A
s a purveyor of the arts, Isabella Stewart
Gardner was considered an eccentric
woman of taste—a maverick, an innovator,
a visionary for her era. Her love for theatre,
museums and traveling turned to good fortune
when she left an endowment for what is known
today as the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Nestled in the heart of Boston's Fenway-
Kenmore district, the Isabella Stewart Gardner
Museum experienced the construction of its
contemporary addition in 2012. Renowned New
York/Cambridge landscape architect Michael
Van Valkenburgh agreed to redesign the area's
Monks Garden, an open 50-by-150-foot space
adjacent to the museum's original building but
also accessible from the new exhibit.
To transform his vision from paper to reality,
Van Valkenburgh partnered with Hartney Grey-
mont, which supports the 15-plus-year working
relationship he has shared with the company.
Their first joint venture was a Harvard yard
planting. "Because of our relationship, we are
now the preferred contractor when Michael has
a project," says Jon Madison, project manager.
From tree removals and drainage installation,
the renovation of Monks Garden took approxi-
mately four months to complete, beginning in
May 2013 and ending in September. "It was a
long-term project," Madison says. "It involved
moving 450 yards of soil out and newly
engineered soil back in, all within a tiny space
sided by the original museum building and a
15-foot tall brick wall. The only entrance and
exit for the Bobcat was through a glass gate."
In addition to space restrictions, Van
Valkenburgh's complex serpentine pathway
design presented a challenge to the project as
well. Once the museum's masonry contractors
completed its installation, Hartney Greymont's
crew planted a dense forest of 60 trees, with an
underplanting of nearly 8,000 perennials.
In conjunction with the plantings, Irrigation
Specialist Nick Dimeo and crew laid out a drip
irrigation system to address watering needs.
Although Hartney Greymont encountered
several challenges, the crew agrees it felt
rewarding to complete the garden. Madison
believes the team was able to overcome the dif-
ficulties because of its highly-skilled employees.
Landscape Designer Karen Kerr agrees,
adding, "A.J. Braccio, our landscape foreman,
and Nick Dimeo, our irrigation foreman, were
both key team players."
The crew appreciates the opportunity to
provide a place of wonder and beauty for
Boston. As Madison says, "We took a garden
that wasn't welcoming and transformed it into
something that families want to explore."
Transforming Monks Garden
Hartney Greymont crews plant trees and
perennials, as well as install a drainage system,
to complete the renovation of Monks Garden.
The Bobcat helps prepare Monks
Garden for renovation, including
the addition of a drip irrigation
system to address watering needs.
The completed Monks Garden at the
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
January/February 2014 | 13
