Foreword by Rob Rave
I was approached by the new owner of the Beaumont Inn, Rob Friedman, in November 2012 to come up with a landscape concept for the Inn. After laying out the site plan and playing with a few ideas, I stopped. Here is an historic inn that is about to be renovated, with a large back outdoor space adjoining a trout stream and open fields beyond. What to do?
Then I had a martini and thought some more. Halfway through my second martini I came up with the idea. I wanted to create a design that would make the Beaumont Inn a destination, a must see location that features a huge outdoor natural dry laid flagstone patio with an entrance from the parking lot. This space must feel totally apart from busy Route 309, and create a continuous Progression of Bloom with maximum color from mid-May to early November. Then make it educational with the plants labeled by variety.
So yes, the Botanical Gardens at the Beaumont Inn was a 2 martini idea.
This of course was a much different idea than just landscaping a restaurant. I give all the credit in the world to Rob Friedman to accept this unique concept and commit to it.
The Botanical Gardens of The Beaumont Inn boasts over 1,400 perennials, 600 flowering shrubs and evergreens, and 30 trees. There are over 200 varieties of plants with a progression of bloom starting with Helleborus and Witchhazel in mid-February until mid-November along with tremendous fall color. Most plants are identified by a botanical name plate.
Then there is the over 3,500 sq. ft. cut natural flagstone patio and walkways. This back yard patio is a masonry work of art with the back drop of the Botanical Gardens, a trout stream, and open fields beyond.
The Beaumont Inn is now a destination for lovers of plants and fine dining.
For more info visit: www.thebeaumontinn.com