Roger’s time with This Old House spanned nearly 40 years, from his first involvement in 1982—the show’s second season—to his decision to step down in 2020 because of health issues. Roger was our much-loved colleague, treasured by the entire This Old House community for his soft-spoken but no-nonsense approach to every aspect of landscape contracting. He was always there with the answers we needed.
“I remember every lesson from Roger,” says TOH executive producer Chris Wolfe, whose own garden bears many examples of Roger’s advice. “More importantly, there are millions of people whose lives have been enriched by everything Roger taught them.”
Roger’s love of the outdoors was a constant throughout his life. Born in 1954, he grew up in Burlington, MA, and considered a career in forestry while also working during college with local landscape and tree firms. In 1977, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management and conservation law from the University of Maine.
In 1982, Roger and his wife Kathleen founded K&R Landscape, focusing on plants and hardscape. They slowly expanded the business from their start, with one Jeep pulling a trailer full of lawn-care equipment to a full-service landscape construction firm. The business continues to thrive today.
“Roger’s specialty and passion was plants, and no one was more knowledgeable,” says Fred Pendleton, Roger’s longtime friend and now co-owner of K&R Landscape with colleague Tom Pica. “You could ask Roger any question about any plant—which ones would survive shade, how to treat diseases, which perennials or annuals to choose, the best woody plants or deciduous trees for a certain backyard, even the Latin names for everything—and he knew it.”
“Everything I know I learned from Roger,” says Tom Pica, co-owner of K&R Landscape. “He was one of the greatest people you want to know. He worked hard, and we often worked 10 hours a day, six days a week. He absolutely believed that if you were going to do something, you should do it properly, whatever it took.”
Roger was a certified landscape contractor in Massachusetts and an active member of the Massachusetts Arborist Association. He also served as president of the board of directors of New England Grows and the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts.
Roger’s journey with This Old House began in 1982 when he first appeared in the series. At the time, he worked as the landscape foreman for the Frost and Higgins Company, but that didn’t stop him from contributing ideas and expertise to several This Old House projects, including Season 2’s Bigelow Project and Season 3’s Woburn House. A phone call several years later from landscape architect Tom Wirth changed everything. It was 1988, the project was Season 10’s Lexington Bed & Breakfast renovation, and Roger was on board full-time as the landscape contractor. When Ask This Old House debuted in 2002, Roger was part of the team, providing expert landscape advice directly to homeowners.
From the start, Roger’s expertise and easygoing manner won hearts, an affection that only grew during the course of his dozens of TOH project houses, hundreds of Ask This Old House house calls, and numerous This Old House magazine articles.
The enthusiasm for Roger was easy to understand. On camera, he was quick and direct with his advice, often offering a catchy saying to help homeowners know what to do. Planting a tree? “Plant it high, it won’t die; plant it low, it won’t grow,” was his advice. Frustrated while growing clematis on a trellis? “The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps,” he counseled. Laying a brick pathway? “A walk is only as good as the base,” he would say before proceeding to explain a process that involved digging, measuring, leveling, adding stone dust, compacting, adding sand, leveling again, and only then getting to the pavers.
On countless occasions, it was the no-nonsense Roger who got things rolling by reminding everyone at a TOH project house or on an Ask This Old House house call: “There comes a time on every job where we stop talking and we start working. You ready?”
His colleagues at This Old House admired his knowledge and kindness, and shared some thoughts:
“Roger was very kind, built up a good company, and knew so much about everything in the yard from lawns to stone walls. It was clear how knowledgeable he was and that he was a true arborist.” — TOH master carpenter Norm Abram
“Roger was a great guy, always the first to get down and dirty in the mud. Whatever had to get done, he got it done. There was never a problem and he always had a positive outlook. He will be missed dearly.” — TOH general contractor Tom Silva
“Roger was a true gentle giant, competent and quiet and always ready to help any and all. We miss our brother.” — TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey
“We lost a brother today. A big-hearted, larger-than-life brother who was as kind as he was generous. I’ll miss his smile and his friendship terribly.” — TOH host Kevin O’Connor
“Roger is America’s landscape legend. He had a big heart and a kind soul. I will miss my big brother.” — TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada
Especially important to Roger was mentoring young people coming into the trades. When This Old House began the “Generation NEXT” initiative in 2017 to draw attention to the need for young people to go into the trades, Roger was already mentoring apprentices at K&R Landscape. “Bringing new people into the trade is so important. It’s the only way you can ever hope to expand a business,” Roger said at the time. Indeed, Fred Pendleton says that Roger helped him learn the business from the time Fred was 14 and started working at K&R in 1985, not long after the business was formed. “We were his neighbors and Roger would give me a ride to work every day.”
As much as his colleagues and fans loved Roger, he felt just as strongly about This Old House. When Roger first shared the news with the This Old House community in 2018 that he was considering stepping down because of his health, he wrote: “I have enjoyed the opportunity to share my knowledge and passion for landscaping. And my life has been greatly enriched by the professional relationships and friendships I’ve formed over the years. I truly appreciate our fans’ dedication and the concern for my well-being. Rest assured that I am in good hands, and please know that I am grateful for all of your support.”
When not working or gardening, Roger enjoyed saltwater fishing and spending time on Cape Cod. His love of the water came through when he spoke of his favorite project, Season 23’s Manchester by the Sea renovation: “The greatest thing of the whole project was I found some scavenged pieces of granite from the neighbors’ yard and I set up bench and a little patio right next to the water where they could go out every morning and sit and have coffee and watch the boats sail by. I was envious.”
Surviving Roger are beloved family members: son Jason, daughter Molly, brother Greg, daughter-in-law Anna, and three grandsons—Peter, Noah, and James. He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Kathleen, who died from cancer in 2010.
Statement from the Family and Information about the Cook Family Giving Fund
Jason Cook sent this statement: “Dad spent his entire life helping people—friends, family, and customers. One of the biggest regrets with his illness was that he could no longer help people in the same way. With that in mind Dad, asked us to set up a family foundation so that we can continue his legacy as a helper going forward.
“Dad identified several areas he was passionate about that we intend to focus the foundation on—most importantly wildlife and land conservation, medical research, childhood education, and military veterans. Dad will be contributing a meaningful portion of his estate to the foundation and if you are willing to join him, the entire Cook family would be grateful for honoring his legacy.”
Click here to donate to the Cook Family Giving Fund.
