about us
Thomas O'Connor Jr.
owner & designer
Thomas O’Connor has been practicing landscape design for 15 years. Tom first started his career as a gardener at 16 years old working for a local botanist. He gained valuable insight into new gardens and the care required for trees and flowers, this sparked a longstanding love for Mother Nature. Tom then ventured to manage his first newport estate at the age of 19. Working alongside the estates rose gardener Tom grew is knowledge and appreciation of tasteful design. Tom worked through school during this time and received his Business Degree from the University of Rhode Island.
He then expanded his gardening and landscaping business and began building with Stone. Stonewall building came naturally to Tom and he developed skills as a mason and stone cutter. Tom then entered into the newport flower show for competitive garden design. The first year taking third place and then second place for the next two consecutive years along with the coveted People’s Choice Awards.
Tom Continued growing his design business creating unique spaces for some of aquidneck islands most beautiful homes. He received his certified horticulturist accreditation and further expanded his knowledge of design and gardening. Tom was awarded two silver awards from the Rhode Island nursery and landscape association for residential landscape design in 2018.
In 2019 Tom founded O’Connor Design Build to focus on project design and management. O’Connor expanded into the pool design build business as well and Tom became a certified Genesis pool builder. O’Connor has driven towards a design first approach creating beautiful spaces that fit not only the home and the client but the surrounding topography, existing stone and native landscape as well.
Tom lives in Portsmouth Rhode Island with his wife and two children. His other passions include jui jitsu, surfing, growing roses and figs. “Nature has always inspired me, creating beautiful spaces and bringing that to life for people is something I deeply enjoy"- Tom
