Summer Garden Tour Next Stop: Architecture Meets Garden Design

We approach the next stop by climbing up a wooded hill, featuring meticulously landscaped shade gardens and a living roof on one of the outbuildings.

Irwin Weiner ASID - The New Hope Historical Society's 21st Annual Garden Tour was a highlight of our summer, and in this next stop on the tour, we saw what nearly a million dollars could do to transform a shady forested area and turn it into a showplace of architecture, gardening, and imaginative hardscaping. The rocky hillside was turned into a fairly kingdom of ferns, in many varieties and other shade-loving plants. The house itself was designed by Ronald Bentley and Sal LaRosa of B Five Studio and features a round stone tower that functions as an indoor-outdoor fireplace, clean mid-century lines, and glass walls that create a dialogue with nature.

We love the little design details of the garage that greets visitors in a turn-around parking bay and the hornbeam hedge.

The exterior of the Bentley-LaRosa home, featuring a contemporary fish pond in front of the outdoor fireplace area.

The contemporary fish pond was a favorite of photographers (me included!).

A clever metal tub contains handy herbs and salad veggies for convenient harvesting outside the kitchen door.

The depth of the house only becomes apparent from this side angle, plunging one floor down the side of the hill with steps leading down to a lower terrace.

Words (and this photo) don't do justice to the breathtaking view of the Delaware River valley from the lower terrace.

Enjoying a quiet texting break on the lower terrace. You get a better perspective of the dramatic elevation here.

From the house, we explored the lower terrace, marveling at the view into New Jersey from our Pennsylvania lookout, then went back up into the front yard to explore the main terrace, consisting of lots of perennials made for woodlands, supported by granite stones. The Jerry Fritz garden design was spectacular.

The sunny hillside leads to terraced lawn panels with trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals.

Climbing up the garden terraces on our way to the pool.

The lap pool was surrounded by a stone wall and rustic pergola. All in all, an amazing woodland retreat!