TURTLE ROCK FARM

WESTPORT, MASSACHUSETTS

A forty-acre parcel along the upper reaches of the Westport River featuring picturesque woodlands, hedgerows, and hay-fields presents a bucolic, private setting for this carefully situated farmhouse. A quarter-mile-long gravel driveway weaves through mature stands of trees and past a remnant farm pond, eventually spilling out into a large, open meadow where a handsome barn is positioned to informally mark one’s arrival to the property. Just a short drive further guides visitors to an elegant cobblestone lined auto court paved with porous pea gravel.

Monolithic slabs of Acadia granite sourced from Maine form steps and thresholds at entrances, and new terraces and walkways are also built with the regionally-sourced material. The home’s distinctive U-shape creates an outdoor courtyard that is further enclosed by a custom fence. Tender perennials are protected from wind, rabbits, and deer. At the heart of the courtyard stands an impressive antique granite millstone that has been converted into a bubbling garden fountain. The water feature straddles hard and soft-scaped areas, and becomes a year-round focal point from the home’s interior orangery. Stepping stone paths connect the two wings of the house, through the garden, where alpine plants with interesting textures and colors are planted between joints. Rambling full-sun and shade perennial gardens surround the house, blooming from spring through fall, further anchoring the building to its stunning rural context.