When the homeowners purchased this property a few years ago, much of the landscape had already been in place for decades. Old stonework lined portions of the property, while timber walls had been used elsewhere. Years of Minnesota weather had taken their toll: stone had shifted, timbers were beginning to rot, and it was clear the landscape was ready for another chapter.

The new walls were built from natural stone, with a number of stones from the original walls worked back into the landscape. Smaller stone was used along the driveway, where the walls sit closer to the house. At the entrance, larger stone felt more appropriate to the broader landscape. Using the material at different scales gave each area its own character while quietly connecting the entrance, garage, and home.

Throughout the project, the goal was never to make the stonework feel new for the sake of being new. We wanted the stonework to settle into its surroundings and feel like a natural part of a place that had been evolving for years. The size and placement of each stone, the irregularities in the material, and the way the walls follow the land all contribute to that feeling. New work, but not a new landscape.