Horticultural Design

New York to Boston and beyond

big gestures

“ ‘Large spaces in the country
call for a large treatment, a big gesture,’
Duncan Brine believes. ‘Nature is big…
I like big plants and big flowers for big
spaces.And things in mass, because it
gives them a natural feeling.’

Also, he points out, ‘Having large plants occupy the space makes it much easier to care for than if you have a whole bunch of small stuff.’
His desire to ‘find the connection’ with a site dictates his landscapes.
‘It doesn’t make sense to do arbitrary things,’ he says.
‘The plants, the buildings, the site are all connected.’ “

– Hudson Valley Magazine, Best of the Hudson Valley, Lynn Hazlewood

“The house is the soul of the property,” and should relate accordingly to the gardens and views.

When planting, mix up the foreground and background in a planting, he suggests, breaking a fairly traditional gardening rule.

Traditionally, tall plants are in back. He suggests planting something large and transparent in front, like grasses…
The use of native plants is very important. Non-native plants, Brine explained, can behave in a “thuggish” way and maul both the look of the landscape and the chemistry of the soil.”

– The News Times, HomeStyle, Deb Keiser

“Horticultural Design specializes in the renovation of older estates whose new owners want a complete overhaul.”

– Taconic Press Weekend, Mark Adams

“Brine’s landscaping style is best suited to larger gardens, although he usually designs in stages… “If you’re standing on a street looking at a house, my proposal would be to plant from the curb to the house – have the whole thing planted except the walkways. That’s my basic approach. Not that there’s never a lawn. If you need a place to play, or an open view, then there’s lawn. But it’s basically plants.”

Clients have so far happily accepted his suggestions. “Once they get a great-looking garden, they say ‘why not extend it?’” he remarks. And that’s an idea Duncan Brine can understand.”