Werner Hendrickson Landscape Architecture Creates an Elegant Garden in Rye, New York

Sculpted boxwoods lend a hint of formality, in keeping with the stately Tudor design of the renovated home. Architectural details, such as the wood-framed windows, were salvaged from an old house nearby that was being torn down.

Mature crape myrtles and the property’s many deciduous trees help give the garden the sense it’s been there for generations.

The homeowner is an avid collector of garden antiques, including a pair of stone finials. Textural plants such as lamb’s ear, astilbe, and carpet roses soften the formality.

The wrought-iron gate with its playful dragon-like detail was part of a fence on the property that was repurposed.

A handful of antique elements—pedestal, medallion, and planter—came together in a custom water feature.

Lush drifts of white astilbe dominate the plant palette and bring a sense of movement to the garden.

By the time the homeowners completed a major renovation of their Rye, New York, residence, the house stood elegantly reimagined. The land, however, was a different story. “It looked like a landmine had gone off,” recalls Elizabeth Hendrickson of Stamford-based Werner Hendrickson Landscape Architecture, the firm she co-leads with Joseph Werner. “It was just dirt and a bit of masonry. It was a blank slate.”

While some of the hardscape, including stone paths and terraces, was already in place, the space begged for depth, softness, and soul. The homeowner, who trained and worked briefly as an architect herself, had worked with an architect friend to develop a hardscape plan based on “rooms” and axial views. But, she admits, before Werner and Hendrickson got involved, her yard was mostly stones, weeds, and dirt. “I never envisioned it could feel so lush and perfectly laid out,” she says.

The pretty garden that exists now came into focus with the help of Hendrickson and Werner, longtime collaborators and New England Home 5 Under 40 winners known for creating immersive, sculptural landscapes that feel rooted in their setting. “We wanted something with an old-world, classical feel,” Hendrickson says. “Romantic and refined, but never stiff.”

The garden’s palette was deliberate: a serene mix of greens and whites with soft touches of purple. “I don’t like gardens with endless colors fighting each other,” the homeowner notes. “I wanted something more restrained. Restful.”

The plantings—white astilbe, lamb’s ear, white carpet roses, and pointed boxwoods—give the property a sense of quiet abundance. Mature crape myrtles offer a graceful canopy, while a custom water feature provides movement and sound. “The garden’s structure is formal but softened by all this layered, flowing green,” says Werner.

Antique elements gathered by the homeowner—a pair of metal planters depicting women with wings, lichen-covered finials, and salvaged architectural details—lend history and texture. “Everything ties together,”

Hendrickson says. “The views from the windows, the furnishings, the sculptural quality of the garden—it all works in harmony.”

“It feels like it’s been here for generations,” adds Werner. “And really, that’s the magic.”

Project Team
Landscape design: Werner Hendrickson Landscape Architecture
Architecture: Teo Sigüenza Architect
Builder: Grasso Development Corp.