Green Jay Landscape Design

Green Jay Landscape Design

(914) 560-6570

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It all starts with a vision! To imagine the possibilities for beauty…for enhancing your lifestyle… for greater enjoyment of your outdoor living space…start with a plan! We all need help picturing exactly what our home improvement and landscape projects will look like. How will we benefit? What features will make us feel better just because they are attractive to look at or what features will we love so much that we use them all the time? What is on our short list of things we want right away and what are we willing to wait for? In the process of transforming the mediocre to the extraordinary we need to visualize what can be while looking at what is there now. Priorities are important. Communication of wishes and desires are also important.

In the case of this project, developing and intimate, serene space is absolutely important. Screening is important but so are the circulation paths connecting with the home interior, deck and driveway areas. Part of any complete master plan for your landscape should include any expansion of the infrastructural or hardscape surface. This may involve drainage solutions depending on existing conditions and how construction affects or changes drainage. As is often the case here the house sits on a hill, water flows away. Retaining features in the form of retaining walls and more informal natural rip-boulders were used to establish different elevations by terracing to support patios, walks and planting beds. One of the most desirable features of the intimate rear garden was a secluded, intimate hot tub area. A dense privacy screen was required to make our clients supremely comfortable. A fabulous water feature including a waterfall, stream and pond were added to suggest motion and tranquility.

Integrating these features into the design instead of trying to add them individually later is critical to the composition. We do not consider the design process to be complicated. It’s actually a lot of fun! What has been achieved in this landscape design and construction project is nothing short of a masterpiece. The design and installation from beginning to end took less than six months. Starting in the front the existing planting was rearranged, new beds added, including lots of color.

A small bubbler was installed (custom made) by drilling through a natural stone boulder and recirculating water through an irrigation pipe.

A mass planting of waves of evergreen ground cover was planted under the flowering cherry trees along the driveway/slope for added curb appeal as well as erosion control, thereby serving a dual function. A retaining wall was built to accommodate an additional parking area with a gravel surface, to improve drainage. In addition, a decorative gravel area with subsurface piping conveyed water to the rear utilizing gravity.

Now that’s sustainable resource management in action! Similarly we installed a river rock/boulder bio-swale at the bottom of the property which serves a similar function while being an attractive landscape element. A retaining wall in front of the house was needed to raise and support and terrace a foundation planting as the grade declined rapidly on the right side of the property. This was also the case in the rear (as with many home sites we have worked on). Entering the rear yard/garden though a rose arbor you are invited to an awesome secluded space!

Large fieldstone steps take you to the deck on the right, make a left and cross over a stream and waterfall on a stone bridge to the hot tub, straight ahead you arrive at the patio/terrace overlooking the fish pond. Everywhere surrounded by beauty! It all starts with a plan and vision with Landscapes for a Better Living!

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com

 

 

This project is a classic case of overgrown, tired landscaping which does not reflect the client/homeowners taste, style and sensibility. As shown by the before and after photos, the front (and rear as well) landscape is dominated by unattractive, unhealthy trees and shrubs.

This existing condition presents not only a depressingly dark feeling and aspect to the property but also contributes to an unhealthy air stagnation problem which is not optimum for human health or for that matter the wood siding etc.

As part of this phase of home improvement the house was power washed to remove mold and mildew (same with walks and patios). The presence of green mold was once again an indication of poor air circulation. The next logical step was to paint the house. Discussions regarding color change took place with the client and painter. All vegetation was removed surrounding the house to allow the painting to be completed in a timely way.

While the house was being painted all the other landscape work went forward uninterrupted. This insured the least disruption of day to day living for our clients. With many of these landscape design and renovation projects we needed to start off with a proper site analysis of existing conditions including the health and value of the trees. In this case several small trees were removed in addition to pruning the larger more mature trees and removing almost all the overgrown shrubs. We were able to repurpose and transplant some of the larger more valuable and useful shrubs for better function and effect in the new landscape.

 

Couple of things to think about; check with your town regarding tree ordinances for pruning and removals, call 1-800-Dig to have the utilities marked. In this case a decommissioned oil tank was located under the front walk/masonry landing!

