featured property Belmont Carriage House

This historic Belmont home and carriage house studio enjoy sweeping views of the Boston skyline, a defining feature of the property. The challenge was to preserve that view while introducing privacy for a growing family. Through careful design, openness and seclusion are balanced, shaping a landscape that supports daily living without diminishing the home’s most celebrated outlook.

about this property

Belmont, MA | This carriage house property presented a rewarding design challenge: how to preserve expansive skyline views while introducing a comfortable sense of privacy. Our solution centered on layered perennial gardens, framed by hemlock, spruce, and arborvitae to enclose the site on three sides without feeling closed in. A clipped yew hedge completes the perimeter, providing effective screening while maintaining open sightlines. Mature trees were added to establish an immediate canopy and sense of scale.

Movement through the landscape is shaped by subtle structure and thoughtful transitions. Brick walls and natural hedges guide visitors through a sequence of distinct outdoor rooms, helping organize the space while keeping the experience relaxed and cohesive.

Throughout the property, features support both gathering and quiet retreat. A checkerboard lawn acts as a visual focal point leading to a secluded sitting area, while a brick and bluestone patio offers an old-world courtyard feel for entertaining. Seasonal planters add color and texture, and a permeable gravel driveway improves drainage and reinforces the property’s sustainable approach.

award-winning design

landscape design award - Association of Professional Landscape Designers (apld) award winner
Association of Professional Landscape Designers

see the transformation

transformation - before - carriage house brick walkway and yard transformation - after - carriage house stone patio and gardens

photo gallery

classic entry, thoughtfully detailed

Brick walkways, granite steps, and clipped boxwood create a refined approach to the home, while layered foundation plantings and symmetrical containers add seasonal color. Together, traditional materials and planting design frame the porch and entry, reinforcing the home’s character and creating a welcoming, well-balanced arrival.

garden-centered bluestone patio

Bluestone paving creates a gracious back patio that connects the main house to the carriage house beyond. Dining and lounge areas are arranged for flexibility and comfort, while low brick walls, container plantings, and surrounding gardens soften the hardscape. The open lawn and layered greenery extend the space outward, creating an inviting setting for everyday living and outdoor entertaining.

formal approach with an intimate pause

A central lawn and stone walk establish a clear garden axis leading back to the home, while a checkerboard stone-and-turf garden introduces a quiet moment of pause. Layered shrubs, flowering perennials, and ornamental planters soften the geometry, creating a balanced landscape that feels structured yet intimate. Designed for strolling, sitting, and lingering, these garden spaces blend order and softness to invite everyday enjoyment.

thoughtfully planted driveway approach

A quiet sense of arrival is created through a permeable gravel driveway edged in brick, guiding movement while keeping the approach understated and refined. Low stone walls and brick detailing add structure, while layered plantings soften the hardscape. Clipped boxwood, flowering shrubs, and ornamental trees provide year-round form with seasonal color, complemented by window boxes and planters that echo the home’s classic style. Together, the materials and planting palette balance durability with elegance, grounding the driveway in a landscape that feels intentional, welcoming, and distinctly New England.

this property in the news

Boston Design Guide - Belmont Carriage House

History in the Making | Boston Design Guide

Our Belmont Carriage House project is getting noticed – a winner of the 2019 APLD Award for Residential Design, and this month a nod from Boston Design Guide. Architect Patrick Ahearn and our own Jim Douthit are featured in the article which includes several great shots of the property and dive into the strategy they employed both inside and out. We really loved designing on this property (and still maintain it) and hope you’ll enjoy reading about the design process behind it. You can find the article in Boston Design Guide’s latest digital edition, pages 28-31.

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APLD's 2019 Silver Award for Residential Design

Belmont Carriage House Wins APLD’s Silver Award for Residential Design | APLD

a Blade of Grass has been awarded APLD’s 2019 Silver Award for Residential Design for the design and installation of our “Belmont Carriage House” property. The APLD International Landscape Design Awards Program honors excellence in landscape design. Projects in eight different categories are judged on the basis of difficulty, craftsmanship, attention to detail and execution. We are, obviously, immensely honored and proud of our amazing designers and our installation and maintenance crews. Check out the entire photo gallery of this beautiful property.

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