Often called one of the 'most significant gardens in Connecticut' – The InSitu Garden in Redding – integrates landscape structures, rich plantings and art to create a spiritually and emotionally inspiring garden.
'The eight acres of InSitu are designed as a series of twelve-plus garden rooms that are harmonious with a spiritual quality that inspires the visitor to relax and form a deeper connection to the land,' notes designer at Land Morphology (opens in new tab) Richard Hartlage. Eight water features, an outdoor kitchen, recreational facilities, arbors, walls, portals, terraces, and walks provide a rich mix of experiences.
The garden was designed over an impressive thirteen-year period. It truly was a labor of love for the designers and owners alike.
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Main living terrace
The main living terraces step down the hill to the tent lawn. A large copper beech tree anchors the space that is punctuated by sculpture
The main living terraces step down from the house to a large lawn designed for entertaining. Its contemplative and beautiful character provides formal entertaining space and respite from life in New York City.
Features in the living spaces include a wisteria-covered rustic arbor, water feature made from locally sourced and milled white oak, and a dining terrace that is shaded by a 75-year-old copper beech tree. The outdoor kitchen and pizza oven are concealed behind a large-scale outdoor fire place.
Water features
Water features of varying scales are situated to add interest to the various garden rooms
The pool garden surrounded with a circle of 3,000 black-eyed Susans
Eight water features act as focal points, helping to organize space and highlight a collection of figurative art that is placed throughout the landscape.
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Sunken garden
Pump house framed by a lawn path and surrounded in black-eyed Susans
A wisteria-clad arbor provides a transition from the auto court and a focal point for the west end of the sunken garden
A symmetrically-organized sunken garden with sentinels of upright beech trees under-planted with roses is visible from the auto court, house and living terraces.
Pools and garden rooms
A view of the swimming pool entry from the goldenrod meadow
An aerial view of the swimming pool, across the meadow to the tent lawn, and beyond
White PeeGee hydrangeas form the entry into the swimming pool garden
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The sauna is nestled at the edge of the meadow
The swimming pool and formal fountain garden are set in a picturesque landscape planted with meadows, woodland gardens, and lawns. Each garden room offers expansive vistas through the garden and to the distant hills.
The house
The view across the meadow to the main living terraces, which step down from the house
The approach to the property is through a tree-lined lane into a red gravel-surfaced parking court with a central medallion of the cardinal points.
A view through the main meadow back to the house
The garden highlights local craft, materials and details, emphasizing a sustainable approach to construction and ongoing maintenance. Stone – including site-collected material and blue stone quarried within 75 miles of the garden – is used for terraces and site walls.
Garden path
A sweeping grass path leads into the maple grove
'Plantings are more than 75% native. We tried to capture the essence of the Connecticut landscape by using locally available materials and plants native to the northeast, this create a profound unity in the garden while creating a place that speaks to the unique beauty of the region,' says Richard Hartlage.
An emphasis on native plants provides environmental resiliency and allows the garden to fit beautifully into the Connecticut countryside.
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Landscape Architect / Land Morphology (opens in new tab)
General Contractor / Kuczo Tree and Lawn Care
Stone / Pilato Brothers Stone
Carpentry / Summit Remodeling
Pools / Pinto Pools
Electrics / Chestnut Electric
Irrigation and Lighting / Summer Rain Irrigation and Lighting
Trees / Rivendell Nursery
Ornamental Grasses / Kurt Blumel
Meadow Plants / North Creek Nursery
Perennials / Sunny Border
Photography / Rob Cardillo Photography / Claire Takacs – Takacs Photography / Land Morphology
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