Among the busy streets of Washington, D.C., is a historic home with an elegant landscape. Not long ago, the owners purchased two properties to add a guest house to the main home. The family also wanted to renovate the existing landscape to match the beauty of the surrounding neighborhood. They brought in McHale Landscape Design, based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to bring the project to life. Their efforts earned them a 2024 Gold Award of Excellence.
“It’s an honor to have achieved this level of distinction,” says Anthony R. Cusat, director of design for McHale. “The teamwork and detailed process displayed by our team members speaks to our commitment to provide superior craftsmanship and implementation in all facets of a project.”
From the beginning, space was a challenge at this urban site. There wasn’t enough parking for everyone, so each spot was prioritized for efficiency.
“Parking was orchestrated to sequence daily deliveries to the job,” Cusat says. “Once delivery trucks were emptied, the site’s main artery was left open. Daily organization of on-street parking with communication between foremen and project managers eliminated confusion amongst the various trades.”
Storage space was also scarce, so the team developed a system to keep the storage sites organized.
“Mapping storage sites for the project became a regular weekly requirement,” says Dave Felton, project manager and landscape architect. “Our great teamwork, leadership, and communication helped us avoid any confusion.”
This was especially helpful for delivering bulk materials, like granite cobbles for the driveway. As each day ended, the site was cleaned up to provide a head start the next day.
Another challenge was the long wait times for certain materials.
“The production team diligently tracked progress and created a schedule to deliver the materials for the next day at the end of the current workday,” Felton adds. “This systematic delivery schedule allowed for a smooth production cycle while keeping the jobsite organized.” The well-planned system allowed the elimination of extra costs for time and labor.
The guest home was built at the same time, which added to the moving parts of the project.
“Detailed weekly emails were submitted to the project team,” says Sam Dusenberry, lead architectural designer and construction manager. “The emails addressed items that were completed during the current work week and detailed the projected work lined up for the following week. Text chains with key project leaders circulated daily to address concerns.”
While the landscape was new, the owners wanted to retain the historic feel of the neighborhood around the home. Many of the plantings reflect their desires, including a large screen of arborvitae that wraps around the property’s perimeter. One of the final installation steps was delivering and installing the 117 trees needed for the screen. Each tree was 14′ tall, so the delivery was challenging with the overhead utilities and limited parking.
In total, the team planted over 2,000 trees, shrubs, and 1-gallon perennials. Besides the arborvitae, other plants are used to reinforce privacy around the home, including tree-form crape myrtles, Japanese maple, and large deciduous trees. For shrubs, the team installed a range of boxwood, hydrangea, azaleas, and holly. Across both properties, the primary bloom color is white, which complements the formal look of the neighborhood.
Since the installation, McHale has been responsible for maintenance, which includes several annual planters at the entrance to the upper terrace. As visitors ascend the stairs to the terrace, they pass a large drift of smooth hydrangea. The terrace features a formal lawn and patio that are large enough for family gatherings and other special events. And when a party happens, the geo-grid system in the lawn reduces the amount of turf damage. Behind the fire pit, a hedge of Osmanthus (Fragrant Tea Olive) blocks a fence along the property line. As a bonus, the terrace offers a stunning view of the National Cathedral.
The owners wanted a place where the whole family could relax, so McHale added features for all ages. Next to the garage, a sports court was installed by the masonry and landscape teams. On the other side of the garage is a lawn with a playhouse, swing set, and in-ground trampoline.
As final touches were put on the landscape, the owner was impressed with the result.
“The client appreciated our attention to detail and communication of the weekly updates,” Dusenberry says. “With great synergy between our masonry and landscape installation crews, combined with the general contractor’s team of allied professionals, we were able to complete the project in stride.”
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Be sure to enter your projects when entries open in early 2026.
