What do our gardens have to offer wildlife? Are we mindful of their needs when we design spaces, select species, and maintain them throughout the seasons?
We frequently hear the criticism that native gardens are just too wild compared with horticultural varieties of plants.Most flower varieties that are named (horticultural varieties) have been bred to reduce the number of viable seed that they produce.The good news is that means they do not produce as many seedlings as a native species.Bad news is that they are not producing food for birds and other native wildlife.
Healthy native plants do produce large amounts of seed.If you are content to let your garden succeed ecologically it will probably be reduced, in diversity, to just 3-5 species that are best adapted to the specific conditions of your setting.Here in our Twin Cities Metro area, without any weeding, if you wait a few years, it will no longer be a garden, but become a thicket and later a deep forest.Many of the woody plants that volunteer will be undesirable invasive shrubs and small trees, along with some beautiful native tree species.An efficient option Read the rest of this entry »
EnergyScapes, Inc. has had the privelege of maintaining the green roof at the Edgewater Condominiums near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis over the last two years. The management company had been disappointed with the lack of overall plant growth and was seeking recommendations and maintenance from us. One of my first impressions during the spring of 2009 was that the growing media on the green roof was saturated. Looking at the schedule for the automatic irrigation system revealed that the green roof was receiving irrigation for 45 minutes daily! These plants are short to mid-grass prairie species and sedums and need a minimal amount of water. Lowering the frequency of watering and adjusting the moisture sensor was all that was needed. That year, the plants flourished and this year the plants continue to spread and create a beautiful green space that the bees and butterflies gravitate to.
Do you know of a commercial landscape or community area that is in need of some expert advice? Please pass our name along if we can help!
Last week was a big week for design at EnergyScapes - we attended both the APLD Garden Tour and the MNLA Landscape Design Tour. Douglas and I caught up with four other designers on the APLD tour, and explored the Enchanted Garden and Japanese Garden at Como Park.
Jim and Julie Ikhaml approached EnergyScapes, Inc. to help them plan and develop the enormous potential of their new property in Minnetonka. Their lot presented several unique challenges, the greatest of which was a huge slope immediately behind the house that dropped down into the beautiful, broad meadow below. Building stairs into that slope was the Ikhaml’s first priority of the master design EnergyScapes developed.
The stairway would lead from the back door down the first 20 feet of the slope, creating an easily navigable route up and down the hillside. We also designed a small sitting area with a natural stone bench built into the hill and integrated into the stairway. In these before images, we placed a garden hose at the approximate bottom of the stairway.
To begin construction, EnergyScapes removed the sod and excavated for the patio and stone bench. The steep slope and difficult access to the project site required that the entire stairway be installed without the use of heavy or motorized equipment. As with many of our projects, we found ways to utilize excavated material on site saving energy and the Ikhaml’s the expense of hauling the material away. We created a few strategic compost piles to smother some of the buckthorn that is encroaching on their property.
To avoid permanent damage to the sod and the beautiful cedar trees next to the intallation site, we used sheets of plywood to spread out the considerable weight of the stone we stockpiled on the slope. Within a week after completion of the project, all the sod sprang back and there was no sign of our impact on the existing landscape, save the stairway.
EnergyScapes recommended Chilton Limestone to construct the stairs and patio. This versatile, durable and beautiful dolomite is approximately 450 million years old. It’s colors, textures and longevity are difficult to match with other man-made materials currently on the market. We used Chilton flagstone (2″-3″ thick) for each stair tread and Chilton wallstone for the risers. To tie the patio and bench area into the stairway, we created a small raised planter bed that joins the visual lines created by the patio and stairway.
The natural stone bench was constructed by building a short retaining wall backfilled with clear gravel to prevent damage to wall due to frost heaving. The clear gravel allows any moisture to drain down through the gravel, out between the stones of the retaining wall and across the patio into the planter bed. On top of the retaining wall we placed custom cut pieces of flagstone as seating stones. The random shapes of natural stone allow us incredible freedom to create unique lines that feel more organic than we would otherwise be able to using manufactured products.
As with many natural stone projects, this project required a great deal of custom cutting of stones. This often leaves an undesirably smooth edge on the cut face of the stone. EnergyScapes used an oxy-acetelyne torch to burnish off these cut faces and leave a more natural, weathered face. The soot left behind by the torch will be washed off by wind and rain over the next several weeks.
Between the top of the stairway we installed a series of steppers to provide a durable footpath between the stairs and the back door to avoid the constant problem of wear and tear on sod in high traffic areas. The steppers also provide a visual transition between the intensity of the stairway and the landing of the back door.
