THE GARDEN ROSENTANGLE

13 years ago Victoria Sigler met husband and Landscape Architect Randolph Scott Keller while tending to the euphorbia in a beautiful cottage garden she had created. Within a few months Victoria and her collection moved three blocks south to their present home. There began the roots of a very romantic garden they lovingly call Rosentangle.

Their house was built in 1911. It is one of the oldest within this modest Whittier Heights residential neighborhood. The garden was initially created to showcase Victoria’s rose and perennial collection within Randy’s Northwest Style evergreen compositions of trees, shrubs, lawn and groundcovers. Both desired useable spaces with year round interest, color, and high fragrance, and to provide an environment for songbirds, butterflies, fish and herons, a dog, young boys, and other questionable wildlife. Boxwood and evergreen shrub border edges describe the curvaceous layouts and paths that continue to grow and supplant the lawn. Architectural improvements, axis and vistas were sculpted for depth and trickery of scale. Garden ornament was added for drama, style and scale. The property line was intentionally blurred or misrepresented and plantings were positioned to spill outwardly beyond the street and rooftops to tall conifers, sunsets, mountains and sky – all drawn back into Rosentangle. From the first season the garden became increasingly more complex and interesting while providing an oasis of seclusion for the very private Kellers. They have incorporated more than five dozen varieties of English, shrub, and climbing roses. Complements of clematis, wisteria and other unique vines meld the landscape and native northwest plants to the house – the tangle. Many trees, shrubs, and groundcovers were added solely as an interpretive and testing tool for Randy’s clients. Surprise and the unexpected finds abound as one explores this masterpiece of a garden. “To those with an appreciation of genius, this garden has hidden magnificence and subtleties beyond ones wildest dreams” declares Randy with his quiet smile. Over the last few years, pruning and selective thinning has become the greatest labor and greatest artistic challenge as their plants grow, shade, and compete for their place in the soil and the sun. They require the Kellers constant knowledgeable hands to keep them healthy.

Garden elements of interest: a charming conservatory built from recycled windows and a large stained glass window from an ancient church in Spain; a 6’ by 8’ greenhouse from England; ‘urban quarried stone’ pathways and steps; an 8’ diameter stone fish pond with fountain; bird baths and houses; a grotto-like fountain under a porch; classic and exotic concrete urns and statuary; arches and supports for roses; antique armillary sundial with classic column in the herb garden; a vined pergola structure with bed; a vine covered glazed overlook porch with an upper celestial deck off the master bedroom; a rough whitewashed studio and adjoining shade court reclaimed from an old garage; a silly delphinium blue door; rusticated Egyptian gates at the entries, a new curved retaining wall and east garden: a garden  entry from their landscape library and music room, and marvelous tricks that maximize the use of home and garden.