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For the past two months, we’ve had the pleasure of working on a very special project. Tucked away in the historic Upper East Side, we’ve transformed a simple garden into a private sanctuary, perfect for not only entertaining guests but also inviting its inhabitants to times of quiet reflection.

One of the distinguishing features of this romantic garden is the dappled light that trickles through the overhanging trees. It is for this reason that plants with white tones, such as variegated Solomon’s Seal, with its white dangling bell-shaped blossoms, and Algerian Ivy, with its speckled creamy white margins, were planted in this part-shade oasis.

As with most residential gardens in New York, space can be quite limited. To elongate the garden and create a feeling of depth, we constructed a new portal flanked by tiered cedar partitions  through which the residents may pass into a “secret” garden room. The central focal point of this back area, visible through the first portal to expand the user’s perception of perspective, consists of a silver-toned frosted mirror above an in-ground fountain surrounding by a formation of stepping stones mixing into natural boulders, for an almost surrealistic effect.

*Note: Sometimes a fragrant vine such as Akebia quinata, or Chocolate Vine (pictured top-left), adds a memorable olfactory element to the environment!