West Virginia Retreat by Surrounds Landscaping

Behind a pergola-topped garden gate and nestled around a West Virginia cott
age is this delightful series of outdoor rooms from Surrounds Landscape Architecture. Of course, you know you’re on to something special even at the front of the home, with its beckoning shallow stone steps, evergreens, and softly waving ornamental grasses, but it’s beyond that wooden gate where the magic happens. Approach it via flagstones edged with lily gardens and tiny photovoltaic lights, walk through the stone arch, and you’re steps away from a diving board! And the pool that lies ahead of you, sparkling in the sun and backed by tall shade trees, is only the beginning. Stroll around the board on a delightful deck of colored cobblestones and you’ll soon find a feast for the eyes…and nose.

Those ornamental grasses you saw out front? They’re here, too, tufted gold and tinged with sunshine on their tips. Speaking of sunshine, that burst of gold to your left is brown-eyed Susans, a whole lavish bed of them; interspersed with them are lavender and ferns, their subtle scent perfuming poolside lounges and the umbrella-topped wrought iron table and chairs. But, again, that’s only one “room” in this outdoor space: a bit further, a wooden gazebo holds more seating and an outdoor kitchen. And when it’s time to gather, don’t be surprised to hear that giant bell ring out! More than you can take in with one glance, this spot deserves a leisurely stroll-through, a pause that will truly refresh you — in a perfect haven beyond a whimsical garden gate.