Sebago Lake, a deep and expansive body of water, offers much more than pristine views—it also supplies drinking water to one-sixth of Maine’s population. The lake echoes the spirit of Maine itself, whose unofficial motto aligns utility with beauty.
When a client first hired Mike Corsie of Terrapin Landscapes to help fix the lawn-heavy and dysfunctional landscape abutting Sebago Lake, they showed him images of what they liked: native plants, rustic elements, and movement. Mike laughs, “Three of the five projects they showed me were Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design’s (MCLD) work. I advised the client to bring them on board, since they were so drawn to their style.” Thus, Johanna Cairns and David Truesdell from MCLD were invited to collaborate, bringing Terrapin’s strengths as builder and MCLD’s strengths as designer to the project.
But the design wasn’t without challenges—because of the proximity to the water’s edge, the team had to work around zoning restrictions. The lake’s health was a high priority; they knew the importance of protecting Sebago Lake as a water supply. The other priority was to create a dynamic design that proves staying eco-friendly can push the design forward. Mike adds, “The water department and DEP now use before-and-after pictures of this property as an example of ‘best practices’ for lake smart landscape design.”
The patinaed stone used for the sweeping staircase linking the home to the water is all reclaimed granite from street curbing, such as highway and road projects. Johanna and David wanted the staircase to feel interactive, so they drew up a staggered design. “The design was very involved,” admits Johanna. “Working with Mike, we would meet up on the site and problem-solve in real time.” The result is a landscape that balances stonework with plants in a harmonious dance of movement, from the flow of the staircase to the arrangement of ferns and flowers. “Sometimes constraints can be an unexpected boon in design,” Johanna says. “They spark inventive strategies that you may not have arrived at otherwise.”
