the place

Robin Hill is a 1920’s neo-Palladian villa in Connecticut, with the framework of an old garden that had fallen into neglect and returned to woodland.

the brief

The client required a careful restoration that honoured the history of the site and, through new interventions, an easy link to the surrounding forest and its wildlife which include wild turkeys, brown bears, mountain lions and porcupines.  

the design

The masterplan re-exposed the original bones of the garden and extended it into the landscape with meadow enhancement, forest clearance and installations within the forest made by local artisans from stone and timber to provide a focus for the eye within the landscape. New terraces around the house provide connections from the interior out into the landscape, while the restoration and creation of parkland connects the gardens to the forest. A new system of forest trails now take in the whole site, which was previously impenetrable. The re-instatement of a modest number of garden spaces tailors their maintenance to one full time gardener with some seasonal help. A new ornamental cutting garden sits within a forest clearing.