Seeking Landscaper / Nursery recommendations

Hello Brownstoner community,   We have an approximately 8×13′ empty planting bed in front of our 20’w four story brownstone in Clinton Hill. Since we can’t spend the money to re-surface the imperfect facade right now we’d like to put a little bit of money into planting a beautiful specimen tree to beautify the front of the house. The problem is that I can’t find a nursery that has great trees that are substantial enough to not look kind of pathetic for the next several years. We’ve been to Chelsea Garden Center and Kings County Nursery, but all of the trees there are more like 4-5 feet tall, cost a few hundred dollars and would look just rediculous as a front area tree. I’d like to find somewhere that for a few thousand dollars we could get something really beautiful, tall enough that it’s visible from our front parlor windows and looks appropriate in scale with the house. I know that in areas where people do a lot of landscaping this is pretty common, but I can’t find a good resource here in the city. I’m assuming that there’s a higher end of landscaping companies that I’m just not finding. Any recomendations?   Thanks!

rustydevon

in Landscaping 12 years and 10 months ago

6

Please log in, in order to post replies!

6 replies

Newest Oldest

rustydevon | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4860 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4872 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "32496"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(10) "rustydevon"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BOftAzrUH1026WyyMo9yi7FLINMQLR/"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(10) "rustydevon"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "devon@nomdeguerre.net"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(25) "/forums/users/rustydevon/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 13:48:14"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(10) "rustydevon"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(32496)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Thanks for all of the recomendations so far. I’ll definitely be following up on these leads.    I know this is a bit self interested, but wouldn’t it be great to have an installment of The Outsider that only focuses on brownstone front yards? Window Boxes, Planting Beds, Trees, Garbage Can Treatment, Stoop Planting… This is all stuff that we all have to deal with, and some do extremely well!

Silvermax | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4861 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4862 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "29536"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(9) "Silvermax"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(9) "Silvermax"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(27) "MarthaCameron@earthlink.net"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(24) "/forums/users/silvermax/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2009-04-21 17:51:30"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(9) "Silvermax"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(29536)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I got an 8-foot ‘Forest Pansy” redbud last fall from Hicks on Long Island. It only produces about three flowers this year — I didn’t expect it to produce any — but it leafed out nicely and may even have gained a little height. If you don’t have a way to get out to L.I. you could ask Chelsea or Kings County to get you one and pay a premium. You just have to be specific about what you want.

bklynpwds | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4872 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4865 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "177016"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(9) "bklynpwds"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BaLflv1/pnijSTmW34TD1EixxbEY5O0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(9) "bklynpwds"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(17) "camrute@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(31) "http:///forums/users/bklynpwds/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:25:55"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(9) "bklynpwds"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(177016)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

We bought two 10 ft tall Redbud trees for our garden at D”Angelo Farms in Dumont, NJ.  This was about 10 years ago.  They have been in business since the 1920s.  You may want to check out the Parks Dept website for a list of trees that are recommended for street side plantings.  Some trees tolerate those particular conditions much better than others.

Putnamdenizen | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4860 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4850 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(4) "1667"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(13) "Putnamdenizen"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(63) "$wp$2y$10$A/uVhx.UarNPKJZsxpy.S.PxwQgglBNI40qIlo0JkqNQehUN9Kls2"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(13) "putnamdenizen"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(17) "JLStevens@mac.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(35) "http:///forums/users/putnamdenizen/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:12:34"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(13) "Putnamdenizen"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(1667)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

I bought a cherry tree from Shannon Nursery (on Hamilton next to Greenwood cemetary) ten years ago.  I think it was about 10 feet tall at the time and around $600 (making this all up).  Now it is over 20 feet tall and gorgeous.  The trunk is unbelievably thick.  So although I understand you have in mind an instant fix, the years do pass quickly!

marie-helene | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4861 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4855 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "176719"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BIVcO0Xh5D6Ybw3Kkoe3etYzz.aU0/."
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(21) "ediblepetals@about.me"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(28) "http://www.edible-petals.com"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:24:59"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(12) "marie-helene"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(176719)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

Hi, I can recommend an arborist who has the experience and the tools for planting very mature trees.  I have to echo flh above: this will have to wait until October to make sure the tree thrives after transplanting.  I also do know of a mature maple tree which is due to be removed in the next few days, but it’s a short specimen (about 5ft tall, 5ft across.) Let me know if you want more info (click on my profile to find my email address.)

berniceshola | 12 years and 10 months ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4872 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4856 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(6) "209445"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(12) "berniceshola"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(34) "$P$BGsTnsAVobWp.DpbrEb6Qh3ZaqX3oC0"
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(12) "berniceshola"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(33) "c.r.ystal.nel.s.on.3445@gmail.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2024-06-29 07:24:25"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(12) "berniceshola"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(209445)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(1) {
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

There are several tree nurseries out on Long Island that sell more mature specimen trees. This place claims to carry up to 8-inch caliper: http://www.greenlandfamilyfarms.com/ That said, you definitely don’t want to put in a new tree until late september at the very earliest, and ideally after its dropped its leaves for the winter. The stress of planting a tree in mid-summer (especially during this heat wave/drought) would likely kill it, no matter how well you kept it watered.