The landscaping expert appeared on PBS’s home renovation program for nearly 40 years
Roger Cook, an expert landscaper who starred on This Old House for almost 40 years, died on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 70.
This Old House executive producer Chris Wolfe confirmed Cook’s death. “I remember every lesson from Roger,” Wolfe said of Cook, whose advice helped him with his own garden. “More importantly, there are millions of people whose lives have been enriched by everything Roger taught them.”
The home improvement show host and passionate landscaper joined the PBS program in 1982. He became a full-time landscape contractor on the series in 1988 and was a fixture on Ask This Old Housewhen it premiered in 2002.
“There comes a time on every job where we stop talking and we start working. You ready?” he would say to kick off a project on the show. Cook stayed on This Old House until 2020 due to health issues.
Throughout his tenure on This Old House, Cook employed phrases to help homeowners improve their homes and was extremely knowledgeable about plants. He would say “Plant it high, it won’t die; plant it low, it won’t grow,” when it came to planting a tree.
Or, “A walk is only as good as the base,” for anyone who was considering installing a brick pathway on their property.
This Old House cast members Roger Cook, Mauro Henrique, Richard Trethewey, Kevin O’Connor, Charlie Silva, Jeff Sweenor, Norm Abram, Jenn Nawada, Tom Silva and Mark McCullough.
Anthony Teiuli
Cook was born in 1954 and grew up in Burlington, Mass. He was always passionate about the outdoors.
Cook and his wife Kathleen founded K&R Tree and Landscaping Company in 1982, growing it from a small operation in a trailer attached to a jeep into a full-fledged company still in business today.
“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,” Cook’s longtime friend and co-owner of K&R Landscaping Fred Pendleton said.
The landscaper joined This Old House as a contributor in 1982 when he was a private contractor and became part of the team several years later.
Along with being a mainstay on This Old House, Cook was a member of the Massachusetts Arborist Association. He served on the board of directors for New England Grows and the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts.
After nearly 40 years on the show, Cook stepped down due to health issues. And when he considered leaving the program in 2018, he wrote: “Some viewers may have noticed that I haven’t been myself over the last season. In fact, I have been dealing with several health issues that have made performing on television more difficult.”
“As a result, I’ve decided to reduce my role on This Old House and Ask This Old House so I can focus more time on my health and my family. I may appear occasionally on our shows, but you’ll also see other landscaping professionals helping with our many projects.”
Roger Cook is pictured.
Carl Tremblay
Cook is survived by his son Roger, daughter Molly and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Kathy in 2010.
His obituary from Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home reads: “As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, please plant a tree in your local community to honor Roger’s lifelong environmental efforts.”
