Whether it be permeable pavers, or landscape solutions such as drainage systems and plant selection Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc has the expertise and know how to help protect your environment.

Earth is our Element

Subterra Stone - Belgard Environmental Series

The latest addition to the Belgard Environmental series, Subterra Stone brings the most attractive, natural looking permeable paver to the market. With its false joint structure, Subterra Stone offers the elegant look of natural chiseled stone, yet it is easy to install. Combined with its unsurpassed environmental benefits, Subterra Stone is ideal for homeowners who want environmental stewardship without compromising beauty and style. Belgard Environmental sustainable thinking for a better future.

Walkways Outdoor Patios Driveways	Dimensions:   Modular Large Square 80mm x 11 7/8" x 8 1/8" Dimensions may vary. Please check with your local Belgard representative for exact specifications. Laying Pattern: (Running Bond Pattern) (Herringbond Pattern) Irregular interlocking system leaves a more natural footprint Please visit us for color samples available in your area. Photography courtesy of the 2008 HGTV Dream Home.
Replacing driveway with Belgard Subterra Environmental Pavers and replacing front with new granite stairs and landing on Govoners Rd in Milton

Drainage Systems example Curry College - Collecting all water run off from the parking area. Storing it in underground tanks and releasing it back into the soils instead of allowing it to run off into the sewer and drainage system.

Plant Selection

Plant selection is undoubtedly the fun part of landscaping. Nerw Englands climate supports countless varieties of plants, and many are grown by local plant nurseries. Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc has the expertise to help in this area, and you'll be well prepared to make the best plant choices.

The plants you select determine the wildlife value of your yard, the level of maintenance required, how much money you'll be spending on water or electricity to run a pump, and how much fertilizer or pesticide may be required. Plant selection also will determine how long your landscape will last. For example, fast-growing plants often have a shorter life-span than slower-growing species.

Here are some guidelines for selecting your New England plants:

• Plants already on your property, particularly native plants, may be well-suited to the site and should be retained. Avoid disturbing the root zone (at least to the drip line) of these plants or driving over them with heavy vehicles. Saving existing plants reduces costs and leaves valuable wildlife habitat undisturbed. For those building a new home, retaining existing plants also limits erosion by reducing the amount of clearing required.

• Select from a plant palette that includes suitable native plants. Once native plants are established in the right location, most require little, if any, supplemental water, fertilizers or pesticides.

• If you don't want to continue irrigating after plants become established, select drought-resistant plants that are right for your soil.

• Consider wildlife. Providing native flowering and fruiting plants can bring birds and butterflies into your yard and your view. Massachusetts is a stopover for many migrating and summering butterflies and birds.

• Limit the number of showy plants that require high water and maintenance, and place them where they'll have the most visual impact.

• Aim for diversity. Strive to create a mosaic of trees, shrubs, ground covers, native grasses and wildflowers. Monocultures, which are large expanses of the same species of plant, are prone to disease and insect infestation and do not provide the same benefits to wildlife as a diverse plant community.

• Turf areas should be functional and designed for easy maintenance. If the grass dies or you aren't using a turf area for play or other activities, consider replacing it. Good alternatives are ground covers or landscaped beds. Ground covers can be especially useful in shady areas where turf may not thrive. Fertilizing, watering, mowing and pesticide use will be reduced.

• Don't be fooled by the quick-fix appeal of fast-growing plants. Such plants require more pruning, resulting in more yard waste. Lush, green shoots also attract pests. Slower-growing plants may take longer to fill in your landscape picture, but they'll last longer and create less work.

Matching Plants to Your Yard

Determine site characteristics.

