Landscape Design
Before and Afters
Yard of the Week: Contemporary House Meets Naturalistic Gardens
A landscape designer creates memorable pathways, a series of garden rooms and relaxing spots at a New Jersey family home
In 2022, the renovation of this contemporary lakeside house in Princeton, New Jersey, was almost finished. The homeowners, a couple with three young daughters, were ready to tackle the landscape next. Their architects recommended landscape designer Ronni Hock, and the couple was already familiar with her work. “They told me that my work just spoke to them, as they were looking for an informal landscape around a contemporary framework,” Hock says. The result is a diverse and relaxing landscape that the family can enjoy on all sides of the house.
Site plan: A big part of the design was figuring out walkways and how to create different experiences around the property.
On this plan, the lake is at the top and the driveway is at the bottom. A rectangular paver path leads from the driveway to the entry. A grass path on the left leads to the lake-facing side of the house. Around the far side of the garage, on the right, is a bluestone path. Cutting gardens and edible plantings are represented by the boxes to the right of that path.
Toward the top of the plan, off the back of the house, is a large patio that overlooks the lake. The little nook on the left side of the patio is an art garden. There are two stepped paths leading from the patio down to the lake. The one on the left leads from the playroom down to a playground area. The one in the center leads down to the dock.
On this plan, the lake is at the top and the driveway is at the bottom. A rectangular paver path leads from the driveway to the entry. A grass path on the left leads to the lake-facing side of the house. Around the far side of the garage, on the right, is a bluestone path. Cutting gardens and edible plantings are represented by the boxes to the right of that path.
Toward the top of the plan, off the back of the house, is a large patio that overlooks the lake. The little nook on the left side of the patio is an art garden. There are two stepped paths leading from the patio down to the lake. The one on the left leads from the playroom down to a playground area. The one in the center leads down to the dock.
Photo by Andrew Wilkinson
Hock used lots of herbs and purple- and blue-flowering plants along this front entry path. Ferns, grasses and shrubs add to the textural mix.
Hock was driven by three things when designing the plant palette. The first was attracting pollinators. The second was using calming colors. “My clients told me that they didn’t want red flowers, and I chose plants that would be soothing as they arrive home and when they spend time outdoors,” she says. The third was choosing plants that the deer wouldn’t decimate in certain areas of the property.
Before and After: 3 Productive Yards That Attract Pollinators
Hock used lots of herbs and purple- and blue-flowering plants along this front entry path. Ferns, grasses and shrubs add to the textural mix.
Hock was driven by three things when designing the plant palette. The first was attracting pollinators. The second was using calming colors. “My clients told me that they didn’t want red flowers, and I chose plants that would be soothing as they arrive home and when they spend time outdoors,” she says. The third was choosing plants that the deer wouldn’t decimate in certain areas of the property.
Before and After: 3 Productive Yards That Attract Pollinators
Before Photo
Before: Here is a look at the same entry path during construction. It is composed of poured-in-place concrete pavers.
“The homeowners loved the existing large black tupelo tree [seen here on the right]. We called in tree experts from Bartlett’s to study how we could protect the tree during construction,” Hock says. “When a gas line needed to be placed near it, they remediated the soil with oxygen and fertilizer. They kept the tree healthy, and three years later it is thriving.”
“The homeowners loved the existing large black tupelo tree [seen here on the right]. We called in tree experts from Bartlett’s to study how we could protect the tree during construction,” Hock says. “When a gas line needed to be placed near it, they remediated the soil with oxygen and fertilizer. They kept the tree healthy, and three years later it is thriving.”
After: Here’s a look at the entry path not long after the garden beds around it were planted.
Work with a masonry-and-concrete contractor
Work with a masonry-and-concrete contractor
One of the best things about landscapes is watching them evolve. This is the front path two years after it was planted. The blue star creeper (Laurentia fluviatilis, syn. Isotoma fluviatilis and Pratia pedunculata; USDA zones 6 to 8; find your zone) that Hock planted between the pavers has given them a more rustic natural look, keeping with the homeowners’ desire for informal gardens within a contemporary framework.
