Waterford -- Hamsher Garden

This 6 acre property was purchased by the current owners in the late 1970s, and in 1979, a plot plan was created by local landscape designer, Judy Nickerson. The gardens are located on a tidal cove that empties into the Long Island Sound, surrounded by marshland. The current owner's trip to Japan with the Japanese Garden Society had a profound impact on the property's landscaping that reflects hints of Japanese minimalism. The owners intended to create gardens that did not overshadow the view of the cove, but frame and highlight this element. The property features collections of vegetable, pollinator woodland and conifer plants. The owners deliberately fill any unplanted spaces with a variety of ground covers such as gravel stone, triple chopped leaves from the property, and organic mulch made from the property's many oak trees.

While 1 ½ acres are under cultivation and management, the rest of the property runs freely along the cove. The owners purchased the adjoining lot of approximately .5 acres in 2010 and it is now used to manage and cultivate unhealthy trees and eradicate invasive species. The owners used soft curving lines throughout the landscape of the property to visually soften the straight driveway entry. The driveway ends in a courtyard created by two buildings with a circular cobblestone-edged space that surrounds an immense red oak tree. A curved stone wall lines the east side of the cul-de-sac with a large gate in the center. The west side of the house features a large Japanese maple, gravel stone, and a collection of conifers. On the south side of the house, the owner's interpretation of a dry Japanese garden is constructed of gravel stone and a Japanese lantern peeking through miscanthus grass. The south side of the lawn along the cove features a drift of Pfitzer Juniper amongst high blueberry bushes that have performed for over 40 years. A curved granite wall runs north and south around one corner of the house until it meets the composting area that also contains raised beds, flower and herb gardens. Major hardscape features include a granite patio, swimming pool capped in granite, a pergola overlooking the cove, and many functional bird houses. A prominent decorative element on the property is an armillary approximately 10x10 ft. made of Cor-Ten steel. This piece was commissioned from a math professor at a small agricultural college in Vermont.

Persons associated with the property include: Judy Nickerson (original plot plan, later modified by Gail Hamsher, 1979) and Gail Hamsher (redesigned and installed present garden).