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This property perfectly blends contemporary clean lines with a rustic farmhouse style, in both architecture and landscape design. Green Jay Landscape Design was hired to create a full-scale Landscape Design Master Plan that emphasized pool landscaping and front yard design.

The full scope of design work included:

Natural stone masonry (patios and walkways) to enable circulation and entertaining
Pool area border gardens for pollinators
Wetland mitigation planting
Enclosed, raised-bed organic veggie garden
Front yard border garden & foundation planting
Front walkway landscaping

This project is #2: Field and Stream, Camp Refugia. GJL’s Top Landscape Design Projects of 2020.

A modern array-style patio compliments the clean lines of the rectilinear pool.

Natural Stone Masonry: Modern Patio & Walkway Design

The classic rectilinear pool demanded an equally modern patio to connect the covered porch and the pool itself. We designed an array of natural stone to form a rectilinear patio with large grass joints.

Summer border garden runs most of the backyard offering view from the dinning area, covered porch and pool area.

The alfresco dining area also sits atop a rectilinear bluestone patio and is connected to the pool area with off-set bluestone rectangles (that match the existing front walkway). The overall effect is clean and modern, complimenting the homes architecture yet integrating with the designed landscape.

Offset rectilinear walkway planted with creeping stoppable ground covers leads to the alfresco dinning area.

Hardscape Landscaping: Front & Backyard

Sweeping yet rectilinear bluestone front walkway is planted with long-blooming perennials and interesting ground covers.

To soften the modern, angular masonry we designed garden beds for year-round color and texture. The rear walkway is planted with creeping groundcovers that will spread around the stone for a more natural aesthetic.

The front walkway features long-blooming perennials like Geranium, Nepeta, and Yarrow. Texture-heavy plants like Fountain Grass, Blue Fescue and Sedum create interest and ecological value beyond the blooming season.

Pool Landscaping: Summer Poolside Pollinator Garden

Summer garden in full bloom! This was shot before the landscape was completed.

Daisies, Black-eyed Susan and Coneflower put off a powerful summer show! This shot was taken before the landscape was completed.

The backyard landscaping surrounding the pool and entertaining area are filled with pollinator-attracting perennials that bloom all summer long. Plant palette included: Joe Pye Weed, Gayfeather, Sunflower, Beebalm & Coneflower. The overall landscaping qualifies this property as a Pollinator Pathway site and, coupled with our organic maintenance strategies, a Healthy Yard as well.

Backyard border garden in early fall — ornamental grasses on the top terrace look fabulous in the elements and through winter.

Front Yard Border Garden

Driveway entrance garden, a mix of full sun and part shade, for powerful curb appeal!

This property is blessed with mature trees in the front yard that ground the new construction with a sense of permanence. We love to create sweeping border beds where the lawn meets the road – instead of staring at the transition from turf to asphalt from the front windows, there is a vibrant and ecologically active garden. We chose native shrubs, woodland perennials and groundcovers with interesting foliage.

Enclosed, Organic Vegetable Garden

Enclosed veggie garden complete with door, netted ceiling and raised beds.

There are three important considerations when designing a vegetable garden:

Soil Quality – We use a mix of organic, screened topsoil and compost with biochar. Ensure your raised beds can drain properly.
Animal Exclusion – We enclose the garden with fencing around all sides and on top – the only way to ensure your hard work is harvestable for YOU!
Flowers to Attract Pollinators – Food crops for the most part depend on insect pollination. To have a high-yielding food garden you must have pollinators! We plant annuals like Zinnia and perennials like False Sunflower IN the veggie garden beds themselves to make a veritable target for pollinators.

Zinnias and False Sunflower in the vegetable garden draws pollinators in to pollinate veggies and produce higher yields!

Learn more about the site development and design process for this project on our previous blogs:

Pool Landscaping, Wetland Mitigation & Modern Bluestone Front Entrance

Landscape Design & Build in Fairfield County, CT

Landscape Design, Planning & Construction: When to Start the Process

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Green Jay Landscape Design

Where Design x Meets Ecology

A Hillside garden can be one of the most challenging landscape designs to execute, especially if it is a steep slope, like this Holmes, NY backyard. Why? Steep slopes are more prone to erosion — washing away of precious topsoil — especially during storm events. Furthermore, if the soil structure is high in sand and gravel, stormwater can drain too quickly, making it difficult for the planting to absorb enough water to grow and survive.

Newly planted hillside garden leads directly to the lake — raising the stakes for erosion prevention.

This series is part of our 2020 Countdown of GJLs Best Landscape Design Projects of the Year! This is #5: Lakeside Retreat: A Bird’s Eye View in the Cradle of the Clouds.

BEFORE PHOTO: slope as viewed form the boat. Leaves much desired in terms of color and texture.

Landscaping a Slope

It is especially important to think about viewpoints when landscaping a slope or hillside. Will the garden be viewed primarily from the top, side or bottom of the slope? A natural slope can actually be a blessing, allowing for a greater range of plants of different heights to be incorporated (no longer are tall plants relegated to the way back!).

Natural rock outcroppings are an amazing design asset!

