A shade garden nestled under the canopy of a large oak tree serves as another place for gathering. Irregularly cut limestone forms a hardscape surface for an intimate seating area, enclosed by massed plantings of textured layers of green with a bed of sedges, ferns, Liguria and Flax Lilies. To amplify the muscular form of the branches, lanterns of varying sizes and shapes illuminate the area at night. The space also serves as a connection from the front garden to the terrace and pool beyond.

An edited palette of plants along the foundation of the dark-hued facade focuses on geometry and texture, serving as sculptural foreground. Cloud-pruned boxwoods and holly ferns provide contrast while a delicate Green Japanese Maple next to the front porch gracefully balances the asymmetry of the house. The fabrics and furniture were selected by MGD to complement the black paint of the house as well as the figurative sculpture. An MGD bespoke terrazzo coffee table was fabricated for the sculpture garden seating area. Two zinc containers filled with flowering plants flank the front door, while another white container features a large staghorn fern. A modern, teak bench and a new lantern make the front porch a welcoming place to sit.