New Gardens for Newly Renovated Riverside Retreat

Front of house, pre-design

A customer who had recently renovated their home on the Damariscotta River contacted Garden Design Maine to help them renovate their yard.

Along with wanting new landscaping for the front and back of the house, the customer also wanted to create a privacy screen along the southern property boundary to offer a bit of seclusion for them and their neighbors.

Property boundary mid-section with existing overgrown shrubs that were to be removed and replaced by a mix of evergreens, deciduous trees , ornamental shrubs, and herbaceous perennials.

Stylistically, the customer expressed interest in evergreens, Hinoki cypress, and also wanted at least one red-leafed tree. When it came to the 800-square foot privacy screen, the customer wanted the tallest section to be in the middle with a max evergreen height of no more than 15' tall. The screen was to taper off on either side allowing water views from both the customer and neighbor's back decks.

Front of House Concepts

Concept #1 included a Hinoki Cypress in the center of the windows, with a holly on either side for additional winter interest. Chartreuse-leafed deutzias were used for a pop of yellow, with big bluestem "Blackhawk" adding contrast with its purplish foliage. A mock orange shrub would perfume the air for those sitting on the deck, with weigela "My Monet" and shrub roses being showcased in the front row to complete this more Asian-inspired look.

Concept #2 included three beautyberry "Pearl Glam's" centered between the windows, with spirea "Glow Girl" offering chartreuse leaves for contrast. Little bluestem "Prairie Blues" provides some cool blue tones, with weigela "Spilled Wine" anchoring the far right with its gorgeous maroon leaves. Dwarf butterfly bushes near the deck will sweetly scent the summer air, while catmint, alliums and a mix of yellow and white daisies provide season-long blooms.

Privacy Screen Concepts

Concept #1 incorporated a center combination of blue spruce, false cypress and junipers, with ninebarks between and weigelas in front. The left section featured a Japanese red maple surrounded by red-twig dogwoods, chartreuse-leafed deutzias, panicum grasses, an Incrediball hydrangea, variegated leaf weigelas, reblooming daylilies and Japanese anemones. To the right of the false cypress and towering junipers, a weeping redbud is showcased with "Ivory Halo" dogwoods on either side. Chartreuse-leafed spireas and purple-leafed perennial geraniums are featured in the front row.

Concept #2 incorporated a center combination of false cypress, Austrian pine, blue spruce and junipers, with spirea "Glow Girl's", beautyberry "Pearl Glam" and reblooming daylilies in between. Weigela "Midnight Sun" and long-blooming echinacea "Prairie Splendor" were used in front. The left section featured a winter-blooming yellow witchhazel with yellow-twig dogwoods behind it. (Imagine how gorgeous that combination will look against freshly fallen snow in February!) Ninebark "Ginger Wine" and spirea "Glow Girl" sit comfortably behind dwarf panicle hydrangea "Firelight Tidbit" and long-blooming rudbeckia. The section to the right of the junipers and beautyberry shrub features a Japanese red maple and chartreuse-needled dwarf false cypress shrub, with weiglea "My Monet", white shrub roses and little bluestem grasses in front.

Back of House Concepts

Both concepts took their cues from plants used in the privacy screen and front-of-the-house designs, helping tie together all three garden areas.

Concept #1 used a simple combination of Incrediball hydrangeas, variegated ornamental grasses, reblooming daylilies, and purple-foliaged penstemons.

Concept #2 featured ninebark "Ginger Wine" on either end, "Ivory Halo" dogwoods, panicum "Thundercloud", roses and chartreuse-leafed catmint in front.

Initial planting of evergreens in the middle section of the privacy screen, as completed by the customer in Fall 2024.

The customer was really pleased with both designs, but ultimately decided to go with Concept #2. A partial planting of the privacy screen was done in Fall 2024, with plans to complete the full project in 2025.