UPPER EAST SIDE LUSH TERRACE GARDEN

Situated in Carnegie Hill on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this 1,800-square-foot terrace was reimagined as a lush, naturalistic garden that evokes the feeling of rewilding within an urban setting. Working within strict building guidelines, we created a landscape that balances abundant planting with a series of spaces designed for family life and entertaining.

Our client affectionately refers to it as their own “High Line.” Multiple gathering areas accommodate adults, including a dining area for family meals, while a dedicated children’s landscape includes a boardwalk, turf area, beanbag seating, and a blackboard for the youngest members of the family.

Throughout the video, the terrace reveals itself as a living landscape, with native plantings and flowers unfolding through the seasons. Sun and shade create distinct garden moments, each with its own character, color, and texture. And the garden is not simply ornamental—it offers its own harvest. In early summer, serviceberries ripen among the foliage, followed later in the season by blueberries waiting to be picked.