MCLD Wins 2012 APLD Merit Award in International Awards Program!
We received fantastic news this morning from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers that our “Charles River Garden” in Needham, MA, has received a Residential Merit Award in their 2012 International Landscape Design Awards program!
The APLD confirmed that this year they received the most entries in the history of the competition, and we won one of only 16 awards given! The judging panel was comprised of well known experts in the field including: Robin Templar Williams, APLD, FSGD; Helen Billetop, FSGD; Sara Kinbar (former editor of Garden Design Magazine); Eric Liskey (Deputy Editor, Better Homes & Gardens magazine); Natalie Warady (Style + Markets Director, Country Living magazine); and Rosalind Reed, FAPLD.
This garden represents a wonderful collaboration with an inspiring and thoughtful client. Our initial challenge was to transform a harsh, inhospitable space into a comfortable and meaningful garden that merged quietly with the sensitive ecology along the banks of the Charles River. The new landscape replaces a massive, dilapidated swimming pool that was surrounded by more than 3,700 square feet of impervious concrete. The old garden was harsh, and a robust local ecology was relegated to the edges of the property. A failed drainage system often forced stormwater directly into the home’s finished basement. As the design process began, two major goals quickly evolved: (1) to develop a site master plan to efficiently move stormwater away from the house, and (2) to craft durable and memorable outdoor spaces that capture the spirit of the river.
The garden borders one of Massachusetts’ most celebrated natural water bodies, the Charles River, and embraces beautiful views and local ecology. Capital Contractors of South Natick, MA was chosen to construct the project, and their team worked efficiently to build a durable garden that blends smoothly with it’s surrounding context. A structurally modified existing deck and new stairs connect interior spaces to an elevated bluestone dining terrace. New, hand-crafted retaining walls extend from the house, forming an elevated landform overlooking the river. Rich perennial gardens surround the terrace and spill over the walls, creating dazzling multi-seasonal displays. Stone staircases glide down the sloping perennial beds leading to a patterned, bluestone pool terrace. A new drainage system combines with areas of porous peastone to quickly distribute stormwater away from the home. An energy efficient swimming pool and spa (60% smaller than the original structures) provide soothing and meaningful recreational opportunities for an active family. Stormwater is diverted from the house, and native plants stabilize the previously eroding riverbank. Porous materials have replaced nearly 50% of the hardscape, and spaces have been thoughtfully sited within the sensitive river ecosystem.
We are eager to receive the award at the 2012 APLD International Design Conference in San Francisco in September. Thank you, APLD, for recognizing this project!