Category: Masonry Contractor

Ideas for Stone Wall Landscaping in 2022

Stone arch entrance wall with ivy in the garden.

Many homeowners and business use stone walls primarily for retaining walls. However, stone walls can add creative flair to any garden with the proper landscaping design, with trees, shrubs, and flowers. Thinking of adding a stone wall to your landscape? Green Leaves Landscaping has the professional team to help you get started. We’ve compiled a list of stone wall ideas you can use to elevate your lawn or garden this spring!

Natural stone wall and pink phlox. Corner detail of retaining wall layered with round boulders and rocks of different shapes and sizes, beautifully weathered.

Fieldstone Wall

This classic New England stone wall is ideal in every landscape. In general, stone walls create a barrier while looking stylish at the same time. For this type of wall, fieldstone offers a natural material for gardens. You can either dry stack the stone or use mortar. For a natural garden look, this is a classic option.

Stacked Block Wall

This stacked block wall is an excellent option for a cleaner stone wall. This wall style is uniform in shape due to concrete blocks. This wall will form a clean and established line, making it a great choice for the front of the house or courtyard.

Natural stone landscaping in front of a house

Flagstone Wall

Slimmer in look compared to its cousin, this flagstone wall is just as classic in any garden or landscape. This look is more structured than fieldstone, and it is just as charming. While stone thickness may vary, the clean, flat top of a flagstone wall adds a uniform line of view while maintaining character.

Entrance gate to a rustic, english house in the forest with stone wall and cobblestone driveway

Stone Wall Entrance

Add a stone wall entrance to your driveway for a more dramatic look! Whether you go big or small, a stone wall creates a pronounced statement that is hard to beat. Mortared stone and the right landscaping style will create a striking entry for any home or business.

worker rides a stone wall on a traditional renovation site of NOIRMOUTIER, FRANCE

Stone Wall Landscaping from Green Leaves Landscaping

If your landscape lacks structure or needs a unique facelift, contact the most trusted masonry contractor, Green Leaves Landscape. Our dedicated and experienced team will work hard to create a unique stone wall design that will add character for years to come.

Design your Stone Wall Landscaping today! Contact us today to see what we can do for your landscaping (508) 393-0005!

What Exactly is Hardscaping?

Chances are, you’ve come head to head with the term “hardscaping” at some point or another. Unless you’re familiar with the world of landscaping and masonry, you may be left standing there scratching your head. What, exactly, is hardscaping? As a premier masonry contractor in Massachusetts, our team at Green Leaves Landscaping is here to answer your questions!

Hardscaping Defined

According to the Meriam-Webster dictionary, hardscape is a noun that described structures that are incorporated into a landscape.

These structures can range from stonewalls to walkways, seamlessly integrated water fountains that blend with the natural landscaping, or even handcrafted fireplaces that create a tranquil atmosphere for friends and family to gather together.

Hardscape vs. Softscape

As a masonry contractor, one question we often hear concerns the difference between hardscape and softscape. These two elements are the primary foundation for any landscape. Think of them as polar opposites. Hardscapes, as we briefly discussed, are tangible items in and around your yard. Often created from natural stones, bricks, and pavers, the term hardscape covers a wide range of elements.

However, softscapes are things that are growing. Whether trees, shrubs and bushes, flowers or gardens – these elements create your softscape.

Hardscape Materials

A masonry contractor is your best resource when it comes to choosing the best material for your hardscaping design. Why? Well, because there are so many materials to choose from, with each offering different benefits to your overall project. For instance, there are brick walkways and there are bluestone walkways, two very different materials. While each material offers beauty and durability, they function better in different environments.

Brick is perfect for a walkway that leads guests to and from the driveway to the front door, or from the front yard to the back. However, bluestone requires a bit more maintenance and can be prone to staining, so it may not be the ideal solution for high-traffic areas.

