New York native Sam Nussbaum was a passionate gardener who took great pride in the vegetable gardens that he tended to in every place that he lived. That included Martha’s Vineyard, where he first traveled to as a visiting physician in 1977. Sam quickly fell in love with the Island and its landscape.  

 He returned for many summers to work; later, he came for vacations with his wife and kids. Around a decade ago, he and his family at last purchased their own piece of the Island: an acre-and-a-half property on Sengekontacket Pond in Oak Bluffs. They tore down the existing house and built a new one – a four-bedroom, open-concept home with a modern design that emphasizes the use of glass and sharp angles. In contrast, on the outside, they wanted to honor the natural, unfussy beauty of the waterfront property. They also wanted their landscape selections to have minimal impact and require little work, in order to protect the health of the pond. 

The family brought on landscape designer Tara Gayle to handle the job. Her company, Gayle Gardens, is located in West Tisbury and emphasizes ecological landscaping. When designing a space, she and her team look closely at the soil to ensure that it is working in tandem with its plants and surrounding environment. For a garden to be truly sustainable, Gayle said, it must follow one main principle: low input for maximum output. That involves thoughtfully curating which plants go where so that they can flourish without fuss after installation. The placement of the plants is also essential so that they can help each other thrive.  

“You want to plant things that are going to be able to support themselves. That’s where polyculture comes in, and that’s where companion planting comes in,” Gayle said. “You want to plant things that basically assist one another.”  

For the Nussbaum property, she and her team began clearing the land of invasive species and establishing a blank slate. Next, they solidified retaining walls on the property. Then they turned their attention to the plants. 

“I call [the grasses] the bones of my landscape designs,” Gayle said. “It’s the first thing I block out, because that really supports perennials throughout the seasons. Not only do they structurally support them, but visually, it just creates depth.”  

Gayle augmented the selection of grasses with a variety of flowering shrubs and natural plants that are hardy and pay homage to Sam, who died in 2021 and only got to see part of his dream home come to life. Sam’s wife, Rhoda Kahn Nussbaum, and their kids, Jeff Nussbaum, Cara Kahn, and Barrie Levine, worked closely with Gayle’s team. They selected a smattering of fruiting plants, including blueberries and gooseberries, in honor of Sam, who used to plant a fruit tree at past family homes every time a grandchild was born. A redbud tree at the front of the house blooms in the spring, timed to his birthday. 

Gayle incorporated these tributes as well as thoughtful spatial consideration into every aspect of the design. “If you’re looking at the water, you see that zigzag of the light catching and you’re surrounded on both sides by water, which really tells the story of the place,” she said.   

The family was thrilled with the results. “Something about this space, walking down these stone steps, it feels almost otherworldly,” Levine said. “There’s something very magical that [Gayle] created with this landscape that honors our father.”

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At first glance, the garden at the house on Sengekontacket Pond is loose and wild. Plants spill over onto each other naturally. Ponytail grass, tufted hairgrass, and feather grasses are intermixed with flowering plants, such as bee balm and Joe-Pye weed. Wild bergamot and mountain mints emanate a fresh scent and attract bees and other pollinators. Levine likes to pick from the chamomile plants and make tea.   

The colors of the plants and grasses change with the seasons, offering a view that is always shifting. Whites, purples, and blues are common in early spring; mauve and amber hues dominate in late summer. Oregano, ruby spice, and milkweed fill out the color palette of the landscape throughout the year. Gayle estimates there are around thirty different plants and grasses in the garden.  

When planning the space, Gayle said she wanted to ensure that it would sustain itself through all four seasons, no matter the weather and climate. “By using a lot of these grasses, there’s a lot of continual structure throughout the seasons,” she said. “It’s really important to have a little bit of life through the toughest seasons down here on the pond. With that being said, we chose some really tough material that could stand up to the wind and the weather.”  

The volume of grass contrasts other common Vineyard garden choices, such as hydrangeas and roses, which require a lot of water and maintenance. The family wanted to stay away from a typical lawn to avoid constant upkeep, as well as to ensure that they weren’t emitting toxic chemicals from certain fertilizers into the nearby pond.   

Now in its third season, the garden has transformed year after year as plants have matured and taken on a life of their own. Gayle checks in to make sure the walkways are clean and neat, but with the irrigation system that was installed initially before the garden’s creation, the garden generally takes care of itself.  

Gayle also wanted to make sure the landscape materials complement the structure of the home, which was designed by architect and family friend Bruce MacNelly. Sea Level Stoneworks constructed the hardscape that Gayle designed, which represents the movement of water that surrounds the property. Stepstones through the garden lead to the main portion of the backyard as the pond comes into view, and a stone wall acts as a makeshift barrier between the garden and the small backyard. 

“The stonework really mimics the movement of the tides and the pond,” Gayle said. “You’re meant to feel the movement through the season.”  

Although each piece of stone was carefully selected, the overall effect is one of looseness and casualness. That was Gayle’s intent, and it is yet another homage to Sam’s gardening philosophy. He thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors while simultaneously appreciating the natural beauty of the environment, his family explained. 

“He loved gardening so much. He loved the beauty of it, but sort of the naturalness of it too,” Levine said. “[The garden] reflects him and all of us. Less manicured, less contrived. More organic. Nothing ever feels out of place, because it’s supposed to be constantly in motion.”  

Sam’s passion for conservation has been passed down to his kids. Jeff Nussbaum was former Vice President Al Gore’s speechwriter and has always combined his knowledge of policy and environmental causes. The family also has supported conservation efforts on the Island, from Mass Audubon’s Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown to The Farm Institute in Katama and The Trustees of Reservations. 

“We embrace everything that would keep this Island as healthy as possible – the people and the land,” Rhoda Kahn Nussbaum said.  

Walking through the garden to the pond, with the house on the right, one encounters a view of Felix Neck. Looking out at the water, Jeff recalled how his dad enjoyed kayaking on the pond and watching the ospreys soar overhead. Jeff and his siblings learned how to swim in these waters, he said.   

Though the family is now located in St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, the Island has been a constant home their whole lives. Today, they gather on the Vineyard to reunite and reconnect with each other’s spouses and kids. They also honor their father. 

 “I look at these three people that he loved, and this beautiful space and this beautiful garden that he loved, and his spirit lives on through this organic wind and beautiful landscaping,” said Cara Kahn.