2280 Ames Hill Rd Marlboro, VT 05301

When an artist & a naturalist buy 102 acres of land conserved by Vermont Land Trust & work with respected builders, trade's people, landscapers & gardeners to create a home & gardens with privacy, southern exposure & views, you expect an impressive newer house. Even knowing this, the 1st time that you follow the winding driveway that snakes gently through woods, past ferns & streams & you emerge into 7 acres of fields & come upon the Shingle Revival home you start to ask questions. The house appears to have been created at the height of this style of American architecture, pre-eminent in New England (1876-1910.) Step onto the sheltering, covered porch, enter & move through the house. Your mind tells you the place was built in 2000. But all of your senses tell you that you must have misunderstood. Surely someone's great-grandmother had presided over strawberry shortcake suppers on this porch over 100 years ago. From every window, the surrounding built landscape of separate individual gardens created on Dan Snow's massive stone-walled terraces, an allee of river birches, a screen house, stately Arbor Vitae, antique garden gates & planters confirms that it all had to have existed for far longer than 19 years. Only when you enter the poured-concrete full basement do you get confirmation that this is truly a remarkable, newer home & gardens that have the soul & sensibilities of an antique home. If you're serious about buying a special home, don't miss this one.