King St

Stilhaven – A Celebration of Tranquility and Textures

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At first glance, Stilhaven looks like a modest cottage with a welcoming porch. But as you approach, soft textures and springtime shades of heather, lavender, and boxwood offer an enchanting hint of what’s to come — a gentle prelude in pinks and purples.

To the left, a small, peaceful bed inspired by Japanese design features rocks, a water vessel, Japanese blood grass, and a graceful maple — a quiet island of calm. Along the borders, hydrangeas, salvia, peonies, daisies, and roses weave a lively tapestry of color, while a dry riverbed winds through, managing rainwater with effortless grace.

Beyond the back gate, you step into what Scottish architect Robert Lorimer described in 1899 as the ideal garden — an Arts & Crafts haven “in tune with the house, nurtured with care, but less trim as it extends.” Here, Stilhaven brings that vision to life. Towering King Tut papyrus stand as a stunning focal point amid this oasis, while paths meander through Scotch moss, past a pollinator haven and a quiet Buddha garden, each turn offering a new moment of serenity and surprise.

At the far end of the spacious lot, a forest path completes the journey — a shaded walk-through native plantings and artful touches that draw you into stillness. Stilhaven captures what Lorimer imagined a true paradise to be: “a garden of unity, craftsmanship, and peace, where nature and design quietly converse.”