LAYERED LUXURY ON THE LAKE

Mariani Landscape reshapes a bluff-side property for beauty, function, and unforgettable views.

A lakeside estate project recently completed by Mariani Landscape is a perfect illustration of the Vincent van Gogh quote, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

What began as a modern refresh blossomed into a full-scale reimagining of the entire landscape. Including far more than new gardens and plantings, the project grew in scope to encompass the renovation of a recently acquired parcel of land, the creation of a new driveway with a gentler, more scenic approach to the home’s entry courtyard, and the addition of a new pool with spacious bluestone decks. Multiple outdoor hardscape terraces for gathering, cooking, and dining were also introduced, along with a limestone fireplace, a fire pit with a seating area overlooking the bluff, and a new parking area.

“The owners of the estate head a large family and regularly host events with long guest lists,” explains Sara Furlan, Mariani design principal. “Beyond bringing the grounds and gardens into the modern era, they wanted us to significantly expand their outdoor living spaces.”

Mariani began work at the estate just as the family was building a new pool house. One of the first steps of the project was to fill in the old pool and create a new one, conveniently located across from the pool house. This reconfiguration also allowed Mariani to create layered terraces and gardens that gently step down from the back of the house toward the bluff, giving clear, unobstructed views of the lake.

But constructing a new pool on a bluff came with challenges. “There is a great deal of hydrology on a lakeside bluff, as water naturally seeks underground seams for the easiest path from land to lake,” says Colleen Barkley, Mariani director of design. “We had to bore into the earth and undertake extensive civil engineering studies to understand the soil composition and ensure the safety and stability of everything we built.”

Furlan and her team ensured the gardens and hardscape terraces closest to the house reflected the estate’s classic architecture. “The organization around the house is more formal,” she says. This includes the uppermost terrace with its custom limestone fireplace, bluestone patio, and gathering areas, “with two distinct cooking areas,” she notes, “one for daily family use and an entertainment kitchen (bar/cooking island) near the pool house.”

Classical stylings also influenced the intricate, meticulously maintained parterre gardens of boxwood trees on the east and west sides of the house. In keeping with the client’s love for a blue, white, and green palette, these are filled with a sea of lavender alliums and hydrangeas.

Moving outward from the house, the garden landscape loosens and softens, allowing a natural progression of new plantings to blend with the existing woodland trees at the perimeter.

To bring the scale down and embellish the edges of the grounds on the west side of the home where old-growth oak and hickory stand, Furlan and team introduced ornamental understory trees including redbud, Cornelian cherry, bottlebrush buckeye, witch hazel, and sumac. Flowering crabapple softens the approach to the eastern forecourt, while Regal Prince Oak trees create a refined backdrop to the wilder lands to the north.

At ground level, thoughtful plant choices unify the design. “Instead of traditional pachysandra ground cover, we used natural woodland grasses, such as tall fescue, to act as the ‘glue’ between plantings,” explains Furlan.

Finally, in the southern parcel of land where the owners wanted their dogs to roam freely, the team introduced winding paths and tamed the largely uncultivated grounds with lawn, native seeding, and additional understory trees. Alliums and liriope were planted to brighten a nearby intimate gathering space built around a small fire pit overlooking the bluff.

“Ultimately, the goal was to create a landscape that feels both intentional and effortless,” says Furlan. “Every outdoor room and garden has purpose, but together, they tell a cohesive story, one that connects the home, the land, and the lake.”

For more information, visit marianilandscape.com.