Spring Hill

A grove of cedars interspersed with rhododendrons shades the entrance to this American shingle style house. It sits on land that once held weekend cottages in the early 1900s. A birch garden appears at the curve, with oak hydrangeas at its base. Look for woodpecker holes high up on the trunk of the giant sequoia, nestled among cedars, behind the birch trees.

The star of the garden is a 100-year-old tulip tree, grand in height and beauty. A member of the magnolia family, the tulip tree (Liriodendron) is one of the largest native trees in North America.

Beyond Deodar cedar, Hinoki cypress, and a katsura, is the gate into a parterre, a carefully designed garden with plots and gravel pathways. French Lace roses, a type of floribunda with delicately colored blooms of ivory and pale apricot, fill the air with scent.

The home and west-facing terrace with colorful hanging baskets look out over a spacious lawn scape, surrounded by a hedge of Portuguese laurel. The curved metal sculptures, called Kujira (whales) by artist Gerry Tsutakawa, simulate orcas swimming, calling attention to sweeping views of the islands and the Sound.

A line of Italian cypress provides privacy for the pool. Japanese maples in large pots, grasses and a stone sculpture from India, the Hindu god Ganesha, grace the pool area.

A gravel path winds along rhododendrons and azaleas, next to a Nootka cypress. Follow the curve around magnolias and hydrangeas reaching the restful, dark grove of cedars where you entered.