Gardens by Silo - The Egnew Residence

The artistic renderings helps you 'dream'' and see the vision.

The Egnew residence is located Palenville, New York at the foothills of the Northern Catskill mountains.

CHALLENGE

After the site visit and with the client preferences in hand, a couple of challenges stood out; the request for a low maintenance woodland garden and anticipated deer pressure.

Even a low maintenance garden will require some work; mowing (the meadow annually and req lawns weekly), raking (fall cleanup of pathways/parking), weeding (pathways/parking), pruning (trees, climbers and shrubs nearby the house). But how far these tasks are pushed is up to the individual.

A woodland garden implies the typical woodland animals are welcome, and thus we have to think about how they shape their landscape and what plants we can insert ‘safely’ into that environment. The site is a fence-less woodland setting near the base of the northern Catskill mountains, open to deer to enter and browse.

I built a list of plants that I cautiously call ‘Deer Proof’; cautiously because what is true in my case, may not work in someone else’s situation. These are plants that I have grown on my own property in the northern Catskills for about 7 seasons, while exposed to constant deer pressure. The one criteria for a plant to be on this list is that it has never – not once – been browsed. Use this list as a guide in your selection of plants, and observations about the deer in your area.

Although I make an effort to use native and climate change resilient plant selections, these criteria has come in second to specific client plant requests, ‘low maintenance’ and ‘deer proof’.

The west-facing grand wall of windows and deck with easy access to the lawn and leisure.

Initially we take stock of the property as it currently is, annotating every important structure and plant.

First, we have to understand what conditions we are dealing with. I do a site visit and gather data and information. If needed, soil tests are taken.

The concept design is a basic sketch ironing out the general idea. It tackles the challenges but also aims to fulfill other needs and wishes of the property owners.

When the initial concept is approved, we move into a more refined and detailed landscape plan.

Select areas may warrant an elevation drawing to clarify details of the plan.

A plant diagram overview shows where the plants are intended to go.

Each plant is specified in the planting keys.

Using Pinterest, I build shared mood boards that doubles as a source for plants but also for furniture and other garden assets.

All plants are also listed by garden area in detailed plant lists.