It’s All Fun And Games For The Landscape Of This Southampton Home

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hamptons garden chess board

“We were trying to create a bit of magic within the landscape—to invite imagination and play,” shares landscape architect Ed Hollander of this Southampton, New York, property.

Inspired by the clients’ vibrant brood of young children, Hollander and residential studio director Melissa Reavis drew plans for a multi-faceted, experiential garden where sculptures seemingly dart amongst allées of pleached linden trees, a pollinator meadow teaming with joe-pye weed draws butterflies, and a life-sized chessboard offers entertainment, function and a focal point.

A custom creation of sandstone and granite squares (in collaboration with the home’s interior designer Kelly Behun), the board easily morphs into a stylish party pavilion—the perfect springboard for a Gatsby-esque stroll through the fantasia beyond. “Everything is meant to be uncovered along a walk through this garden,” says Reavis. “Each time you turn a corner, a surprise is revealed.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHARLES MAYER