Gardens that provide the plants and flowers for The Lake House on Canandaigua are an apt metaphor for the resort itself. Perched with its clean lines and people-pleasing details on the northern end of one of the westernmost of the 11 Finger Lakes between Rochester and Syracuse in mid-state New York, the Lake House seems to have grown there organically against a backdrop of authenticity.
Its no-frills and down-to-earth elegance belies the reality of its rather recent 2020 opening, but, in that short time, it’s won a slew of awards, including Travel + Leisure magazine’s No. 1 New York State Resort honors in its Best in the World accolades.
Horticulturist John Faerber is at work in its gardens by 4 a.m. each day in the April-to-November growing season, tending to the nine acres of plants that surround the 125-room Lake House. He and his full-time helper provide all of the resort’s flower and plant arrangements, shepherding the design of low-growing plants to define and separate public spaces without obstructing views while providing basil, thyme, garlic and other herbs for its kitchens. All plant and flower arrangements in guest rooms and public areas, which come from its gardens and greenhouse, are put in place by Faerber. One garden, created all in white as a lakeside backdrop for weddings and bridal photos, is especially spectacular by moonlight. Everything is grown without the use of herbicides or pesticides.
Faerber told our small group how we could make our own spray to discourage bugs from plants by adding chopped garlic and cayenne pepper to a jar of tap water…