This project was an opportunity to design landscaping from scratch for a new lakefront home construction. The large house was centered on the lot leaving about 10 feet on either side for gardens and about 40 feet to the lake or to the road. The owners desired unobstructed lawn sloping to the lake, a large area suitable for entertaining, a grand entrance, and some sense of division from the adjoining properties while still being neighborly.

The condominium owner requested a complete makeover of their courtyard, which originally contained nothing but a very large Kousa dogwood. For this relatively shady area about 4 feet wide on either side of a center sidewalk and about 10 feet in length, an Asian-style garden was designed with dwarf varieties to give a sense of peace and balance.

A setting of majestic Austrian pines sheltered behind a hedge of mature lilacs inspired the design of this garden with Asian-style elements. Removal of weedy undergrowth, judicious land resculpting, and finally, installation of appropriate plant materials with a seating area and other focal points gave this busy homeowner a serene place to decompress.

Long neglected, the 700 foot border area was fully visible from the house. Rife with weeds, dead tree stumps, and other debris, it inspired little in the way of design by itself. However, moving the beloved children's playhouse into the area, adding curved bluestone walls, and creating a dry stream gave a sense of a Japanese tea garden in the center section. The further addition of a small bridge to link that with paths to adjoining areas created a beautiful stroll garden to entice the homeowner away from the house to explore in all seasons.

Miscellaneous pictures from various projects presented in a slideshow format, and customer comments.