This smooth, sleek, stucco house was built with sweeping views over Long Island Sound. The challenge was to create an environment that was soft and cozy while supporting the linear nature of the architecture.

Dramatic Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’ hedging layered with Buxus hedging sets up the structure of the arrival courts while masses of Nepta ‘Six Hills Giant’ spill onto the drive with a burst of color.

Two spring flowering Prunus x yedoensis trees frame the front door while a water feature and bench upon a stone base create a reflective moment inside of a private garden courtyard.

Traveling down the side of the home you pass through masses of mature Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Nikko Blue’ and a cutting garden until you arrive at the swimming pool.

Pleached Tilia trees frame the view to the ocean from inside and help to anchor the new residence back to the land. A modern pergola offers much appreciated shade while scoop chairs and double chaises deliver sunny spots to linger.

A full outdoor kitchen, grilling and dining area offer opportunity to entertain. A custom fire pit with a sculpture by a French artist creates a place where the family can gather at the end of the day.

Multiple balconies furnished with the most luxurious outdoor fabrics deliver private spaces from which to enjoy a birds eye view of this garden and the ocean beyond.

This home was reimagined by Judith Larson Associates with interiors by Jeffery Bilhuber. The rear of the property was raised 10 feet by adding a series of two 5 foot walls. This allowed us to connect the rear garden to a kitchen terrace that now views over a playing lawn and further to the swimming pool.

The property was layered with mature hornbeam and arborvitae hedging for privacy, boxwood, privet and yew hedging for lushness. Spring tulips, camassia and allium and pops of color followed by a flush of fragrant lilies, limelight hydrangea, and masses of verbena bonariensis.

A variety of outdoor spaces offer opportunities to gather and enjoy the various levels of the garden while wrapped inside of lushly planted spaces full of flowering moments.

North Court is an imposing historic residence set on a large property with a variety of garden spaces. The outstanding interiors were designed by Mark Cunningham.

Once you pass through the gates you rumble along a cobbled drive lined tightly with hedges of Carpinus betulus ‘fastigiata’ which then opens up onto an impressive Allee of Platanus x acerfolia.

The grand lawn is wrapped in a combination of mixed purple, white and silver perennials supported by low boxwood. A stilt hedge of pleached Carpinus offers a sense of enclosure with a focal point of a fountain.

The 1920’s curved bench adds glamour to the space. It is also the perfect place to sit and enjoy the sound of splashing water and singing birds while the butterflies float above the expanse of colorful flowers.

The side courtyard garden is filled with flowering trees and more Buxus. From there you enter the Loggia. McKinnon & Harris Estate furniture is complimented by outdoor curtains from Holly Hunt.

The Loggia is a place to gather under shade in the heat of summer but also to warm yourself by the fire during the cooler months. Wrapped in more perennials this space is both functional and beautiful.

The swimming pool is layered with more hedging and pots filled with lemon trees. Whimsical umbrellas add to the Great Gatsby energy this property possesses.

An upper terrace dining area outside of the kitchen garden offers a place for morning coffee as you harvest what you need for meals that day.

North Court is a magical world unto itself and the gardens certainly are a visual feast and food for the soul.

This project was featured in Architecture Digest.

This new construction on Nantucket was designed with a familiar palette one would find on Nantucket but done in an extremely edited manner. Ligustrum ovalfolium, Buxus, Hydrangea aborescens ‘Annabelle’, Miscanthus Gracillimus along with Stewartia pseudocamilla deliver a variety of textures to this very understated but sophisticated residence.

The hedges offer structure while the grasses gently dance kissed by the islands winds. Hydrangeas bloom in abundance and the poolside trees will grow to offer shade and fragrance in summer.

Planters add graphic punctuation but remain controlled.

There is a clean calmness to this landscape that then is embellished with a pure raucous of activity when the family is in residence.

This New York City terrace wraps around a penthouse with water views to the West. Sunset baths the space with a glowing light at the end of each day.

The terrace is divided into three main areas, dining, living and swimming. Pots filled with aromatic Rosmarius Officinalis, Buddleia, and Ornithogalum help to define and soften the spaces with texture, color and fragrance.

Olea europaea and Betula trees add height and movement supported by long, black rectangle planters that house Laurus nobilis, adding an all important evergreen element.

The interiors and exterior furniture was designed by AD 100 Interior Designer Meg Sharpe.

This Greek Revival home was in need of a complete exterior overhaul. The plantings had long outgrown their original intention and the home was swamped in shade. The land had been subdivided and the architecture was massive in scale compared to the land it sits upon.

A full clearing of the property let the sunshine in and afforded us the opportunity to design useable gardens spaces on all four sides of the home. Even the path to the front door works double time creating the perfect place for a summer cocktail party, as the sun sweeps long shadows across the space.

A pool in the rear was wrapped in wood and a tall wall was added at the end to anchor the mass of water and add intrigue to the landscape beyond with a whimsical peekaboo widow.

