A Beautiful Outdoor Haven in Scarsdale

Last spring Guy and Diane Gurden of Colvin Road in Scarsdale had thoughts of transforming their unkempt, sloping backyard into a garden haven. Guy, a gardener himself, hails from Great Britain and he had seen an interesting article and photo in This Old House Magazine about a unique garden in Greenwich, CT. The garden was designed and built by Jan Johnsen and he gave her a call.

This lucky occurrence was the genesis of a lovely partnership between the Gurdens and Johnson. They hired her to prepare a site and landscape plan to meet the following needs:

• Address persistent drainage problems
• Maximize the space in their cramped driveway.
• Provide an elegant outdoor terrace where they could entertain friends
• Provide a level lawn area for the children
• Include a small niche for a grill area
• Create a beautiful flowering garden with year round interest

The finished result is a blend of utility and art - sweeping, curved steps lead out to the driveway. A wide flowerbed surrounds the new terrace and is filled with boxwood and a blend of perennial and annual flowers. Their upper garden includes roses, catmint, spirea, dianthus and a glorious cherry tree. The side yard is a level lawn that doubles as a viewing garden from the dining room. ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas make quite the show here in the summer. And subtle but innovative outdoor lighting add sparkle at night.

Johnson’s firm got all the approvals and installed the project and the Gurdens couldn’t be happier with their new outdoor living area and garden. Now they are waiting for the daffodils that their girls planted last fall bloom….

New Terrace

Johnsen Landscapes and Pools, (914) 666-4190, is a full service professional landscape design / build / project management firm based in Westchester County. Their website is www.johnsenlandscapes.com.

Before