The landscape at Willowgate in
Manchester-by-the-Sea looks like it's been
there for centuries—and some of it has. A
handful of plantings date back to the 1880s,
when the home was built by the James family as a summer escape for their daughter
Alice, sister of novelist Henry James.
"The property [has] a serious history,
but also has a really beautiful aesthetic,"
says Gregory Lombardi, president of
Gregory Lombardi Designs, the Cambridge-based landscape architecture firm
brought in to rework the estate for the
current homeowners. Lombardi says the
owners wanted to preserve some of the
historic plantings and the classic New
England seaside style, while adding their
own creative, contemporary flair.
"The owners really envisioned this
romantic ideal of a summer house, where
they can have people walking around the
property or playing sports—a flow where
there are different experiences," says Lombardi. "You can be at the beach, you can be
on the rocky coast, or playing on the lawn."
Even beyond the water, the 3.7-acre
property is crafted to offer a series of
different experiences—tied together by
common themes.
Great Escape
Willowgate estate gardens feature mature
trees and shrubs, old-fashioned hydrangeas,
classic boxwood, a mix of sun- and shadeloving perennials, and architectural elements.
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