On this Holmes, NY property, the backyard slope is mostly seen from the water (where the client often boats). It is also highly visible from the staircase that leads from the house to the water. Another design goal was to also wanted to accentuate the strong natural features — a rock outcropping that had previously been overtaken by vegetation.

Cohesive Hillside Garden Habitat

Planting zones were created through terracing and the addition of 140 yards of topsoil!

We chose a selection of deep-rooted ornamental grasses, native shrubs, perennials and ground cover for this hillside garden. Deeply rooted plants help stabilize the soil in the newly created garden terraces. We also wanted this garden to be an extension of the natural surrounding habitats — inviting to the birds, pollinators and wildlife of the lake ecosystem.

Native plants arranged in a naturalistic design integrate seamlessly with the boulder outcroppings.

Of course, it was also critically important that the landscape be installed and maintained organically. Traditionally applied landscape chemicals will run directly into the freshwater ecosystem, with disastrous consequences for aquatic life.

Designing a Terraced Garden for Erosion Control

We implemented a number of erosion control devices to make this hillside garden a success. First, we manipulated the grade and constructed terraces. New topsoil (140 yards!) was brought in, and retained with Ultratech Filter Socks. Plantings were installed in erosion blankets for added protection during the establishment phase.

Garden terraces filled with new topsoil and retained with Filter Socks.

Terraces all filled in with mostly-native plants!

Learn more about the erosion control devices used, and broader ecological issue of erosion, soil loss & sediment loading, as well as the specific plants we chose, on our previous blog: Hillside Stabilization Planting w. Lakefront Views.

Pollinator Pathways is spreading with incredibly encouraging speed and enthusiasm throughout New England. The organization’s mission is to promote pollinator-friendly landscapes throughout geographic areas, to help connect habitats and bridge the gap of development and habitat destruction. Connecticut is leading the way with many local division in Fairfield County, especially in Darien, CT. Through these grassroots efforts, we’ve been able to connect with new, like-minded clients to help bring their Pollinator Pathway landscape to fruition. We’ve gathered our favorite Pollinator Pathway Darien landscapes, designed and installed by Green Jay Landscape Design, to help inspire—and hopefully motivate—you to do the same in your landscape!

Bird Sanctuary and Pollinator Pathway | Darien, CT

This bird-loving client wanted to devote the entire landscape to a bird sanctuary. Of course, to attract birds, you must supply what birds eat: berries, caterpillars, and other insects. The best way to achieve a buffet for birds is to plant native – these plants are hosts for pollinators and insects and are an important part of the ecological food chain in many respects.

We designed numerous native pollinator gardens for the different microclimates throughout the property. A cascading water feature also attracts birds to bathe in and drink from.

Designing a Bird Sanctuary: Part One: Site Development & Stormwater

Designing a Bird Sanctuary: Part Two: Layout, Planting & Masonry

Terraced Permaculture Front Yard Garden | Darien, CT

This front yard permaculture garden was too fun to design! Permaculture emphasizes making land more productive while respecting natural ecological systems. This garden employs fruit-producing trees and shrubs, and as a result needed a fair share of pollinator-attracting perennials for any of the plants to produce berries! We had a blast designing with a mix of native and non-natives to “stack functions” and create habitat for pollinators. A Polliantor Pathway property no doubt!

Learn more about the project on our previous blog:

Front Yard Permaculture Landscape w Garden Terraces & Chicken Enclosure

914.560.6570

GJL has acted as the land steward for this property for over ten years! Jay Archer led the ecological restoration of the estate. A decade ago, this property was mostly traditional lawn (read: chemically-supported). Today, it has gradually been restored ecologically to a more natural state delivering many ecosystem services.

This series is part of our 2020 Countdown of GJLs Best Landscape Design Projects of the Year! This is #6: Shangri-la

Restoring Ecology, Inspired by Natural Landscapes

View of the native wet meadow, with mowed stroll paths to take in all its beauty.

This riparian buffer around the freshwater pond is both an extension of the wet meadow habitat and an effective barrier between lawn and water.

Instead of pure lawn monoculture, GJL converted one lawn area to an ecologically diverse, organic wet meadow. First, we simply stopped mowing the area. Then, we let the native seed bank do its thing — the plants most suited to the naturally wet environment revealed themselves — and the area began to convert back to a native wet meadow.

The completed dam maintains a certain water level while allowing any overflow to connect with the ecosystem behind it: a rare forested wetland.

Pond & Wetland Restoration

The freshwater pond had been draining and declining into a swamp.The plan was to restore a consistent pond water level by constructing a dam at the outflow. Native riverbank plantings were also designed to help naturally filter pollutants (especially from the upper lawn areas) and maintain water quality. Not in the least, these native plantings are performing ecological restoration by providing essential critical habitat for pollinators and birds.

Native Black-eyed Susans blooming in the riparian buffer that surrounds the pond.

GJL partnered with JMC (who completed the engineering plans for the dam) and J-R-One Contractor Group (who helped construct the dam and foot bridge). Green Jay Landscape Design designed the native wetland plantings, installed the site protection and acted as a general contractor.

