Denenberg Fine Art Gallery in West Hollywood is an iconic building just three blocks from the Pacific Design Center. Michael Morrison, with his colleague Lloyd Wright, was the builder-architect-owner from whom the Denenberg’s bought the house in 2001. It had been completed in 1969 after a number of years in development as first one colonial house on the northernmost lot was torn down to be replaced by 1/2 the current structure. He moved into that 1/2 while he tore down and built the other half, joining them in a double-thick wall at the kitchen entrance. 

Hidden from public view stands the new secret garden behind the first set of relocated gates presumed to be designed by Michael Morrison. Once you walk through the gates you can view the newly created steel clad studio designed by Architect Toben Windahl as centerpiece to the new contemporary Orchid and shade garden.

The gallery gardens feature an update to the Citrus grove with raised steel planters and abundant herbs, while retaining focus on the mature Wisteria that engages the gallery window. Along San Vicente the main façade gardens received a garden-lift that included redesign of the bamboo, a vertical necessity along with ground plane minimalist and modernist exercises block contrasts. The encounter is meant to be different and surprising from automobile to pedestrian with a gripping simple contrast between the lush greens and dark textures that reminded me of vineyards planted in the black volcanic rocks and ash soils of the Canary Islands.