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.

Landscape Architect: Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture; Architect: James McDonald Associate Architects; General Contractor: Pimenta Construction; Landscape Contractor: Black Pearl Management