A Natural Marsh Sanctuary Redefines Gacious Living. Laurel Island St. Marys
By Linda Wright.
A league and a league of marsh-grass,
waist-high, broad in the blade,
green, and all of a height,
and unflecked with a light or a shade,
stretch leisurely off, in a pleasant plain…
A hundred and twenty-five years ago, Sidney Lanier paid tribute to the glory and splendor of coastal Georgia’s marsh habitats. The good news here on the Camden coast in the 21st Century is that acclaimed developer Sawyer & Associates has chosen to honor this same revered landscape with lovely neighborhoods that not only provide first-class homes to
residents and a memorable playground for golfing aficionados, but also respect the fragile eco-system of a marshland
environment. This is the award-winning Laurel Island.
Laurel Island masterfully and definitively transcends the typical residential golfing community in its three thoughtfully
conceived developments—Laurel Landing, Brookshire Retreat, and Fiddler’s Cove—by offering to the discerning homebuyer a rare opportunity to establish a foothold in a magical part of Planet Earth. Whether the desire is for a year-round estate home or a second home as a vacation retreat or a first-time residence to raise a family in tranquility and safety, Laurel Island is a complete package. Already well-established as dream-come-true neighborhoods, the newest and most sought after available properties currently are the natural preserve lots, which offer stately live oaks, draped in tillandsia, and forested pristine beauty.
Laurel Island’s newly developing Amenities Center in Fiddler’s Cove is drawing much-deserved attention. This neighborhood jewel will feature all that is best in the ideal concept of a small-
town park and community center. Two swimming areas offer a tempting choice of recreational pursuits. An active family pool area will be constructed at a shallow depth that permits delightful water play with built-in peace of mind for parents or grandparents of the younger set. This pool amenity will feature a beach end as well as a children’s spray garden, plus a shaded trellis area for when it’s time to call for a much-deserved recess from sun and fun. The adult pool will offer greater water depth, a lap lane, and a pavilion with outdoor grills. Other special elements of the Amenities Center include volleyball and basketball courts and a multi-use field for pick-up games of all varieties such as softball, touch football, and badminton. Additionally, a children’s play area and a separate picnic space will afford residents the opportunity to host family and friends for al fresco dining and special occasions.
One of the most valued aspects of Laurel Island is the semi-private country club. Built originally by the town of Kingsland, this spectacular property was acquired by Sawyer & Associates a year ago as a centerpiece for its Laurel Island development. However, forward-thinking, visionary management ensured that the country club would remain available to the larger community. Laurel
Island Country Club offers its 18-hole championship golf course, designed by PGA star (and homegrown coastal Georgia favorite son) Davis Love III, to non-residents and guests. As a result, the club has become a regular gathering place for a wide variety of community members of all ages, both Laurel Island residents and far and near non-members. In fact, guests from all points of the compass are discovering the captivating charms of Laurel Island; they drive in from Jacksonville and St. Simons and the Golden Isles on a daily basis to play the course and enjoy the inviting atmosphere of the club’s environment.
The approach to the Laurel Island Country Club takes the visitor through a drive lined with majestic royal palms, the first suggestion of the elegance and attention to detail that awaits both
resident and guest. A lake sparkles in the sunlight as a whimsical fountain sends diamond drops of water skyward. The clubhouse beckons at the end of the drive, replete with old brick and a charming tin roof reminiscent of a time, in years past, when life was savored and appreciated for its small, and not-so-small, moments of hospitable welcome and friendship.
A regular event schedule further encourages a blend of Laurel Island residents and day guests. On Tuesdays in the clubhouse restaurant, there is the perennial favorite: wing night. On Thursdays, dance lessons get underway at 6 p.m. Happy participants learn the shag as well as swing and line dancing. Fridays make a great date night: dining from an ever-changing menu followed by live music and dancing. And of course, no first-rate clubhouse event schedule would be complete without a Sunday brunch, a weekly opportunity that is both friendly and relaxing and yet extravagant in its sumptuous menu fare—a signature of Laurel Island’s standard of excellence.
A testimony to the quality of the Laurel Island experience is the remarkable number of times homebuyers elect not to leave when it’s time to make that inevitable move to a larger or smaller residence. They simply purchase another perfect home right where they are! And when they are not rescaling their own residential needs, they are recruiting their friends from across the country to join in this oh-so-satisfying living opportunity. It is not unusual to find a whole block of homes occupied by Maine or New Hampshire neighbors, now blissfully reunited in one of the three Laurel Island
communities.
Truly, an appreciation and pursuit of the good life permeates all aspects of the Laurel Island dream: daily sunrises, tinted with peach and cinnamon and adorned with wisps of lavender cloud trailing on a horizon of endless shimmering marshland. Year-round, semi-tropical temperatures that permit invigorating or relaxing outdoor recreation on a moment’s notice. Distinctive homes that declare a vested interest in, and affinity for, the finest
cutting-edge features and design. And above all else, a commitment to unparalleled excellence in discovering and claiming the graciousness and simplicity of Southern
living. Sidney Lanier captured this unique perspective beautifully long ago with these words:
Ye marshes, how candid and simple and nothing-withholding and free.
Ye publish yourselves to the sky and offer yourselves to the sea!
For more info visit www.LiveAtLaurelIsland.com
Or Call 1-866-264-8367.
