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Over the Rainbow

Cape Cod Home  /  Spring 2025 / ,

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner / Photographer: Hannah Van Buren 

Over the Rainbow

Cape-Cod-HOME

Cape Cod Home  /  Spring 2025 / ,

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner / Photographer: Hannah Van Buren 


A Falmouth garden celebrates the intersection of sentimental whimsy and color thanks to Maria Hickey Landscapes.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true. 

– “Over the Rainbow” by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg

In 1939 when The Wizard of Oz debuted, even though it was not the first film to be created with the brand-new Technicolor technology, its popularity for many moviegoers quickly became the introduction to a fantastic world full of a kaleidoscope of colors previously reserved for rainbows. The film’s vibrant depiction of Oz’s landscape draws on every color, hue and tint found in the Crayola big box of crayons. A vision for the same profusion of color and energy was the number one request from one of Maria Hickey’s favorite clients. Hickey, owner of the eponymous Maria Hickey Landscapes in Falmouth says when she met with the homeowner, who had been introduced to her work through a garden tour on Penzance’s Point in Woods Hole, there were only two criteria. “She said she wanted to fill her yard with color,” Hickey recalls, “and she didn’t want any plants with scent.”

For many garden enthusiasts, those two directives may seem at odds, yet for Hickey who has been transforming landscapes for decades, with her deep knowledge and understanding of the myriad of plant varieties and cultivars, a plan quickly emerged. “There are always options,” she says. “In fact, the endless options are really where the difficult decisions are made. Which plant do you choose? Saying you like pink roses may sound like a simple statement, but in fact, that opens up a world...

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Julie Craven Wagner

Julie Craven Wagner began her experience with Cape Cod Life in 2010 when she joined the sales team after 10 years of working with local businesses on the Cape and Islands with WMVY. In addition to sales, she is the Associate Publisher/Editor of Cape Cod LIFE, Cape Cod HOME, and Cape Cod ART. Growing up on the Outer Cape has given her a unique perspective of life on Cape Cod, from tip to bridge, and that is reflected in her appreciation and presentation of stories found within the pages of our publications. Julie lives in North Falmouth with her husband, Eric, and their yellow lab, Enzo. When she finds free time, she enjoys her Cape Cod life sailing on Buzzards Bay, spending time on the beach in Wellfleet, or exploring Martha’s Vineyard.