Landscape design & build for Boston

Landscapes in Greater Boston reflect the diversity of the region’s population. Within Boston proper, landscape styles range from traditional to modern, but almost uniformly designs are crafted to work within limited space. Rooftop and balcony gardens, designs to flank Victorian stoops, and tight, function-forward rear-yard designs are all common fare.

In the surrounding towns, lots are larger, and homes have mostly traditional architecture. Landscapes tend to support this aesthetic through a combination of traditional colonial and native regional features. Hedges and rows of flowering perennials at one home will give way to loose collections of native shrubs, understory plants, and regional pollinator favorites like Joe-Pye weed and foam flower. Trees await any landscape designer, primed to be focal points, establish outdoor rooms, or knit together to create privacy screens.

Serviceberry makes for an attractive shrub or small specimen tree, maidenhair fern is a reliable shade species to place beneath tree canopies. A variety of junipers, arborvitaes, and yews make for strong evergreen options, and northern bayberry is a strong option for those seeking a native hedge. Columbine joins the list of Joe-Pye weed and foam flower as a reliable perennial bloomer.

Climate tolerance is crucial to consider when selecting plants for Boston landscapes. Native plants are a great place to begin your search – having evolved locally, they can manage the broad swing from hot, humid summers to snowy, cold winters better than most.

It’s wise to consider winter interest as well. Look for flowers that bloom in late fall and early spring, along with deciduous plants with colorful or sculptural branches or attractive bark. Evergreens should be positioned to confidently command the scene when deciduous and herbaceous plants have gone winter-dormant.

As for people, outdoor spaces should consider comfort. Provide shade and shelter from the rain for the summer, and sources of heat (try fire pits or infrared heaters) to extend the outdoor-living season a little later into the year.

Now! Any time of year is great to begin work on a landscape project.

Utilizing the winter to work through the design phase sets you up to get on contractors’ books early in the build season, so you can have your design installed and ready to enjoy in time for summer.