Historic Meets Modern: Redesigning the Beer Garden at Ferry Market in New Hope, PA
When Ferry Market in New Hope, Pennsylvania set out to redesign its beer garden, the vision was clear: create a space that felt modern, welcoming, and functional, while still honoring the historic charm of Bucks County’s riverfront town.
Roots Landscape Inc. was selected to lead the outdoor renovation, bringing thoughtful materials, intentional plantings, and a strong architectural perspective to this highly visible community hub. The result is a space that not only looks and feels fresh but is firmly grounded in the local history and creative energy of New Hope.
Though Ferry Market is a relatively new addition to Main Street, the building itself holds decades of history. Once a 1950s car dealership and later a bustling antiques mall, the market now serves as a culinary and cultural anchor in downtown New Hope. Here’s a look at the space on our first site visit:
Working in collaboration with Hugh Marshall Contractors, our team at Roots took a holistic approach to the site’s existing conditions, designing with sensitivity to both the surrounding historic streetscape and the modern needs of a busy Bucks County food destination.
To bridge the old and the new, we layered in:
Reclaimed brick walls with intricate patterning
A modern slat-style cedar trellis to soften the space
Natural cleft bluestone installed in a clean, contemporary layout
Lush plantings selected for the specific sun and shade conditions of the courtyard
Every material choice was made to reflect the architectural story of New Hope, while giving the space a fresh, functional energy.
Designing a Garden Courtyard That Invites Community
In New Hope, outdoor spaces often act as public gathering places, and this courtyard was no exception. Rather than simply adding tables and planters, we worked to create a true outdoor room—a space that felt anchored, green, and immersive, yet flexible enough to serve Ferry Market’s vendors and guests throughout the seasons.
Key features include:
Custom corten steel seat walls topped with ipe wood, offering texture, warmth, and ample seating
Raised garden beds and built-in planters with seasonal and evergreen interest
Climbing hydrangea, selected to grow up and across the cedar trellis and cable system, creating a flowering canopy that offers dappled shade without attracting excessive pollinator activity directly above guest seating
Purple wisteria, planted at the base of the antique iron grate beneath the FM logo, chosen for its sculptural beauty and ability to deliver vibrant color and texture without overwhelming the courtyard's natural flow
Overhead string lighting to extend usability into evening hours and create ambiance
The result is a space that welcomes visitors for a quick bite, a drink with friends, or a slow afternoon watching the world go by on Main Street New Hope.
This project wasn’t about transforming the space—it was about revealing what it could be. By using locally inspired materials, honoring the building’s history, and layering in seasonal landscape design, we were able to help Ferry Market evolve into something that feels not just beautiful, but deeply tied to place.
Looking to elevate a commercial space or revitalize a historic property?
From hospitality courtyards to private residences, we bring thoughtful, architectural landscape design to projects throughout New Hope, Bucks County, and the greater Philadelphia region.
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