Finally, we filled the seams between stones with sand and washed off the stairway. A simple rinse brings out the incredible colors and textures of the Chilton limestone. The day after we completed the project, Minnetonka was hit by a massive rainstorm that dumped 3″ of rain in just a few hours. The stairway was not damaged or compromised in any way. The rain actually solidified the sand into the seams and washed away any of the extraneous base material.
The final product is a beautiful, flowing stairway that Jim Ikhaml said, “Looks like its been there forever.” While the project was frequently delayed by the weather, we were still able to finish within two weeks. The project was an excellent challenge and a good deal of fun for us to build!
“We had an excellent experience with this company. All employees were pleasant, professional, and communicative. in particular, the crew worked diligently. The slope of the hill was very challenging, as was the constant rain and/or brutal heat. The end product fits so well into the hill that it looks like a glacial deposit! Highly recommended for folks looking for a truly eco-friendly company.” –Julie Ikhaml
Plants that deserve more frequent use in garden design:
Why are plants underutilized? This can result from two interrelated problems: either customers are not aware of their usefulness or nurseries do not have them available for sale. A major nursery leader, here in our area once told me, “Show me the demand and I will grow the plants to meet that demand.” How do we generate demand for plants that have great utility, yet remain hard to find in the nursery trade? One way to solve that riddle is to write a blog entry! Please let us know if you are interested in purchasing or finding out how to incorporate any of these recommended plants into your landscape planning.
EnergyScapes landscape designs are based on the most hardy, locally adapted plants, so we generally focus on plants native to our Upper Midwest region. There are many we could pick for this topic of under used species. I selected just five plants that I find tremendously useful, yet seem to be rarely included in landscape designs. I have included three perennials and three shrubs, none of which suffer from insect or disease problems. The diagram below suggests how they might be used in the landscape.
EnergyScapes is about transforming yards into sanctuaries. This year, that maxim was most vividly realized in this project completed earlier this spring. Jane Duden’s back yard was a relatively typical patch of sod, bordered by plantings and shaded by a beautiful Red Maple. Jane was looking to expand her outdoor living space and remove a “boring” and crumbling concrete walkway that led in a straight line from the stoop, off the three-season porch, to the garage. Other priorities were to reduce lawn, increase storm-water capture and add area for new gardens.
EnergyScapes developed a plan to remove the existing concrete walkway and replace it with a Chilton Flagstone walkway and patio that would provide a wider path, larger landing and entry to the porch and a patio underneath the shade of the Red Maple. Integrated into the stonework would be two rain gardens to collect storm water runoff from the porch and part of the house. We also planned to use the busted out concrete walkway to construct a Recycled Concrete Retaining Wall off the driveway that would also provide an area for shoveled snow. We used excavated soil and sod as back-fill for the retaining wall, saving Jane the time and expense of hauling it out and implementing her value of recycling.
The site presented an additional challenge in that we did not want to disturb the roots of the Red Maple and risk damaging this mature tree. To address this, we did no excavation beyond removing one inch of sod to install the project. This placed the walkway and patio 3″ above the rest of the yard. To further integrate the walkway into the existing infrastructure of the property, the walkway ramps up to meet the first step of the stoop off the porch, creating a large, open landing area that links both the stoop and the walkway on the south side of the house to the new flagstone path and patio, while conducting water to the raingardens.
The image on the left shows one of the dry stream beds we constructed. On the far right you can see the downspout peeking out from around the corner. Stormwater is carried through the stream by a rubber liner that prevents the water from infiltrating until it reaches the raingarden on the far right. In the image on the right, we covered the unsightly rubber liner with flagstone, integrating the stream bed into the walkway. We also created a flagstone ramp so that Jane could easily roll her small electric lawnmower directly down off the walkway to the front yard without having to pick it up.
The other stream bed directed water into the larger of the two raingardens beneath a large flagstone bridge that provides access to the north side of the yard. This raingarden is large enough to accept water from the entire west side of the roof, allowing for additional downspouts to be directed into the raingarden at a later date without any major expansion.
“I was so impressed and very grateful at the dependability and skill of the EnergyScapes team. They were personable and respectful as well as careful to plan for the best drainage and the most artful placement of the flagstone. They were impeccable in cleaning up and thorough and willing in following up to ensure that everything was just the way I wanted it. We love the creativity and skill they brought to the project. EnergyScapes has added beauty and value to our property and to the whole neighborhood.” —Jane Duden, homeowner
The entire project required just over one week to complete. The project added substantially to the interest, complexity and livability of Jane’s back yard. It is one of our favorite EnergyScapes projects this year.
