While wandering through the sidestreets of Carmel, I came upon a lovely little tudor home — a house that was obviously new, but doing its best to look old. What captured my eye more than the architecture, though, was the vintage garden statuary in the front courtyard. Entwined with flowers and vines, the statues gave this new house had been here a long, long time.
The courtyard, even on this tiny scale, reminded me a bit of some of the tricks of the famous 18th century English landscape designer “Capability Brown.” Although he was known for his naturalistic landscapes surrounding the finest castles, what I remember most about his work were the little “surprises” found at the end of walkways and curving paths. Brown would often punctuate hidden spots with garden statuary so the wanderer might happen upon something unexpected. That’s the way I felt as I passed this Carmel gem — a statue here, a bird bath-turned-urn there. 
And the homeowner also had a sense of whimsey, adding a garden nome here and there.
Carmel never disappoints. And neither did this lovely little garden.
Saltilo tile floors greeted her in the entryway with a sweeping staircase with curved wrought-iron railings. Two steps down took her to the grand formal living room with plenty of space for the baby grand piano and their whimsical orange and black “Halloween tree” that adorns the front window for the autumn Rose Garden Homes Tour in mid-October.
One of Mary’s favorite spots for a little solitude is the lovely balcony off the master bedroom where she often reads or enjoys a cup of coffee while overlooking the lush backyard and swimming pool.
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