greenjayadmin

A woodland retreat should exhibit all the elements of nature to convey a feeling of peace and serenity. Gravel drive, landscape boulders, winding garden paths leading to a deck/terrace complete with naturalistic waterfall and small pond.

Soothing and relaxing, as it should be. The sound of water gently flows, dappled shade, birds singing, a quiet exuberance of color emerges from the greenery, the poetry of the natural world surrounds.

\\Imagine living here, immersed in the sounds, sights and smells of the forest. This landscape invites you out to explore its nuances. It’s the perfect spot for shinrin-yoku, the Japanese concept of “forest bathing” — opening up your senses and connecting with nature simply by taking time to be present within it. Forest bathing has been linked to various health benefits including reducing blood pressure, stress hormones, depression and supporting immune function.

In addition to supporting human health, this Westchester County native woodland garden has been providing habitat for local birds, butterflies and other pollinators for over a decade! Thanks to our fabulous client for the trust and enthusiasm at keeping things wild!

—

Jay Archer

Landscape Designer, Landscape Ecologist, President

Green Jay Landscape Design

914-560-6570

In these extraordinary times we look to Mother Nature to cultivate and nurture our indomitable human spirit.

The sun shines and days grow longer, the birds sing and dance in ritual courtship.
The trees, shrubs and flowers bloom ..and as always…Heaven smiles upon us.

New life is born to forest and field, the rivers run, strong and powerful, enduring and sustaining the abundance of life giving energy surrounding, enveloping and embracing us.

We slow to touch the Earth and feel our way forward with reverence and remembrance, giving thanks for what came before.

With grateful hearts, together, united, we celebrate the bounty and wonder of the natural world, our Earth. We are her children. We can depend on her and each other for all the resources we may ever need.

Compassion, faith and hope carry us into a better tomorrow. Let us care for each other with kindness and understanding.
We awake to precious moments shared…together…united…as one.
No distance so great to separate us from our love
No distance so great to separate us from our destiny, our land, our Earth.

Wishing you peace, health and happiness…always.

Live the Life You Love,
Jay
P.S. If we don’t run out of toilet paper, we will live forever!

Our home landscape is a classroom and demonstration garden for our passionate work.

In early morning the pearls of dew collected on this wolf spider web illustrates the value of living with nature, encouraging and accepting kinship with all creatures and the joyful wonder we receive in return.

Careful not to walk through! Spiders are not only indicator species, they are our primary pest control!

It is amazing to see what each new day brings to the garden, to reward our senses, through the seasons. Each day is unique and holds special treasures if we remain curious and open to the experience.

Check out our previous post about Reducing Your Lawn Area and Boosting Biodiversity, and be sure to look at the NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat guidelines.

With so may rainy days over the past two years, our hours wandering the The Secret Garden of Celestial Happiness have been somewhat limited and reduced. We are so busy making the magic happen elsewhere we don’t always have daylight for the mysteries of our own backyard garden masterpiece. It is always there waiting to fulfill our dreams and our need to engage with nature, while we are busy being…A Voice for Nature.

—

Jay Archer

Landscape Ecologist, Designer, President

Green Jay Landscape Design

914-560-6570

In an effort to respond, as opposed to react to climate change and storm water management, this wonderfully unique and highly functional design allows for and encourages casually directed foot traffic around garden beds, while an interesting, random pattern of repurposed brick in a gravel base substrate allows for maximum on-site infiltration of storm water. Talk about the best of both worlds!

This not only fulfills the legal permit requirements gracefully, it avoids creating more impervious space, and avoids sending the brick to a landfill. This is, in essence, the principle of permaculture: to design with stacked or multiple purposes in landscape features. Using bioengineering to install permaculture landscape features is awesome cool! Kudos to Brooklyn Bridge Park for exceptionally creative and progressive thinking and landscape design.

—

Jay Archer

Landscape Ecologist, Designer, President

Green Jay Landscape Design

914-560-6570

Landscape architecture and design involves examining all aspects of the property and home. Considering changes in the existing landscape can improve the functionality and appearance of the site.

Ecological values include evaluating the natural and financial resources available to create a more sustainable and resilient landscape environment.

These goals are not mutually exclusive. They are desirable and compatible to produce the greatest, high value outcome.

For instance, natural stone, hardwood mulches, native plants and water features contribute greatly to the structural enhancement, functionality and attractive appearance while providing excellent value in resource conservation and financial management.

Landscapes take on many facets: art, capital improvement, quality of life, health and lifestyle enhancement.

All good art, all good compositions, find genesis in an idea, a vision.

This could be a visual image, a text or a suggestion. The work is in the becoming.

—

Jay Archer

Landscape Ecologist, Designer, President

Green Jay Landscape Design

914-560-6570

Topography, flow paths and sheet flow, surface, subsurface, French drains, perimeter drains, berms, bioswales, perk and infiltration rates are all important physical considerations to developing any substantial landscape architecture or garden design plan.

In consulting we often see the negative effects of lack of design planning and storm water engineering, like the ponding in the above photo. This occurred at the bottom of a slope, and nearby to a pool and patio that, upon examination, had insufficient drainage for its impervious surface area.

Mistakes like these often occur when several different contractors with mismatched skill sets and levels of competency are involved in a home improvement construction project on a property, instead of one unified design plan, project manager, and installation crew.

Soils and water table play a major role here, also the effects of development on adjacent properties. For example, water will pond faster in clay soils and/or with a high existing water table; if neighbors have a lot of impervious space and insufficient drainage, the sheet flow can be directed to your property. Proper drainage begins at the height of land, not the bottom of a slope. Locating, examining and inspecting all existing drainage utilities on a site should be an early priority. If ponding occurs, the area quickly becomes a mosquito breeding habitat — a nuisance and a human health risk.

Just as there are many ways to skin a cat, as they say (I don’t know why), there may be options to improving drainage depending on the degree of the drainage problem. Identifying water issues with infrastructure is a start. This means identifying water in the basement, existence of sump pumps, and examining gutters and leaders. Check out our FAQ How Do I Know If I have a Drainage Issue for tips. Often times, we can solve a landscape drainage issue with a multi-functional design feature such as a rain garden, an attractive garden feature with facultative native plants and the proper soil medium and depth to allow rainwater to collect and slowly percolate, while simultaneously providing pollen and berries for local wildlife. Check out our previous post on Rain Gardens.

If you have a water, drainage, or storm water problem, it is always better to address it sooner rather than later – contact us.

The past two years have produced unprecedented rainfall events especially in increased volume and frequency. If this is the new normal as a result of climate change, we are in for one hell of a ride! Plan for the future with a Storm Water Management plan.

—

Jay Archer

Landscape Ecologist, Designer, President

Green Jay Landscape Design

914-560-6570

greenjayadmin

Footer