The little mermaid at the front of this DC residence in the Cleveland Park neighborhood just hints at the recreated New England landscape in the back yard: the homeowner wanted a garden that would remind her of Maine, where she vacations in the summer.
Landscape architects Scott Fritz and Leslie Gignoux designed a series of ponds at the back end of the swimming pool that re-creates the sound of water that's ever-present in seaside Maine. And to the rear right, you can just catch a glimpse of the blue-roofed writer's studio.
You reach the studio by passing through and under an old weeping cherry at the far end of the pool…
And then you're at the secluded hideaway surrounded by lush plantings and waterfalls … a perfect place for the solitude and contemplation that every writer needs.
The view back toward the house, over the cascading waterfalls.
The pool-side "patio" that connects to the stepping stones through the generous lawn, a feature of many New England gardens…
And finally, the very old Japanese katsura tree, the ideal secret playroom for children.
This was one of several gardens on a recent DC Garden Conservancy Tour.
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