Rooted's New Look: A Garden Transformation

Have you driven by our New London store recently? You might have noticed a stunning new addition—a lush bed of greenery flourishing in front of our historic brick building. This beautiful transformation is the work of Danilo Maffei from Maffei Landscape Design, LLC.

Danilo Maffei, an expert in horticulture and landscape design, has lent his skills to create this magnificent garden. With experience designing both residential and commercial gardens for clients like Longwood Gardens and Nemours, Maffei excels in showcasing the natural beauty of Pennsylvania’s foliage.

When Danilo Maffei of Maffei Landscape Design, LLC first saw the sparse space outside our New London store, he envisioned its potential to make a significant impact. Inspired by Rooted’s community-focused mission, Maffei designed blueprints that feel local, while also harnessing creativity.

 

Rooted's garden before planting

By incorporating 13 varieties of ornamental grasses, shrubs and perennials largely native to North America, Maffei has created a garden that feels both familiar and innovative. This beautiful space perfectly complements Rooted’s ever-changing interior, mirroring the ephemerality of the seasons. In spring, our garden bursts into a vibrant floral bloom, transitioning to lush greenery in the summer, and culminating in the warm, bronzed hues of fall foliage.

Maffei thoughtfully included a diverse selection of plants that will flower at different times throughout the year. These include Columbine, Gold Standard tall tickseed, Little Joe Pye weed, Little Spire Russian sage, Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox, and Orange coneflower. To add texture and fill, he selected a variety of plants such as Transparent purple moor grass, Standing Ovation little bluestem, White Cloud lesser calamint, Silver Scrolls coral bells, Green Mountain boxwood, and Incrediball smooth hydrangea. The result is a garden a visually stunning garden, rich in diverse textures and forms, reflecting the Maffei's creative vision and deep understanding of plant life.

 Jess & Betsy planting

Rooted called in our gardening troops. They followed Maffei's design, to transform our outdoor space. Rooted's staff handled all the preparation and planting. Our versatile expert, Tim, began by clearing away the old growth, making way for a vibrant new garden. He tilled the soil, removed the grass, and created the perfect blank canvas. Following Maffei’s design, Rooted's staff meticulously placed over 200 plants, resulting in a stunning landscape.
 

 

Once all the plants were in place, the we mulched around the garden to ensure healthy growth. The final touch was provided by Betsy, who thoroughly watered the new garden, giving the plants the moisture they needed to thrive in their new environment.
 

Jess & Little Helper inspecting garden 

Green thumbs abound in Rooted’s crew. Stop by Jess or Betsy’s houses and you will find them in the garden. Whether it planting shrubs or picking flowers, they can’t stay indoors. Part dreamer, part visionary, Jess is known for planting trees that take 100 years to reach her landscaping goals. Thankfully, Rooted’s garden will not take so long to blossom. Whether you are passing by or stopping in, don’t forget to check out our new garden! 

We want to extend a special thank you to Danilo Maffei for sharing his artistic expertise with Rooted. His vision and creativity have transformed our garden into a space we will cherish for many years to come.
To explore more of Danilo Maffei’s stunning designs, be sure to visit his online portfolio here. 

 

  The freshly planted garden