Buckets, Burlap and Moss

For Sue Lombardo, the thorns are what make the rose so special. Owner of Glendale’s Recycled Rose, Sue is committed to recapturing the beauty of what was – by giving new life to old treasures. And nowhere is that beauty captured more perfectly than in her enchanting garden cottage. Truly beguiling, this special space, adorned in gifts from the past, makes you feel as if you’ve just stepped into a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.

“I love that everything I choose to surround myself with has lived before,” says Sue, “and each has its own story to tell. I just adore old things.”

Her delightful cottage, which began its life as a detached garage, is filled to the brim with all that is old, exuding a timelessness and charm that isn’t found in the “new.” Recycled French doors welcome guests into this dreamy room, abundant with furnishings, accessories and other great finds from yesteryear. Repurposed decorative moldings add simple elegance, while gracious fabrics find their way back onto chairs and pillows.

“I use a lot of bark cloth from the 1940s and 1950s,” says Sue. A still-beautiful floral drapery panel serves as a colorful tablecloth. “Why not?” Sue asks. “It was just the right touch!”

A pergola, attached to the cottage and anchored by four substantial repurposed pillars, provides a canopy for alfresco dining. Sue is quick to credit Nick Meyer with helping her create her dream space. “Nick is a carpenter, but he is also an artisan with an affinity for working with old materials,” she says. “He found many of the architectural gems inside the cottage, as well as the outside pillars for the attached pergola.”

Surrounded by a lush landscape alive with color, texture and fragrance, the eco-cottage is a welcome gathering place for family and friends. “Nothing makes me happier than having my six grandchildren visit and discover the magic of this special place,” says Sue. I also enjoy hosting ‘thank you’ parties for everyone who has helped me create this wonderful spot. After all, it’s never just one person who makes things happen.”

Jennifer Schamber of Greenscape Gardens is another one of those important people in Sue’s life. It was Jennifer’s horticultural artistry that provided the inviting, natural ambience. “Sue’s garden is awash in greens, whites and pops of color,” says Jennifer. “We added edibles, such as basil and mint, and fun foliage, such as maidenhair fern, gardenias and topiaries of rosemary. The colors, fragrance and textures combine to create a sensory wonderland. It’s just great to be in the middle of it all.”

And for Sue, nothing could be better than being in the middle of her own perfect world – a world dedicated to preserving the past and enjoying it today.

RESOURCES
Garden cottage accessories: Recycled Rose, 314-822-2857, www.recycledrose.com; Carpenter/artisan: Nick Meyer; Plants: Greenscape Gardens, www.greenscapegardens.com.