Travertine Patio Process

With the earthquake, hurricane, tornado and financial turbulence of August behind us, it is time to share photos of a recent project of ours strong enough to survive them ALL! We renovated this worn and damaged terrazzo terrace with beautiful durable Travertine tiles. Travertine is used to clad the Coliseum in Rome and many of New York and Washington DC's most famous landmark buildings. Martin Shaw, LLC Landscape Design & Construction loves working with natural stone and advocate it's use when ever possible but it was especially appropriate for this project. 

As detailed in a recent post about Travertine, it is an incredible material; it has twice the strength of concrete, is able to withstand decades of exposure, yet it's porous surface is an excellent insulator keeping it cool even in full sun and  providing a non-slip surface. This last attribute was especially important to these clients as the tiles previously used on the patio surface were uncomfortably slippery. Another reason they chose this material is because of the beautiful range of colors which complimented the existing stone on their home. A simple grid pattern was used to complimented the modern architecture. Travertine can be used in wet or dry laid applications, but because of the existing situation, the stone here was wet laid, grouted and sealed to protect and enhance it.

This patio was wet-laid, grouted and then sealed to protect and enhance the rich colors of the stone.

Here you can see the existing patio prior to our work. It was capped with Terrazzo which had aged and cracked in several spots.

Step One: We removed the existing surface.

 Step Two: We filled the vacant areas with compacted crushed stone and laid a grid of re-bar for strength.

Step Three: Concrete is being brought in to replace the worn surface.

Step Four: The edges are formed and concrete is being troweled to form a smooth surface to adhere the Travertine tiles.

 Step Five: The Travertine is unloaded, staged and ready for installation.

Step Six: The tiles are laid and adhered while the bull nose pieces are each carefully cut to form the soft sweeping curves of the edge.

Step Seven: Grout is spread over the tiles to fill the pores and joints.

 Step Eight: The sealing process has begun, here you can see how the sealant enhances the color of the treated section.

 Travertine tiles were a natural choice to compliment the existing stonework and enhance the views from this home.

 Bull nose Travertine coping creates a smooth edge to the patio.

The sweeping curves of the patio stand in contrast to the linear architecture of the modern home.

Natural 'Disaster' Part 2 - The Sky is Falling

Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada. The ninth named storm, as well as both the first and major hurricane of the 2011 season. It made landfall over Eastern North Carolina's Outer Banks on the morning of August 27 and moved along southeastern Virginia affecting the Hampton Roads region.

After briefly reemerging over water, Irene made second US landfall near Little Egg Inlet in New Jersey during the morning of August 28, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it made its third U.S. landfall in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York, at approximately 9:00 a.m on August 28. The most extensive damage within the United States occurred in the Catskill Mountains of New York State and in Vermont, which suffered disastrous flash floods.

Rainfall totals courtesy of NASA

...PENNSYLVANIA...
LAFAYETTE 8.82
FORKS TWP 8.53
EXTON 7.83
WEST CHESTER 7.46
SPRINGTOWN 7.26
ASTON TWP 6.79
KING OF PRUSSIA 6.71
MORGANTOWN 6.21
PHILADELPHIA 5.70

Following major storms such as hurricanes and ice storms, property owners should have their trees inspected for storm  related defects and conditions that require attention. Without leaves, arborists can perform a more thorough inspection of stem and branch structure. Even if damage is not apparent in your trees, they should be carefully inspected by an ISA  Certified Arborist for subtle defects such as cracked branches, splits in stems and shifting of the root  plate. These defects can lead to branch or even whole tree failures in the future.  An Arborist  can also assess severely storm-damaged trees and develop recommendations for remedial treatments or advise as to the need for removal.

Broken, hanging branches and branch stubs, resulting from breakage, require removal. Proper pruning techniques are critical to avoid insect and disease infestations later in the growing  season. Trees and shrubs that have lost significant portions of their crown in the storm may require  crown renovation.  This form of pruning can begin now, but must be continued over a period of years to  restructure a desirable, healthy crown. Trees that were damaged in a storm may develop structural weaknesses that will predispose them to future storm damage.  Crown reduction or thinning may be needed to  reduce the potential for future damage.  

Trees less than 20 feet in height that now lean may require staking or guying.  Larger trees usually can not. Guys and stakes usually are removed after one growing season, but may need to remain  longer in some cases.

