FEEL
OF THE MOUNTAINS RETREAT
ENGLEWOOD, CO
ROLE: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, HANDS-ON CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE TRAINING
Project Team: Bartlett Tree Experts, Chapparo Trees, Chasca Gardening, Designs By Sundown, Graff Renovations, Materra Waterscapes, TMW Stonemasons & Client
THE PLACE
Set within the National Historic Neighborhood of Arapahoe Acres, the garden responds to the neighborhood’s mid-century modern architecture with a landscape that is quiet, elemental, and deeply connected to place.
THE IDEA
Japanese garden principles provide a bridge between the site and its modern architectural setting. Inspired by shōtoku no senzui—nature “as is”—the garden works with soil, stone, water, plants, sun, and air to create the feeling of a mountain landscape while complementing the clarity and restraint of the architecture.
LAND + FORM
Two mountain landscapes intertwine: a shaded woodland of boulders and water, and a sunlit, xeric mountainside of lodgepole pine and layered stone. Sculpted landforms and strong geological lines extend the architecture into the garden.
PLANTING
Naturalistic planting moves between woodland and xeric conditions, combining varied textures, foliage, and warm seasonal color. The planting is intended to mature into a layered landscape that changes with the seasons.
MATERIAL + CRAFT
Stone, gravel, brick, water, and wood reinforce the dialogue between natural and architectural forms. Large boulders, layered stone, and antique millstones bring weight, texture, and permanence to the garden.
THE EXPERIENCE
The garden unfolds through framed views, open paths, and sheltered rooms. Enclosure and openness, sun and shade, water and stone create a sequence of quiet moments and mountain atmoshpere—an outdoor counterpart to the modernist clarity of the house.