It is a rare site that has not lost some of its wild character to the ravages of construction or to the forces of nature. Even the most careful builder will leave behind compacted soil and decimated tree cover. Only the hardest granite shoreline will resist the pounding waves; weaker stone and soils are eroded from below and slump toward the sea.
New construction does not have to be followed by the ubiquitous grass on the leach field and lawn around the house. Shorelines do not have to be stabilized with towering slopes of blasted rock and riprap. Modern materials, analysis of a site, and a little imagination can return most landscapes to some semblance of their original appearance. In most cases, naturalizing a landscape or using bio-engineered techniques will result in a more stable and more sustainable ecosystem.
An early summer meadow sparkling with acres of purple and white lupine. A late fall meadow glowing with black-eyed susans. A cheerful confetti of wildflowers in all the colors of the rainbow. No other type of garden provides so much color with so little work, but the key to achieving these stunning effects remains maintenance. We work with essentially three types of meadow: the annual meadow, the native meadow, and the meadow garden. Each type has its own requirements, and we carefully assess both the client and the site to find the right fit.
It often happens that construction of a new house destroys the natural character of the landscape which drew the owners to the property. The Before & After photos show views of one such woodland cottage.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
— Chinese Proverb