Landscape design and Master Planning
Our team is passionate about working to create sustainable designs for all sizes of projects. Whether we’re designing a small perennial bed or a large commercial project, our years of combined experience in landscape architecture, design, and ecology, will help you to create a landscape that is beautiful as it is functional. We’ll work with you throughout the process to develop a plan that meets your needs and accommodates your budget.
Perennial Gardens
We utilize a method of designing and installing perennial beds, referred to as a “matrix planting.” Native plant species have adapted to growing densely with little bare ground visible. We work with nature, utilizing these principles when installing gardens. We use a structural and perennial layer comprised of flowering and textured species to create our design and then fill in open areas with supportive species such as grasses, sedges, or ground covers to create a “matrix layer.” Using this method, we can create many styles of plantings from “modernistic” to “wild.” Once established, our gardens remain full and lush, simultaneously, reducing overall maintenance.
Lawn Alternatives
Modern lawns require time and inputs that can be damaging to the environment. They often are contributors to increased emissions, excess fertilizer, and harmful pesticides. We offer a number of alternatives such as eco-grass, clover, sedge lawns, and groundcovers that are lower maintenance and environmentally friendly.
Rain Garden and Drainage Solutions
With a changing climate comes heavier storm events. More homes are affected each year by flooding, overloaded drainage systems, and standing water. We use natural solutions such as deep-rooted native plantings, dry river beds, rain gardens, and bioswales to mitigate water issues by controlling flow and improving infiltration into the ground.
Shoreline Restoration
It has become evident over the past several decades that most man-made shoreline structures do not work well as a permanent solution for erosion control. Not only do they lose structural integrity over time, they also contribute to degraded water quality and loss of habitat. Utilizing native vegetation and engineering bioengineering principles, we are able to install shorelines that create habitat for wildlife as well as reduce erosion. Additionally,native plants act as a buffer that can filter out excess fertilizers and pollutants that enter water systems from nearby lawns and impervious surfaces.
Native Seeding
Many of our projects involve some aspect of seeding. It is a cost-effective way to add vegetation to larger areas. Seed mixes are chosen or custom blended based on the composition of species that will thrive in the site conditions but can be tailored to meet characteristics such as average height, bloom time, or target wildlife support. Seed projects do require a season of prep work before they can be installed and will require ongoing management to ensure optimal success.
Invasive Treatment and Removal
Invasive species such as buckthorn and garlic mustard continue to spread into our natural areas and personal gardens, making it difficult for other beneficial species to compete and grow. We specialize in the identification, treatment, and removal of these harmful species. We work on projects ranging from small garden beds to multi-acre clearings.