GARDENER'S NOTEBOOK
An Expert Balancing Act
Landscope, Inc.
By Jani Gardner
Completing the landscaping puzzle of this large Edgartown Federal architecture home with its small lot is a remarkable example of the expert balancing act of Fred Fournier, President, Landscope, Inc. Together with Josh Kochin, Vice President, Fred oversees this landscape design, construction, and maintenance services group. “The biggest challenge of a large house/small lot project is proper planning,” explains Fred. “For this project, just finding parking had to be planned. We collaborated a lot with the owners, Rosbeck Builders, as well as the landscape architects, Greg Lombardi Design.”
“Balancing the outdoor areas fell to us. Each challenge needed a beautiful end result, for the summer owners. Building walkways and walls, installing brick paving, planting, servicing the pool, and getting the propane tank filled, all needed to fit in the plan. To make it work, we had to start in deep centerfield and work our way out – completing the project on budget and on deadline – our forté.”
Orchestrating the installation of large trees in the back of the house was probably the hardest element, explains Fred. “Getting the Bobcat with a full sized tree down a 50 foot run, eight feet wide, from the street to the back of the property, while installing stonewalls, granite steps, and large curbing all at the same time, required some finesse.”
Other major details include granite bordered brick sidewalks and the trucking in of granite from Deer Isle, Maine for the Compass Rose, inlaid with bronze, set at the front entrance. To keep his October to June project on track, a winter Quonset hut with a sophisticated propane heating system was built so stone work could continue. Finally in the spring, came the plants. Garden plantings had a blue and white theme, which included stunning blue “Endless Summer” plus white “Annabelle” hydrangea, American holly, perennials and boxwoods.
In the end, the completion of the puzzle was made possible by what Fred calls a “well greased machine of extraordinary staff, good communication and proper coordination with the team.
“Balancing the outdoor areas fell to us. Each challenge needed a beautiful end result, for the summer owners. Building walkways and walls, installing brick paving, planting, servicing the pool, and getting the propane tank filled, all needed to fit in the plan. To make it work, we had to start in deep centerfield and work our way out – completing the project on budget and on deadline – our forté.”
Orchestrating the installation of large trees in the back of the house was probably the hardest element, explains Fred. “Getting the Bobcat with a full sized tree down a 50 foot run, eight feet wide, from the street to the back of the property, while installing stonewalls, granite steps, and large curbing all at the same time, required some finesse.”
Other major details include granite bordered brick sidewalks and the trucking in of granite from Deer Isle, Maine for the Compass Rose, inlaid with bronze, set at the front entrance. To keep his October to June project on track, a winter Quonset hut with a sophisticated propane heating system was built so stone work could continue. Finally in the spring, came the plants. Garden plantings had a blue and white theme, which included stunning blue “Endless Summer” plus white “Annabelle” hydrangea, American holly, perennials and boxwoods.
In the end, the completion of the puzzle was made possible by what Fred calls a “well greased machine of extraordinary staff, good communication and proper coordination with the team.