Urban Meadow
Brooklyn, NY
We were approached to create a naturalistic garden within geometric forms for an art gallerist with frame-line sensibilities. We created a beach- and meadow-inspired garden evoking the client’s favorite Atlantic coast beaches. The garden would take advantage of sun from a recently removed tree and introduce a planted trellis based on the golden ratio, offering privacy screening from the north.
Sun and shade patios were placed at ends of the garden. Movement is supported between patio spaces by a stepped boardwalk. Steps and turns slow travel, extending the garden walk and experience.
Cedar boardwalk, fence, and “greenwall” screen offer a unity of materials around the sun patio
A moist meadow is planted below the boardwalk, where water is directed off the patios into a sponge of herbaceous planting. Species chosen consist of 80% native plants by species in the meadow, tightly arranged in a layered planting. Spreading semi-evergreen sedges create the groundcover layer, appreciating the late-season shade of larger plants above. Seasonally interesting species rise above in a mounding, medium-height Summer layer and a taller emergent layer of Autumn blooms. Evergreen inkberries provide backdrops to the Autumn-changing foliage of structural plants arranged to create low-bordered rooms around patios. Privacy is provided by a custom, irrigated green wall with cedar lattices and integrated planters along the north side of the sun patio and a new cedar fence along the garden’s Western boundary. The sun patio is paved with lighter stone and planted with beachy native grasses. Dry gravel mulches around this patio encourage the growth of species from the dunes.
Mountain mint, sea oats, and echinacea dance in the Beach Garden
White camassia buds rise above mounding bluestars and greening grasses in Spring
Plants soften edges of the boardwalk in high Summer