Remember that these may vary throughout your yard:

• SOIL - Sand, Loam, Clay, Alkaline pH, Acidic pH, Compacted Well-drained, Poorly drained

• DRAINAGE - Well-drained, Poorly drained,

• LIGHT - Full sun, Partial sun, Shade,

• TEMPERATURE - Exposed to freezes, Exposed to extreme heat,

• STRUCTURAL LIMITATIONS - Power lines, Underground utilities, Septic tank, Roof overhangs, Paved surfaces,

• OTHER - Exposed to salt spray or winter chemicals, Exposed to strong wind, Exposed to wet/dry seasonal extremes

Consider plant characteristics that reduce maintenance and prevent pollution:

• Drought-resistant, Pest-resistant, Native, Non-invasive, Slow-growing, Wind-resistant, Thrives without supplemental fertilizing

Other beneficial characteristics:

• Provides shade, Human food source, Deciduous Evergreen Screening for privacy, Attractive flowers or foliage

Searching for Natives

Some New England native plants may be tough to find at your local garden center, but demand is growing so the supply will follow. In the meantime, here are some tips on finding native plants that may be suited to your yard:

• Visit parks and preserves to view native plants in their natural setting. Undisturbed acreage near your home may serve the same purpose. See what grows well in your area. Take photographs to show to a knowledgeable Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc representative for later plant identification.

• Visit the library and book stores, particularly those at botanical gardens, to find good reference books on new England native plants.

• When buying your plants, order from a nursery or ask your local garden center to order the native plants you want. Provide a list with scientific names, specifying the size of plant you want. Be sure to request an estimate before placing the order and inspect the plants for vigor and signs of disease or pests before paying.

• If plants you seek are not available through local garden centers, visit plant nurseries that specialize in New England native plants. Call us Today For information on locations near you.

• Consider hiring a landscape architect or contractor who is knowledgeable about native plants to survey your yard and landscape plan and make suggestions. This may be a wise investment, particularly if you are planning major changes.

More About Preventing Runoff

Here's a basic concept of a Massachusetts Yard: Rain that falls in your yard should soak into your yard. After all, rainfall is an excellent source of water for your landscape, and reducing runoff will help protect waterways. Retaining rainfall long enough for it to percolate through the soil is particularly challenging in neighborhoods built before the late 1970s, when storm-water treatment ponds were not required. Please consider a few practical tips for reducing the amount of rainfall that runs off your yard.

Downspouts

If the roof of your home has rain gutters, make sure the downspouts are not aimed toward a paved surface. Turn downspouts into areas with plantings that will make better use of rainfall than letting it run down the driveway and into a storm drain. Be sure to choose plants for these areas that can adapt to having more water, and be sure water doesn't pool next to buildings.

Earth Shaping

Swales (small dips in the ground) and berms (raised earthen areas) can help divert runoff that is rushing from your yard. A bit of earth shaping can also be an attractive design element in your landscape. A berm-and-swale combination might be especially appropriate if your waterfront yard has a seawall. That, in combination with a maintenance-free zone of native plants, can make your yard more user friendly. Minor alterations to the lay of the land won't require permits or engineers, but any major earth work should have the professional touch and will require regulatory review.

Rain Barrels & Cisterns

These ancient "technologies" are making a comeback as water shortages and environmental ethics lead homeowners to use rain that falls on their property. Large, plastic rain barrels are now available at home and garden stores. The barrel looks much like a garbage can, but has a hole in the top where a roof downspout can fit snugly.

A valve near the bottom allows you to fill a watering can or connect a hose. These barrels are great for hand-watering, and they aren't mosquito-attracters as long as the downspout fits tightly. The barrel is not unsightly, and a four-foot shrub could easily shield it from view.

"Cistern" is really just a fancy word for rain barrel, but it implies a bit more engineering and greater storage capacity. Water is collected from the roof, filtered and stored in a container made of concrete, metal, wood, fiberglass or plastic. Water travels from the cistern upon demand by either gravity feed or pump action.

Porous Surfaces

Whenever possible, use bricks, gravel, turf block, mulch, pervious concrete or other porous materials for sidewalks, driveways or patios. These materials allow rainwater to seep into the ground, helping to filter pollutants and reducing the amount of runoff from your yard. In some cases they may even cost less to install than typical paving materials. Here's a comparison of surfaces for a 15-foot by 30-foot driveway. They are placed in order from most porous to least porous:

• Recycled mulch - It requires occasional replenishing.

• Washed shell - It eventually compacts and hardens. It needs periodic additions and may alter soil pH.

• Gravel

• Pervious concrete

• Shell rock (limestone) - It hardens. It is prone to erosion. It may alter soil pH.

