In the quiet landscape of Harvard, this project began with a major shift in the property’s character. Several large oak trees were removed to introduce sunlight into a previously shaded and underutilized lawn area. While the additional light completely transformed the space, it also revealed something unexpected — the long private driveway and front lawn suddenly felt far more exposed to the street.
Rather than forcing a formal screening solution into the landscape, we approached the project the same way we approach all of our work at Roots & Rocks Landscape Artisans — by creating something that feels rooted in the property itself.
Using naturally weathered patina granite boulders sourced directly from around the client’s own 11-acre property, we built the foundation for a large roadside planting bed designed to soften views, restore privacy, and reconnect the open lawn to the surrounding landscape. The existing stone carried decades of natural character and helped the new planting feel as though it had always belonged there.
At the center of the planting are five multi-stem birch trees, carefully arranged to create the feeling of a natural grove rather than a traditional landscape installation. Around them, mass plantings of Inkberry Holly, native Clethra alnifolia, Rozanne geranium, and Brilliance fern bring texture, seasonal interest, and a softer woodland edge to the space.
The result is subtle, layered, naturalistic, and not disconnected from the surrounding property. The birches create filtered privacy while allowing light and movement through the landscape, and the native plantings help the space feel grounded within the New England environment.
Projects like this are exactly why we love working in Harvard. The large wooded properties, rolling terrain, historic homes, and natural character of the area pair perfectly with our approach to landscape design and natural stone work. Rather than imposing a landscape onto the property, our goal is always to create spaces that feel timeless, local, and deeply connected to the land itself.
For homeowners in Harvard and surrounding towns looking for natural landscape design, birch grove plantings, native landscape installation, or custom stonework using locally sourced materials, these are the types of environments where thoughtful landscape craftsmanship truly shines.
Rooted in Nature. Set in Stone.
