We were hired to evaluate the landscape drainage issues at this Westchester County property, which proved to be complicated due to some peculiar construction from previous homeowners. Analyzing the Stormwater Problem The previous owners put an addition on the house and reconstructed the driveway to a grade that required an anti-gravity sump pump to re-route the stormwater. This complicated system …

Storms and rainfall accumulation have gotten more extreme in our region; in fact, this is the fourth wettest year on record (so far). The Northeast is now approaching temperate rainforest levels of annual precipitation. That means our landscapes need to be designed to manage an increased quantity and frequency of extreme stormwater events. Green Infrastructure is our pejorative toolbox for …

We LOVE our native ferns. There is something so soothing about a colony of ferns – the texture, the form, the smell – they are an iconic symbol of forests of the Northeast. Ferns do not produce flowers—no nectar or pollen for pollinators—and their foliage does not provide much food for wildlife.  However, colonies of ferns provide essential cover and nesting …

Mosquitos are a total nuisance – they can make treasured outdoor spaces unbearable!  They are also a public health risk, carrying diseases such as West Nile in the Northeastern US. This is Step Four of our series on How to Make Our Landscapes Safer & Healthier.  Catch up on Steps One and Two and Step Three.  Traditional (Toxic) Mosquito Control Unfortunately, …

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 …