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Greetings!
Tucked away on a hilltop within Montauk's rustic terrain, resides this summer retreat. A site which is now filled with lush gardens, pool, spa, patios, entertaining areas, and rolling lawn. However, severe erosion, limited access, and no integration between the home's architecture and its surroundings initially existed.
Positioned for southern exposure, an arc shaped pool with spa was built into the hillside. The pool rises out of the grade which required framing and gravel where there was limited support for construction. Additionally, a raised beam was added to keep the main patio at an upper elevation.
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Before
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Blue Ice bluestone was used on the upper level patio. A Misty Rose dry stacked stone wall with a repeating arc shape secures the upper slope. With steep grades and distant water views, the site had great opportunity for a vanishing edge pool. The infinity edge was designed to spill into a raised trough that doubles as a sitting area and water sculpture. The cascading water gently rolls over the Misty Rose flagstone veneered pool wall, producing a calming effect. By using the same material in a different capacity the color scheme was harmonized.
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After
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Hillside plantings included full sun drought tolerant materials for slope stabilization. To meet budget, plugs were used instead of larger containers. Mass plantings of Artemisia, Nepeta, Coreopsis, Perovskia, and groundcover Hypericum with Panicum and Pennisetum grasses were arranged in drifts. Larger sized plantings consisted of Hydrangea Tardiva Standards, Bayberry, Juniper, Inkberry, Shrub Roses, Buddleia and Spirea. On the upper tier, where the grade levels off, evergreen trees of Fir and Norway Spruce were used to screen the neighbor above. A deer fence was installed to combat the heavy deer population, thereby allowing a wider variety of plant selection for the rear yard.
Our master plan demonstrates how all spaces relate to one another while encompassing the grading and erosion problems. The site's existing steep grades, heavy deer population, and salty fog conditions became additional challenges. These issues, along with color, texture and their relationship to the overall budget, influenced our material selections.
As the garden matures, we achieve a greater sense of what works best to fulfill the clients' ultimate goal of a natural wild landscape embodied with lush color.
Best,
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