Echoing the circle windows on the home we played with circles in the design of the terrace designs, planters, furniture and custom fire pit.

Pleached Platanus x acerifolia trees operate as living umbrellas and offer height and shade to the rear garden. Plantings of Paeonia, Achemilla mollis, Nepeta, Guara and Japanese Anemone offer flowering moments once the spring bulbs of Allium and Camassia pass.

Patios, paths and a pool along with smaller lawns and living spaces for cooking, dining, and gathering create a complete lifestyle of living outdoors with those you love.

This residence designed by Halper Architects delivers a strong solution for a very challenging site. The kitchen and main living rooms are on the second floor and capture sweeping views of the beach just across the street.

Mounds of Ilex glabra supported by a row of Ligustrum vulgare create a lush, green buffer from the road while delivery privacy for the rooms located on the street level.

From there a solid stone staircase brings you to a pergola covered seating area which has a fireplace for cooler evenings.

A small lawn spills out from the kitchen complete with a water feature. A dining area sits with tiers of hand stacked stone walls holding the massive hill back making space for cooking and dining.

Miscanthus Gracillimus dances about in the sea breezes while over sized Buxus mounds bounce the eye down the tiered beds. Pleached Tilia trees add height, structure and privacy screening from the neighbors above.

A major maximum result on what is essentially a rather small piece of property but with a big view.

This Saltbox home was designed by Beinfield Architecture and was awarded the Innovation In Design for Architecture Award in 2019.

The landscape is intended to reflect a simpler time when Connecticut was less developed and a sense of community prevailed.

RKGD designed a garden of mixed white flowers that begin to bloom in early spring right through to the first frost. The plant selection was carefully studied with a heavy emphasis on pollinator plants.

The plants pop up and down as they mix and mingle creating a work of art and nature that is in continuous motion.

Shape, size, and texture are carefully curated to create a tapestry of plants that depict New England cottage gardening in a fresh manner.

Woven furniture with a William Morris fabric are combined with traditional French bistro tables and chairs while a modern water fountain splashes and soothes the space.

A backdrop of Ligustrum ovalfolium with a hedge of old fashioned White Lilacs completes the scene and thrill the senses.

This garden represents the perfect marriage of life now with a deep rooted respect for the past.

This brick Georgian home was inhabited by a young family with ties to England and Scotland. From the moment you enter the Magnolia x ‘Elizabeth’ lined driveway you know this is not your typical property.

The drive delivers you to a parking court wrapped in brick walls, trapping the heat in and allowing for lots of flowering moments. Two Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ anchor the front steps while Hedra helix, Hydrangea petiolaris and Rosa ‘New Dawn’ scramble up the facade.

Flowering trees underplanted with squares of Buxus are well behaved in contrast to the many spring and summer blooming flowers that burst up around them.

A double heart shaped parterre enlivens the lawn and is a continuous spectacle from one season to the next, Beginning with massive purple globes of Allium giganteum bobbing about to the final spray of Perovskia atriplicifolia.

The swimming pool with its mirrored Greek Key gates sets the stage for the design drama inside the pool garden. A crystal clear water fountain and ruffled umbrellas add excitement to the black and white flower planting scheme.

The bowling lawn is wrapped on both sides by a Greek Key parterre that swells with Paeonia ‘Coral Charm’ in early summer. Four Stewartia puesdocamilla flag the ends offering a fantastic flowering moment later in the season.

A basketball court wrapped in European Beech, Fagus Sylvatica, creates a private space to play while not taking away from the sheer elegance of the many gardens.

Th circle garden is surrounded by stunning Hydrangea Paniculata Limelight in tree form. These are underplanted with masses of succession bloom bulbs and perennials for a full on riot of flowering activity. Hibiscus syriacus is the last show to preform and with her purple blooms she sounds the trumpets for the end of the summer season. Vintage benches punctuate the garden and invite one to sit and enjoy the delightful show this gardens puts on every season of the year.

Hilltop, as the name suggests, sits high on a hill inside of 4 acres of hilly, wooded terrain. The garden design, with an all white palette, delivers a variety of intimate spaces on all sides of the home connected through a series of staircases.

The driveway is lined by tall Ligustrum ovalifolium underplanted with Nepeta ‘White Cloud’. The hedged drive builds anticipation as it leads one up the hill to a curve where the house is revealed.

Masses of Hydrangea aborescens ‘Incrediball’ and Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’ offer a wave of bloom as a quad of Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ frames the entry. A porte cochere leads to a massive arrival court. that is supported by the residence on two sides and hand stacked colonial stone on the remaining two sides.

The walls balance the weight of the architecture and create upper garden spaces beginning with the playing lawn with a seating area.

The lawn is surround with a stilt hedge of Carpinus betulus fastigiata above with a hedge of Ligustrum ovalifolium at mid level and a hedge of Buxus below. This green layering separates the woodland from the manicured garden and creates a sense of security in the space.

A long staircase travels through masses of more hydrangeas and hundreds of Alchemilla mollis that spill over the steps creating a brilliant, frothy , chartreuse bloom in early summer.

