What if the ultimate luxury in outdoor living wasn’t a perfectly manicured lawn, but a landscape designed to work with nature?
That philosophy is at the heart of Lakefront Idyll, a seven-acre property in Carmel, New York, created by landscape designer Jean-Marc Flack, founder of Hortulus Animae. Recently recognized with an APLD Gold Award in Planting Design, the project combines sophisticated aesthetics with an emphasis on biodiversity and environmental stewardship.
Designed for two busy executives seeking a retreat from city life, the property sits alongside a protected New York City watershed wetland. Flack approached the landscape with the same precision and visual discipline he developed during a 30-year career as a global fashion CEO, transforming a disrupted property into a restorative outdoor sanctuary.
One of the defining features is the sculpted meadow, which replaces the traditional high-maintenance lawn with a sweeping landscape composed exclusively of Northeastern U.S. native plants. Rather than creating a static expanse of grass, Flack designed a living matrix of plants that changes throughout the seasons.
In autumn, the meadow becomes especially dramatic, with late-season color, varied textures and architectural forms stretching toward the lake and floating dock.
The project also demonstrates how existing structures and materials can be incorporated into a contemporary landscape. Flack repurposed the property’s old, ruined foundation as a gravel courtyard and intimate cutting garden, allowing the homeowners to grow and harvest botanicals. Reclaimed boulders and bluestone were incorporated into pathways leading to a hilltop hot tub and viewing deck.
Environmental considerations were central to the project. Because the property is located within a protected wetland buffer zone, the meadow and planting plan underwent state review. The installation was completed without synthetic chemicals or heavy machinery, demonstrating how an upscale landscape can prioritize ecological health without sacrificing design.
Flack describes his approach as “controlled chaos,” balancing the natural movement of self-seeding native plants with carefully constructed architectural elements. The result is a landscape that feels both intentionally designed and organically connected to its surroundings.
After spending three decades in the fashion industry, Flack founded Hortulus Animae, an award-winning landscape design studio based in the Hudson Valley. His background in philosophy, psychology and sustainable garden design informs a practice centered on deep ecology, history and design.
Lakefront Idyll reflects a growing interest in site-specific outdoor spaces where luxury is defined not simply by appearance, but by resilience, biodiversity and a deeper relationship with the land.
For homeowners looking beyond traditional landscaping, the project offers another vision of outdoor living: less about controlling nature and more about creating the conditions for it to flourish.