Urban Residence | Cranston, RI
Tom worked in close collaboration with design team to compliment deep energy retrofit of classic Rhode Island home with water efficient, biologically diverse landscape. Space being at a premium on this tight urban lot, Tom made the most of every square foot by creating vertical green walled room which served to partition the yard and create the illusion of space. Green wall trellis structure supported covered with fragrant, colorful and productive native vines including grapes and hummingbird attracting honeysuckle vine. Ground level plantings favored Rhode Island natives.
Green Infrastructure/natural drainage. Site work emphasized intensive natural drainage systems such as rain gardens and a bioswale to infiltrate roof runoff into the ground, yet far enough away from the house foundation to keep the basement dry! Subtle swale appears as a natural stream on the surface with calming mosses clinging to placed “downed” logs and river stones. Native Blue Flag Iris and butterfly attracting Swamp Milkweed further suggest the presence of water while putting on a beautiful show of blooms. The home’s frontage in this populous neighborhood has attracted much interest with its show of violets in spring and fragrant Summersweet and Virginia Sweetspire. Ferns and other groundcovers shared from Tom’s own garden help provide a lush, low foundation cover just out from water infiltrating gravel drip strip running directly along the home’s foundation.
The Owners are effusive in their delight with this new landscape which provides them new wonders with each stroll through to the new patio…..belaying the yard’s compact scale.
Project Highlights
- Deep energy retrofit home in urban setting
- Improved site drainage through linear system of rain gardens
- Enhance privacy and expanded green space vertically with green wall trellising
- Featured rare coastal native plantings