Catalyzed by a family’s appreciation of horticulture, and their desire to create a distinct landscape that celebrates its region, the landscape architect forged a transformative plan that extends the notion of Colorado outdoor living, restored ecologies and nature-based living.

Located in a historic neighborhood near downtown Denver, the three-acre property had received a comprehensive update in the early 2000s that included an architecturally significant home by Olson Kundig and a landscape design by Charles Anderson Landscape Architects. However, in 2019 and after a prolonged period of inadequate landscape management practices, new owners sought a new vision. Imagination and regional acuity converge through an ensemble of experiences, transporting visitors through a myriad of ecologically diverse, landscape expressions.

Like individual collections found within a botanical garden, horticultural vignettes coalesce with program elements. The entry drive meanders through an informal grove of Ponderosa pines – a species that naturalizes as the plains rise into nearby foothills – which emerge from a drought-tolerant wildflower display. Along north and east boundaries, an impenetrable thicket is transformed into a luminous shade garden, accented by regional boulders and specimen conifers. A dry-stone ravine, visible from various vantage points of the garden, collects and distributes stormwater runoff to reduce underground infrastructure. The nocturnal-toned pool extends into a restored meadow, its reflective surface and crisp detailing an abstracted vignette of high alpine lakes.

Expansive, water-intensive lawns and formal, monocultural hedges maintained in contorted forms were replaced with a palette that approximates nature in an ecologically rich landscape. Species selection supports Denver’s Pollinator Trail – an initiative to improve biodiversity, encourage efficient foraging, and reduce heat islands. Addressing existing microclimate issues, circulation challenges, and underutilized spaces, the new design reinforces the family’s desire to utilize their property during all seasons while elements integral to the original design – including the fountain and open meadow – were rehabilitated and assimilated into the reimagined place.

NOTE: Elements of the original design, including the entry fountain, linear stairs and meadow, were retained and should be credited to Charles Anderson.