• Concrete

• Asphalt

Maintaining Your Massachusetts Yard

Caring for our waterways starts with caring for your yard.

The perfect yard is less than ideal if caring for it causes you to pollute tributaries, lakes and waterways. A good landscape design incorporating the right plants in the right places reduces maintenance requirements and costs. For most yards it will be necessary to perform some maintenance, including:

• Composting

• Fertilizing

• Watering

• Mowing, Pruning, Raking

• Mulching

• Pest Management

Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc will help you learn some of the basics of nurturing your landscape without damaging the environment. You will find that pollution-free maintenance is easiest when plants are selected with that goal in mind. If your existing landscape is too much work or requires maintenance practices that pollute, you may begin to consider changing some plants in your yard.

Composting

A common misconception about plant care is that plants require fertilizer for proper nutrition. Plants do need nutrients, but they don't necessarily need fertilizer. Plants use their leaves to make food from sunlight, water, carbon dioxide and nutrients. Nutrients in the soil are necessary for structure, regulating metabolism, growth and reproduction. Some key nutrients for plants include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and manganese.

If a plant is appropriate for the soil and site where it is located, it may not require additional nutrients from fertilization. Fertilizers are generally used to achieve a specific goal: more or larger blooms, faster growth, greener leaves or more fruit. If one of these is your goal, you basically have three choices: using compost, applying packaged fertilizer or applying a specific mineral, such as iron.

A great way to improve your soil is by adding compost, which can be made from partially decomposed yard or kitchen waste. When added to your soil it can create the perfect medium for sustained plant health. Adding compost will:

• Improve soil structure, texture and aeration and increase the soil's capacity to hold water;

• Help loosen compacted soils;

• Promote soil fertility and stimulate root development in plants

• Create a favorable environment for microorganisms and larger creatures, such as earthworms and insects that are nature's "soil builders."

Generous amounts of compost frequently added to the soil surface can replace petroleum-based, nitrogen fertilizers. And unlike fast-release fertilizers, nutrients in compost are released slowly so landscape plants can better use them. Also, composting or mulching with yard wastes helps reduce the amount of waste that must be hauled to over-burdened landfills.

Composting can be as simple as placing leaves, grass clippings and small cuttings behind shrubs or in a hidden corner of the yard and letting nature take its course. Homemade or manufactured compost bins are another option to consider and will allow you to easily incorporate kitchen waste, such as vegetable and fruit scraps, egg shells and coffee grounds. Numerous types of compost bins are commercially available, and many are designed to be aesthetically attractive. We can point you in the right direction for good sources of such products.

The compost pile needs adequate moisture, oxygen and nitrogen/carbon sources to generate the right conditions for decomposition. The more closely these factors are monitored and manipulated, the faster decomposition can occur, and the sooner you'll have rich compost for fertilizing plants and amending soil. Your landscape maintenance professional will be grateful for an opportunity to avoid costly tipping fees at the landfill, too.

Here are some tips on composting:

Bins aren't necessary but they help keep piles neat, retain heat and moisture, and prevent complaints from neighbors. The minimum recommended size is one cubic yard (three feet square by three feet high).

• Composting can take as little as four-six weeks or as long as one-two years, depending on the size and type of material in the pile and the amount of attention you give it.

• Proper moisture is necessary for microorganisms to compost the material. Covering the pile helps retain moisture and prevents the pile from getting too soggy when it rains. You should not be able to squeeze water from the material produced at the bottom of the pile.

• Heat is important in composting, so a sunny location is better than a shady one.

• Combining different materials, such as grass clippings and leaves, in the pile can help achieve the right proportions of carbon and nitrogen for effective composting. Always bury kitchen waste in the pile to discourage pests and to prevent odor from rotting fruit and vegetables.

• Generally, for fastest composting, the pile should be turned with a pitchfork or stirred on a weekly basis in warm weather. Stabbing the pile with a length of pipe or rake handle can help with aeration and mixing.

• Never place meat, animal fat or dairy products in the compost pile.

