These homeowners had moved into their home, raised a family and not spent much time thinking about the landscape. Now, with their kids off to college and the inside of the home renovated, it was time to take care of the outside.
The owners wanted one singular, harmonious blend between traditional and cottage-rather than two opposing statements, providing a peaceful, harmonious connection with nature.
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A lush front border of perenials gently leads toward a hydrangea which adds to the mid-range height beneath this mature dogwood tree.
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An elegant birch garden with an amorphous shape adds beauty to the backyard.
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Bordered by granite cobblestone, this natural stone walkway is a welcoming entry to the front door.
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A brick chimney is enhanced by grasses, which left up during the winter add seasonal interest to the garden.
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An accented lightpost once swallowed by an overgrown Juniper is now accompanied by a fragrant honeysuckle.
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All the trees had shade beds installed beneath them. It adds both beauty and interest to the property.
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Brightly colored perennials curve around the side of the home, helping to unify the back and front
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The stone walkway is bordered by a shade garden.
When approaching this Woodbridge estate, you are ushered to the front by a walkway bordered with granite cobblestones and a walkway with stone details. Well-tended mixed borders of perennials flank either side of the walkway and define the garden space. To introduce height variation and interest amidst mature trees, we chose low and mid-height perennials to brighten up the tree canopied walkway and dark-colored siding. They then then built upwards with textured hollies to anchor the beds and soft white blossoming hydrangeas to add soft contrast to the home’s brown trim. Lending to the home’s entry on the oversized stoop are two large planters that create symmetry and showcase the homeowners’ color palette of choice, vibrant reds and softer whites.
Just beyond the rear terrace sculpted flowerbeds await. The front and back spaces share not only the same color palette, but also share similar species working to tie the two areas together. Continuity is created by the similar species, yet variety is achieved through different varieties of the similar plants.
Working in harmony with Mother Nature, we elegantly blended distinct plant forms, textures and colors that complement the home’s color, scale and proportion, from the newly designed shade garden with its flagstone walkway to the birch garden with its ample size and variety.
The finished effect is a home where life is not only lived but also enjoyed and everything blends together. The house was swallowed by shrubs originally.
Take a look at our photos from before the restoration:
