Gardens by Silo - The Graeve Residence

The artistic rendering helps you 'dream'' and see the vision. The client wants to add value to her STR by offering guests the opportunity to enjoy and harvest from the garden. The path to the cottage now aligns with the vegetable garden, illuminated by solar lights at night, guiding the way to the cottage.

The Graeve residence is located Cairo, New York at the end of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by tall pine forests with glorious southern river and mountain views.

CHALLENGE

The client runs Moon Cat Properties, a hospitality business and a very popular short term rental, The Catskill River House, which is a small charming cottage situated on her property by the creek. Guests have a dedicated parking spot. Despite the client's efforts to mark the parking clearly with tall reflective driveway markers, guests often drive right past it, over the lawn to the doorstep of the cottage. Each time, the lawn have to be repaired and sometimes the guest's car get stuck, especially in the wintertime (yes, they will drive right into the deep snow to the door).

The client's wants the vegetable garden to be adjacent to the parking spot, which means we can improve the parking experience in conjunction with building the vegetable garden.

The site is ideal, almost too sunny in fact, receiving 11 hours of sunlight per day even in February. The ground is clay, but all growing will be done in raised beds. There are plenty of deer in the area, so a tall fence will be part of the plan.

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.