Pine And Swallow

Landscape Science/Engineering — Horticultural Analysis

The successful use and maintenance of plant materials requires an understanding of how environmental conditions affect various plants. Inappropriate plant selection, poor growing mediums, excessive compaction, soil drainage, heat loading, and micro-climate conditions can all lead to problems. P&S has been called upon frequently to address special planting issues or to determine corrective actions for unsuccessful plantings. P&S's expertise in horticulture, soil chemistry, and geotechnical engineering is utilized to address these issues.

Profile Project
Memorial Drive Sycamore Renovation
Location: Cambridge, MA
Services: Horticultural Analysis in Urban Soil Conditions
The sycamores along Memorial Drive in Cambridge are among the most notable and admired plantings in the United States. They are also located in an area of high environmental stress and in some areas have limited rooting volumes available. P&S was called upon to analyze growing conditions prior to major construction activities in the area and make recommendations for soil modification, fertilizing, spraying, use of road salt, and contractor orientation prior to construction. Physical and chemical modification of the soils was carried out to enhance leaching of salts and a program of selective disease control was instituted.
Soils & Horticulture Services - Horticultural Analysis
 
 
Representative Horticultural Analysis Projects
 

King Khalid City, Saudi Arabia
Soil, water and horticultural analyses for development of a new city in the Saudi Arabian desert including specifications for a laboratory and landscape testing program, an on-site field station, and a plant nursery.

Japanese Cherry Tree Plantings, Charles River Basin, Boston
Soil testing and recommendations for focal planting of trees presented to the City of Boston by Japan.

Parkway Flower Planting, MDC, Boston, MA
Site reviews, soil and plant material specifications, order of work, equipment, fertilizer and herbicide specifications.

Roadside Plantings, MDC, MA
Recommendations to establish wildflower areas along parkway system.

Deer Island, Boston, MA
Recommendations for sludge composting procedures. Analysis of sludge/soil mixtures for use as planting material. Specifications for extensive berm plantings and planting methods.

Bell Power Station, Ithaca, NY
Reclamation package for 60 acre site despoiled during construction of nuclear power plant. Site soils investigation, planting trials, laboratory and greenhouse testing, preparation of contract documents and construction supervision

Charles River Relief Sewer, Boston, MA
Analysis of saline soil and re-vegetation study. Recommendations to improve salt leaching and for turf grass selections.

Beal Mall, Boston, MA
Investigated environmental impacts on plants in only privately owned park in Boston. Recommendations for soil treatment, plant species and maintenance procedures.

Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA
Evaluation of alternative lightweight soil systems. Recommendations for lightweight soil mix for rooftop planters.

 
 

Additional Recent Soils and Horticulture Projects
Harvard University: various campus landscape projects
Hudson River Parks, New York: master specification for five miles of water front parks
Dartmouth College: campus redevelopment
Wellesley College: campus renovation
Fresh Pond, Cambridge: naturalized park development
Battery Park City: park developments
Illinois Wesleyen University: landscape development
Vassar Street, Cambridge: sand-based structural soil for streetscape
Greenwich Academy: lightweight rooftop planting
Tunisia: landscape development for U.S. embassy
Boston Convention Center: rooftop, park and streetscape plantings