Landscape Design in McLean, VA

Landscape Design for McLean Homes

McLean landscapes come in a few clear types. Estate homes in Langley Forest and along Georgetown Pike sit on wooded lots of half an acre or more, often sloping toward stream valleys that run to the Potomac. Salona Village, McLean Hamlet and Chesterbrook have a steady flow of teardowns, where a brand new custom house stands in a raw yard of compacted fill. Older brick homes in Kent Gardens and Evermay have mature trees and tired beds that need a fresh direction. A design gives each of these a single vision instead of a string of separate projects.

Good design starts with arrival and use. A designer sets the motor court and front walk so the entry reads as grand but stays safe in wet leaves, then plans terraces off the kitchen and the walkout basement, a fire feature, a pool surround or lawn panel, and evergreen screening for privacy in winter. The bones come first in materials that suit large Colonial and Georgian homes: bluestone, Pennsylvania fieldstone, natural stone steps and brick. Planting, low-voltage lighting, irrigation and drainage are then layered in so every piece supports the rest.

Local ground shapes every line on the plan. McLean sits in Zone 7a to 7b on Piedmont soil with thin topsoil over red clay, and toward Scotts Run and Turkey Run the land gets steep and rocky, with rock close to the surface in places. Deer browse hard along wooded edges. Land near streams may fall within a county Resource Protection Area, where the wooded buffer is protected, so check the county map before planning any clearing. Call to set up a site walk.