walking barefoot

In Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Cathy says, "I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free... Why am I so changed? I'm sure I should be myself were I once among the heather on those hills." Intrinsically romantic with a touch of the wild, walking barefoot in the garden is a soothing sensory experience. Soft grass tickling toes and warm stones feel like walking on sunshine.

The concept of the manicured grass lawn was introduced by French landscape designers, quickly gaining popularity. Versailles' tapis vert was installed in the 18th century. Connecting with nature, whether the wild native landscape or the pristinely pruned grass expanse, improves mood and blood pressure.

The Ghouma Farm House, carved into the mountainside, blends effortlessly with the vegetation growing on the hillside and the stone pathway dancing along the edge of the grass. Each floor has easy access to a patio connecting to the outside landscape of goat pastures and agricultural terraces.

Meant to make the most of indoor-outdoor living, Cedar Creek Residence in Texas, is carefully surrounded by mature oak trees. Landscape architecture studio Hocker Design Group designed a terraced grassy staircase to the barefoot-friendly pea gravel convo pit and bocce ball court surrounded by a lush yard for freely wandering.