Landscape Architect Simon Johnson Recreating Classic English Gardens at Windermere on the Lake

“ Renowned British landscape architect Simon Johnson is recreating the ambiance of a classic English village at Windermere on the Lake, a collection of 24 majestic lakeside homes set amidst rolling meadows, woodlands, ponds and country gardens. ”

Country garden at Windermere on the Lake

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(iRealtyWire.Org) – Renowned British landscape architect Simon Johnson is recreating the ambiance of a classic English village at Windermere on the Lake, a collection of 24 majestic lakeside homes set amidst rolling meadows, woodlands, ponds and country gardens.

Located on 74 wooded acres in the historic Long Ridge section of North Stamford, Connecticut, Windermere on the Lake is the first planned residential community in the United States to feature the signature landscape designs of Simon Johnson.

For more information about Windermere on the Lake, visit www.windermereonthelake.com or call the Sales Center at (203) 322-0055.

The Simon Johnson-designed English garden plans provide homeowners with a range of options, from the simple-sweeping lawns, specimen trees, swaths of bulbs-to the more elaborate with terraces, arbours, flower gardens, a pool, and fountains. The custom gardens created by Mr. Johnson are designed as an extension of each home, blending interior and exterior spaces so that homeowners can enjoy the scenic views that Windermere offers.

The custom gardens are created in consultation with each homeowner. Three optional plans allow homeowners to create even more elaborate gardens with fountains and swimming pools. Stone walls, which are built from stones on the property, blend with the wooded property while providing privacy for each residence.

In addition to creating the custom country gardens, Mr. Johnson has developed the master site plan for the property ensuring that each residence is properly sited to enhance the beautiful vistas while preserving individual privacy and maximizing southerly exposures. He is also responsible for assisting in the development of extensive and ongoing Habitat Management and Restoration Protection Plans to ensure lifelong preservation of the property. Windermere on the Lake features wildflower and butterfly plantings, bluebird nesting boxes and log crib habitats in the ponds to encourage native wildlife to thrive.

Mr. Johnson, whose work has included private gardens in the United Kingdom, southern Spain, and on the shores of the Baltic Sea, has also worked extensively in the United States. He has undertaken public commissions in the UK, working with English Heritage to create a garden for HM the Queen Mother at Walmer Castle in Kent, and with the Beaverbrook Foundation to restore Cherkley Court in Surrey.

Windermere on the Lake draws its aesthetic inspiration from the architecture and gardens of England’s Lake District. Designed by Bartels-Pagliaro Architects, an award-winning firm renowned for its successful adaptations of Arts and Crafts style, the homes feature four unique styles named after locales in the England’s Lake District – Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire and Westmorland. The homes are priced from $3.2 million to $4.8 million.

The designs are inspired by C.F.A.Voysey, a leading architect of England’s Arts and Crafts movement. Voysey’s groundbreaking designs emphasized graceful forms, high quality craftsmanship and sweeping continuous rooflines that appeared to blend into one another and the landscape.

The semi-custom designed homes range from four to six bedrooms each with three-car garages. The interiors are characterized by light-filled spaces where extensive bays of casement windows provide stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape.

Standard home features include Christopher Peacock kitchens, baths and cabinetry throughout the home, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, hand-cut stone and tile in kitchens and baths, Waterworks fixtures, Baldwin hardware, hardwood 5”oak plank floors, masonry fireplaces and natural cedar shingle roofs. Among the available interior options are wine cellars, home theaters, custom libraries, steam showers, elevators and exercise rooms. Exterior options include landmark towers, light monitors, outdoor cooking/entertainment areas and walkout basements. Noted interior designer Karen Houghton is available to assist homeowners is customizing their homes.

A gated, maintenance-free community, Windermere on the Lake offers a host of lifestyle amenities including outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and clubhouse with fitness center. Residents can also explore the property’s extensive walking trails, canoe on the lake or fish from a floating dock.

While harking back to the architecture of 19th century England, the homes at Windermere on the Lake also feature the latest in 21st century “green” technologies including eco-friendly features such as geothermal heating and cooling systems, paints and carpeting with extremely low VOC levels (volatile organic compounds) and even solar powered street lighting.

Windermere on the Lake is the first residential development in Connecticut to seek the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, a rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council that serves as the benchmark for high performance green buildings. In addition, the Energy Star qualified homes at Windermere on the Lake meet efficiency guidelines set by the Federal EPA.

Windermere on the Lake is the inaugural community of NRDC Residential, a newly formed division of National Realty & Development Corp., one of the leading real estate firms in the Northeast. NRDC Residential builds environmentally sustainable, architecturally superior planned communities.