Azevedo Adds ‘Bloom’ To Literary Landscape

Frederico Azevedo, the owner of Unlimited Earth Care in Bridgehampton, is known as a leading landscape designer on the East End. His first book, “Bloom: The Luminous Gardens of Frederico Azevedo,” published by Pointed Leaf Press, will be available June 22.

For over 25 years, Azevedo’s goal has been for people to fall in love with color and he accomplishes this with the gardens he designs. He has been recognized for his ability to enhance natural landscapes through his comprehensive landscape designs. On June 22, a book launch will be held at Unlimited Earth Care. There will also be an opening reception for the “Garden of Eden” exhibition with works by Zurab Tsereteli. The event will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 PM.

Indy caught up with Azevedo to discuss the new book, landscape design, and the upcoming celebration.

Tell us a little about your new book “Bloom: The Luminous Gardens of Frederico Azevedo.”

The book was a chance for me to really meditate on landscape design as a medium. It’s unpacked into essential elements such as “vista” and “border,” and explored through hundreds of vibrant photographs. Pointed Leaf Press and I worked so hard to create a book that would reflect my work and also really be a full experience.

Describe your holistic approach to landscape design.

When I refer to my approach as holistic, I’m referring to two aspects of my process. The first is working sustainably, which has always been at the center of my work. I’m constantly looking to incorporate environmentally friendly and recycled materials, and I use native or well-adapted plants in my gardens. Choosing and designing with intention often results in gardens that require less maintenance as they are better able to thrive on their own.

The other aspect of my approach is about visual effect. Flowers are at core of my designs, and I employ them strategically and according to the cycles of the seasons. I design gardens that feel natural, but elevated. Flowing floral borders, accented with sprays of fountain grasses, can carve out stark expanses of lawn. In recent years, I’ve often done away entirely with larger grass lawns, replacing them with a more sustainable and aesthetically designed meadow. They’re very beautiful, and better for the environment. I imitate the unpredictability of nature in my gardens and instill it with my own sense of color and form.

Tell us a little about your process when starting a landscape design.

I always begin the creative process by considering the landscape from different perspectives. I begin with a strong view, and I work outwards, gradually. How will the garden look if I stand here, or there? What will come forward, and what will recede? I acquaint myself with the environment, and let my palettes and ideas form, at first unconfined.

What transforms a garden into art?

Nature, and flowers in particular, are inherently beautiful. When I design a garden, I’m not competing with nature, I’m collaborating with these natural colors, forms, and patterns to create something new and intentional.

How does the natural beauty of the East End inspire you?

The light of the Hamptons is so beautiful, and the environment is incredibly unique; there’s the sea, the bay, the fields, the woods — and every season. I enjoy the challenge of creating living, adaptable landscapes in such a diverse, sensitive, and constantly changing environment.

What are some of the most memorable landscapes you’ve created on the East End?

All of the landscapes that I’ve designed are equally important because I’m involved in the entire process. Once a project is executed, the process of transformation, experience, and memory making begins for both myself and my clients.

Tell us a little about Zurab Tsereteli’s “Garden of Eden” exhibition.

Zurab Tsereteli is a Georgian sculptor, painter, and architect known for his unconventional and dramatic work. This exhibition, “Garden of Eden,” represents a selection of mosaic pieces over a 20-year period of his work, centered on Tsereteli’s interpretations of nature. The pieces are colorful and elegant, and even a little magical.

Tell us about the reception and book signing on June 22.

The event on June 22 is to celebrate the book of course, and share it with everyone at the Unlimited Earth Care headquarters. It’s also the opening of Tsereteli’s exhibition, so it’s going to be a night of art and design.

My team and I, along with Pointed Leaf Press, worked so hard on this book and I’m really looking forward to sharing it. I really centered my thoughts on natural design as a medium in the book, so the event is going to be a chance for me to discuss that with people in person, and of course share the hundreds of stunning photographs.

To RSVP to the launch and exhibit, email info@unlimitedearthcare.com.

jessica@indyeastend.com