This NARI member first landscaped this site in 2012 to serve a small events building that started life as a private home. The designer literally needed a whole new approach to tame the steep lakeshore terrain when the clients replaced the building with a much larger conference facility just six years later.

To meet the aggressive grand opening deadline, the team was forced to tackle much of the hardscaping last year while the building construction was still underway. The designer and her crews worked around the other contractors, people, equipment and supplies to create new pathways, stairs, retaining walls, gardens and a large lower-level patio boasting a fire pit and an inviting terraced stair walkout to the lake.

As with previous projects at the retreat center, the clients set the bar high for artistic beauty and intuitive organic flow. They wanted visitors to engage with nature outside of the building and to be able to find their way around without obtrusive signage or steep stairs.

The clients were so confident of the superior outcome they wrote into the contract that the NARI member owes them a lobster dinner when the design wins its first award!