Fertilizing

If compost is not available or if you need to fertilize, a basic fertilizer that contains slow-release, water-insoluble nitrogen and other essential nutrients is the most environmentally safe and cost-effective alternative. At least 30 percent of the nitrogen in the fertilizer should be listed as water insoluble. Water-insoluble nitrogen fertilizers usually cost more, but fewer applications will be required. Besides, a few dollars can make a big difference in protecting the environment.

Avoid using fertilizers that contain weed killer or insecticide. Such chemicals should be used only as a last resort when other more environmentally-friendly pest control options fail, and they should be used only on affected areas.

Watering

Homeowners in Massachusetts are becoming accustomed to restrictions that limit irrigation to certain days and times. Still, most of us are watering too much. Overwatering depletes our water supply, often makes plants pest prone, and add to storm-water runoff which contributes to pollution. A sure way to reduce the need for watering is to choose drought-resistant plants, especially those native to your part of the region, and plant them in the right spots. If you group plants according to their water (and light) needs, your irrigation methods and systems can be simplified. For example, turf irrigation zones should be separate from tree-and-shrub zones.

By choosing and operating a watering system correctly, you can reduce water bills, fungal diseases and maintenance requirements. Remember, the more you water the faster your lawn grows and the more it needs to be mowed. Here are some tips on irrigation that may help protect your plants, your pocketbook and our precious natural resources:

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, install a rain shut-off device or sensor that will override the system when adequate rainfall has occurred. Your water management districts, Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or an irrigation professional can provide technical assistance.

For best results, water in the early morning (4-7 a.m.). This is the most efficient time because temperature and wind speeds are at their lowest and evaporation is reduced. Also, grasses will be less susceptible to fungus if water is applied at the time dew normally forms.

Here's a simple watering schedule for grass: Apply 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch of water when the grass shows signs of distress (bluish-gray color, folded leaf blades). Don't apply more water until symptoms reappear.

Experiment with gradual reductions in irrigation to see if plants can tolerate less water. Some people use no irrigation, yet have healthy plants. Water less in cooler months (September-May), and turn off automatic systems in the summer if rainfall is consistent.

Sprinkling

You're probably familiar with sprinklers -- the kind that are part of an automated system. In some landscape situations, such as a lawn or bed of flowering annuals, that's the best method for applying water. Today, there are systems that allow you to conserve water by using micro-irrigation equipment, such as micro-spray jets, bubblers or drip tubes. If you are in the market for a new irrigation system, find a reputable irrigation contractor who has experience with these systems.

Be aware that drip or micro-spray fittings may clog and require filtration of the source water, regular inspection and possibly cleaning. Drip tape or tubing can be damaged by insects and rodents.

If you already have an irrigation system your options for retrofitting may be limited. Sometimes low-pressure emitters, such as bubblers, can be adapted to existing sprinkler heads. This may require an attachment at the source to reduce water pressure.

Mowing, Pruning and Raking

Trimming some plants can help enhance the beauty of your New England yard. This is also an area of maintenance where you can reduce the workload by doing things the environmentally friendly way.

For example, if you've selected slow-growing plants, the amount of pruning will be reduced. Also, less pruning is required if plants are placed so that when they mature, they don't grow over walkways, driveways or against buildings. If your yard isn't turf intensive, less mowing is an obvious work and time saver. In addition, a beautiful landscape need not have a clipped, formal look. Soft, flowing, natural lines can be attractive and easy to maintain.

If there are turf areas to be mowed, keep in mind that most grass should be kept at a minimum height of three to four inches and longer in the shade. If cut shorter the plants may be stressed. Each mowing should remove no more than one-third of the leaf blade, and those cuttings should remain on the lawn to decompose.

For procrastinators who don't mow regularly, mulching mowers will cut grass into smaller pieces, speeding decomposition. If the grass has gotten too long, spread cuttings behind shrubs or add them to a compost pile.

Grass clippings can also be mixed with leaves and twigs to create a useful mulch that provides nutrients to your plants.

Where turf isn't a concern, you don't have to rake under trees because the self-mulching is good for the plant. If aesthetics are an issue, plant shrubs under the trees to avoid raking. They benefit from the mulch and help hold leaves in place so they won't clutter the landscape.

