The Glen Demonstration Site

Richard (URI Master Gardener) & Madeline Perreault, Woodridge Drive,
North Kingstown, RI


Area 1: Front lawn and beds

Existing Beds:

• Beds of native and sustainable trees, shrubs and plants that require minimal inputs of fertilizers, pesticides and water
• Naturalized areas--landscaping around native trees and woodlands. Also provides privacy, shelter from sun and wind, reduces runoff and enhances wildlife habitat.

Once native and sustainable trees, shrubs, and other perennial plants are well-established, they generally require less in the way of supplemental fertilizer, pesticides and water – especially compared to lawn grass.

July 2003, naturalized areas--leaving native trees; beds of sustainable plants; the beds are periodically top-dressed with compost and mulched.

May 2005, woodland edge gardening with wild flowers, ferns, groundcovers, bulbs and shrubs

Herman's Pride Dead Nettle, Lamiastrum Galeobdolon

Crushed stone placed around difficult to maintain home entrance: settles and reduces runoff and protects the soil while providing aesthetic enhancement.

Water wise lawn management:
Lawn will gradually be over-seeded using a slice sleeder (or over seeder) with an Endophyte--Enhanced grass mix. This predominantly fescue mix is also more drought tolerant.

Watering with an inground, automatic sprinkler system is conducted using a rain guage to measure weekly rainfall. The system can be manually controlled to turn off the sprinklers when irrigation is not needed. Understanding how to properly operate an automatic sprinkler system is crucial in preventing over-watering.

Lawn is fertilized with an organic fertilizer blend. Organic fertilizers provide a slow, steady release of nutrients, greatly reducing the risk of nutrients leaching below the root zone into groundwater and/or running off to the nearest water body or storm drain.

Grass clippings are composted to provide a valuable soil amendment for future beds that are being planned at the site.

See our healthy lawn care link for more information.

Control panel for inground, automatic sprinkler system

Current lawn area is about 15,000 square feet

New beds and drip irrigation

This lawn area will be converted to a new bed of sustainable plants and watered using a drip irrigation system. This system will reduce water losses due to wind and evaporation and the hose or tube is placed on the ground close to the plant root zone. Drip irrigation also reduces the potential for runoff or leaching below the root zone. See examples, URI Master Gardener Vegetable Demonstration Garden

Area 2: Backyard