or the past 15 years Garden Services has specialized in the creation of handcrafted hardscapes, using traditional materials such as antique brick, slate and Belgian block cobblestones. This pallette of older materials works harmoniously to enhance the various styles of 19th and early 20th century rowhouse architecture found in Manhattan and Brooklyn.*** Keeping those older styles in mind, we've managed to strike a balance between our client's 21st century needs and the history of the space. We've created elegant gardens for dining, play, relaxing and entertaining with, courtyards,*** water features,*** paths, ***BBQ's, dry walls,*** borders, raised-beds,*** planters, ***stairs*** and walls.*** Due to our emphasis on historical context, our gardens all appear as if they were installed when the houses were first built.***

As the Romans, Peruvians and other ancient cultures that left behind great mortarless monuments, my firm specializes in free draining patios using cement only when building up, when the natural supports of a dirt berm or a drywall is not an option.*** Please be aware that with the passage of time and the elements, some antique bricks and slate will need fine tuning or even replacement in the event of cracking. For this reason we recommend you keep a small supply in your basement for future repairs which is a normal part of the settling process over the lifetime of your hardscape.***

Stone Cutters, Masons and the Stoneyard
Many of our projects call for a skilled stonecutter who can weave patio joints close together with a power saw, as per our design and your tastes. ***For larger, custom cut pieces we order from a variety of sources, in some cases directly from the quarry. *** Our stonemason, Andrew Phillips, has a stoneyard in Prospect Heights where you can easily see a wide variety of stone normally only on view in upstate quarries and stoneyards. *** We use only the finest quarrystone, slate and fieldstone which is hand selected and delivered to your site by Phillips.
 
 
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Solving Drainage Problems
Our patios are constructed with a deep sand and gravel foundation that quickly absorbs run-off. *** Cement grouting on the other hand, forces water to seek the next available crevice, most often your basement. ***More cement = less drainage. Mortarless hardscaping = good drainage. If you have the correct balance of inclined levels, sand/dirt grouting and open garden beds, a complicated and expensive plumbing infastructure is not necessary. Our final grout is a sand/dirt mix that allows for free drainage and moss growth, the latter we can encourage with buttermilk treatments. ***Beware that brick patios don't become over-mossed, which can lead to slippery situations. You may also consider growing hardy herbs, between the seams, such as thyme, which when stepped on releases its fragrance.***
   
 
Walls That Look Like They Belong!
Over the years we've developed a few mortaring techniques to minimise and in some case hide completely cement work that is required for vertical projects that do not have berm or wide stone support. *** Some of our clients are fortunate enough to have the space for a nice, wide, "New England stonewall". If that's not you, but you want a natural look my firm has specialized in reinforced hidden concrete work that would fool even a chipmunk. ***In addition, if the client so requires we can place exposed mortarwork in a less visible position and dye it for a subtler look and feel.
Waterproofing
Before any major hardscaping is undertaken against the foundation of your home, an inspection of the basement is always recommended to detect leakage, water damage etc. The advice of your plumber might be necessary if we find problems with your drain pipes that might interfere with our work. We've had great success with re-pointing and waterproofing the outside foundation of basements using special cement and flashing.
Water Features
A water feature, using a variety of natural materials, will integrate beautifully in your garden. Worried about the kids? Often our clients will install "sandpits" that will later be filled with water when the kids are older and can swim! Keep in mind that you need five or six hours of sunlight in the pool if you plan to install fish and plants. Otherwise an aspirator pump will do the trick — think giant fishtank. It might be preferable to think giant fountain, instead leaving the fish and their care to the botanic gardens.

A final note: My role as a garden designer often includes that of a mason, architectural historian, engineer and structuralist! Keep in mind that architects(even those who've studied landscaping) are not gardeners and contractors who often offer to "toss in" a patio are not designers. The results of using either of these two options often results in over built, insensitive structures that forget style, balance and the true stars of the garden — the plants.