Plants weakened by storms may have already been under stress from various environmental factors over the last few years.  Wounds created by the storm add stress to plants and they are more readily invaded by insect borers and disease-causing organisms.  Plants should be inspected through the growing season for evidence of these “secondary invaders” and treatments applies as necessary to reduce damage.  Fertilization and other amendments, applied based on soil analysis, will aid recovery.  Irrigation and proper mulching of storm-damaged trees are important when dry weather returns.

Natural 'Disaster' Part 1 - Whole Lotta Shaking Going On!

Did you feel the earth move this week? If you were outdoors, or driving chances are you didn't notice. I had just gotten into my vehicle and though for a moment that someone was trying to get my attention by rocking the bumper. The movement was noticeable, but not distinctive - not till I heard the news anyways.

At 1:55 August 24, 2011 an earthquake occurred in the Virginia Seismic Zone, located in the Piedmont region, likely along the Spotsylvania Fault. The Virginia Piedmont area was originally formed as part of a zone of repeated continental collision that created the ancestral Appalachian Mountains. The earthquake's focal mechanism shows reverse slip faulting on a north to northeast striking fault plane, although the actual fault has never been identified. The size of the rupture is likely to be in the range 5–15 km.

Tremors were felt as far south as Georgia; as far north as Quebec and as far west as Illinois, with damage reported as far away as Brooklyn in New York City where several buildings were evacuated and Washington, DC where many monuments remain closed for inspection. According to the USGS, the effects of earthquakes in the eastern United States are able to spread more efficiently than in the western United States because of the goelogical conditions. The relative age of the rock and the fact that this was a shallow earthquake contributed to the widespread effects.

Though NY, NJ and PA all felt the effects, we are please to report that none of our projects were effected - a sign of their quality construction and the incredible ability of stone to withstand movement, from both frost heave and geological upheaval! This sort of activity actually creates the stone we work with or at least similar activity, millions of years ago did!

Rocks are generally classified by mineral and chemical composition, by the texture of the constituent particles and by the processes that formed them. These indicators separate rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic and many subcatergories as they are transformed between one another by the 'rock cycle'.

Igneous rocks are formed when molten magma cools and are divided into two main categories: plutonic rock and volcanic. Plutonic or intrusive rocks result when magma cools and crystallizes slowly within the Earth's crust (example granite), while volcanic or extrusive rocks result from magma reaching the surface (examples pumice and basalt) .

Sedimentary rocks are formed by deposition of either clastic sediments, organic matter, or chemical precipitates, followed by compaction of the particulate matter and cementation during diagenesis. Sedimentary rocks form at or near the Earth's surface. Feildstone,  bluestone, Travertine and sandstones are all common sedimentary stones which we work with.

Metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type to different temperature and pressure conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. These temperatures and pressures are always higher than those at the Earth's surface and must be sufficiently high so as to change the original minerals into other mineral types or else into other forms of the same minerals

This area is particularly rich in stone resources as a result of geologic activity including the Ice Age; when melting glaciers deposited gravel scraped from the northern lands and our rivers; which shape, tumble and deposit a variety of land formations, stone and soils here.

Information gleaned from Wikipedia. Stay tuned for next weeks installation which may (or may not) feature hurricane Irene!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Isn't August suppose to be hot and dry? The rainfall has been very heavy this month across a large portion of the region, which has led to areas of flooding and complicated our work schedule. With todays storms and hurricane Irene's predicted landfall this weekend these totals will certainly rise! The rain totals have also been climbing the records list as well at some sites. The following is a ranking of the areas Augusts and other wettest months:

Philadelphia

Wettest Augusts
1) 13.00 inches in August 2011*
2) 12.10 inches in August 1911
3) 11.49 inches in August 1873
4) 10.29 inches in August 2009
5) 9.84 inches in August 1933

Wettest months
1) 13.07 inches in September 1999
2) 13.00 inches in August 2011*
3) 12.09 inches in September 1882
4) 11.50 inches in August 2011
5) 11.49 inches in August 1873

(records date back to 1872)

*Monthly total for August 2011, as of August 22
12.81 inches Philadelphia 4.7 NE

Most plants will tolerate this without any trouble, especially since July left the soil so dry, and new plants appreciate frequent watering. If you have any low-lying areas that tend to puddle for more than 24 hours though, those plants could be showing signs of stress, unfortunately there is not much you can do to remedy a temporary situation like this, but you can take steps to improve consistently wet areas including drainage or select plants known for their tolerance of wet soils, some of these include:

