Bel-Air Bay Club Lead Landscaper James McMurray has big dreams for our picturesque grounds. His vision and talent have landed him projects with the Hollywood elite… can we drop some names? Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Cruise, etc. etc. We don’t want to brag… er… actually we do!! We are thrilled to have James and want to scream it from the highest mountain in the Palisades!
With our cliff side lawn entertaining everything from cocktail parties to weddings… it really gets quite the traffic! James recently completely renovated our cliff side lawn into a text-book PERFECT: lush, green, velvety texture. We are excited to show you a few photos with the progression of his work – truly is amazing!
It’s tough to get James to take a break from all of his hard work, but we were able to snag him for a quick second to share with us a little information about himself, and also his exciting plans for Bel-Air Bay Club. Enjoy!
James’ History:
Born in New York with roots in Florida James came to Los Angeles in 1987 for a principal role in a movie, (Burt Reynolds paid for his initiation fee into Actors Equity,) ….Realizing the jobs were few and far between he pursued his second passion, gardening. The word of James’ gardening talent spread throughout Los Angeles, and before he knew it, he was working for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Richard Gere, Burt Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, and many more fun celebs. He worked full-time as a landscaper/gardener for twenty years before coming to the Bel-Air Bay Club. “I am so incredibly happy to be here. All of the guys I work with are amazing, and completely inspiring in their individual ways.”
James’ Dream Landscape:
I think it would be a landscape that integrated both fragrant, colorful, ornamental plants mixed with edibles. It would be a garden with meandering pathways and a garden with a sense of surprise that incorporated sculpture and whimsical features that intrigued. I would want a garden that attracted tons of wildlife, even squirrels who are my favorite acrobats.
James’ Vision for the Gardens of Bel-Air Bay Club:
Since the upper club is used for parties, weddings and other occasions, I think it’s important to make the garden a romantic and tranquil setting filled with fragrance, color and unity. The architecture of the building also speaks to its needs. It’s very much a Mediterranean/Mexican colonial/Mission-style structure so I try to keep within a palette of plants that reflect that and enhance the structures stature and coastal environment.
James’ Greatest Landscape Accomplishment:
My greatest accomplishment is what I’m doing right now. I suppose if you were to pin me down, I can say that with every property I’ve ever worked at I’ve made a concerted effort to improve the quality of the soil, and to push back the darkness and let in the light by way of pruning overgrowth.
James’ Favorite Flower:
I love roses even though they require such maintenance. What other flower in the garden blooms continuously for ten months out of the year? Fragrant Cloud is my favorite rose.