Not everyone is lucky enough to have a site overlooking the Hudson River, and designer Jan Johnsen decided it was perfect for a garden that was refined and naturalistic, similar to the paintings of the Hudson River School.
Johnsen's design won a merit award this year from APLD.
The property is steeply sloped, on an exposed ridge facing the Hudson River, and the client wanted a number of elements, including a pool, entertainment areas, a golf green, and formal plus informal entrances.
Johnsen renovated a stone retaining wall and transformed an unuseable slope into a stroll garden that links "rooms" on different levels. Now, there's an outdoor fireplace terrace, a garden court that's used for ping pong, and the swimming pool area.
The formal entry area shown here is a cherry tree circle with an armillary in the middle.
There's also a rock garden that's been installed on an unused outcrop and a sunset terrace.
It's a heavenly garden by the person who knows the subject well. If you haven't yet heard about it, Johnsen's latest book is Heaven is a Garden: Designing Serene Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection (St. Lynn's Press, 2014).... well worth reading.
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