Discussing the Plantings on the Property

Project: Victorian Restoration, Episode 11, Part 1



Landscaping gets underway on the Victorian restoration project house property. Landscape architect Kristian Fenderson and Tom Strangfeld (from Weston Nurseries) talk Bob through the landscape design ideas they developed.

Down in the basement, Bob tours the home's mechanical and electrical systems, including the high-velocity air conditioning system and the zoned hot water heating system.

On the second floor, new Kahrs interlocking wood floors are being installed. In an effort to preserve some of the home's original wood detailing, Cole Stanton (from Fiberlock) is applying a lead encapsulating paint to the window trim.
Part 1: Discussing the Plantings on the Property
Bob, alongside architect Kristian Fenderson and Tom Strangfeld (from Weston Nurseries), walks the property, focusing on the planting selected for this home. Bob, Kristian, and Tom begin at the rock garden, situated on a 2-foot grade transition from the street and the driveway.

The plant material chosen for the garden provides seasonal interest and, when it grows up, will offer a buffer to the street. Species include Scintillation Rhododendron, Hinoki Cypress, Dwarf Blue Arizona Fir, Stewartia (an Asian tree with bark like a Sycamore and Camellia-like flowers in July and August), Blue Star Juniper (a disease and pest resistant variety that grows 2-3 feet across but no more than 6 inches tall), Asiatic Paper Bark Maple, Viburnum Bowden Intensely (which blooms in February with fragrant pink flowers), a hemlock on the corner, and some ornamental grasses.

Careful plant selection for pest and disease resistance can significantly minimize the amount of maintenance required. Latticework from Brattle Works will camouflage the A/C compressors on the side of the house.

In the Boston area, planting can take place right up until mid-November. Kristian left room for a lawn off the back deck, then planted Norway maple and Hydrangea Quercifolia (Oak-leafed Hydrangea with huge white blossoms) for privacy in front of the rear latticework fence.
Part 2: Reviewing the Home's High-Velocity Mini-Duct HVAC System
Part 3: Installing the White Oak Flooring
Part 4: Installing the Medicine Cabinet
Part 5: Encapsulating Lead Paint
Located just five miles from downtown Boston, Bob's scouts discovered a Victorian-era house in a neighborhood of family homes on tree-lined streets that was past due for a full-scale renovation.

The home's new owners, a work-at-home family, have set goals to modernize the home's floor plan, update the building's mechanical and electrical systems, and add home office and work spaces for two busy professionals.

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