When they bought the old farmhouse in the early eighties the town road passed within eight feet of the front door. Robin and David Key were willing to overlook that serious drawback because they were in love with the ancient apple trees, the gurgling brook and the wealth of wildlife on the property. All of that was outside the back door just beyond a precipitous drop in the landscape. The retaining wall I would soon build to create a level backyard was the first in a series of dry stone projects we took on together over the following thirty years.

This past spring, a bit of whimsy was constructed to give David a singularly uncommon place to play his guitar. The newly graded, seeded and planted surroundings have taken hold. Last weekend RKLA STUDIO hosted a TCLF Garden Dialogue event with over forty people attending. They toured Robin’s country-style gardens and admired her sensitive siting of two additional buildings, made possible by a 1990’s relocation of the town road.

Besides being a delightful get-together with an amazing group of landscape professionals and devotees, for Robin, David and me the day was a personal celebration of our long friendship. We’ve cheered on each other’s careers and followed the life adventures of each other’s children, and now grandchildren. Old roads may change course but stay true to their destination.