Lakeside, Michigan: McDaniel-Hochberg Residence

I created a master plan of garden areas and planting design for this summer home getaway. Lakeside is a small rural coastal community on the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan, in Michigan State. This home sits on 16 acres of mostly wooded land with a creek and ravine in the woods that runs through it to the lake. The land is very sandy since it is within a few hundred yards of the lake’s bluffs. This actually works well with the very moist conditions that can occur any season in this region of the country, but does present some problems during droughts.

I started consulting with the first of the last two owners of the home 25 years ago on site planning issues of tree care, forest edge maintenance, and garden design and care. I continue to visit regularly and consult with the current owner on the gardens I designed so many years ago. I’m very grateful to be able to see a landscape evolve over time from conception.