THE STUDIO

Ashlynn Cedrone, Founding Principal

After completing my BFA in Painting and Color Theory, I moved to Italy to train with renowned landscape designer, Teana Newman. There I learned how to combine my background in fine art with horticulture and create dynamic, sculptural landscapes. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working with master pruners, esteemed garden designers, and expert plantsmen. I’ve designed and maintained gardens all over New England and Italy with an emphasis on sustainability.

I think of gardens as a series of relationships between plants, people, and the surrounding environment. I’m interested in creating spaces that provoke our senses of curiosity and delight, all while remaining dedicated to the health and preservation of the natural world.

Kyle Ferdinand, Principal

I’ve spent the last 16 years working between horticulture and design fields. I took my first nursery job just after high school, and after college, spent 12 years working in digital design. My focus was on graphic, web, and print mediums. During the early days of the pandemic, I took a job at my local nursery where my love for design and horticulture began to intertwine.

On its simplest level, designing and maintaining landscapes has allowed me to blend my skills of arranging space in a functional yet beautiful way while incorporating my love of plants and the natural world. Landscape design has been the catalyst where all my passions intersect: blurring the lines between home, curated outdoor spaces and cultivated gardens, and the surrounding environment.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

A garden is not decoration– it is a place that holds both beauty and emotional depth. It is a place to find the connection with nature that we tend to lose in our day-to-day lives.

We strive to facilitate these connections by creating gardens that fit the surrounding landscape as well as the wishes of our clients. We make gardens that respond sensitively to their specific site rather than impose a preconceived idea on the landscape. Our choices are inspired by what we see in nature. We consider what plants already exist at the location, how the soil is composed, how light travels through the space, and so much more. Every detail is taken into account to create a space that feels right.

We largely use native and naturalized plants, local materials, and ecological gardening practices to promote sustainability. Biodiversity, pollinators, wildlife, and water usage are as essential as color, form, texture, and scale when creating a design. We use only non-toxic, organic products and avoid using gas-fueled tools or machinery.

A successful garden should inspire delight, creativity, and wonder. It should be a restorative space for all those who enter it, including the butterflies and bees.

TESTIMONIALS

“One of the few bright outcomes of the pandemic was my introduction to Ashe”

I'd recently assumed partial ownership of my grandparents’ old home and rather weed-choked property,  including garden beds and shrubbery in sore need of horticultural intervention. Possessed of a savvy eye and a fund of rehabilitation knowledge, Ashe helped us find the original "good bones" of the garden and grounds, and has brought them back to life. She suggested pruning, soil enrichment, period-appropriate plantings, and patience to enable the property time to regain its unique charms. She’s proven a wonderful collaborator— reliable, creative and supportive of the sentimental history of this home -with its gardens, trees and bushes - to multiple generations of our family.

— Jan, Northampton

“You absolutely cannot go wrong hiring Ashe Garden Design to bring your garden to thriving beauty!”

You absolutely cannot go wrong hiring Ashe Garden Design to bring your garden to thriving beauty! Whether you are designing a new space or only need improvements or maintenance, Ashe will take time and care to create what you want based on your budget and goals. I highly recommend Ashe Gardens for their knowledge of native plants, and design skills, as well as the hard work of getting things done. For me, garden design is a personal and important part of my home, and I have truly enjoyed working with Ashe to make my dream of a beautiful, sustainable landscape come true.

— Mary Ann, Williamsburg

“Many gardeners we spoke to were hesitant to take the project because of the practical difficulties, but Ashlynn was excited for the challenge”

We have a particularly difficult site on a steep slope, with many rocky areas and intense winds. Many gardeners we spoke to were hesitant to take the project because of the practical difficulties, but Ashlynn was excited for the challenge! She assessed the land thoroughly and took every decision thoughtfully and with purpose. Now our property is completely unique and feels like it's always been there. It has aged beautifully. Though Ashlynn is no longer living in Italy to manage the grounds, we talk regularly and she gives garden advice any time. I highly recommend Ashlynn and her team to anyone looking for attentive design and caring maintenance of their country estate.

— Madeleine, Italy

  • It has been so much fun working with Ashlynn on a new garden for the front of my house. The entire process from vision, to design, to plant choices, to installation has been creative, smooth, and exciting. Most of all, Ashlynn has put so much care into every step and has taken such good care of me as the client. She listened carefully to all of my ideas and requests and created a garden of native plants that are beautiful, easy to care for, and that bloom from early summer to late fall. I am so happy with the final product–it is exactly what I wanted. Ashlynn is a terrific designer, very knowledgeable gardener, and an excellent communicator and project manager.

    Amy, Northampton

  • Ashe has worked with us to design three separate and new gardens sections as well as reworking other landscaped areas. She has a beautiful sense of design and integrated our preferences of color palette and plant choices. She has an incredible worth ethic and accomplishes an amazing amount of tasks in very little time. We are going on our third season with Ashe Garden Design and highly recommend the quality and care she puts into every aspect of her work.

    Kris & Rob, Whately

  • Ashe is awesome. She has removed our landscaping anxiety and we enjoy our outside space so much more. She is very easy to work with, friendly, funny and unintimidating. We really trust her taste, she is very sophisticated, but doesn’t try to sell you or upsell you on things you aren’t ready for. Her crew is very pleasant and efficient and have been maintaining things very well. I highly recommend Ashe!

    Daisy, Northampton

  • Ash brought my old neglected farm to life again. The property was overwhelming me, but Ash had a beautiful vision. She used the color palette that I preferred and worked with my property's natural style and old vintage plantings. She has a vast knowledge of plants and works harder than anyone I know!

    Suzanne, Williamsburg

  • Ash helped me totally rethink the design of my back garden that is very rocky and overlooks a stream. She has extensive knowledge of native plant, shrubs, and trees; soil composition; and lighting conditions. The true magic happens with her artist's eye for shape, height, placement, texture, and color. The end result was beautiful and peaceful. Even as an avid gardener, I learned new things every time she came which I loved!

    Jenny, Leverette

  • Julia and I agree that Ashe is great. As a couple we have different ideas about what we want from our gardens and Ashe has been fantastic about satisfying us both! Looking forward to our fourth season with her guidance, hard work, expertise and delightful sense of humor!

    Julie & Tom, Westhampton