Collecting leaves and pine needles by raking or blowing provides a source of mulch that is a real asset in the landscape, and it's virtually free. If your yard generates more leaf mulch than you can use, compost the material or share some with a neighbor. When pruning trees and shrubs, toss small cuttings into a compost pile or behind a shrub. Hauling huge piles of brush to the landfill is not necessary--and you'll avoid fees charged at the landfill that add to the cost of maintenance.

Mulching

Applying a layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, planted beds and on any exposed soil area will reduce water loss, control weeds and prevent runoff.

Here are a few simple facts to remember about mulch:

• 2- to 3-inch layer (after settling) of mulch around most plants reduces evaporation from the soil's surface, moderates soil temperatures and suppresses weeds.

• Mulches can replace turf or ground covers in areas that are difficult to mow, irrigate or otherwise maintain. Mulches also can be used in shady areas where plants may not grow readily.

• Mulch requires practically no maintenance, except for occasional additions and weeding.

• Use mulch that originates in your own landscape by using leaves, pine needles, grass and shrub clippings. Several sources of recycled mulch are available in the region. Start with your local government solid waste department or recycling coordinator. Avoid using cypress mulch because its harvest depletes cypress wetlands.

• Shell, crushed stone or pebbles can be used as mulch but will not contribute to the organic content of your soil. Also, be aware that shell mulch will raise the soil's pH as the shell material dissolves and will reflect heat, increasing water needs of plants.

• Mulch can provide a design element in your landscape, adding a contrast of color and texture that complements plantings.

• Reduce the chances of rot by avoiding piles of mulch against plant stems or trunks. Citrus trees are particularly prone to rot from such practice.

Pest Management

Concerns about health, the environment and the increasing resistance of pests to chemicals have forced people to reconsider practices they once took for granted. The regular preventive application of traditional pesticides is one example. Most people don't realize that, in general, nature takes pretty good care of itself. Healthy plants can usually fend off pest attacks, while predatory insects and birds may keep undesirable insects under control. Thus, the preventive use of pesticides is unnecessary. Also, many insects are beneficial with less than 1 percent of all insects being harmful to plants.

Avoiding Pest Problems

Think before you plant. It takes considerable amounts of pesticides to protect plants weakened by unfavorable growing conditions. Know which plants can tolerate the conditions in your yard and plant them. Concentrate on pest-resistant varieties.

Go easy on water and fertilizer. Over watering and over fertilizing cause excessive growth, making them vulnerable to insects and disease. Encourage healthy growth and maintain the quality of your landscape by applying fertilizer and water only when needed and in moderate amounts.

Mowing grass too short and severely shearing trees and shrubs weakens them, inviting pests. Mow to the proper height and prune selectively. Remember, leaves are necessary to produce food for the plant.

When You Don't Do the Work Yourself

There are thousands of companies in the region offering landscape maintenance services. Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc will use sound maintenance practices to produce a New England yard that's beautiful and friendly to the environment.

At Towne Tree and Landscaping Inc we will:

Monitor for pests rather than apply sprays routinely and provide evidence of a significant problem before you allow and pay for treatment.

Use least-toxic methods of controlling pest problems.

Use chemical pesticides only when less-toxic methods fail and post a sign to alert neighbors that chemicals have been applied.

Apply slow-release fertilizer, and only if fertilizer is needed.

Avoid fertilizers containing weed killer or insecticide unless applied with your permission.

Leave grass clippings on the lawn and use other yard waste as mulch or compost.

On the Waterfront

Waterfront Massachusetts yards present special challenges and responsibilities. Waterfront property owners have firsthand knowledge of the special features that add to our quality of life. But a special responsibility goes along with the benefit of being a next-door neighbor to these natural resource treasures.

Landscapes bordering our surface-water resources need to be designed with special sensitivity to the environment. Those landscapes also present some unique management challenges for the environmentally conscious homeowner. Some of those considerations are highlighted here.

What is the Mean High Water?

This is an important point for waterfront property owners because their property typically ends at the Mean High Water (MHW) line. Mean High Water is not the line where sea-grass debris is piled in a storm, nor is it the extent of wave impact. The exact elevation of MHW above sea level may vary somewhat around the state. For those of us who are not land surveyors, that translates to slightly above the line where barnacles grow on pilings or seawalls.