Changing the light conditions and air flow was the first giant step to creating a healthier, green landscape environment. If your goal and intention is to create the best possible environment, don’t take baby steps! Take giant steps and transform your landscape to a Go Green model! A large family event was planned for later in the season which provided a deadline. A strict timeline was established including planting, stonework, irrigation and lawn renovation. Each phase needed to be followed seamlessly. The design composition featured improving an existing pond/water feature and would also be informed by an eastern cultural influence. This involved the strategic placement of stone boulders, river rock for mulch etc.. We even managed to cover a stump where we removed a larger tree with a boulder grouping as part of the design.

There was a tight coordination of effort between our teams and created an opportunity for training by working with our best working foreman and project managers. The overall theme is to produce bright clean curvilinear lines and organic shapes to convey a naturally serene atmosphere. The natural setting greatly contributed to this feel. There is a stream running through the back end of the property. There is also small woodland borders on three sides. It also helped that there is interesting topography even though that caused challenges in terms of grade alterations and locating a reasonably level area for the entertainment/event. The visual transformation consisted of replacing much of the overgrown shrub planting with a sequence of flowering perennials, low growing, long blooming, summer flowering shrubs plus a progression of spring flowering bulbs supported by a structure of low growing native and ornamental grasses.

By expanding and increasing the bio-diversity of plant life we also increased the diversity of insect and animal life. This sets the stage for sustainable organic landscape management. All landscapes require maintenance! The human body is the best example of a maintenance/management system. We require watering, feeding, pruning, weeding etc.! If we design a landscape with consideration as to how it functions, what our expectations are and what will be required to maintain it, we will be more likely to be happy and fulfilled by our efforts. The return in our investment realized, whether in terms of enjoyment or increased property values, depends on the resources used to produce it. We should be mindful that our time on this earth is short. We should enjoy every part of it including the home landscape environment we spend time in as much as humanly possible. We should also leave our living landscape environment better than we received it for our children and future generations. If we all do it our communities will be a much better place to live!

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com

 

 

 

Managing storm water in our landscapes is critical to sustainability. There are many ways to manage rainwater in our landscape.

1. We designed and constructed this gravel courtyard (Bronxville, NY) with an active water feature (a recirculating stone bubbler/fountain) as a focal point of this very natural landscape design utilizing existing stone repurposed to create a patterned walkway and patio/surround in a shady lower terrance.

Water naturally collects at this low spot in the landscape a previously caused stagnant pooling and mold and mildew. This creative design solution solved the drainage problem by improving infiltration, air quality (we also removed select vegetation, trees and shrubs) and by improving the circulation of air and water while increasing foot traffic by creating journey points with a sense of destination. This became a very popular garden serenity spot for our clients.

2) This is an example of the benefits of site visits in the rain. We are always busy on rainy days taking inventory of poorly drained area as well as flow paths.

3) When constructing hardscapes such as patios, retaining walls and the like (as in this case in Larchmont, NY), you may be required by building code to install sub-grade dry wells.

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This may require architectural drawings and engineering as a component of the landscape project. It is always good to have a pre-permit interview with the building inspector or town engineer on site if possible early in the design development process. Resources we like for storm water and drainage supplies and materials are….. Conservation Technologies, Cultec, Stormchamberand NDS . These companies may provide technical support and engineering.

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com

 

This is a perfect example of a organic lawn installed from scratch on a new construction site of one acre in Mamaroneck, NY. There are very specific challenges to producing a high quality organic lawn on a residential construction site.

The first challenge is to decompact the actual soil surface. During construction heavy machinery and vehicles constantly running over the same ground have a serious impact on the condition of the soil surface. In simple terms this means the soil and subsurface have lost the ability to breathe and retain water. Without air spaces and room to store water the basic requirements and resources for plant life are just not there! The first step in the process on new lawn construction is relieving the compaction by mechanical means. This feat is accomplished by either rototilling or using a harley rake or similar soil conditioner. It may even be necessary in some cases to use an excavator.

The next step is to remove rocks and debris by rough grading, then lift the grade with a blend of premium grade topsoil and compost mix or a high grade media/mix dependent on the existing soil conditions, light etc, which from place to place on site may not be consistently uniform. Once this is accomplished the final grade can be prepared for seeding.

 

Once graded a combination of seed varieties suited for light, traffic, and slope conditions should be spread. First with a lawn spreader (rotary) then by hand from buckets. For the best results and performance we use three mixes with three to five varieties in each one. This ensures the greatest biodiversity possible. Thereby creating a lawn which will be attractive in appearance, durable and drought resistant while strong and healthy to resist insects and disease. Just like our bodies, what we put in, we get out!

