SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS RESERVE GREENHOUSE
A greenhouse that feels at home in the forest
Southern Highlands Reserve needed a greenhouse—but not just any greenhouse.
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They were looking for a place where plants could be grown year-round in a challenging mountain environment, while still fitting naturally into the landscape. This couldn’t feel like a commercial structure dropped onto the site. It needed to respect the character and quiet beauty of the surrounding forest.
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Just as important, the space needed to invite people in. Not only to support growing, but to help visitors better understand and appreciate the plants and ecosystems that make this place special.
Bringing the plan to life on a challenging site
This project called for careful installation in a landscape where every detail mattered.
Working from the project plans, our team helped bring the greenhouse and surrounding landscape into place on a steep, wooded site. The goal was to execute the work in a way that respected the existing slope, trees, stone, and natural character of the Reserve.
Large native boulders were placed throughout the site to help define paths and anchor the structure. Significant grading and drainage work was required to make everything function properly, along with new hardscapes and access routes to support long-term use.
The scale of the stone and the steep terrain certainly presented challenges. But those same challenges are what give this landscape its character. Looking back, it’s the complexity of the installation—and the care taken to work through it—that makes the finished space feel so grounded and rewarding. It’s a project we’re especially proud to have helped build.
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Key Features
INTEGRATED SEATING AREAS
A reason to slow down & stay awhile
Seating areas create a welcoming place for visitors to pause and take in the landscape.
SITE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
The important, unseen work
Careful grading and drainage work supports year-round use and helps protect the landscape.
NATIVE BOULDER PLACEMENT
Shaped by stone and setting
Large native boulders were placed throughout the site, anchoring the landscape and reinforcing a natural, settled feel.
NATURAL STONE FOUNDATION
Built to belong
A stone foundation and natural materials help the greenhouse feel grounded in the hillside, echoing the textures and tones of the surrounding forest.
A natural fit for the Reserve
Today, the greenhouse is enjoyed year-round by first-time visitors and regulars alike. It fits naturally into the Reserve’s broader landscape—and truly feels like it’s always belonged.
It supports successful red spruce growing, while also giving guests a place to explore, slow down, and connect more deeply with the plants around them. Paths and seating invite people to wander at their own pace, to pause, and to really take the place in.
The structure itself is beautiful. But what makes this project special is how quietly it does what it set out to do. Tucked into the hillside and surrounded by forest, it feels less like a facility and more like a natural extension of the land.
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Enjoy a seamless journey to a stunning landscape
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