The long, rectangular pieces of granite we’re using for this project in Waterford, Maine likely came from the foundation of the old barn on the property. You can tell they were hewn by hand; there are no saw marks, only the telltale signs of feathers and wedges. These stones were probably quarried right here in the 1800s. Now, almost two centuries later, they are being repurposed into new walls, grounding the landscape in its own history.

Corner of a stone retaining wall built with Maine antique granite

The fieldstone, with its beautiful camouflage of lichen and moss and its odd shapes that fit snugly together when stacked, is all coming from the woods behind the barn. These stones were likely set aside during the farming era of this property or, later, when access roads were built during its logging days.

Harvesting fieldstone for a dry laid wall

This project is a collaboration with the landscape architecture wing of Knickerbocker Group. In this first phase of a larger landscape project, our role is focused on working with the clients to make the best use of the material on site to build these dry laid stone walls so they really anchor the landscape to the property. Once our phase is complete, Terrapin Landscapes will handle the remaining landscape work, ensuring that everything integrates seamlessly.

antique granite for a stone wall in Maine by Joe Norton of Norton Stoneworks — Reclaimed granite marks the opening for a future set of stone steps.

I relish the creative challenge in working only with what’s available here on site. Here is a pile of stones—make something happen. It can be frustrating at times. On most projects, if you need more stone, you go to the stone yard, select what you want from a tidy display, and have it loaded onto your truck while you wait inside and chat with the sales reps. But that frustration is part of the process. Working through it, making do with what you have, and still finding the right fit is what makes this work so rewarding.

Constraints often sharpen creativity. Instead of making something from “anything,” you have to make something from “this.”