Until now, the landscape of this mountaintop home had been a blank slate. Nestled among the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, this yard consisted of nothing but turf. As the family began renovating the home’s interior, they sought to create a backyard resort that would enhance the mountain views and provide year-round enjoyment. They brought in GoldGlo Landscapes, based in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, to take on this one-of-a-kind project. Their efforts led to a 2025 Gold Award of Excellence.
As the design unfolded, the changing elevation posed challenges for the site’s layout. Many of the old features needed to be replaced, including the outdoor kitchen, hot tub, and pergola. Each of these had been close to the house, but the new design would put them in strategic places around the site. The existing steps that led from the house to the backyard were steep, narrow, and difficult to use. Given the home’s grand size, it was a challenge to fit everything into the design while preserving the gorgeous view.
One area affected by elevation is the massive sports court, which sits above a natural retaining wall to remain functional. A hedge of Hicks yew surrounds two sides of the court to keep the balls in play. For drainage, a network of patio drains lies beneath the riverstone across the backyard, remaining functional and invisible.
The project’s grand scope required an extra push to meet the deadline. A six-month window of warm weather meant a long battle with cold and snow to finish the work. Heat blankets were brought in to keep the ground thawed over the winter help the team push forward in frigid conditions.
Creating the right style meant adding an unusual number of custom features. From the pool house to the water feature, each item needed to match the existing home and the mountain style design. Extra precision was used to add the flowing curves of the natural cleft flagstone to the patios, steps, and walkways.
The pool house is one of the most noteworthy parts of the design. It has a modern low roofline and large windows overlooking the mountain and the river. Engineered beams support sliding doors that extend along the entire length of the building and open into the pool area. In addition to storing equipment, the pool house features an indoor and outdoor kitchen.
A walk through the meditation garden reveals granite slabs from the state capitol building that surround a stone water feature. Drifts of fragrant lavender add elegance to this quiet corner of the yard.
With the mountain location, each area of the yard brings attention to the home or the scenery. At night, the subtle lights illuminate the waterfall and the lush plantings around the beds. Over 500 perennials were added to these back areas, including swaths of Lily Turf (liriope), Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum), and Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia).
The raised beds around the pool are designed with dual purposes: to blend into the mountains and to protect the pool area from high winds. Weeping conifers are scattered around the beds for a striking display, while a Green Arrow cypress highlights a path from the main patio to the indoor gym.
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Enter your projects by July 31, 2026.
