Landscaping in Lakeville, MA

Lakeville is defined by water. Assawompset, Long Pond, Great Quittacas and Little Quittacas cover a substantial share of the town, and together they supply drinking water to New Bedford and Taunton.

That last point matters more here than anywhere else we work. Landscaping practice near a public water supply has to be conservative, and we treat it that way.

The pond system in Lakeville is a drinking water source, which makes fertilizer practice a genuine responsibility rather than a preference. Near the shoreline we use no phosphorus at all, keep nitrogen rates modest and slow-release, and hold applications well back from the water.

Buffer plantings are the single most useful thing a Lakeville waterfront owner can install. A band of native shrubs and perennials between lawn and shoreline intercepts runoff before it reaches the pond, holds the bank against wave action, and needs essentially no maintenance once established. Sweet pepperbush, winterberry, and native ferns all thrive in that zone.

Away from the ponds, the soil is the sandy acidic outwash common through this part of the county — droughty in summer, low in nutrients, and in permanent need of lime. Compost topdressing after annual aeration is the highest-value thing most Lakeville lawns can get.

Wetlands buffer regulation is extensive given the amount of protected shoreline. Grading, drainage outlets and new hardscape near the ponds may require Conservation Commission review, and we check before quoting.

Lots here are generous and often wooded at the edges, so fall cleanups are real work. Route 105, Route 79 and the Route 495 access make the town straightforward for us to reach on a fixed weekly day.

Lakeville's Route 495 access makes it straightforward for us to reach on a fixed day, and it is close enough to the shop that project crews can start early and stay late without losing time to travel. That matters most on multi-day work like hardscape or a lawn installation.