A 1,700-SQUARE-FOOT, L-SHAPE PATIO OF CONCRETE SLABS AND RED PAVERS WRAPS A 750-SQUARE-FOOT STUCCO COTTAGE IN LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA.
That’s the bare-bones foundation of what is now known as The Horticult Garden—a wonderland of plants, open-air rooms, and DIY projects built by blog creators and cohorts Chantal Aida Gordon and Ryan Benoit.
Using common building materials such as dimensional lumber, chain, concrete blocks, casters, threaded rods, and a smattering of Craigslist scores, Ryan and Chantal created an outdoor kitchen, a dining area, and two living areas (one with a giant TV screen and one with a fireplace), all surrounded by one-of-a-kind plant installations that thrive in the microclimates created by the property’s three trees—a massive twisted feijoa that canopies almost the entire side yard, and a pair of citrus…
