Family Vacation Home - New Hampshire | Home Outside landscape design

Project Summary

CHALLENGE

This historic home had been in one family for many years, but it took a while to get around to renovating the property. During the Covid pandemic, the owners decided it was time to turn their unfinished landscape into a series of outdoor dining and gathering spaces for themselves and their children and grandchildren.

SOLUTION

Home Outside designed a landscape update that would give the family plenty of places to gather and enjoy their beautiful property, complete with lush gardens that wouldn’t require too much maintenance. Without spending a lot of money, the owners were able to make some big changes that brought delight to all the generations of the family and let them enjoy their time together.

BASE PLAN of EXISTING CONDITIONS

DRAFT DESIGN

Final Landscape Design Plan

Click on the hotspots to learn more about the design.

A row of medium-height deciduous shrubs runs along the property setback line, separating private from public space.

A wider driveway provides more flexibility for multiple parked cars.

A granite curb increases the depth of a planting bed along the side of the house; the deeper soil allows for greater plant diversity.

A flagstone patio is oriented to take advantage of views of a beautiful large meadow.

Swaths of hydrangea shrubs and perennial groundcovers visually connect this patio area to the rest of the property while also providing some subtle separation and privacy.

A large rectilinear stone patio is graciously sized for a dining table, small seating area, and a grill.

Stepping stones set in groundcover create a visually subtle path system that feels like part of the garden. Stepping stones connect the main dining patio with building entrances and the front yard, fostering a single interconnected space.

Large swaths of plant material separate the dining patio from the house.

Tall shrubs provide privacy from the neighbor’s property.