Uptown Circle, the centerpiece of an urban redevelopment project in the central Illinois town of Normal, was recently honored by the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects at its annual Celebration in Chicago. Designed by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, the project received the President’s Award in the Urban category, the highest recognition… More
There’s more to street tree selection than just good looks (although of course we all have our favorites.) Rooting behavior, disease resistance, projected size and flower/fruit type are just a few of the factors that affect what we plant and where. Somehow we’ve still ended up with only a handful of trees species that are… More
I have a hard time thinking of too many people who would disagree that there is a joyful calmness to a forested path, a nature preserve, or a hillside of fall foliage. These scenes all have powerful visual and psychological impacts that make us feel more synchronous with the earth and… well, grounded. The trees… More
In the end, the core of all of our discussions about green infrastructure comes down to soil volume. Adequate soil volume is the seedling from which our particular variety of green infrastructure grows (literally and figuratively). It is what allows us to even consider the role that huge, mature trees and on-site stormwater management can… More
One of the most common and simple ways to direct stormwater into Silva Cells is to install pervious pavers above the system so that rain can drain through the pervious pavers directly into the Silva Cells. (For other ways to get water in, check out our stormwater schematics.) One of the most common questions we… More
The DeepRoot team has developed a set of Stormwater Schematics (look under the Standard Details, Specifications, & Schematics section) to help designers envision how to get stormwater into and out of the Silva Cell system. While there are limitless possibilities for how to design stormwater management techniques on your site, these Schematics give designers a… More
Cities provide uniquely challenging conditions for trees. Pollution, heavily compacted growing media, vandalism, and maintenance requirements all complicate the plight of the urban tree and compromise its ability to survive to maturity and make a meaningful contribution to its environment. Yet, cities need trees — desperately — to help reduce pollution, crime and speeding and… More
Today’s blog post is actually a sneak peak of our most recent case study, and highlights a Silva Cell installation at a Lidl Store car park in New Milton. It will be available for download off the website shortly. The open expanse of most car parks makes them unpleasant places in almost all weather conditions, whether… More
So, usually we’re talking about big trees on this blog. Today our partner Sarah K. Faiks, a sustainable landscape architect with the Kestrel Design Group, flips us on our ear and discusses small trees instead — and what bonsai has to teach us about urban tree planting techniques. The art and practice of bonsai has… More
By Albert Key While there is much empirical information on wind throw, ultimately, we do not know the exact stresses which wind puts on mature trees, as the only way to academically test wind throw is with young trees. A study that I worked on with Dr. Tom Smiley of the Bartlett Tree Laboratory generated… More
The Silva Cell portion of the Project 180 (Oklahoma City) Streetscape – Phase 3 began a couple of weeks ago. Installation Coordinator Pat Greeley was on site to conduct a contractor training and oversee the initial phase.
One of the Silva Cell system’s most powerful selling points from a practical perspective is its modularity. The 2’ x 4’ x 1.5’ cell can be oriented to fit in almost any space, and our details provide guidance for all kinds of standard and non-standard site elements. As a result, the Silva Cell gets used on… More
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
Request a Quote [email protected]
Tel: 415 781 9700
Toll Free: 800 458 7668
Toll Free: 800 277 7668
Fax: 415 781 0191
