Garden Retreat: La Lagunita

 A gently trickling stream beneath a canopy of centuries-old oak trees is one of the only sounds you will hear while visiting La Lagunita, the garden retreat located on the sloping hillside of the Pasadena Showcase House estate.

To call it peaceful would be an understatement.

It's a quiet place to think, or perhaps catch your breath from the hectic speed of life.

Landscape architect John Lauterbach, of Lauterbach, Inc., and Steve Sandalis of Mystic Water Gardens who designed the custom waterfall and lily pond, describe the space they created as, "...a secret retreat. It is the perfect spot for getting lost in a favorite book, enjoying a morning cup of coffee, or setting up a canvas to capture a portrait of this peaceful escape."  

 The designers chose a variety of colored foliage for the way it compliments the home as well as for its ability to thrive in dappled shade.

They explain, "A decomposed granite pathway surrounds the rich pallet of foliage that banks the waterfall, as lush and vibrant as the most pristine of Spanish forests."

In a word: Ahhhhh.