Mossaics is an ecological landscape design company that works together with clients to create and coordinate landscape designs rooted in the cycle of life, encouraging and cultivating a sense of wonder and a sense of place.
We are committed to protect, improve and enhance the quality of our lives and the natural resources that surround us. In using beautiful and appropriate native plants, we will enrich the biodiversity of your land. Your site can host monarch butterflies probing blossoms of ironweed, spotted salamanders journeying over silent mats of moss to slip into a vernal pool, or dragonflies, wings glistening, waiting to devour a tasty mosquito.
As consultants and designers, we review conditions of the site, collect data, evaluate conditions, generate reports, create landscape plans and provide assistance with landscaping installation. We prepare stewardship guidelines to homeowners, local groups and municipalities on ways to develop beneficial strategies in restoration and conservation for various environments.
Christine Cook, principal, has lectured throughout the northeast and is a leading proponent of creating pollinator habitats, moss garden design, and creating dragonfly lairs. Christine’s photographs, lectures and periodical articles have guided people in the appreciation of natural systems, especially with the understanding of food webs. Experience the connections!
Christine Cook has a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and certificates in gardening, commercial horticulture and landscape design from the New York Botanical Garden. She is an accredited landscape professional by the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
Christine was conservation chairperson of the CT Butterfly Association for 23 years. She was vice president, conservation and education chairperson of the Bridgeport Community Land Trust. She is presently working on designing several pollinator projects for area schools with the Aspetuck Land Trust and is their 2022 recipient of the Bridge Builder of the Year Award.
She is listed, by invitation, as a landscape professional, with the Native Plant trust, as well as, the organization’s recipient of the Connecticut State Conservation Award.
Christine has been included in books about ecological landscape design and many magazine articles have been written about her. She has made several television appearances. Many of her garden projects have been open to the public on special tours.
Mossaics is inspired and driven by the vitality of root and shoot. To walk in nature’s wonders are a true gift. We feel that we are traveling through time with these gifts and that we become part of them. We hope to share them with you.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
Giant Swallowtail, American Copper and Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies love to nectar in this meadow food web. Some grasses attract different skipper butterflies to lay eggs, that will hatch into caterpillars, that will feed hungry birds in spring.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
Autumn migrants: Common Green Darners and Wandering Glider dragonflies, as well as, Monarch butterflies make this meadow a way station on their long trip south.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
A stone sentinel at the threshold to a serene moss garden is patterned, like ancient hieroglyphs, with mosses such as: Dicranum fulvum, Hedwigia ciliata and Hypnum pallescens.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
The Japanese aesthetic concept of “Mono no aware” suggests a fragile beauty and fleetingness of life. Mountain Laurels (Kalmia latifolia) scatter delicate blossoms on a carpet of Polytrichum commune moss.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
Gardening is about slowing down. As you journey, tread slowly to notice all the variations in texture of: Climacium dendroides, Polytrichum commune and Hypnum imponens.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
I designed this clay-lined pond, with a native plant buffer zone, to welcome glittering dragonflies. Widow Skimmers, Black Saddlebags and eighteen other species zoomed in. Ocola Skipper butterflies loved Spotted Joe Pye-weed (Eutrochium maculatum).
Location: Fairfield County, CT
A Dragonhunter dragonfly rests on Fringed Sedge (Carex crinata) along a brook that I created. Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) adds color to the edge. An Ebony Jewelwing damselfly lay eggs.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
Pohlia nutans moss graces this waterfall that I constructed. Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea) pops up in the spring. Later, flaming Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) listen to cascading notes.
Location: Fairfield County, CT
This woodland garden blooms bright in spring with Pinxsterbloom Azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides), Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) and Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Red-spotted Purple butterflies lay their eggs on Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).
