Homeowners turned to Surrounds, Inc., to transform their blank-slate, one-and-a-half-acre property into a multi-faceted landscape in keeping with the crisp look of their white-painted brick, modern farmhouse-style residence. “The home had no outdoor living spaces or plant life,” says landscape architect Chad Talton. “Our job was to enhance curb appeal and create an entertainment space in back.”

The existing front yard was flat and empty, bisected by a bluestone walkway. The Surrounds team leveled the ground, adding an expanse of lawn bordered by neat rows and clusters of Pennisetum, boxwood, Carpinus and Liriope. “We planted an evergreen front yard for year-round structure that emphasizes
the simplicity and modern tones of the home,” Talton notes. An allée of maples lines the drive.

The once-equally bare backyard saw the most dramatic alterations. Because the terrain sloped towards the house, the ground had to be regraded to accommodate new terraced levels. Interior spaces flow out through two sets of glass-paned doors to a spacious patio, accessed via a wide bluestone stoop that wraps around the corner of the house. Surrounds designed and built an attached brick pavilion with a white oak ceiling; it shelters a grilling area and seating around a stucco fireplace. An adjacent paver patio offers al fresco dining.

Wide grass steppers lead down to the lower yard where a boulder wall at the rear fence line elevates a stand of screening trees to create privacy. Dogwood, hydrangea and Liriope soften the scene.

Award: Grand for Outdoor Living (Design Build). Landscape Architecture & Contracting: Chad Talton, PLA, Surrounds Landscape Architecture + Construction.