Before Photo
Before: This was the view from the house to the street before the landscape design.
After: The new driveway is concrete. The overhang on the left is the garage. Also note the low Cor-Ten steel wall just past the garage.
What to Know About Adding a Beautiful, Suitable Path to Your Yard
What to Know About Adding a Beautiful, Suitable Path to Your Yard
This photo was taken from behind the Cor-Ten steel wall, looking back toward the house and garage. There are three container gardens back here that were not photographed. Two contain a mix of flowers for cutting, and a third, smaller container holds an edible garden.
“The wife loves to walk over here to cut flowers with her girls,” Hock says. The architects designed special fencing for the vegetable garden to keep animals out.
“The wife loves to walk over here to cut flowers with her girls,” Hock says. The architects designed special fencing for the vegetable garden to keep animals out.
This path leads from the driveway, seen at the back of this photo, around the house to the patio that faces the lake. Hock used irregular bluestone pavers for a less formal look. The Cor-Ten wall frames the left edge of the path.
“Using Cor-Ten steel for the retaining wall was the husband’s idea. Like I said, he has the eye for these things,” Hock says. She specified an LED strip light tucked under a lip at the top of the wall.
As for lighting in general, the designer kept things subtle. “I like to be conservative because of the night sky. Uplights can create havoc for owls, fireflies, bats and other creatures,” she says. “I spoke with my clients about this, and they were on board. We kept the lighting very minimal, installing low path lights along paths and steps for safety.”
Landscape Lighting That Doesn’t Wake the Birds
As for lighting in general, the designer kept things subtle. “I like to be conservative because of the night sky. Uplights can create havoc for owls, fireflies, bats and other creatures,” she says. “I spoke with my clients about this, and they were on board. We kept the lighting very minimal, installing low path lights along paths and steps for safety.”
Landscape Lighting That Doesn’t Wake the Birds
Hock took some shots of the same garden bed in the fall to show how the plant colors and textures change. The shrubs with the orange foliage are spicebush (Lindera angustafolia, zones 6 to 8). “This is a wonderful plant, because it holds its leaves through the winter, which turn to a nice tan color. I thought the tan picked up really nicely on some of the tones in the house’s siding,” she says.
This photo was taken from the street side looking toward the garage. The plant with the feathery yellow fall foliage is native bluestar (Amsonia sp.), a perennial that has star-like blue flowers in the spring.
Hock’s firm also maintains the gardens. “We leave messy beds, meaning keeping leaves that have fallen in autumn to cover the garden beds. It creates compost and protects the perennials. It also gives the fireflies and other pollinators places to lay their eggs,” the designer says. “Designing landscapes that will support the wildlife like this is what drives me, and it drives my clients too. I suppose it’s what drives the right clients to me.”
Hock’s firm also maintains the gardens. “We leave messy beds, meaning keeping leaves that have fallen in autumn to cover the garden beds. It creates compost and protects the perennials. It also gives the fireflies and other pollinators places to lay their eggs,” the designer says. “Designing landscapes that will support the wildlife like this is what drives me, and it drives my clients too. I suppose it’s what drives the right clients to me.”
Photo by Andrew Wilkinson
The path continues to a woodland garden, turns the corner around the wing of the house seen at the back of this photo and opens up to the lake-facing patio. Hock had a fire bowl installed in a spot that draws the eye out to the water. It has a dedicated gas line running to it.
The furniture and patio pavers are part of the contemporary framework she mentioned, surrounded by loose, informal gardens.
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The path continues to a woodland garden, turns the corner around the wing of the house seen at the back of this photo and opens up to the lake-facing patio. Hock had a fire bowl installed in a spot that draws the eye out to the water. It has a dedicated gas line running to it.
