Malibu Coastal Garden: Rhythm and Color Inspired by Jazz

A Garden with Its Own Beat

Lee and Carmen Ritenour’s coastal garden in Malibu, designed by Mia Lehrer, pulses with vibrant colors and bold, irregular paving. A rhythmic row of Mexican fan palms contrasts with an irregular grouping of Queen palms. Turf circles skip across black Mexican pebbles, and fluid lines of turf wave around a blue pool. The owners—a jazz guitarist and a Brazilian native—inspired a design of musical improvisation awash in tropical color.

Brazilian-Inspired Paving

The terrace paving, inspired by Roberto Burle Marx, is a geometric pattern of colored concrete. Dancing palms, grass “notes,” and spicy orange, purple, and red foliage create an exceptionally lyrical landscape.