Echoing Green
The Woodlands, Falmouth Maine
The challenges with this project were numerous: Reduce the size of front lawn, provide buffering from the road, food & shelter for birds, improve outdoor living space, and add a three season porch. We also set out to overhaul the entire entrance & foundation planting, and to address the wet and weedy ditch up near the road.
We began by removing dozens of dull overgrown evergreen shrubs from the front foundation beds. We then reshaped the beds and amended the soil before planting new smaller-scaled flowering shrubs & perennials.
We reduced the vast flat open lawn by creating a series of sinuously shaped berms that echo the subtle contours of the surrounding landscape. These actually enhance the experience of the lawn, defining movement and fluidity. Trees were planted throughout the lawn and berms, providing both habitat and buffering. Many are native berry-producing species that are also best adapted to the very high water table. As for the drainage ditch, defining shape and replacing lawn grass with river stones removed the previous hardship of lawn maintenance there, and added low-maintenance visual interest.
The lines and proportions of the back of the house, and the rhythm of its facade, guided my design of the three-season porch and patio terrace, which replaced an awkward V-shaped walled-in deck. For the terrace floor & wall coping, the homeowner chose manufactured pavers for better color harmony with the house. We used granite for the planter retaining walls.
Boulders installed w/help from Herbie Brewer. Hardscaping installed by Peter Bloom & Josh Edlund (now of Three Stone Landscape). Three-season porch built by Greg Soule.