Remember that anything you wish to do that affects submerged lands waterward of MHW requires the state's permission. For information on permitting requirements, contact the Department of Environmental Protection and your local natural resources department.

Septic Systems

In some communities wastewater produced in the home is treated in a septic system located in the yard. Scientists have documented that even properly operating septic systems now in use in many area soils do not protect coastal waters from the nitrogen that is a component of human waste. When septic systems are located near streams, or other surface waters, groundwater carries nitrogen from the septic system drain field to these surface waters. Too much nitrogen causes algae to overgrow, smothering sea grasses and sometimes causing fish kills.

Additionally, water that is treated by septic systems cannot be retrieved for irrigating farms, golf courses or yards. This is now a common conservation practice with many centralized wastewater treatment systems.

In many areas centralized sewer service may become available, providing homeowners with an environmentally responsible option for wastewater treatment. Meanwhile, homeowners with septic systems in their yards are responsible for properly maintaining the systems to reduce health and pollution hazards.

Consider the following recommendations for homeowners using septic systems:

• A septic tank should be opened and inspected routinely by a septic tank contractor, who will determine whether it needs to be pumped out.

• Do not plant trees or shrubbery over a septic tank or drain field. Roots can choke the drain field, reduce the tank's capacity or block the tank's inlet or outlet.

• Do not place grease or fibrous products, such as fruit peelings, in the garbage disposal.

• Replacement is the only remedy for a clogged drain field. It cannot be repaired by cleaning or the infusion of enzymes.

• Do not add yeast or bacteria to your septic tank.

• Avoid overtaxing your septic system by spacing laundry loads throughout the week rather than several loads on just one or two days.

Warning Signs of Septic System Trouble

• Plumbing backups or sluggish flushing in the toilet.

• Gurgling sounds in the plumbing.

• Grass in the yard growing faster and greener in one particular area.

• Ground mushy underfoot.

• Offensive odors indoors or outdoors.

Ponds in the Landscape

A backyard pond is a very appealing feature, and an increasingly common one, in Massachusetts yards. Ponds provide landscape charm, water retention and treatment, wildlife habitat, recreation and gardening opportunities. But they are not without their own, unique costs and considerations.

Whether they are natural or part of site development, they must be considered when making choices about house design, lawn care or general yard use. If planned right, ponds can represent the best--or if not, the worst--about the site.

Water adds a magical element to most all landscapes. The change of texture, variety of lighting conditions, sounds, smells, all add to our increased interest in the landscape. Selecting a good pond site is a decision involving many site factors, such as correct slope, soil types and water table, but also practical matters, such as septic tank and house foundation setbacks, utility easements and soil types. When planning, try to strike a balance between what your permit allows and what the landscape calls for.

Storm-Water Control

As part of a storm-water management system, frequently required by local water district permitting, the small pond can serve as a final collection point for runoff after a series of swales and channels. Pollutants are filtered by vegetation, filter traps and the settling action in the pond itself. This can have a significant effect, improving water quality draining into estuarine bodies. These systems also have the advantage of extending the "soak time" of storm water, or increasing the amount of water allowed to percolate, recharging the groundwater table directly.

Unlike ponds in natural systems, ornamental and storm-water ponds have a specific job to do and, like other artifacts, will need a maintenance-minded attitude toward their management. If you find yourself managing / living with one of these systems, here are some guidelines, several DOs and DON'Ts, to assure they continue to function properly:

• DO plant appropriate aquatic, emergent and upland vegetation properly, according to hydroperiod needs and habitat qualities (they will greatly enhance stabilization)

• DO use pond water for non-potable, local irrigation needs.

• DO set growth goals for surrounding plantings and fertilize the least amount possible with slow release fertilizer.

• DO use organic composting in lieu of fertilizer.

• DO use mulch around plants to retain moisture.

• DO keep pet and feral waterfowl wastes out of water bodies.

• DON'T allow livestock to graze pond banksides.

• DON'T swim or eat fish caught in storm-water ponds.

• DON'T allow invasive plants to clog waterways.

• DON'T direct grass clippings into storm-water ponds