For this project we had the added challenge of playing beat the clock! Work started in late October and took three days to complete. Luckily the weather was reasonably warm and while at first (right after seeding) it did not rain (we used many hoses and rain towers for irrigation). Although the ground temperature was relatively good for germination it was naturally progressively colder over the coming weeks. Because of the lateness of the season fast germinating annual grass seed as cover crop was not an option, to retain moisture as well as accelerate seed germination a seed accelerator was used (Penn Mulch) in addition to an OMRI approved natural source organic starter fertilizer.The results were impressive. Intensive seeding and aeration will be needed in the coming year but the foundation is solid for growing a beautiful healthy, sustainable green lawn!

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com

What do you want from your landscape? If your like me you want your landscape to be beautiful, attractive, healthy, vibrant, healthy and hopefully, Green! How can you get the most out of your existing landscape?…Go Green, Go Organic!

Start with a ‘proper’ spring clean-up. That means two things. Pickup sticks and debris but do not vigorously rake your lawn or disturb your garden beds. In early spring the frost heaves and temperature variations cause the ground and soil surface to de unstable. Do not disturb the ground! The plants may not be securely rooted and are suseptible to damage by raking and blowing. It’s unnecessary to use powerful ground blowers for the most part. From a resource management point of view it is an unnecessary use of labor, gas and oil. From a practical point of view, remove any debris which would be unsightly, inhibit growth or pose a problem with mowing. The larger more powerful blowers can disturb tender root systems and simply move debris around which eventually needs to be picked up and removed by hand and carted by tarp or wheelbarrow to a place it can be composted, optimally.

Much time and effort ($) is often expended by these methods to no good purpose. This is especially true when mulching mowers/blades can be used for the first cut. Small twigs and leaves will be turned into valuable organic matter, increasing the physical makeup of the soil, thereby encouraging beneficial organisms to thrive. In preparing your landscape for spring, less is more.

Most commercial landscape crews are trained to vigorously rake and blow the lawn and beds. Even worse is when dethatching machines or attachments are used, which causes further disruption in an attempt to remove dead grass layers consisting of valuable organic matter. This is contrary to sustainable, green landscape maintenance practices. Instead a simple light raking where needed of lawn areas ( especially where there is evidence of snow mold) followed by picking up sticks and debris which would interfere with mowing/mulching followed by applying a granular organic, natural source, fertilizer. Do not assume a fertilizer is truly organic, derived from natural sources. Organic literally means carbon based. I shop at Whole Foods but I am aware and particular about what I buy. To be sure, look for the OMRI label (Organic Materials Review Institute) to be sure what you’re buying is all natural.

Soil amendments should be applied as needed, to be determined by soil testing. Compost may be applied to increase organic matter content if the percentage of organic matter is less than 5%. The best time to apply compost is when the soil temperature is above 50%. This is when soil biology becomes active. Core aeration in spring can be beneficial to relieve compaction and create air space. Remember all plant roots (i.e.,grass) do not grow in the soil but in the spaces between soil. When remediating property that has soil depleted from years of bad practices, including pesticide use, we often employ these methods and practices in addition to ’The Magic Wand’ (see our blog). This has the added benefit of improving the surface drainage and infiltration rates without resorting to expensive, invasive traditional engineering, (piping, catch basins , etc. . There is a wealth of good info available on the net.

Here are some we like – Sustainable Baby Steps, Organic Lawn Care

Call today for a free lawn and landscape evaluation and estimate!

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com

This modest landscape improvement project involved creating new planting beds at the entrance to the driveway incorporating the mailbox. The larger bed on the right side was arranged to arrest the attention of anyone coming to the home. Since the predominant entrance approach was coming toward the driveway/house from the left we created an elevated berm to dramatize the planting effect. A combination of ornamental grasses and long blooming perennials made for a colorful, summer long display.

 

Hand selected boulders, sourced locally, add a natural weight to the design.

 

This is an example of a low-maintenance and sustainable design. Once established, this naturalistic and organic landscape will not require fertilization, much pruning or weeding. A key to success is planting in a tight pattern to cover the mulched areas within the first two seasons.

Jay Archer, President

914-560-6570

jay@greenjaylandscapedesign.com