SHRUBS
Bottlebrush buckeye Aesculus parviflora,  Inkberry  Ilex glabra, Sweet pepperbush  Clethra alnifolia, Virginia sweetspire  Itea virginica, Winterberry Ilex verticillata

PERENNIALS
Bee balm Monarda didyma, Blue flag iris Iris brevicaulis, Japanese iris Iris ensata, Joe-Pye weed Eupatorium purpureum, Lady fern Athyrium filix-femina, River oats Chasmanthium latifolium, Royal fern Osmunda regalis, Siberian iris Iris siberica, Spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana, Swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolium, Sweet flag Acorus gramineus, Yellow flag Iris pseudacorus

Another, and very descriptive list can be found at the following site:
http://www.cloudmountainfarm.com/pdf-guides/PlantsforProblemPlaces_Wet.pdf

Intelligent Design - Bringing Inspiration to Reality: Part 1

Many of our jobs begin with a client describing, or showing an example of, the space they want to create. For one of these projects that inspiration was to re-create the zen-like quality of a Balinese spa they had visited on vacation. We discussed the elements that needed to be included: an outdoor shower (with privacy), a hot-tub, fountain and seating. Since the clients were fans of both Asian and modern contemporary design, possible materials included teak, bamboo, concrete and stone. They wanted plants that were bold, tropical, colorful and featured strong textures. This photo summarizes some of the effects we were asked to create:

After laying out a basic plan for the space we began to sketch some ideas for the structural details. One of the elements we suggested was a day bed that could be layered with ethnic-print pillows, cushions and fabrics.  Of course since we are not in the tropics, it had to be constructed of a durable material so that the upholstery could be brought indoors during inclement weather. We designed a concrete 'couch' inspired by a photo once seen in Garden Design Magazine. It had deep proportions and clean lines but had to be sturdy, light and functional.

After meeting with several concrete artists, the above design was selected. With hollow construction, a foam core and reinforcement, it was both structurally sound and attractive. An industrial grey stain and high-gloss finish were chose to balance the functional and decorative aspects. Here is the piece (without cushions).

The fence seen behind it is a custom constructed screen which provides privacy to the shower. Prefabricated bamboo rolls are sandwiched between strips of teak and mounted on posts, as sketched below.

The final structure on the sketch is a complimentary teak and concrete bench. It ties together both elements of the construction while maintaining the modern lines of the 'couch' and offering additional seating.

Stay tuned for our next installation, showing the accessories, plant selection and overall design for this project.

UPDATE Sounds of Summer: Part 2 - The Cicada Killer

Shortly after publishing our last 'Bugs of Summer' post on the Cicada Killer Wasp, we spotted one outside of the office dragging her prey. Here she is clutching the Cicada as she crawls along the ground.

She crawled onto the porch and began to climb a post.

For some reason I was unable to rotate this photo, but at this point she is climbing UP the post. You can clearly see the Cicada she is holding and how quickly she is moving her wings in order to support the large bug. Once she got about 4' high she had attained enough altitude to get lift when she turned and flew away!

I promise now, for those of you who have been feeling squeamish about all these insects we have been profiling, to get off of summer break and get back to posting about design topics. At least you can say that you kept up with your biology lessons over the summer vacation - now back to art and horticulture!

Sounds of Summer: Part 2 - The Cicada Killer

At the end of our last post I mentioned the Cicada Killer, a large predatory wasp. In the interest of giving both 'pest' and prey their due, here is some info on this BIG (but harmless) bug.

The cicada killer wasps attract attention due to their large size, the burrows that they dig in home lawns, and their buzzing flights over the lawn. These insects occur in all states east of the Rocky Mountains and prefer to dig their burrows in sandy, bare, well drained soil exposed to full sunlight. The wasps feed on flower nectar while the immature or larval stage feeds primarily upon cicadas that are brought to the burrow by the adult.

In spite of their large size, the wasps usually ignore people but they can give a painful sting if bothered. Mating males are aggressive and more easily disturbed. A mound of fine soil surrounds the burrow of each cicada killer. Since colonies of burrows are common, infested lawns usually contain several mounds that can smother the grass. However, they prefer to nest in areas of sparse vegetation, and rarely infest thick,vigorous turf.