A grove of Franklinia alatamaha flower late in summer with a showy backdrop of Clematis paniculata.

A grass path with a combination of flowering perennials lead to the master bedroom terrace. A winding set of steps leads to the living and dining terrace below.

The terrace connects seamlessly with the rear architecture. Five sets of French doors open out from the double height living room and dining room onto the rear terraced garden. Tables of Buxus soften the stone terrace while a series of succession blooms enliven the hillside.

The flowering beds on the slope are tiered with hand stacked walls of Colonial stone adding texture to scheme. These planting beds create a constant play of flowers and fragrance. Pots planted seasonally add more flowers.

A covered area with an outdoor fireplace offers yet another place to gather with family and friends. This woodland site was thoughtfully transformed into a family home full of hedges, flowers and fun.

This clapboard house is a fresh take on traditional architecture with transitional interiors. The landscape focuses on the lines of the architecture. The client was seeking a strong, simple design that would offer a serene setting for their family.

We set about retaining the grades with walls and creating a guest driveway with a separate drive for private use.

Layers of hedging, flowering shrubs and flowering trees wrap the homes foundation. A custom cooking island sits on the rear terrace aside a dining and seating area.

An outdoor fireplace and pergola add another exterior experience in this very clean and green garden.

This historic home, originally designed by Shope Reno and Wharton is located in the private community of Belle Haven in Greenwich , CT. A young couple completely renovated the interiors and we were asked to update the property for their growing family.

The erratic drive was removed and replaced with a combination of two driveways. One led to an arrival court and the other to the rear garages.

Entry trees were added to balance the existing magnolias and a fantastic, mature Caldrastis kentukea which dangles fragrant racemes each year.

Symmetry and simplicity hallmark the facade while functionality dictates the design.

In the rear we have designed a smart but family friendly space that offer space for conversation, cooking dining and playing about.

Flowers through the seasons offer movement, bloom and scent. The magic of the seasonal blooms peak the children’s curiosity as they dash about from space to space.

Herbs and fruit trees support the grilling area while window boxes offer charm as annuals spill over their edges.

This property has been transformed by the landscape and the goal of creating welcoming spaces for this family and their friends achieved.

This majestic stone manor designed by the renowned firm of Shope, Reno and Wharton sits majestically on a plateau with sweeping views of the ocean. RKGD was asked to reimagine the pool area to create a space that would be bathed in shade by day for young children and their mothers but glowing in the evening.

We added a series of trees clipped to become living umbrellas, along with plenty of real umbrellas with leather and stainless detailing much like a yacht.

Buxus hedges hide mahogany fences allowing the gates to take center stage. Rows of Lavendula augustifolia, trellised Jasminum and Thymus citriodorus added scent.

Antique pots filled with Agapanthus framed the entrance to the lower lawn.

A custom color on the McKinnon & Harris furniture and an Italian fabric on the floral pillows created luxurious seating and comfortable lounging for the hours spent watching over the children.

In the evening the pool sparkled and the softly up lit trees provided just enough light for conversation as couples sipped their cocktails and watched the sailboats drift by.

From the road two large Acer saccharum trees signal the entrance to the front parking court. A series of six Styrax japonica flowering trees line the path towards the front door.

Layers of Buxus and Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’ and Tilia wrap the front lawn. A hand stacked stone wall adds character while creating a natural barrier from the garden and sidewalks that surround it.

Blooms of Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’ spill over low hedges adding a cheerful look to the facade.

In the rear we have rows and rows of privacy hedging on top of a newly stacked stone wall. A square pool close to the home keeps swimmers connected to the conversation areas. The dark pool of water also offers a reflective element into the landscape.

Seating areas along with cooking and dining spill out of the kitchen and family room. The playing lawn serves every imaginable sport and even has its own cottage.

This garden is intentionally highly edited in order to serve the needs of very active athletic teenagers while being stylish enough for their parents frequent entertaining.

RKGD was honored to design the garden for the HOLIDAY HOUSE NYC at 118 E 76th in New York City. The HOLIDAY HOUSE NYC is a design show house which raises funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Our garden combined a brilliant sculpture by Mario di Teana set in a mixed planting of fragrant Salvia rosmarinus, Hellborus Ice N’ Rose Red, Ilex glabra Shamrock and Calluna vulgaris.

A chic sectional from Kettal with custom outdoor pillows from BOY WONDER DESIGN.

Three concrete tables from Stacklab add a functional art aspect to the seating area.

The dining area is anchored by a custom kitchen cooking and beverage island. The custom backsplash is made from Morrocan style tiles designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. The dining table and chairs are from Gandia Blasco and are joined by BLUDOT’s sculptural “Son of A Bench”.

A porcelain candelabra by Matthew Solomon, featured at Maison Gerard, sits on a board of natural cork for added tabletop texture.

The scene is complete with a stunning bar cart from the famed McKinnon & Harris.

The garden was featured online by both Vogue and AD.