Modern house with large windows surrounded by lush green trees and well-manicured lawn, with a gravel pathway curving through the garden.
Close-up view of a green grass lawn with small patches of dirt visible between the grass blades.
A small animal, possibly a rabbit, sitting on green grass near ornamental plants and a concrete staircase in a landscaped garden.
Contemporary abstract sculpture in a well-maintained garden with trimmed bushes and trees, set against a large green hedge backdrop.
A modern outdoor sculpture surrounded by lush greenery and trees in a well-maintained park or garden.
A modern outdoor garden with lush green trees, neatly trimmed bushes, a small water fountain with abstract rocks, and a contemporary building in the background under bright sunlight.
A landscaped garden with a small flowering tree, green grass, and white stepping stones.
Modern rectangular pool with a black water feature edge, surrounded by lush greenery and ornamental grasses.
A shaded outdoor seating area next to a tennis court with a green surface, surrounded by lush trees and shrubs, under a clear blue sky.

Once part of a potato farm, this 2.5-acre Mecox Bay property was transformed into a refined, ecologically sensitive landscape. LaGuardia Design Group began by establishing a 100-foot-deep native buffer along the shoreline to restore habitat and filter runoff. Layers of switchgrass, little bluestem, and sedges form the foundation, with bayberry, arrowwood viburnum, and winterberry shrubs, and small trees like shadblow and black cherry completing the composition. Planting choices were guided by soil conditions, transitioning from wetland species near the shore to upland grasses further inland.

Because the site’s former agricultural use left it flat and exposed, the design used subtle grading and spatial definition to shape distinct outdoor rooms. A permeable turf-and-paver parking area minimizes runoff, while a raised entry courtyard—with a bronze sculpture reflected in a black granite pool—creates a sculptural approach to the home. The courtyard also links the parking area to the elevated entry through a series of low, graceful steps.

Formal planting complements the home’s modern geometry: orthogonal walks, liriope panels, boxwood hedges, and a grove of crape myrtles framed by hornbeam. Beyond, a cream-colored stucco retaining wall lends the adjacent tennis court a sunken quality, and a rear terrace and pergola take advantage of sweeping bay views—balancing structure, ecology, and artful restraint.

PROJECT TEAM | D & D Harvey Architects - Stuart Basseches Architect - Worth Interiors - J Bialsky - Landscape Details