BROWNSTONE GARDEN IN PARK SLOPE,  BROOKLYN,  NEW YORK

A young couple with a new born daughter had just purchased a stunning brownstone and were looking to create an informal, beautiful respite.  Two preliminary plans were originally conceived for this garden design, resulting in the garden below. The entire space was initially demolished along with a pond that needed to be filled in. The exception to the demo was a 30 yr old Korean Dogwood which was “limbed-up” to create a lush canopy for the garden. Initial soil testing found significant amounts of metals (lead and zinc) within the soil, which were remediated.

The journey begins with a black locust boardwalk in pea gravel (minimizing pre-existing drainage issues), an informal lawn with boulders, stairs set within woodland plantings (Asarum, Tiarella, Polemonum) leading to a raised ivory travertine seating area underneath the canopy of the mature Dogwood.  The entrance garden used salvaged bricks designed with a medieval spanish masonry pattern. Within this, a formal pattern of boxwood surrounded by native Dogwood was designed by Todd Haiman Landscape Design.