Contributors: Andi Pettis, Sarah Saltino, Chris Sawicki
After autumn winds strip foliage from deciduous plantings, new colors, shapes, and textures gain prominence in the landscape as berries, bark, and seed heads gain visibility. We invited a few ELA members to comment on plants they especially appreciate in the winter.
Contributors: Leslie Duthie and Ellen Sousa
ELA invited a couple of members to identify the “weeds” they like to leave in the landscape for their habitat value.
by Maureen Sundberg
ELA member Marie Chieppo initiated a collaboration with the Town of Needham to install a native plant demonstration garden at a busy public park. With the help of local volunteers and her own teenage children, the installation took place over six weeks this spring, and she continues to maintain the site.
ELA invited a few members to talk about the compost they use, how they are utilizing that resource, and their compost sources. They also offer tips for managing soil.
What are you doing to get ready for the season that’s just taking off? ELA asked a few members to share their favorite tips for getting the season off to a good start. From tool repair and website updates to seeking inspiration and education, our members have found a variety of ways to take advantage…
by Tricia Diggins
This was the best growing season in eastern Massachusetts in a long time. We had rain in the spring! No worrying about stress on the trees in April when it is supposed to rain but doesn’t, like many recent springs. And the rain continued steadily, but not too much, through July.
by Thomas Berger Mid-February It is an unusually warm February morning in Southern Maine: 50 degrees and the birds are singing, even some insects buzzing around, a bit scary for the middle of winter. And in the news I read about the warmest January worldwide in recorded history. I wonder if I should order fig…
Across the country, 2016 has brought challenges to landscapes and the businesses that help sustain them. ELA checked in with a few members to find out about their season, their businesses, and the direction of ecological landscapes.
by Shawn Mayers While the property at Namcook is more than 10 acres in total, the landscaped area for the home (which groundSwell Designs was asked to focus on) is just over an acre at 48,112 square feet. The site served as farmland at the turn of the century and as a result has compacted, dry,…
by Susan Barbier “I thought a nice line of Boxwood flanked by Gold Mop Cypress and skirted with Blue Star Juniper would be great for this property. I pitched that to the client and they loved it. I’m sending my guy over now…” Several years ago that could have been a typical conversation here at…
by Carolyn Edsell-Vetter 2015 was an important year for A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative. This year marks a decade since we made the leap to transition all of our maintenance clients off of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In 2005, few contractors were even offering an organic option, so we had to do a…
ELA recently wondered what our members are up to. What changes have they seen in their ecological landscapes and what new directions do they see their businesses or organizations going in the next few years? What ecological practices are resonating with their clients? We’ve asked a few members to give us a glimpse inside their…
