When a couple built a dream home on former farmland, little did they know that a few years later they’d be tending crops and livestock of their own. BarnesVanze Architects designed their modern English Country residence—which incorporates an 1880s log cabin that remained on site. Now restored, it serves as a pool house overlooking the grounds.

Landscape architect Jennifer Horn balanced old and new in the team’s five-acre master plan. Phase one, a clean-lined pool and terrace, was completed just before the pandemic.

As they sheltered at home with young kids, the owners welcomed new dogs, then chickens. Eventually, Horn and landscape contractor Justin Spittal of Planted Earth were called back to outfit the backyard with a fenced-in garden complete with raised beds, a greenhouse and a stucco-clad pavilion designed by BarnesVanze. As the menagerie expanded, CarrMichael Construction built not only a chicken coop but also a reclaimed-wood barn to house alpacas, miniature sheep and cows.

Throughout the three-year project, recalls Spittal, “not a square inch was an afterthought; everything was coordinated with the entire team. The result is a magical place that’s a regular stop for garden tours and family holidays.”

The owners spend more time than ever outdoors, tending their garden and animals. “The project has given them an education in horticulture, botany and environmental awareness,” notes Horn. “It fostered a passion that will give the family joy for the rest of their lives.”

Award: Grand, Outdoor Living Area (Planted Earth). Landscape Architecture: Jennifer Horn, RLA, Horn & Co., Arlington, Virginia. Landscape Contractor: Justin Spittal, Planted Earth, Sykesville, Maryland. Architecture: BarnesVanze Architects, Washington, DC. Builder: CarrMichael Construction, Oakton, Virginia.