Own Story
After decades of success in the publishing industry, my clients retired to this rambling Victorian home. The ornate house has been meticulously restored and is every bit as eccentric as its inhabitants, who added a media room to house their enormous collection of rare books. I wanted to thread the personality of both the home and client through the garden, continuing with the Gothic Revival details and whimsical characteristics. We divided the garden into two main spaces: first, a multi-leveled side courtyard that is defined by the house, a carriage barn, and a towering privet hedge. The second, the rear lot, is a long rectangular space with views out to farmland and salt marshes. Throughout the garden you will find pieces of sculpture that the clients have collected over the years on their many journeys.
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The multi-leveled side garden is anchored by a giant maple tree whose looming branches make a natural canopy for the bluestone patio below. In the center of the side garden we custom built a fantastical fountain made up of stunning antique features, including cast urns and bronze medallions. Dark blues, purples and greys play an important part in traditional Victorian gardens. I enhanced the gothic color pallet by planting lush shade plants like hosta, liriope, vinca, rhododendron and columbine, which fold gently into the bluestone patio. In contrast, the back garden is vast, ambling and bright with a mature apple orchard that serves as a perfect home for the couples’ beloved Buddha statue. At the far end of the yard we created a croquet court with a cozy sitting area shaded by an expansive pergola. You will be surprised by artistic sculptures in every corner of this spectacular garden.
A true labor of love, each part of this space represents the experience and joy of a long relationship. It is no wonder that the property has been featured on The Newbury Garden Tour and in Design New England Magazine. This literary couple is enjoying their retirement in a magical garden built from the magnificent narrative of their lives.
