Hillside Renovation

The landscape designed for the rear garden of this Bethesda, Maryland house made good use of very little space. The team at Richardson & Associates utilized two curved retaining walls and terraced, layered plantings to make room for a pool. The initial phase of the project included a pergola and outdoor entertaining area near the home but the second phase addressed the challenge of topography to keep a swath of lawn for family gatherings and insert a pool with a small spa. The back yard slopes steeply down towards the house so the pool is tucked into the existing landscape. A raised stone beam cuts across the curve of the two stone walls. The scuppers that flow into the pool and the linear stepping bars of flagstone appear pleasingly contemporary in juxtaposition to the traditional style of the house. The plant palette includes catmint, switchgrass, cone flower, dogwood, and oakleaf and Annabelle hydrangeas, which are layered in progression to meet the mature vegetation surrounding the backyard. In between the layers of the two overlapping stone walls, a grassy path was cleverly left as a dog run. A lovely little folly perched on the hill serves as a changing room and is accessible via stone steps above the pool. Compact and neat, the whole composition is a delight for the homeowner. The third phase entailed leveling a portion of the front garden with a stone retaining wall, adding plantings, and repeating the linear stepping bars with grass joints.

  • Architect: Clites Architects, PC
  • General Contractor: Jeffco Development
  • Landscape Contractor: Chick Landscaping
  • Pool Contractor: Alpine Walt
  • Photographer: Frazier Springfield
A large, two-story white brick colonial house features a dark shingled roof with six dormer windows and light blue shutters. An American flag hangs by the front door, which is reached by stone steps, while a stone walkway and landscaped garden sit in the front yard.
A stone retaining wall lined with vibrant pink astilbe and white hydrangeas leads to a white gate at the top of several steps. The steps connect a paved patio to a lush backyard garden beside the white brick wall of a house, which is accented by a glowing wall lantern.
A stone pathway with wide, low steps leads through a lush garden toward a white gate. The path is flanked by dark mulch, shrubs, and trees, with the white siding of a house visible on the left.
Two blue Adirondack chairs face a round, glowing fire pit on a stone patio. The scene is set in a lush backyard garden beside a white house, surrounded by mature trees, green shrubs, and a wooden privacy fence.
A white garden shed sits at the top of a stone retaining wall, overlooking a rectangular swimming pool with three water features cascading into it. The landscaped backyard features a stone patio, lush green grass, and dense foliage under a canopy of mature trees.
A small white shed with glass doors sits tucked into a lush, tree-filled landscape. In the foreground, a swimming pool features a stone retaining wall and cascading water features surrounded by tiered garden beds.
A modern backyard patio features a round white fire pit surrounded by four dark blue Adirondack chairs. In the background, a swimming pool with two stone water features sits in front of a lush green landscape and a stone retaining wall.
Three lounge chairs with white cushions are arranged on a stone patio beside a swimming pool. Behind them, a tiered stone retaining wall rises against a background of lush green trees and shrubs. A large, light-colored planter sits on the grass nearby.
A lush garden features a stone retaining wall nestled among dense green trees and shrubs. Vibrant orange lilies bloom near the wall, while a paved pathway winds through the foreground of leafy plants and small white flowers.
A rectangular swimming pool is set into a stone patio at dusk, surrounded by lush green trees and a stone retaining wall. On the side of the pool, three white lounge chairs sit beneath a striped umbrella near a potted plant.
A swimming pool with two water features sits beside a stone patio with white lounge chairs. Lush green trees and a tiered stone retaining wall form the backdrop, while potted plants frame the seating area.
Three white lounge chairs sit on a grey stone patio beside a swimming pool. Behind them, a stone retaining wall rises into a dense, lush green landscape of trees and shrubs.
Four dark blue Adirondack chairs surround a round, lit fire pit on a stone patio. In the background, a small swimming pool features stone water features against a tiered garden wall, with two lounge chairs and a white umbrella sitting on the adjacent grassy lawn.
A backyard scene features a rectangular swimming pool next to a cream-colored house with a second-story balcony. Three lounge chairs sit under a striped umbrella on a stone patio, which is framed by a curved stone wall and lush trees.

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