Fall 2026

The Long Way Home

September 16, 2026

Outdoor Space or Landscape, The Great Outdoors

A winding drive through towering trees leads to a Platte County estate and corporate retreat where an evolving landscape is worthy of its extraordinary setting.

Words
Andrea Darr

Photos
Matt Kocourek
@mattkocourek47

Landscape Designer
Medellin Landscaping & Gardening
medellinlandscaping.com

ometimes, you need a day away from the office to reset and connect with your team. For one Parkville resident, a private estate serves a dual purpose: a secluded family home and a corporate retreat where colleagues can trade conference rooms for quiet respite and a natural environment.

Set on 200 acres along the Missouri River, the property feels worlds away from the city. Generations-old oak, walnut, and other native trees shelter deer, wild turkey, and countless other species. A three-quarter-mile paved drive winds through alternating pockets of sun and shade, climbing steadily to a fully renovated “barn” that now serves as an elegant gathering space before continuing to the main residence perched atop the hill.

The rolling hills alone make an impression, but the scale of the landscape called for something more—a thoughtful planting plan that could match the architecture while enhancing the experience of the land.

Of course, even the most spectacular property requires stewardship, and a busy executive doesn’t have the time to do it all.

That’s where landscape designer Ricardo Medellin shines.

When he first arrived, the landscape around the house had suffered years of neglect. The stone manor, built in the early 2000s, remained timeless, with a porte cochere linking guest quarters, garages, and a greenhouse on one side, while covered porches, courtyards, and an expansive loggia connected the home to the landscape on the other.

A stone monument and arched bridge wall at the gated entry give visitors a glimpse of the scale and quality to come.

Deep rows of hostas flank the drive with bright green leaves.

Evergreens and perennials fill in planting beds on the way up the hill.

A winding drive makes its way through a native tree line, with planting beds at the curves.

At the halfway point, visitors stop off at the retreat center to work and relax in the beautiful setting.

Medellin replanted the existing terraced stone walls with fresher, tidier selections.

Visitors can play a round of horseshoes at the edge of the orchard.

An ornamental iron sculpture takes center stage in a roundabout.

From overhead, you can see Medellin’s mastery of shaping boxwoods. At the center of the roundabout is an old well.

A translucent sculpture passes light through its folds.

Wisteria grows happily outside the front entry of the retreat center.

A circular fire pit takes conversations outdoors between the retreat center and a utility building.

The framework was there. The gardens were not.

“I started with, ‘How do I work with what’s existing?’” Medellin says.

The previous landscape contractor did the site justice with solidly built stone walls and behemoth cuts of limestone for paths. “The bones of the property were so easy to work with,” Medellin says.

While the hardscape remained secure, many of the original plantings had reached the end of life. Existing hollies and magnolias were worth preserving, of course—their maturity a match for the age of the house—but many of the surrounding shrubs and perennials had declined beyond rejuvenation.

“I had to be honest with my client and tell him to rip most of it out,” Medellin says. “I believe it was a garden somebody loved at one time, but over the last 20 years, it just wore out.”

For Medellin, plants are an artistic medium, and the owner gave him the freedom to create. And as all good design stories start: “It was designed on a napkin,” Medellin says with a laugh. “At least the basics were.”

From there, the vision grew quickly. Truckload after truckload of nursery stock arrived. More than 200 trees have already been planted—and Medellin still sees room for more.

Built in the 2000s, the front exterior is straight out of a fairy tale.

A massive fireplace extends the usage—and enjoyment—of the retreat center, softened outside by a diverse bed of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs for a landscape that evolves with the seasons.

Arched columns on the covered loggia allow the homeowner to step outside in any weather and enjoy the grand overlook of the property and surrounding countryside.

Pruned hedges add curvaceous structure to flower beds bursting with color.

SunPatiens add summertime color to the hardscaped path leading to the front entry and courtyard rose garden.

A porte-cochère makes an architectural statement, connecting the main house with a guest house and hints at the gardens ensconced within.

A black-framed greenhouse is staged for gathering and enjoying inside.

Previously, the garden beds outside the greenhouse were loved but unkempt after years. Medellin brought elegant simplicity with box hedges and happy SunPatiens.

Wisteria traverses the open space between stone walls, forming a ceiling of green that is the owner’s favorite garden moment.

A deep blue pool expands across the leveled terrace outside the main house before the stone retaining walls dramatically drop off on the other side.

French Manor vibes provide a dreamy backdrop for a day—or even a moment—relaxed in a chair beside the fountain. Mixed flower pots designed by Medellin’s daughter, Natalie, provide a burst of color and heavenly scent around the terrace.

“It looks great,” he says, “but I could plant 200 more.”

As each shipment arrived, the design continued to evolve organically—first in Medellin’s head before it was moved into place. Evergreens of varying forms establish a consistent backdrop throughout the property. A 17-foot Hoopsii spruce anchors the garage courtyard, a testament that just about any size of tree can be transplanted. Near the greenhouse, clipped boxwoods create a formal diamond pattern filled with vivid pink SunPatiens. Between adjacent buildings, a flourishing wisteria spills overhead, creating one of the owner’s favorite moments as he walks beneath its dappled shade.

Perhaps most striking is what Medellin chose not to include.

There are no overly sculptural specimen trees competing for attention and no chaotic mix of plants overwhelming the eye. It’s repetitive—in a good way.

With distinct spaces spread across the estate—the main house, circular drives, roundabouts, barn, orchard, and long entrance drive—Medellin relied on a restrained palette, much of it rooted in native or well-adapted selections.

The owner’s fondness for ornamental grasses became one of the defining themes. Most notably, Karl Foerster feather reed grass repeats throughout the landscape, a stalwart in changing climate conditions and a striking architectural backdrop to the large flowering heads of hydrangeas and other perennials that bring in color.

The owner also requested one of the most prominent and appreciated aspects of the landscape: long drifts of hostas lining the entrance drive. The shade-loving perennials fill the woodland edge beneath the mature canopy, sending delicate flower stalks into the shafts of sunlight filtering through the trees. Their broad leaves create a soothing cadence—a visual cue that signals arrival or departure, inviting visitors to slow down before they even reach the house. Remarkably, the resident deer seem content to leave them alone, with plenty of other forage available across the property.

Medellin has been planting and planting since last August, and the work is far from finished.

“A matrix of plant material is going to hug every corner of the drive,” he notes.

Two full-time gardeners now maintain the grounds, preserving the careful balance between cultivated landscape and surrounding wilderness. Their work is constant, holding back nature’s inevitable encroachment so the boundary line can give the eye a place to rest.

But at any stage, the property is a place that feels removed from everyday demands without being far from them.

“It feels like a country retreat,” the owner says, “but I’m just a few minutes from my office.”