Photo: ©2016 Edmunds Studios. www.edmundsstudios.com. Stuart Dempsey landscape architect.

“Where you believe there is magic – you will find it!” 

The minute we saw this image, we were drawn in by its charm. The home is set on two acres in the historic section of Washington Heights, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. There are two ponds on the property, a smaller pond with fish, and a larger one with a waterfall and little stone bridge.

Intrigued? So were we.

A variety of garden elements combine to make this setting at once interesting and very inviting. Perhaps it’s the whimsical nature of the fireplace design – it was constructed by a stone mason from England – that conjures thoughts of the world of Harry Potter. Or it could be the lush density of the foliage with just a pop of pink and purple hydrangeas here, and a few splashes of white there. 

It might be the ambiance created by the simple lines of the wrought-iron furniture, or the table set with candelabras and a bottle of champagne on ice. There’s also the inviting warmth of a fire as daylight slowly recedes and the creatures of the forest come out. 

There’s a sense of magic in this place.

*The Rock Garden is the original name of this sunken garden that was there when the present owners purchased the property 25 years ago.