Healthy Landscapes: Wickford Cove Site

Sustainable Landscaping

Wickford Cove Demonstration Site

David and Deirdre (URI Master Gardener) Wrenn, Loop Drive,
North Kingstown, RI

Special thanks to Patricia Mullins, URI Landscape Architecture Program, for dedicating much thought and time to the site design and plant selection.

Special thanks to Dr. Richard Casagrande and Dr. Brian Maynard (URI Plant Science Department); URI Master Gardeners Rudi Hempe, Vicky Wilson, Linda Hughes, and Joy Gerstenblatt; and the URI 101 class of students for their time, expertise, and assistance with planning, implementation and maintenance.

Special thanks to Dr. Sue Gordon and the Kinney Azaelea Gardens for a generous plant donation.

Area 2: Shade Bed -- Sustainable Plantings

Scroll down for 2005 photo updates!

The presence of large, native trees in the yard creates shaded conditions. A shallow drain field, which is part of an enhanced treatment septic system installed as part of a demonstration project in 1997 lies west of the front porch. This area must remain in lawn grass to protect the integrity of the shallow drain operation and design. Areas outside of the shallow drain field are difficult to manage due to contours created by Loop Drive (a small dirt road) and shaded conditions.

Goal: The plan for this location is to create a contoured, mulched shade garden, incorporating the edge of Loop Drive and an existing native tree, to be planted with shade tolerant shrubs, groundcovers, and other perennial plants. The design will allow for future placement of steppingstones and a larger stone or boulder.

Choose the right plant for the right spot

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

Existing conditions:

September 10, 2003 -- establishing the bed area

September 10, 2003 -- a Wisteria plant (to the right of the lilac bush straight ahead) will be transplanted to another more suitable location in the backyard.

Sustainable Plantings: September 22, 2003

Plant list includes: Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia); Redvein Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus); Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia); Blue Lacecap Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrohpylla); Inkberry (Ilex glabra); Winterberry (Ilex verticillata); Leucothoe; Double File Viburnum (Viburnum plicatun); Ginger (Asarum); Yellow Coreopsis; Blue Salvia; and Pink Sedum.

The URI 101 class of students learn about sustainable landscaping practices and techniques from Dr. Richard Casagrande, URI Plant Science Department.

10 cubic yards of loam was used to provide for a mounded area and to correct uneven grades along the existing retaining wall

Plants selected and placed by Patricia Mullens, URI Landscape Architecture Program

The existing lawn was treated with roundup about two weeks before this installation. Plants were planted directly into the dead sod and mulched.

spreading mulch

The Wisteria plant was removed and transplanted to a more suitable location in the back yard. The area was filled with topsoil, seeded and mulched (the bluish-green patch beyond the lilac bush).