“Prepare To Be Charmed” — Southern Living, June 2011
If you doubt the truth of that statement, check out the beautiful gardens and backyard patios of Troy and Randi Rhone in Alabama.
Troy designed the house and gardens with the ambiance of a contemporary cottage. He’s a fan of clean lines and a sophisticated, comfortable style. A low hedge of clipped ‘Winter Gem’ Korean boxwoods is accented with American boxwoods. (These effectively hide the cinder block foundation.) The ‘Endless Summer’ French hydrangeas dress up the front of the house — making it look very upscale. The entire focus of the facade is the colorful, stylish planters. Troy observes “Window boxes lift your eyes out, so you won’t concentrate on the cars in the driveway.” Other small touches that make the house exceptionally charming are the burbling fountain and the generous driveway — softened with gravel and designed to easily to accommodate multiple cars.
It’s no surprise that Troy and Randi’s cozy cottage frequently finds itself on local home-and-garden tours. Despite its quaint size, it more than holds its own against much bigger places. The Rhone home is a favorite because it seems doable, like something within the reach of many homeowners.
One of Troy Rhone’s cornerstone philosophies in his approach to garden design and backyard patios is that the house and the garden should be one. Troy notes “Visitors are often surprised by how much garden space you can create in a small area.”
See additional pictures of this charming cottage home in the full article “Prepare To Be Charmed” — published in Southern Living Backyard Retreats, June 2011 edition. (Also included are Troy’s personal tips on Seven Tried-and-True Border Plants!)
