Clarence Baker has spent more than 30 years transforming his Roxbury gardens into a peaceful respite full of surprises. Baker, 69, is a woodworker, gardener and maker. He collects junk and old farm equipment, repurposing it into works of art that are carefully placed among his perennials. In his hands, two wheelbarrows are reinvented to resemble a human couple, a barrel becomes a pig, and metal odds and ends form a sculptural wind chime hung above flowers.
Clarence’s wife, Violet, grew up with her family on this two-acre plot of land. The couple were childhood sweethearts who drifted apart and then came back together later in life. Violet is endlessly surprised by Clarence’s creations.
In the latest episode of “Stuck in Vermont,” Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger met Clarence and Violet, along with their granddaughter Nasienie and their dog, Taco.
Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.
How did you hear about Clarence?
Claire Chomentowski, a longtime resident of Roxbury, called to tell me about him. She raved about his work but didn’t have any photos to share. I couldn’t find a digital trail of images on the internet, either. I gave Clarence a call, and he described his space and creations. It was a bit of a gamble to drive to Roxbury without seeing a photo preview, but it was 100 percent worth the trip.
Had you been to Roxbury before?
This was actually my first time visiting. It is a small town — as Clarence said, “Don’t blink your eyes; you’ll miss it.” But you can’t miss the Bakers’ home: There is a stuffed panda riding a bicycle at the mailbox. That whimsical touch is Clarence all over. His front lawn includes a full-size blinking traffic light, a hydrant spewing blue water into a small pond and a giant bell that sits atop scaffolding he built using hand-hewn timber from a barn. When Clarence first rang it, it wasn’t loud enough for him. So then he whacked it with a crowbar. They probably heard it ringing in Northfield.
How was this visit surprising?
I felt like a wide-eyed kid as we explored. Everywhere you look, there is something unique. Keys, springs, pots, cups and jugs hang from a sculpture, a lilac tree and along his workshop. The gardens are quite large, and there is a beautifully landscaped pond at the back of the property. Items such as a steam winch are partially hidden underneath foliage. “I don’t think of it as junk,” Clarence said. “It’s history.”
There is also a wall of wheels and “Stovetop Hill,” which is a memorial to Violet’s son Lee Whalen. After Tropical Storm Irene flooded the gardens and driveway in 2011, Clarence repaired the damage and rebuilt his covered bridge.
Clarence’s gardens aren’t perfectly manicured. They are lively and wild, and you can tell how much care he puts into each inch. “It’s like heaven to us,” he said.