Celebrating A Rural Hamptons Landscape

As promised, here are is another special garden I enjoyed touring during the annual Parish Art Museum's Landscape Pleasures.

On eighteen acres in Sagaponack, landscape designer Edwina von Gal designed developed a romantic view of a rural farm. The cedar shingled house and its outbuildings are more modern and chic than the original Hamptons homesteads. Its grassy meadows, 'orchards' and pond are more manicured. However, this garden still celebrates the original rural landscapes that are sadly being replaced with McMansions in the Hamptons.  I applaud the owners, Gus & Liz Oliver, for allowing Edwina to create a green oasis that they can enjoy as much as the native wildlife.

Even though this is a large garden, basing your plantings on those from surrounding fields or woods can create a more natural look and extend your property lines.  This is something I tried to do early on when designing my Hamptons garden.  Even though I had a narrow lot, my garden looks much larger with the periphery blended into adjacent woodlands.

Hope you enjoy these photos.  I'll try to post photos from the rest of this tour later this week.

The yard was designed to look as though the land was just cleared for the house

Outbuildings, like those from an old farm,  serve an aesthetic and practical purpose

 A man-made pond is filled with fish

An ornamental cherry grove adds the look of an orchard one would expect on a farm

A low stone fence holds back the grassy field beyond (mowed down in mid-June to keep it at a manageable height)

Modern patio furniture and planters bring you back to the 21st Century  

High Times in New York City

All aboard.  This post has departed to my new website.  Clink on the link below to see the original post about the NY High Line:

High Times In New York City

A Sandy Start

Thought you might like to see where it all started.  I came across some old photos recently.  These show the house its first summer 12 years ago.  Pardon the quality of theses older pics.  They're PD (pre-digital).

First season for the lawn and schnauzer Clayton

In my neck of the woods, it's VERY sandy.  After construction, I was left with a beach for a front yard.  I immediately started a lawn to keep the dust down.  Yards of compost were raked into the sand.  Bags of grass seed were scattered on top.  Sprinklers attached to hoses on timers kept things watered while I was in the city during the week.  The plantings and stonework were added slowly over the years.

BEFORE

AFTER

The back was a bigger challenge.  I had dreamed of walking out my back doors onto a grassy yard. However, after construction, I was left with a woodland gorge.  The back doors were about seven feet above the ground.  Temporary stairs provided access.  Truckload after truckload of fill dirt was brought in to create the back you now see.  Then topsoil was layered on top.  I started with sod which didn't perform well after a season.  The sod was replaced with grass seed.  A few bluestone steps connected the house to the back lawn.  It wasn't many seasons before I tired of dewy grass dampening shoes each morning.  I reluctantly gave up some of my precious lawn for a dry patio.

BEFORE

AFTER

The patio addition

I started out an impatient neophyte with grand plans.  But the process of making this garden has taught me horticulture, design, budgeting and patience along the way.  Year by year, I added plantings, stonework and structures, only hiring out for the heavy lifting or projects beyond my ability.

While I always think there much more to do, these pictures remind me that my Hamptons garden has come a long way.

Too Blue?

The new teak furniture and umbrellas from Kingsley-Bate arrived in time for the July 4th weekend!  A departure from the hunter green set that was in place for years, the new blue set stands out rather than blends into the landscape.  I'm trying to get used to this change. 

"Sky-blue" pool water

My color inspiration came from the water color of the pool.  The pool's new dark finish is reflecting the blue sky like a mirror.  The finish is a charcoal marble dust.  After many requests for darker,  I was told this is the darkest marble dust could go.  The result allows the pool to have a more natural look.

A good friend suggested infusing some other colors onto the patio to break up the expanse of blue.  Behind the patio, there is a bed with flowering perennials and shrubs.  Between the chaises,  I'll try some containers with annuals.

St. Tropez teak chaises

Now back to the furniture itself.  I've loved Kingsley-Bate furniture for years.  The quality is superb.  And these new St. Tropez teak and mesh chaises are so well-made and comfortable even without cushions.  I will let the wood age to a natural silver color.  The umbrellas have a pulley system that raises the umbrellas with ease.

I don't actually sit by the pool often.  I'm always jumping up to prune, weed or inspect.  With hot, sunny weather forecasted, maybe I'll enjoy the pool area this weekend (probably reading a new garden book).