of a multi-layered design process . The art of creating a residential garden must balance the relationships between macro and micro systems , and simultaneously incorporate lifestyle patterns that span from days to decades .
The tools we use to shape spaces offer perfect mediums to explore the connections between art and landscape , and a successful garden can often tell a fascinating story . My firm does a lot of work with reclaimed hardscape materials such as granite , bluestone , and brick . By incorporating found and / or salvaged items into our landscapes , we can add amazing layers of history and patina to any garden . When practical , we incorporate authentic and unique masonry features into the context of our landscapes . Whether it is conveyed in interesting paving patterns , incredible dry-laid retaining walls , or through the thoughtful juxtaposition of materials , we view every part of a residential garden as an artful expression .
Gardens constantly evolve , which in itself can present opportunities to reinvent and reinterpret the artistic meaning of a residential property . Elaborating on a site ’ s connections to broader drainage patterns , habitats , and vegetative communities result in incredible permanent and temporary connections to the land . The gardens we create utilize native plants and offer endless opportunities to explore the multi-seasonal , ephemeral , and sculptural qualities of vegetation .
Our clients are amazed by the ever-changing-color-palettes we infuse into the gardens we design . There is nothing more fulfilling than watching a client gain wisdom towards how they fit into a much larger and complex ecological system .
In the same way that landscapes mature , so do people . Maybe this is just a nice way of saying “ we all get old ,” but I find great resolve in thinking about how seasonal patterns and lifecycles observed in daily life are repeated at just about every scale . For me , it serves as a solid reminder of how much my childhood connections to the land shaped the person I ’ ve become , and the process of helping my grandfather plant seeds in his gardens each spring inspired a seasonal consciousness in me that has greatly influenced the way I think about art in the realm of residential landscape architecture .
Matthew Cunningham , ASLA has quickly established himself in New England ’ s design community as an award-winning landscape architect who derives immeasurable passion from the landscapes of the region and from his rural roots in the verdant , rocky coast of Maine . Matthew has committed his career to projects that merge excellence in residential design with ecologically sustainable principles .
Boston Society of Landscape Architects Fieldbook
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