Excellence In Landscape Awards Project

Pizzo & Associates • Leland Russell Residence

In the beginning of this project, we already knew they were dealing with two different ecosystems, dry sand prairie & wet sand prairie. After our ecologists visited the site for an assessment, we began to build a species list that would thrive in both ecosystems. We knew that we would need to eradicate the invasive species in a methodical way due to the native species in the close proximity. Once those species were taken care of, the installation and maintenance of the natural area was a breeze. The plant mix that was used was created specifically for each of the ecosystems on this property, it contained a diverse mix of native wildflowers, grasses, and sedges. This site has a controlled burn in the spring and fall of every year, leading to the ecosystems growing stronger and bringing new life back to this property.