Landscape Details
Trees along both sides of State Street should be selected for a moderately large ultimate canopy, high branching clearance, and moderate foliage density allowing filtered sunlight to reach the sidewalk and building facades.
A limited number of varieties should be used to create a consistent visual character.
Groupings of a single variety should be planted. Appropriate trees for this application are northern red oak and thornless seedless honeylocust.
Ashes, lindens and maples should be avoided.
Primary trees located in Meriden Green and along street frontages at the Green should have a large ultimate canopy to provide adequate shade for public events.
Consistency of type is less important than along State Street, but consistency in spacing, form and ultimate size is crucial.
Appropriate trees for Meriden Green include red maple, sugar maple, American linden, white ash, and red oak.
Vegetation in median islands proposed for Camp Street and State Street must be able to survive adverse growing conditions common to medians.
Additionally, driver visibility and maintenance needs must be considered. Trees in these median islands must have a small ultimate size, although larger types with an upright growth habit are appropriate as well.
Tree form serviceberry, hornbeam, and Armstrong maple are suitable types. Salt-tolerant shrubs should be used in median islands where visibility is not a concern.
Some appropriate shrubs are inkberry, arrowwood viburnum, chokeberry and dogwood.
To facilitate holiday lighting, electrical outlets should be provided within the medians.
Drip irrigation and subsurface drainage will help ensure successful establishment and maintenance of median plantings.
Site furnishings such as trash receptacles, bollards, bike racks, benches, planters should have a consistent design vocabulary throughout and be finished in a dark color to recede visually.
Natural stone walls, planters and accents should be incorporated throughout the site to reinforce a New England vernacular.
