40 | October 2017
e view starts before you even get
there. A comfortable sun room on the
back of the couple's home is a great
place to sit and look out at the flowers,
trees and artful touches.
Step outside and you're on a brick
terrace that offers a clear view of the
yard. To the right, a sunny patio is
an inviting spot for outdoor dining,
with a large glass table sheltered by
an umbrella. Bright bougainvillea,
mandevilla and other flowers are a riot
of color amid lush greenery.
To the le there's a shady courtyard,
with cushioned wicker furniture set
up next to a large gas fireplace that can
provide warmth on chilly days and
evenings.
Water bubbles from two nearby
fountains, palm trees soar overhead
into a canopy that includes a huge live
oak with Spanish moss hanging from
its branches and green and flowering
plantings abound. Wrought iron art
graces a wall and gas lamps add to the
sense that if you didn't know better
you'd think you were in a private
courtyard in New Orleans or Savannah.
ese are the yard's tropical areas.
Winding paths lead you into other
adventures – and outdoor rooms,
each with its own sense of privacy and
character.
ere's the frog room, so named for
the stone frog fountain that gurgles
next to a small iron table and chairs.
It's a great place to have morning
coffee, Semmes says, or to talk to your
neighbor over the nearby fence.
ere's the room with the mountain
waterfall – yes – which cascades down
a slope of artfully placed and carefully
sealed boulders into a small pool. e
Semmeses can watch the water from
an outdoor swing that hangs beneath
an arbor. ere's room in front of the
swing to set up a small fire pit when
temperatures are cool.
18th Annual
