Architects’ Roundup: 10 Landscapes Designed Around a Single Tree

We love when a single, giant tree takes center stage in a landscape. Such trees often predate the houses they accompany, lending them a sense of history and drama. Here, ten trees given pride of place, from members of the Remodelista + Gardenista Architect/Designer Directory:

Above: In this uncluttered Austin landscape, a single live oak tree stands behind an eco-friendly house by Alterstudio Architecture. For more from the architects, see Steal This Look: A Silvery Blue Palette in Austin, TX. Photograph courtesy of Alterstudio Architecture.  

Above: Charlie Barnett Associates renovated this Marin County, California brown shingle house in conjunction with Todd R. Cole Landscape Architecture. For more from Barnett, see Let Twilight Linger: 10 Early Evening Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery. Photograph courtesy of Charlie Barnett Associates.

Above: An ancient coast live oak tree is the centerpiece of both the interior and exterior of this Sunset magazine “Idea House” near Monterey, California, with landscapes by Bernard Trainor + Associates. For more from the firm, see Landscape Architect Visit: Bernard Trainor’s Most Beautiful Swimming Pool. Photograph courtesy of Bernard Trainor + Associates.

Above: Through walls of glass, residents can admire the tree at the center of this San Francisco-area modern house by Nick Noyes Architecture. For more from the architect, see Architect Visit: Nick Noyes on Remodelista. Photograph by César Rubio.

Above: Los Angeles-based landscape designers Orange Street Studio created this sparse landscape to match a minimalist home in Culver City, California. Photograph courtesy of Orange Street Studio.

Above: A single large tree abuts this Napa Valley modern/rustic house by NYC-based Steven Harris Architects. For more from Harris, find his favorite white house paint in 10 Easy Pieces: Architects’ White Exterior Paint Picks. Photograph courtesy of Steven Harris Architects.

Above: Rarely is a house designed around a tree, but it’s an effective way to bring the outdoors into every single room. This house by RMA Architects, based in Mumbai, India and Brookline, Massachusetts, does just that. For more from RMA, see Architect Visit: In India, Housing for Elephants and Their People. Photograph courtesy of RMA Architects.

Above: Deborah Nevins designed the grounds of this new Georgian-style house in New Jersey, with a sprawling lawn and single tree. For another grand garden from Nevins, see The Grandes Dames: 10 Stately Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery. Photograph by Durston Saylor courtesy of Architectural Digest.

Above: Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture designed the landscape of this Geyserville, CA mixed-use art and vineyard complex. Olive trees like this one serve as focal points throughout the grounds. For more from the designer, see Garden Visit: Andrea Cochran’s Courtyard Vignettes. Photograph by Marion Brenner.

Above: A single large tree in a Palos Verdes, California cliffside estate with landscapes by Orange Street Studio.

For even more trees, see Leaf Peeping in New York: Take a Tree Identification Class; The Medlar, A Strange But Charming Tree; and on Remodelista, Camp Wandawega Tree House in Wisconsin.