Embankment Transformation with “Secret” Path
Needham, MA
On one of our earlier projects we transformed a steep sloping lawn into a natural ecosystem, removing the mowing burden from the homeowner. The sunny south facing embankment also drained considerable amounts of groundwater and runoff onto the flat lawn area and play space at the bottom of the slope.
The design took advantage of the slope’s seep areas and created a mosaic of both water-loving and drought tolerant plantings to provide lots of color, texture and native biodiversity as backdrop to the play area…and attenuating ponding there.
A much loved “secret” path wove through the placed boulder outcrops mimicking the site’s impressive existing rock ledges and leading into cool shade of woods beyond.
Project Highlights
- Replaced burdensome sloping lawn with naturalized, rocky embankment
- Solved acute drainage problems through attractively treating seep areas
- Added fun slope access path leaded to wooded overlook
