Dowell Residence
Landscape Design

Alexandria, Virginia
1985

Once a Federal Period tavern, the half acre Dowell property in Old Town Alexandria had
become overgrown and dysfunctional. The owners wanted a garden setting to complement the historic nature of their house as well as the modern convenience of a swimming pool. Ms. Denig’s design features a front dooryard perennial garden and a private enclave in the rear, which blends both formal and naturalistic features. A brick terrace shaded by a reconstructed grape arbor adjoins the house. A rectilinear swimming pool extends axially from the living room wing with a gazebo, on center, at its farthest end. A sunny oval lawn flanking the pool is a transition to dappled understory plantings and a path winding its way between terrace and gazebo.