As part of our ongoing multi-year restoration of a lakeside villa in Lakewood, Washington, Baumwelt recently celebrated a memorable milestone: the installation of a century-old olive tree that will serve as a focal point of the landscape design.
The villa is being reimagined with strong Italian influences, and the landscape plan reflects that character. Early in the design process, we envisioned a mature olive tree positioned on axis with the arrival sequence to the home, creating a dramatic focal point that reinforces the Mediterranean aesthetic.
To bring this vision to life, our team first conducted research to confirm that olive trees could successfully grow in the Pacific Northwest climate. Once viability was confirmed, we sourced a mature specimen from a historic olive farm in California. Many of the trees at the farm are over 100 years old and, while no longer agriculturally productive, remain remarkable landscape specimens.
The client personally visited the nursery to hand-select their tree, which was carefully removed, transported to Washington, and installed on site. The photos show the client operating equipment during the installation—a fitting hands-on moment in bringing this distinctive landscape feature to life.
Today, the olive tree is thriving in its new Pacific Northwest home. đŸŒ¿