Wandering through the Garden District in New Orleans I was struck by the historic homes and their relationship with their environment. Towering houses were set off from the street by yards, ringed by shrubs, encased in clinging vines, hidden by draping fronds and protected by towering trees, fortresses guarded by nature. Homes without the same shields appeared naked, weak and unprotected, exposed to the street and life outside the walls. As I wandered I found myself feeling excluded, thinking about the lives in these residential castles and seeing these images.