Historic Estate, Mount Desert Island

Eastholm is a 1902 Shingle-style ‘cottage’ by Carrère & Hastings in Seal Harbor, Maine. After restoring and updating the house for 21st century family life, the clients requested a similar plan for the grounds, including restoration of the original Frederick Law Olmsted garden and incorporation of a new swimming pool. LARK drew on Olmsted’s original drawings for the restoration and introduced new plantings that extend those designs while adapting them for modern maintenance, including the installation of irrigation systems. The entry drive and lawns were refreshed with an eye toward contemporary access requirements, and new plantings and paths were added for circulation and screening around the estate. The new landscape provides a formal structure that accommodates both rambunctious family playtime and gracious outdoor entertaining.