirely new planting beds. Located primarily in shadow, a plant palette was assembled that best suites the site conditions to provide color and texture. A layering of Japanese Maples, Ilex and Hydrangea provide the back drop for perennials of heuchera, astilbe and variegated hostas. Annual seasonal color was added to the summertime palette to provide additional color. While renovating the garden beds, particular care was given to reconstructing a healthy soil body. The key restoration features that will enable these planting beds to thrive are, amended soil with topdressing, a monitored irrigation system, appropriate plant material and an on-going, routine maintenance program. When taking on a landscape renovation, these factors are the major considerations that will determine the success of your garden project.

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Rooftop Meadow in SoHo

Hovering 7 stories above Spring Street is a rooftop garden that is more than just a green roof. Featuring a variety of grasses and a seasonal rotation of blooming plants, this rooftop is transformed into an urban meadow. The distinction between the meadow in the forefront and the city’s skyline as a backdrop plays off of the urban vs wild contrast that lives within each of us. The blooming color is planted in large swaths to increase its intensity and rolls through the season adding a constant shift in color. Flowering chives present soft purple tufts and fresh greens beginning in early spring until the coreopsis take over in the summer with their electric orange hue and wild flower nature. Later, the hydrangeas begin to take bloom and their moppy heads create a late summer watercolor that leads the way into autumn red and golden grasses. As part of the common space of a private office, this rooftop retreat provides respite from the bustle of the surrounding city and is the setting for meetings and gatherings from spring through fall.

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Chelsea’s Terrace

The design of this corporate terrace needs to accommodate a multitude of functions. During the day the space serves as a meeting place, fresh air lunch breaks and respite from the stress of the day. In the evening it transforms into a social space for networking events and watching the sun set over the Hudson River. The landscape design aims to meld the clean aesthetics of modern design with the iconic architecture of the Starrett-Lehigh Building. 2 large teak tables are placed perpendicular to the length of the terrace providing spatial division and functional definition. Conversational seating is placed at the outward corner providing a soft lounge area that captures the optimum view. In contrast, 2 chaise lounges are placed in the far back corner protected by tall planters to provide the ultimate privacy for relaxing. 2 distinct areas of pavers are removed for the application of sedum green roofs. Capturing the storm water runoff these permeable areas assist in reducing waste water while also adding additional aesthetic value to the terrace. Ore planters are placed to envelope and segment the terrace into functional zones. Planted with color and texture, as well as herbs and vegetables, the plantings create seasonal interest and draw the attention outward from the interior. As one of ORE’s many customizable features, LED lighting was installed within the containers for added ambiance. The ability to locate the lighting elements within the structure of the planters allowed for the generation of a functional spatial design which complements the sleek aesthetics of the interior architecture.

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