Still Meadow Farm

Project Details

LANDSCAPE Architect

Knickerbocker Group

MASTER PLANNING

Knickerbocker Group

PLANTING DESIGN

GBR Landscape Design

ACHITECT

Winkelman Architecture

Photography

Jeff Roberts

Recognition

Decor Maine | Issue No. 2 | 2025

Rooted in renewal

Once a thriving berry farm, Still Meadow had sat fallow for years. When the property’s new steward imagined a retreat for connection, privacy, and play, Knickerbocker Group was brought in to lead a comprehensive master plan and landscape architecture effort that would honor the site’s agrarian legacy while supporting the homeowner’s vision for the future.

Balancing entertainment and quietude, ecology and aesthetics, the design prioritizes sustainability through careful grading and stormwater management strategies, and frames views with plantings that offer both seasonal interest and lasting privacy. The result is not only a tranquil retreat, but a harmonious, enduring landscape that respectfully bridges past and present.

Naturally in step

Bordered by open fields and tucked within a coastal village, the home—composed of four rustic structures linked by glass breezeways—inspired a site plan that gently dissolves the threshold between indoors and out. Natural materials and plantings were selected for their texture, tone, and seasonal variation, grounding the design in its native context from day one.

**BASQUE IN THE SUN**ARCHITECT + BUILDER, Knickerbocker Group | PHOTOGRAPHER, Darren Setlow

**BASQUE IN THE SUN**ARCHITECT + BUILDER, Knickerbocker Group | PHOTOGRAPHER, Gridley + Graves Photographers

Seclusion by design

Despite its village setting, the landscape was designed to feel tucked away. Privacy plantings along the roadside—evergreens, layered shrubs, and strategically placed deciduous trees—shield the property from view, creating a peaceful buffer from the outside world.

Visitors are welcomed by a winding gravel drive that curves through red maples and limelight hydrangeas, chosen not only for their softness and movement, but for the way they frame the approach with shifting color through the seasons. The gentle sound of pea stone underfoot further enriches the sensory experience. The drive leads to an auto court, offering ample parking while preserving seclusion from the road.

Entertain and unwind

To the south, the landscape opens for gathering. A cedar pergola and stone terrace extend the kitchen and great room into the outdoors, offering a shaded lounge and dining area for morning coffee, evening cocktails, or weekend dinner parties.

Below, a pool, pool house, and pickleball court are thoughtfully nestled into a sunlit clearing. Granite steps tie each element together while doubling as informal seating, lending the space a natural stadium effect. This network of outdoor rooms supports both active and restful moments—seamless in flow, relaxed in feel.

Stewarded with care

The site’s high water table and poor drainage presented one of the project’s greatest challenges. In response, Knickerbocker Group developed a strategic grading plan and subsurface drainage system to effectively redirect water flow and protect the longevity of the landscape. These quiet interventions—largely hidden below ground—support the visible beauty above, enabling lush plantings and functional outdoor areas to thrive without compromise.

Planted for longevity

Planting Designer Gavin Boyce-Ratcliff selected a palette of species well-adapted to Maine’s climate and seasonal shifts, fostering a layered and resilient landscape. Coneflowers, Russian sage, and ornamental grasses animate the meadow’s edges with texture and late-summer color. Alongside them, evergreen screens and understory plantings provide privacy without enclosure. Together, they form a dynamic, low-maintenance palette that ensures year-round structure, softness, and ecological value.

Locally sourced stone and regionally appropriate species reinforce the site’s sense of place, while thoughtful placement frames views and guides movement—lending the entire property a feeling of quiet intent.

A legacy landscape

Still Meadow Farm is now a tranquil village retreat—one that honors its agrarian past while embracing a layered, lasting future. With sustainability and seclusion at its core, the landscape stands as a thoughtful bridge between eras: crafted to endure, designed to belong.