The furniture and patio pavers are part of the contemporary framework she mentioned, surrounded by loose, informal gardens.
Browse outdoor furniture in the Houzz Shop
Hock planted native red maples (Acer Rubrum, zones 3 to 9) between the house and the lake. In fall, their red foliage provides spectacular color. The hardscape loosens up immediately off the patio, with an informal stepped path leading down to the water.
Shop for a fire pit
Shop for a fire pit
Before Photo
Before: The existing path down to the lake was rough and not easy to navigate.
After: The new path that Hock designed keeps the rustic spirit alive but in a safer way. It is a mix of irregular bluestone pavers and steps made of cut boulders.
20 Creative Path Ideas for Delightful Garden Journeys
20 Creative Path Ideas for Delightful Garden Journeys
This glass wing of the house is the girls’ playroom.
Throughout the property, Hock added lots of native plants to the palette, with a focus on those that attract birds, butterflies and pollinators. These plants include whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata, zones 4 to 10), hyssopleaf thoroughwort (Eupatorium hyssopifolium, zones 4 to 8), fleabane (Erigeron sp.), hummingbird mint (Agastache sp.), blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis, zones 3 to 9), blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, zones 3 to 8), beebalm (Monarda sp.) and beardtongue (Penstemon sp.).
What to Know About Starting Your First Native Plant Garden
Throughout the property, Hock added lots of native plants to the palette, with a focus on those that attract birds, butterflies and pollinators. These plants include whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata, zones 4 to 10), hyssopleaf thoroughwort (Eupatorium hyssopifolium, zones 4 to 8), fleabane (Erigeron sp.), hummingbird mint (Agastache sp.), blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis, zones 3 to 9), blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium, zones 3 to 8), beebalm (Monarda sp.) and beardtongue (Penstemon sp.).
What to Know About Starting Your First Native Plant Garden
In between the patio, the playroom and the rest of the house was an awkward courtyard area. Hock and the homeowners decided it would be designated “The Art Garden.”
“At first we wanted to come up with something the girls would make for out here, but ultimately my clients chose to place a cool kinetic sculpture they had,” the designer says. “We were able to be a little more free in planting this garden, because it was more protected from the elements and the deer. For example, we were able to plant tulip bulbs here.”
“At first we wanted to come up with something the girls would make for out here, but ultimately my clients chose to place a cool kinetic sculpture they had,” the designer says. “We were able to be a little more free in planting this garden, because it was more protected from the elements and the deer. For example, we were able to plant tulip bulbs here.”
An informal path connects the playroom to the patio and a set of dedicated stairs down to a playground area along the lake.
Before Photo
Before: There was a second footpath leading from the playroom to the lake.
After: Hock designed a second set of stairs in this location. In connecting the playroom to the playground, she kept things playful. “I wanted to do something unique and fun here. We created swirled designs with the stones. Whenever I come back, there are new colored chalk designs drawn on this path by the girls,” she says.
The new landscape has provided lots of places where the family can have relaxing times in the garden. The pollinators Hock’s design attracts work hard to keep it thriving.
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The new landscape has provided lots of places where the family can have relaxing times in the garden. The pollinators Hock’s design attracts work hard to keep it thriving.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
More on Houzz
Read more stories about patios
Browse thousands of patio photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Size: 2 acres (0.8 hectare)
Designers: Ronni Hock Garden & Landscape (landscape design) and Wilkes Architects - Princeton Design Guild (architecture)
This lakeside house is the homeowners’ full-time residence. “They are a very active family who love to hike, ski and spend a lot of time outside,” Hock says. “The husband is a very busy surgeon and wanted to be able to come home, walk around to different areas outside and have places for the family to sit and enjoy the setting. He also has a great eye and was wonderful to work with.”
The 2-acre property has areas with a wide variety of conditions, including wooded zones, sunny spots, dry areas and wet areas. Hock also was contending with a lot of hungry deer, which affected the plant selection.
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