Newfane Residence

A modest home renovation + carport inspires new gardens at this Vermont homestead.

Set on a wooded hillside in Newfane, Vermont, this project had three main goals: help site a new carport with minimal disturbance; resolve drainage issues at the base of the driveway; and create a cohesive design for the front yard and at the edges of disturbance from construction. Design decisions were made collaboratively over a series of site visits with the homeowners, reviewing reference images and adjusting the plant palette as the couple’s preferences and the realities of construction evolved.

The final design features reliable native shrubs such as Clethra alnifolia, Viburnum dentatum, Lindera benzoin, and Ilex verticillata, while several varieties of grasses and sedges intermix with pollinator-supporting perennials including New England Blazing Star, Anise Hyssop, Zigzag and Downy Goldenrod, and Beardtongues.

RDG listened to our fledgling vision of a beautiful, low-maintenance, and ecologically sound design. We now have exquisite native perennial gardens surrounding our renovated home, a well-sited carport tucked into the woods and much-needed drainage throughout. They worked with our builder and excavator to create more than we could have imagined early on. Nothing cookie-cutter here. We learned so much about the land and plants through this process. We highly recommend RDG without reservation.
— Client