A couple based in McLean searched for several years for just the right weekend retreat before finally discovering a waterfront property perfectly situated on Bennett Point near Queenstown, Maryland. They hired Walnut Hill Landscape Company to create an outdoor entertainment hub behind the home encompassing a pool, patio and cabana that would accommodate overnight guests—all sited to maximize views of the scenic Wye River.

“We worked with architect F. Carl Schwartz on the cabana, which features a fireplace, an open seating area and guest rooms above,” says Walnut Hill principal Michael Prokopchak. The open structure flows out to the pool area and patio, unified by full-color, natural-cleft Pennsylvania flagstone. Trees were positioned to create vertical interest while maintaining a sense of openness. Mass plantings of shrubs, perennials and grasses provide year-round color and texture and ensure that water views take center stage.

Landscape Design: Michael Prokopchak, ASLA, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland. Cabana Design: F. Carl Schwartz Architect, LLC, Baltimore, Maryland.