Completed wooden footbridge and dam (poured concrete with stone veneer).

Now, the new dam maintains the water level for a functioning freshwater pond ecosystem, while also allowing for overflow into the forested wetland behind when precipitation and the water table are high.

The footbridge critically connects the land in the perimeter of the pond, making for a very pleasant walk through the property.

View from the footbridge of the forested wetland with pond overflow seamlessly integrated.

Learn more about the project on our previous blogs:

Dam Construction, Pond & Wetland Restoration | South Salem, NY

Wetland Restoration — Native Riverbank Planting — South Salem, NY

View of the estate from the footbridge, with the completed dam in the foreground. Can’t wait to see this freshwater pond ecosystem thrive and evolve!

We started 2020 off with the classics, but of course had to put our own ecological spin on it. This Westchester, NY property featured way-overgrown foundation plantings that completely overtook the house. The Irvington clients hired us to re-design their front landscaping, as well as around the driveway. The scope of work also included enclosing the backyard to make it more safe for their new child.

This series is part of our 2020 Countdown of GJLs Best Landscape Design Projects of the Year! This is #7: Coyote Woods in the Cradle of the Forest.

Catch up on the background of this project on our previous blog: Ecological Foundation Planting & Landscape Design Master Plan

Natural Stone Front Walkway

The existing walkways were awkward and confusing, and did not accentuate the fine architecture around the front door. Our master craftsman mason Aztlan crafted larger, sweeping walkways out of irregular cut bluestone. The effect is grand, slightly rustic / naturalistic, but elegant with clean lines that clearly communicate circulation paths. We also expanded the landing below the steps, which was previously awkwardly narrow.

A front entrance no one can ignore! Planting and walkway are much more to scale after the landscape design and installation.

Clean lines contrast with the rugged stone cuts, matching this naturalistic forest setting.

The new front walkway is a prominent avenue from the driveway, directing guests to the front door, while a smaller walkway connects from the driveway.

The front walkways fork elegantly, but the main walkway to the front door is clearly defined.

Front Landscaping with Native Plants

Jay also designed new garden beds to frame the front lawn and offer more texture, color and vibrance. Instead of looking at the lawn transition to asphalt, there is a vibrant garden of native shrubs, perennials and grasses that looks fabulous throughout the year. Long-blooming native perennials, like Geranium and Tickseed (pictured below) are low-maintenance plants that create habitat for innumerable local pollinators.

Since this property borders a large Irvington forest, it is extra important to extend the habitat into residential landscapes like this one. Learn more about Pollinator Pathways and Certified Wildlife Habitats.

The new foundation plantings feature a mix of classic evergreens for year-round green. We also included some native deciduous shrubs that still provide architectural elements in winter, and much ecological value in spring/summer/fall.

Driveway Planting with Boulder Accents

Front Landscaping Frames the Lawn

Curvilinear garden beds with soft and breezy ornamental grasses and artfully placed boulders visually encloses the front yard and makes the space feel more intimate and interesting.

Sedges, Clethra and Viburnum are a powerful combination for a front yard garden.

Hydrangeas are a classic Northeast foundation plant for their long bloom time and immense flowers!

View of the home from the driveway — garden beds and a grand walkway clearly define the entrance.

We’re excited to finally share photos of this completed landscape, featuring: a disappearing, naturalistic water feature (constructed by Cooper Ponds), a natural stone patio for the clients’ viewing pleasure, and pathways meandering through terraced native gardens.

Disappearing waterfall feature as viewed from the stone patio.

This series is part of our 2020 Countdown of GJLs Best Landscape Design Projects of the Year! This is #4: Harvest Hill and the Terrace of the Sun.

Designing Terraced Native Gardens

What was once a steep slope of weeds and invasive plants is now a highly productive permaculture-inspired terraced native garden with built-in erosion control measures. Learn more about the existing conditions, the landscape design and the installation and construction of this landscape on our previous project blog, Permaculture Terrace Garden with Erosion Control in Hastings, NY.

This sloped property required a series of garden terraces and pathways designed with erosion control devices to preserve soil.

Water Feature: Naturalistic Waterfall

Water features are an important element of designing Certified Wildlife Habitats. Many animals including birds benefit from water features of various depths: bathing, drinking and sometimes feeding in them.

Since this is a permaculture landscape, a major design goal was to create holistic habitat for wildlife and pollinators.

Close up of the naturalistic waterfall, installed by Cooper Ponds.

It was such a pleasure to work with Cooper Ponds on this project. Their staff was professional, timely and exhibited true craftsmanship. They really know how to produce a water feature that looks like its been in the landscape for years!

Wood chip walkway with log steps for erosion control leads to the waterfall.

GJL designed & installed natural stone staircase with river rock and boulder edging.

Natural hardscape, from wood chips to stone, pairs seamlessly with the waterfall and habitat gardens.

Looks like an amazing space to relax in! Every landscape can benefit from native gardens & water feature! Check out our Stone & Water Galleries for more examples of our natural masonry and water feature design work!

We can’t wait to see these gardens develop in spring and summer — stay tuned for more photos!!