Masonry Contractor Projects

Including almost any type of decorative or practical structure in your landscape, hardscapes cover a wide range of exterior projects. Here are just a few:

  • Retaining stone walls
  • Brick walkways
  • Bluestone patios
  • Paver walkways
  • Outdoor fireplace
  • Outdoor natural stone kitchens

If your yard is asking for a facelift this upcoming spring and summer season, contact the most trusted masonry contractor in Massachusetts, Green Leaves Landscape. Our dedicated and experienced team will take the time to understand your visions to create a unique hardscaping design that will leave your neighbors in awe.

Contact us today to see what we can do for your landscaping (508) 393-0005!

How Your Masonry Contractor Is Keeping the Outdoor Season Going

While many people are pumped thinking about the upcoming winter seasons, others are missing the warm days of summer. Whichever side of the fence you stand, your trusted masonry contractor can keep your outdoor season going – just the way you like it.

By customizing an outdoor fireplace fit for your needs and requirements, you will have the perfect gathering spot for family, friends, and those nights that you feel like staying in and cozying up with that someone special! Here’s a closer look at a few of our favorite designs here at Green Leaves Landscape.

Everyone needs a firepit in their life.

As a top masonry contractor in Massachusetts, our team at Green Leaves Landscape can say one thing is for sure – outdoor fireplaces are worth the investment! With fully customizable designs and layouts, this element is perfect for any space and any budget. Stone fireplaces, in particular, provide a durable, inviting, and unique outdoor atmosphere perfect for year-round use. From summer gatherings to the winter months, the ambiance is truly unmatched.

Let’s talk about stone for a moment.

As mentioned, natural stone provides endless options. The hardest part is choosing which stone is best for your needs. To begin, we always recommend our customers consider their budget and the overall aesthetic they’re hoping to obtain. Once these two factors are settled, the stone selection process becomes much easier.

Some of the most common choices include pavers and granite. However, if layering your fire pit, you can utilize a fire-resistant material on the inner lining to allow use of a less resistant material on the outer layer. For example, fire brick is ideal for the inner circumference of a pit, while traditional brick is best suited for the outer layer.

Now, it’s time to find the best masonry contractor in the region.

Whether you research and plan your new outdoor space on your own or with professional help, the time will come that calling in a masonry expert is a necessity. Be sure to check out our previous article highlighting four questions to ask before signing the contract!

Or, you can keep things simple and give the professionals at Green Leaves Landscape a call! Our team is happy to consult and recommend the best design for your desired goals. Give us a call today at (508) 393-0005 and start your winter season off on the right foot! Or left, whichever you prefer!

Retaining Walls: Which Material Is Best For Your Project?

Natural stone landscaping in home garden

As the number one masonry company in Massachusetts, our experts at Green Leaves Landscape are often called in about retaining walls. As one of the best elements to turn unusable land into a usable landscape, retaining walls come with options. Before jumping into your project, knowing these options and understanding the benefits is crucial. Here, we are taking a look at a few of the top requested materials and why they are appealing.

Fieldstone

From garden features to walkways, fieldstone is also an extremely popular choice for retaining walls. The varying size and textures make for one of the most unique, one of a kind results. Besides the originality, fieldstone walls can last an upwards of 100 years with proper installation, care and maintenance.

Cobblestone

As a timeless classic, cobblestone is often associated with roads and walkways. However, cobblestone is also an excellent choice for stone walls. This natural material provides a historic feeling and some of the most versatile color variations available.

Pavers

From classic to modern, let’s talk pavers. Like many options, pavers come in a variety of styles, making them one of the most versatile options for nearly any masonry company to work with. Made from a combination of concrete, this material is moldable to almost any pattern and size. Furthermore, pavers provide excellent drainage, slip-resistance and offer a relatively easy install to keep your costs lower.

When it comes to building a new retaining wall, finding an experienced masonry company is a must. At Green Leaves Landscape, our professionals provide decades of expertise to ensure your project delivers the ultimate, most durable, and visually appealing result. Whether paver or fieldstone, we can help.

