There's a lot to love about this historic Belmont home and carriage house studio, but its spectacular view of the Boston skyline is certainly at the top of the list. However, that amazing vista presented a unique challenge for our designers - how to retain the home's most prized feature, while adding a (much needed) sense of privacy for this family with two children + dog.
about this property
Belmont, Massachusetts | We love a challenge, and this "carriage house with a view" was right in our wheelhouse. Our solution: a series of beautiful perennial gardens with a border of hemlock, spruce and arborvitae, enclosing the property on three sides. A clipped yew hedge completes the perimeter providing just the right amount of screening without obstructing the skyline panorama. Mature trees were added to the property to create an instant canopy, and a mix of brick walls and natural hedges draw the visitor from one "room" to the next. The result is a lush oasis where the owners can de-compress, entertain, or simply take in the amazing views.
Additional features of this design include:
• a checkerboard lawn as focal point, luring visitors to a secluded sitting area;
• a brick and bluestone patio with an old-world courtyard experience;
• an ever-changing array of planters throughout the property;
• a permeable gravel driveway to help control run-off.
Additional features of this design include:
• a checkerboard lawn as focal point, luring visitors to a secluded sitting area;
• a brick and bluestone patio with an old-world courtyard experience;
• an ever-changing array of planters throughout the property;
• a permeable gravel driveway to help control run-off.
see the transformation
architecture credit: Patrick Ahern
2019 Silver Award Residential Design
Association of Professional Landscape Designers
Belmont Carriage House in the news
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.
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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