Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Cambridge Homes, an assisted living residence located next to Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, retained Brown, Richardson & Rowe to restore their garden and provide a place for the residents to walk, garden, sit in the shade, read, and watch the birds.
Fine shade trees, a brick patio, and a sloping grassy lawn served as a solid foundation for improvement. Many of the residents are birders who enjoyed the purple finches, woodpeckers, cardinals, and the red-tailed hawk who visit the garden. Brown, Richardson & Rowe added plants to attract more birds and butterflies and a 10-by-14-foot small elliptical pool and granite fountain with seating in the shade. A new four-foot wide path now circles through the site past purple-flowered butterfly bush, hollyhocks, foxglove and high bush blueberry, a raised vegetable garden, and a sunny upper terrace with seating. A seven-and-a-half-foot insulated, double-sided fence with granite pilasters reduces the traffic noise from Memorial Drive and creates a peaceful place for the residents and their visitors.