HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA

Hilltop Perch

For this project, we renovated a garden of an 1870s Victorian home close to downtown Healdsburg, a gem that, due to its unique perch, is probably the best house and garden in town. Although our client had recently renovated another residence in Healdsburg, this seemingly abandoned 150-year-old “haunted house” had long been her dream home so when it came on the market, her kind husband bought it immediately. She engaged us to breathe new life into the overgrown gardens, and create a private oasis on the hilltop site.

Our goal was to bring this historic property, shielded by a canopy of Redwoods, back to life, creating a beautiful and functional outdoor environment while staying out of the way and allowing the original vibe of this special environment to shine through. The key lay in creating a series of moments in the garden - places where the shady present could commune with a storied past. For the transition between house and garden, we eschewed the more expected deck, choosing instead a gradual stepped transition. Blue stone walkways, with mondo grass filling the gaps, link the garden rooms, which are filled with a quiet, traditional palette of catmint, lambs ear, miscanthus, sesleria and iceberg roses.

To create a cloistered environment, despite the presence of a busy roadway nearby, we designed seven layers of plantings, walls, and fencing to muffle the sound of the road. This ensures that when our client is in the garden, she does not see, hear, or feel the presence of the street, but only the calming effect of her favorite place on earth.

Landscape: Paredes Landscaping and Robinwood Construction Builder: Finley Contracting Inc. Pool Construction: Oxbow Pool & Landscape Photographer: Eileen Roche