Contact Green Leaves Landscape today to schedule your consultation. Our team is happy to discuss the many options that may work best for your needs and requirements. Call us today at (508) 393-0005 to learn more.

Stone Wall Landscaping: We’re Thinking Spring

Here in New England, winter has arrived. Long cold nights and short days have our team at Green Leaves Landscaping dreaming about spring. Heading back outdoors for spring cleanup opens the doors for a beautiful and enjoyable summer landscape. However, landscape isn’t just about the yard and the trees. Stone wall landscaping is an element in high demand that adds tons of visual interest to any yard.

Here, we’re taking a look at a few different stone wall landscapes that are sure to add curb appeal.

Backyard stone wall landscaping

Not all plants thrive in a stone wall, so understanding different varieties is important. For instance, if you’re going for a backyard, blended look and feel, you may want to consider a creeping vine. Some like wooly creeping thyme, phlox, trumpet vines, or clematis may be the solution you’re looking for. Each of these plants offers a unique look and feel, some with flowers, others without.

No matter what you chose, a creeping vine will quickly create a waterfall effect. It’s imperative to research your plant beforehand as some species grow quickly and may provide more coverage than you bargained for.

Walkways

Another common area for stone walls is walkways. Guiding your guests to and from your driveway to the front door, or perhaps the backyard, these walls can add elegance while serving a purpose. Here, you’ll want to consider trimmable shrubs or flowers that are compact. The last thing you or your guests want is to feel like you’re tangled in a jungle when trying to arrive at the front door.

Front yard landscaping

Similar to walkways, stone walls along your front landscape can be used for various reasons. From providing visual interest to creating a flat surface on an otherwise sloped landscape, these walls are often front and center. Because of that, you want to be sure that your landscape is on par.

While there is no right and wrong, you want to consider the same concerns addressed in walkway walls. However, every home and every landscape is different. So, what works for one may not necessarily work for another.

For more expert advice on stone wall landscape, contact Green Leaves Landscape. As experts in the industry, our team will take the time to meet with you and discuss all options. Whatever path you choose, we’ll help create a landscape that functions while creating curb appeal.

To schedule your consultation, contact us today at (508) 393-0005.

4 Questions to Ask Your Masonry Contractor

There are several reasons that you may be considering hiring a masonry contractor. From patio installation to retaining walls, a masonry contractor should be qualified in various areas of brick and stonework. However, having peace of mind that your project is in the best hands means knowing what questions to ask.

In this article, we’re presenting you with a few questions that every contractor you’re considering hiring should be asked.

Are you licensed, certified, and insured?

Before you even begin conversations with a contractor, the number one priority is to determine whether or not they are insured. A company that is insured and licensed is worth going forward with. If not, they are not only putting their company at risk but potentially your property as well.

Can you provide references and a portfolio?

Another crucial aspect to finding the right masonry contractor is research. Ask for references and follow up. Although there are several online resources, an old fashioned one on one conversation will sometimes open your eyes to who you’re considering dealing with.

Furthermore, having access to a portfolio of work provides peace of mind. If you’re considering patio installation, seeing the contractor’s work will give you a solid idea of what they can (and can not) handle.

What is your process?

Knowing what to expect when the work begins is just as important as knowing who you’re hiring. A reputable company will have a defined workflow with timing expectations. You should also be in the know-how potential speed bumps are handled and payment schedule.

Do you offer warranties on your work?

Finally, but certainly no less important is understanding your protection. While most companies offer warranties on their work, you may be surprised to find that many do not. Even if for a small period of time, a guarantee on work provides insight to what level of craftsmanship you can expect.

If you’re in the market for an expert masonry contractor that brings peace of mind, it’s time to call the team at Green Leaves Landscaping. Our highly qualified team has the experience and expertise to handle even the toughest projects. We offer customized solutions to ensure your expectations are met and often exceed.

To schedule your on-site consultation, contact Green Leaves Landscaping today by calling (508) 393-0005.