Why are you spending your Saturdays raking? Think of autumn's colorful leaves as jewelry for the garden. To inspire you, here are 10 gardens that look particularly good draped in fall's colors—all from members of the Remodelista + Gardenista Architect/Designer Directory:
Above: Tall trees with yellow leaves preside over the infinity pool of a stacked-stone lodge-style house by Bethesda, Maryland-based McInturff Architects. An outdoor fire pit and lounge chairs linger nearby. For more from McInturff, see Let Twilight Linger: 10 Early Evening Gardens.
Above: This Martha's Vineyard landscape by Stephen Stimson Associates was designed in collaboration with Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects to emphasize continuity between the indoors and out. New plants join features of the preexisting landscape in dialog with the house. Photograph by Roger Foley. For more from Stephen Stimson, see Landscape Architect Visit: A Very American Garden on Cape Cod.
Above: This Geyserville, California landscape by Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture was once a prune packing facility and is now a mixed-use property for arts and commerce. Photograph by Marion Brenner. For more from Andrea Cochran, see Garden Visit: Andrea Cochran's Courtyard Vignettes.
Above: Stephen Stimson Associates designed the landscape of this farm near New Salem, New York, in the Hudson Valley. It sprawls over 50 acres and includes a pool, pond, and orchard. Existing stands of color-changing native woodland were preserved, and the grass plantings shown here are meant to conjure regional agriculture. Photograph by Charles Mayer. For more of this property, see Architects' Roundup: 10 Contemporary Farmhouse Gardens.
Above: XS Space designed the landscape of this weekend house in Watermill, New York, using native plantings such as birch and maple trees and perennial grasses. It was designed in partnership with architects Khanna-Schultz and Summerhill Nursery to ensure the landscape is in step with the architecture of the property.
Above: Minneapolis-based Coen + Partners revitalized the landscape of a historic home on Lake Minnetonka, MN, where the landscape was overgrown and no longer in step with an ongoing modern architectural renovation. The client wanted to maintain the shape of the historic landscape while creating a modern, art-centric landscape. For more from Coen, see Ultimate Luxury: 10 Favorite Fountains and Garden Water Features.
Above: Susan Wisniewski Landscape designed the gardens of this home in Bedford Hills, New York, in partnership with architect Kroeger Woods Associates. For more from Wisniewski, see The Grandes Dames: 10 Stately Gardens from the Gardenista Gallery.
Above: Though the house on this Midwest estate was designed in French reproduction style, the gardens do not follow suit. The landscape, designed by NYC-based Deborah Nevins and Associates, is modern with simple hedges and tree groves. For more, see Hedge Fun: At Home with Garden Designer Deborah Nevins.
Above: Wirtz International Landscape Architects designed this formal garden near Antwerp. Though the garden is heavily geometric, the color-changing hedges and trees soften the look. For more, see Secret Garden: The Wirtz Family at Home in Belgium.
Above: Fall colors completely surround a home on the Potomac River by Bethesda, Maryland-based McInturff Architects. The modern house features full-height windows from which residents can view the changing seasons. For more, see A Forest of Wood in Northern Virginia.
Read more from our directory members in Steal This Look: A Seaside Beauty in Marin; Steal This Look: Elegant French Country Compost Bins, and Secrets of Success: Winter Gardening from Seattle Urban Farm.
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