Why are different soil types necessary to sustain project landscaping?
Soil content and layering for the North End Project has been engineered to maximize the lifespan of trees and shrubs given the site’s dense urban context. The deepest soil layer consists of six inches of porous sand spread over the landscape underdrain structure. The middle planting layer, where the bulk of root systems will be located, will consist of a mix of soil and sand that will prevent soil from compacting and thereby facilitate healthy root growth. The top layer will consist of approximately six to twelve inches of organically rich soil that will percolate down through the tree root systems and provide them with valuable nutrients. Each autumn, when leaves fall to the tree pits and playground, organic matter will again replenish the topsoil on an annual basis.
