Woodland Transformation

At the rear of this suburban McLean, Virginia home, a steeply pitched and wooded terrain descends to Bull Neck Stream below. Originally, although the slope affords a lovely, private view from the home, there was little in the way of useable outside space for play or entertaining.  The reimagined space now has a sequence of attractive retaining walls that recall the stone walls of the region’s former farmland. An extended terrace includes an expanse of lawn for the clients’ young children to play as well as an infinity pool, water feature/spa, and seating areas. Access from the drive above is finessed with a stair and well-placed landings that diminish the incline. Along the way, native plantings of Henry’s Garnet Itea (Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’), Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’ andIlex verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’), Annabelle hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle), boxwood, Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides), Karl Forester Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’), and Pink Muhley Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Lenca’)soften the geometry and help hold back the hillside. The elegant gate and handrails belie the complexity of their custom designs. They, along with pattern changes in the paving subtly border and define the garden areas and entertaining spaces. A year-round spa doubles as a fountain with water pouring from bronze scuppers set into a wall of Western Maryland stone. The tour de force of the space is the pool. Its serene surface at the upper-level waterfalls down toward the woodland below is highlighted by astilbe “Visions in Pink” (Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions in Pink’). The second phase of this project will extend the garden further down the slope with integrated boulder steps and a raised boardwalk leading to the stream.

  • Architect: James McDonald Associate Architects
  • General Contractor: Pimenta Construction
  • Landscape Contractor: Black Pearl Management
An infinity pool with steaming water sits on a stone patio surrounded by dense woods. A pair of lounge chairs rests on the poolside, while a fire pit and seating area are positioned nearby in the sunlit, forested yard.
An infinity pool set in a stone patio, framed by lush green forest. Wooden lounge chairs with white towels sit on the deck, with a small table and armchairs in the foreground.
A backyard with a rectangular swimming pool, green lawn, and stone patio. The view is framed from the top of an outdoor staircase leading down into the yard, surrounded by trees.
Stone steps with a black metal railing ascend through a lush garden. The stairs are flanked by a manicured lawn, tiered stone retaining walls, and abundant green trees and flowering shrubs.
White hydrangea bushes bloom in a garden next to a large rock retaining wall. Small purple flowers grow along the top of the stone ledge, surrounded by lush green foliage.
White hydrangea blooms and pink astilbe flowers grow in a garden bed beside tall ornamental grasses. A dark metal fence separates the garden from the dense green trees in the background.
A stone patio features a lounge chair and a cushioned armchair beside a swimming pool. Behind them, a stone wall serves as a backdrop for a water feature with four vertical spouts pouring into a rectangular basin.
A stone patio features a square pool with two waterfalls pouring from a stacked-stone wall. Nearby, a rectangular fire pit sits between two modern outdoor chairs on a paved deck overlooking a wooded area.
Three rectangular metal spouts built into a stone wall, each pouring a steady stream of water.
A stone patio features a rectangular swimming pool, a square fire pit, and various outdoor lounge chairs. A large house with multiple windows stands to the right, surrounded by dense trees.
A large, two-story white brick house with a stone patio and infinity-edge swimming pool. The patio features a fire pit, outdoor seating, and a tiered garden overlooking a wooded area.

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