One of the most misunderstood Silva Cell standards is the 18” (45 cm) setback from roadway traffic. It’s true that when Silva Cells are installed adjacent to a roadway, we require 18” (45 cm) of horizontal separation between the Silva Cells and the path of the nearest tire. There are two reasons for this requirement…. More
This is Part 3 in the History of Street Trees – British Isles series. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here. The lack of costly infrastructure as defensive walls, previously discussed at the beginning of part two of this series, allowed British cities to expand piecemeal into the countryside, with lower population densities…. More
This is Part 2 in the History of Street Trees in Britain and Ireland. Read Part 1 of this series here. The cultural, religious, medical and agricultural vacuum that followed the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire led directly to the establishment of independent, self-sufficient catholic monasteries. The dominant monastic culture came directly from Britain, specifically… More
Urban environments depend on maintenance. In intensely used urban settings, the concept of low maintenance is not a practical reality. During the design process, landscape architects must identify the source and capability of that maintenance, and be sure that the maintenance team is informed of specialized requirements and system designs to support the success of… More
Last year, Jim Urban wrote a post for this blog entitled Against Mulch. The principle reasons he cited for his position were: 1) Mulch floats and can clog drains and releases “lots of phosphorus” as it breaks down, and 2) work by Gilman et al. that suggest that mulch does not reduce evapo-transpiration. We discussed… More
In 2012 Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) committed a £15 million investment in Llanelli and Gowerton to help alleviate the risk of flooding in the area through the adoption of retrofit SUDS, or sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, that utilize greenspace and trees to prevent flooding by allowing rain to soak into the ground or slowly re-enter… More
My blog, The Garden Professors, has an ongoing and lively discussion about invasive plants. Let me state up front that none of the Garden Professors is promoting invasive plants. But the issues surrounding invasive plants are extremely complex and have profound implications for many groups with whom we work in landscape horticulture and urban and… More
Despite modest amounts of annual precipitation, Ireland and Britain are among some of the most perfect places to grow trees. The high latitudes and moderating Gulf Stream of the Atlantic Ocean has insured an exceptionally temperate environment is ideal for most trees, even sub-tropical ones such as palm trees. Never too hot, never too cold,… More
While on a recent visit to northern California, I had the opportunity to interview an energetic young woman who is at the forefront of a pioneering effort to educate fellow arborists on wildlife protection. Megan Morris is a Sacramento native who, after earning a degree in biological aspects of conservation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,… More
Nature vs. nurture is an old debate in human psychology: are we the way we are because of our genetics or our environment? Plant people know that both environment and genetics play a role in plant development. Perhaps one of the most dramatic examples can be found in the Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) in… More
Earlier this month I saw a press release issued by the Morton Arboretum that discussed their use on a product containing beet juice to deice roads and trails. The mixture is quicker and less toxic than using salt alone. It sounds like a joke, but it’s not. Beet juice is actually used as an additive… More
Today we’re sharing a Silva Cell practitioner’s field checklist that we created to help designers determine the most appropriate and high-priority locations for Silva Cells based on site considerations and project design goals. Remember that these are only guidelines; a variety of site factors will influence how and where this product should be used. This… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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