An 1880s Hill Section garden, restored.
Owners of an 1880s Hill Section Queen Anne wanted to restore the garden to a period-appropriate state without recreating a museum. The garden had been altered repeatedly over a century — chain link fence in the 1960s, asphalt driveway in the 1980s, plastic edging in the 2000s. They wanted craft, materials, and proportion that matched the house.
— The brief
What the clients wanted.
Owners of an 1880s Hill Section Queen Anne wanted to restore the garden to a period-appropriate state without recreating a museum. The garden had been altered repeatedly over a century — chain link fence in the 1960s, asphalt driveway in the 1980s, plastic edging in the 2000s. They wanted craft, materials, and proportion that matched the house.
The challenge.
The constraint was authenticity without slavishness. A perfect Victorian re-creation would feel staged; a contemporary garden would betray the architecture. The middle ground required deep research — what would a competent gardener in 1885 have actually built here?
— Project specs
— What we built
Project elements.
Removed 60 ft of chain link, replaced with 5-ft cedar picket fence in proper proportions. Replaced the asphalt driveway apron with cobblestone in a herringbone pattern. Restored the 30-ft mortared schist garden wall (repointed, replaced 12 cap stones, re-set drainage). Planted a period-appropriate perennial border — peonies, iris, lavender, daylily, hosta. Single cedar arbor at the entry, supporting climbing rose ‘New Dawn’.
Stone
Local schist
Timber
Original cedar restored + supplemental
Location
Burlington, VT
Year
2023
Duration
11 months
Scope
Master plan + Build (restoration)
— How it came together
The Cairn & Cedar Method, this project.
Same Method as every project — site visit, design, quote, build.
Site visit
Two-hour walk with the architect. Light, slope, drainage, microclimate measured. We listen, you talk.
Design
Hand-drawn schematic, then full construction documents. Material specs, sections, footing detail.
Quote
Fixed-price proposal, line-itemed by trade. You see the math. Change orders signed before any change.
Build
Our in-house crew on site every working day. Architect at every milestone. Punch list closed before final invoice.
— Project notes
Worth knowing about this project.
What was unique about this site?
The constraint was authenticity without slavishness. A perfect Victorian re-creation would feel staged; a contemporary garden would betray the architecture. The middle ground required deep research — what would a competent gardener in 1885 have actually built here?
What materials were specified?
Stone: Local schist. Timber: Original cedar restored + supplemental. All sourced within 60 miles of the project.
How long did construction take?
11 months from first site visit to final cleanup. Construction phase varied based on the integrated disciplines.
What was the disciplines mix?
Master plan + Build (restoration)
What’s the outcome two seasons later?
The garden reads as having been there for 140 years. The clients have hosted three Hill Section garden tours since completion. The wall passed its first two winters with no movement.
Can we visit the project?
Some projects we can arrange property tours by appointment, with the owner’s permission. Ask during the site visit if a similar property is available to walk.