As principal and founder of DWY Landscape Architects in Naples and Sarasota, David Young is adept at creating alfresco spaces that speak to the Gulf Coast’s penchant for indoor/outdoor living. Young and his seasoned crew recently unleashed all that expertise on the grounds of a waterside Boca Grande residence and delivered a showcase of green moments brimming with Floridian style.
On your website, you call yourself and your team “stewards of the land.” What does that mean?
That’s just a term we learn in school that applies to the profession overall. We work for the good of the land, not against it.
How did you apply that ethos to this project?
One way was that we let the architecture of the home inspire and influence our approach. We tried very hard to deliver a design that was in the same spirit as the architecture.
In what way?
We stayed honest to the land with our planting selections, which were chosen to generate a tropical resort feel while the palette itself was selected for contrast as well as coastal resiliency. Generally speaking, we appreciate Florida’s wonderful and unique natural systems, and we do all that we can to not only do no harm but to mitigate or repair the damage done by construction.
There are so many species of palms throughout the grounds. What was behind that decision?
Palms are ideal for coastal environments because they can tolerate wind a whole lot better than canopied species. Plus, they look very regal.
This home is right by the gulf. Did that present any challenges in terms of the vegetation chosen?
Some, like high winds, salt spray, and poor soil, but those are things we accounted for. I would say the bigger challenge was that we were charged with creating privacy from the adjacent two- and three-story homes, which are just 15 feet away. Providing that privacy required large material with layers of smaller materials below it to create seclusion from the ground up to the terrace level at 20 feet.
The property is so vast. Do you have a favorite area?
I’m proudest of what we did on the driveway. It’s both a driveway and a front yard, and there is a 6,000-gallon cistern below it that collects water and recirculates it for irrigation.
You’ve had your company for more than 24 years and put out projects like this one on a regular basis. What keeps you inspired day after day?
Our clients and the artistic qualities of the work keep things fresh and interesting. I also enjoy working with other creatives like architects, interior designers, artists, and craftspeople to achieve a common vision for a project. That’s all very rewarding.
Story Credits:
Text by Christopher Day
Landscape Photography by Greg Wilson
David Young photo courtesy of DWY Landscape Architects
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