Services
Outdoor Spaces
Our goal as a company is to provide landscapes that people can experience. It is one thing to plant a tree or to build a stone wall, but these elements do not necessarily provoke an experience. A truly effective outdoor space captures nearly all senses of the occupant thereby creating a more dramatic experience. We at North Country Landscapes combine innovation, learned skills, and creativity to provide our clients with an aesthetic and mind pleasing landscape space.
Stone Works
We specialize in Goshen stone works. Goshen stone is a native sedimentary stone quarried here in Western Massachusetts. Goshen stone is desired for its workability, cool color tones, and its varied textures.
Walls-Our Goshen walls are dry-laid meaning we use no mortar or concrete footings in the construction process. In New England, dry-laid walls allow for flexibility and drainage necessary for our cold winters and frost potential. All our retaining walls are built using geotextile fabric, crushed stone, and drainage behind our walls. All our walls are constructed with a compacted gravel base which ensures optimum stability and integrity.
Patios/Walkways- The success and integrity of any walkway or patio is determined by how well the base is installed. Our Goshen stone patios and walkways are built on a compacted gravel sub base, set on a trap rock dust setting bed. The benefits of a Goshen stone walkway or patio over other alternatives (e.g. concrete, pavers), is the uniqueness found in every project. Not one patio or walkway mimics each other. The color tones and joint patterns differ from one project to the next. Goshen stone is natural and therefore, it is impossible to create a perfectly consistent surface.
If you would like a rough estimate on any of our walls, patios, and/or walkways please contact us through this website. Please include your name, phone number and the dimensions of the desired project area. For example, to measure a wall take the length and multiply it by its average height to get average face feet. For walkways and patios simply calculate the area of the space (length X width) to get square feet. As a rough estimate we will use unit pricing, however, we do not use unit pricing for final contracts. Each job is different and no price is granted until a thorough site evaluation had been executed.
Concrete Paving & Wallstone
Concrete paving (pavers) have been increasing in demand over the last several years. Comparativly speaking, paver walkways and patios are cheaper and more quickly to install than natural stone subsitiutes. There are many paver styles and brands but it is important that they be of high quality to withstand heavy trafffic and harsh New England weathers. We only use quality pavers of high PSI ratings (~4,000 psi) sufficient to withstand vehicular traffic. These pavers are durable and less porous than cheaper alternatives. Cheaper pavers will tend to absorb more water causing them to deteriorate over time as climates fluctuate from hot to cold. Pavers provide a consistent surface that is ideal for formal walkways and patios. Today, there are many styles of pavers to choose from with varying colors, textures, patterns, and shapes.
Plant installation
Plant material is what brings life and animation to a landscape space. The appropriate use and placement of plant material can educe many positive mind responses. We at North Country Landscapes incorporate plant material into our spaces to:
- Soften hardscapes and other hard lines
- Connect one space or viewpoint to another through repetition
- Enclose a space (hedge or screen)
- Create focal points
- Create view sheds to frame specific views
- Introduce color and texture
- Buffer unwarranted noise
- Highlight primary vs. secondary routes and entrances by making one more prominent than another
- Heat reduction
Water Features
The use of water as an element within the landscape dates back to the ancient Chinese. Chinese used water for purification and cleansing properties prior to entering sacred tea gardens. Water has a cooling and placid association with it and thus is often used to create a sense of tranquility. The challenges landscsape contractors face when constructing water features is in the difficulty in making them look natural, especially when waterfalls are required. We at North Country Landscapes recognize the challenges we face when creating water features and take caution and careful note to detail to make every pond seem as natural as possible. Our ponds are created using the highest quality materials and mechanics. Besides natural water features we can construct more formal pieces such as reflecting pools. A word to the wise! Water features, especially ponds can be high maintinence.
Stone Veneer
Whether it is the rustic look of stone you desire or the increase in property value you seek, natural stone veneer will accomplish both. We at North Country Landscapes use native fieldstone and Goshen stone in most of our applications. If it is a fireplace, chimney, interior/exterior wall or foundation you need dressing up consider natural stone veneer.