Two years ago The Blake School of Minneapolis installed a raingarden on its Lowry Hill campus. The goal was to educate students about raingardens, how they work and the benefits they provide, and to have the students be involved in the process. Since then, the garden has been integrated in the curriculum, providing many environmentally-related learning opportunities. The garden began as a gift from the 2008 graduating class, who raised part of the money through fundraising. The rest was paid for by a grant. Blake contacted Energyscapes to assess the needs of the school’s landscape and create a plan for the students to follow. EnergyScapes shaped the area to promote proper flow of water through the area, and Blake students then planted the garden, following the design EnergyScapes provided. The raingarden project is an ongoing process. This fall the kids will be moving in some deeper-rooting plants to encourage drainage and help the garden mature.
EnergyScapes shaped the area and prepared it for planting
Environmental Science teacher Dan Trockman says that since the project, he’s seen student service projects met with less resistance. The students not only enjoyed the process, but have been able to see the fruits of their labors literally bloom over the past two years. From an environmental perspective, there has been greatly improved rain absorption, even when there have been 2″+ rain events. The garden has begun to take care of itself, needs little water or maintenance, and blooms consistently throughout the season. Trockman says the garden is “still in its infancy” and looks forward to seeing the garden mature further. The Blake School is still collaborating with EnergyScapes to fill in gaps with more plant life and nurture the space.
The garden installation proved to be a fun event for everyone.
When asked about the initial reaction to the garden Trockman said the school got mostly negative feedback about the garden at first. “People were used to looking at manicured turf”, he says. When the garden was installed there were several large rain events followed by a long, dry summer. “We had a lot of plant loss”, Trockman says of the first season. However, now that the garden has rebounded and become established, the comments have turned around. He continues, saying, “it took a while to get people’s attitudes to change, but now we only have positive feedback.”
The Blake Raingarden in action — just after a rainstorm
Now that the school has parents and neighbors on board the response has been great. Some members of the Blake School community have donated plants from their own native gardens to be planted in the school raingarden. Trockman’s goal is to get the neighborhood more involved this year and spearhead an effort to educate area residents about raingardens; how to install and maintain them, and the benefits they provide to a landscape. This shift in focus also fulfills part of the guidelines of the grant given to the school — to include the neighborhood in the raingarden process.
The transformation is stunning, as can be seen in the images below. Our next step is to expand the garden around the corner of the building to capture rainwater from another downspout. EnergyScapes would love to see more initiatives like this one put into place at area schools. What better way to learn about plants, beneficial gardens, and the environment than to create something that everyone can enjoy? We commend The Blake School for integrating this experience into their curriculum.
A Red Admiral butterfly enjoys one of Blake’s Echinacea purpurea
We are pleased to announce that one of EnergyScapes’ past projects has been chosen as a destination for the MNLA Design Tour. This tour is open only to landscape professionals, and showcases the best in landscape design in the Twin Cities metro area. The property was included in the tour despite the fact that it lies outside their range of the Minneapolis/St. Paul city limits. This year, one of the themes of the tour is sustainability, and this site was chosen for being sustainable as well as visually striking.
It is a great honor to be selected for this exclusive tour. We look forward to the event in July when we will be able to showcase the beauty of sustainable landscapes.
It has recently come to light that a national lawn service company has been
engaged in deceptive practices in New York State. Without the consent of
their clients, this company has used pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and
manure on client property. New York State pesticide statues and regulations
prohibit application of pesticides without a signed agreement. Following
this unwelcome and unverified service, the company then insists on
billing them for the chemical application. The company has responded poorly
to requests to terminate service or negotiate these unexpected bills.
Contracts made by this service had loopholes. The language permitted client
to be automatically renewed for additional years of service, even when that
client believed their lawn services would be discontinued. Such practices
are not only shameful, but can be dangerous. By spraying lawns with
hazardous chemicals unannounced, this company exposed homeowners to these
substances without warning. Some of these chemical are known to cause
health problems for children and pets, especially immediately following
application.
EnergyScapes was founded with the goal of promoting natural and sustainable
techniques for maintaining your property. Whenever possible, we avoid using
herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, or other chemicals that degrade our
environment. However, in situations where a chemical is needed, and we work
to carefully select both products and methods that would have the smallest
impact. Most importantly, we always make sure that a client is fully
consenting and understands the cost of any service before we provide it.
Our contracts are created with clarity in mind, and we are eager to help our
clients fully understand any and all of our services. We have found in our
over 20 years of experience that an informed client is a satisfied client.
Thank you for trusting us with your property!