Cicada killers over winter as larvae in the soil. Pupation occurs in the spring and the adult emerges in mid-June to early July. Emergence continues throughout the summer. Females feed, mate, and dig burrows for several weeks before preying on cicadas. Excess soil thrown out of the burrow forms a regular, U-shaped mound at the entrance.

The females search tree trunks and lower limbs for cicadas. The wasp stings its prey, turns the victim on its back, straddles It, and drags it or glides with it to the burrow. Each cell is furnished with at least one cicada (sometimes two or three) and a single egg before being sealed off. Two to 3 days later the egg hatches. Depending on the number of cicadas in its cell, the larva feeds for 4 to 10 days until only the cicada's outer shell remains. During the fall, the larva spins a silken case, shrinks, and prepares to overwinter. Only one generation occurs each year.

(Information courtesy of The University of Kentucky, image from Purdue University)

The Sounds of Summer: Part 1 - Cicadas

Have you been experiencing ringing in your ears? Don't worry - this time of year it's probably just the song of the Dog Day Cicada. We continue our Bugs of Summer Blog Series with a post featuring this summer time singer. What's all the noise about? Turns out that much like the rest of us, this ugly bug is just looking for love!

  

by W.S. Cranshaw and B. Kondratieff

Cicadas are probably best known for their buzzing and clicking noises, which can be amplified by multitudes of insects into an overpowering hum. Male cicadas "sing" to attract females. Many produce loud, shrill buzzing noises with vibrating membranes on their abdomens. The sounds vary widely and some species are more musical than others. Though cicada noises may sound alike to humans, the insects use different calls to express alarm or attract mates.

Cicadas are the large insects in the order Homoptera, which includes other sap-sucking groups such as leafhoppers, aphids and spittlebugs. Although abundant, cicadas are far more often heard than seen. Males make a variety of sounds to attract females. Most commonly heard are loud, often shrill, buzzing, sometimes with several individual insects synchronizing their songs. Other cicadas make clicking noises.

Despite their large size, cicadas cause little injury. The immature stages (nymphs) develop slowly underground. They feed on roots but cause no detectable harm to the plants. The greatest injury occurs when large numbers of certain cicadas insert eggs into stems of trees and shrubs. This egg laying injury can cause some twig dieback.


Cicadas are sometimes mistakenly called locusts, a term properly used to describe certain migratory grasshoppers. This error originated when early European settlers encountered large instances of periodical cicadas in the Northeast. As they had not previously seen cicada outbreaks, they likened them to the locusts described in the Bible.

Life History and Habits

Cicada nymphs develop underground, feeding on root sap of various trees and shrubs. The nymphs are generally pale brown, rather hunch-backed, and have stout forelegs they use to dig through soil. Development likely takes between two to five years to complete. Periodical cicadas, Magicicada species, such as the 17-year and 13-year "locusts," are the longest-lived cicadas. They emerge during synchronized periods, often in spectacular numbers, every 17th or 13th year, respectively.

When full-grown, nymphs emerge from the soil. They crawl up a nearby plant or wall, and the nymphal skin splits along the back. The adults pull themselves from the old skin and hang from the plant for several hours, pumping blood to extend the wings. The new exoskeleton hardens and darkens rapidly and the insects then fly away, leaving behind their cast nymphal skins.


Male cicadas attract females by their characteristic songs. Most cicadas have a pair of tymbals or domed, drum-like organs on the sides of the abdomen. They alternately contract and release muscles to make the tymbals resonate. A large air sac in the abdomen with a thin exterior eardrum acts as an echo chamber that greatly amplifies the sound.


The dog day cicada emerges each year in mid-summer. Adults are present for about four to six weeks following emergence. After mating, the adult females begin to lay eggs in slits in the twigs of various hosts. Upon hatching, nymphs drop to the ground, burrow beneath the soil surface, and spend the next two to five years feeding on plant roots. The insect's amazing lifestyle has been a source of fascination since ancient times. Several cultures, such as the ancient Chinese, regarded these insects as powerful symbols of rebirth.

Natural Enemies of Cicadas

Cicadas have several natural enemies, many with unusual habits. Perhaps most spectacular are the cicada killer wasps (Sphecious speciosus) that look like huge yellowjackets and attack the large dog-day cicadas. Other hunting wasps attack smaller cicadas, using paralyzed cicadas to provision nests dug in soil.


(Information from the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension)


Stay tuned for Part 2 - The Cicada Killer.