We live in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The beauty here is so amazing with the mountains, lakes and granite! We are truly blessed to live here.

So many of our clients have lake properties here. One of the things that we hear over and over is that many people just want to keep a very natural feel to their properties. They want safe access to the lakeshore, a place to entertain family and friends outdoors, etc. And not only that, they just don’t want to lose the feeling of being in the woods. They don’t want it to look like they’re in the suburbs. Keep it natural. Keep it low maintenance.

Take a look at this photo:

We utilized the aspects of a “Naturalized” Landscape in this design.

• The stone stairs are bluestone. This is a popular type of stone here in New Hampshire. It has gorgeous grey, tan and brown hues. These steps are very rustic in their shape. Just imagine if we would have used granite steps instead of bluestone...the look would have been entirely different. Granite is a great look, but bluestone is a better choice for a “Naturalized” look in the landscape.
• We installed a New Hampshire Fieldstone Retaining Wall up above which has a natural bluestone patio up above it.
• There are as few trees removed as possible.
• No lawn in this landscaping!!!
• Native plant species were utilized as much as possible, and only mulch was used on any disturbed areas. The stone steps literally descend through the woods!
• Notice how the stone stairs go around an existing outcropping of ledge near the base of the photograph. This really completes the “Naturalized” Landscape theme.

Choosing very rustic natural bluestone for your stairs and patios keeps a natural look. Using fieldstone for retaining walls and along the sides of the steps keeps it as natural as possible. Then, using ‘woodsy’ plant choices and mulch are key. No lawns, and no fussy plants.

This is a gorgeous type of landscaping that really works in concert with nature herself. Balance. Beauty. Longevity. The perfect marriage of landscape construction and nature.