Retaining Walls
Stone, concrete block or poured concrete, engineered to stop erosion and reclaim sloped yards. From 80-foot structural walls to decorative garden borders, planned start to finish in CAD.
Free estimate
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts · Since 1998
The landscape you deserve and desire.
Patios, walkways, retaining walls, pool decks, ponds and plantings. Designed on paper first, then built by the owner and his crew. Serving Western Mass and Northern Connecticut for twenty-eight years.
Pictured: paver pool deck with natural stone spa surround, one of our recent builds
5.0 on Google22 reviews, all five stars
A+ BBB ratingHeld since 2003
Authorized Unilock ContractorFor over 20 years
ICPI memberCertified paver installation
The company
Environmental Design and Landscaping is a small design-and-build firm run by Tom Baurle, trained at UMass and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and on site at every job since 1998.
Created in 1998 to give homeowners a creative landscape design and build service, we use our knowledge of plant material to put the best-suited plants in the right places, so your landscape stays healthy and flourishes for years to come. An Authorized Unilock Contractor for over 20 years, an ICPI member for over 10, and A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau since 2003 as well as on Angi. The person who draws your plan is the person who builds it, and consultations are always no-cost.
1998Founded
100sProjects built
5 yrCraftsmanship warranty
$0Consultations
Services
What we design and build
Landscaping and hardscaping across the Springfield, MA and Hartford, CT areas. Every project starts with a computer-aided design, so you see the finished yard before we break ground.
Patios, Walkways & Steps
Outdoor living, done right. With over 20 years as an Authorized Unilock Contractor we design the hardscape of your dreams, from a small patio to a full outdoor kitchen, installed to ICPI specs.
Free estimatePonds & Water Features
Koi ponds, pondless waterfalls, fountains and waterwalls. We assist with every element of the design, installation and maintenance of your water feature.
Free estimateTree & Shrub Plantings
Knowing what will thrive in your landscape, and where to place it, matters. We account for climate, soil and what you hope to achieve with every new plant, tree or shrub.
Free estimateOutdoor Landscape Lighting
A custom lighting design that enhances your landscape and improves safety, so you and your family enjoy more time outdoors after dark.
Free estimateLandscape Design & Construction
A creative design and build service since 1998. We bring the vision you aspire to into reality, with the utmost attention to your existing conditions, personal taste and budget.
Free estimateRecent work
Built by us, photographed as-is
No stock photos here. Every project below was designed and installed by Tom and his crew for homeowners in our service area.
Why homeowners choose us
Trained on campus. Proven in your backyard.
Tom studied Landscape Design and Environmental Design at the University of Massachusetts and holds multiple degrees from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. The training shows in the parts you don't see: base preparation, drainage, plant placement. That's why the work still looks right ten years later.
Read through our reviews and the same phrases repeat: shows up when he says he will, works alongside his crew, on time, on budget.
- BBB Marketplace ExcellenceAward recognizing commitment to customers, employees and community
- ICPI member, 10+ yearsEvery paver installed to Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute spec
- Computer-aided designSee your project in Unilock's actual pavers and colors before we dig
- A+ on BBB & AngiBetter Business Bureau rating held since 2003, plus an A+ rating on Angi
- Owner on every siteThe person who designs your project is the person who builds it
Client testimonials
Every single review. Five stars.
Peace of mind
Backed twice, financed easily
The warranty
Every hardscape we build carries two layers of protection: our own guarantee on the workmanship, and the manufacturer's on the materials.
- Craftsmanship warranty on every hardscape5 years
- Unilock product warranty, transferable with your homeLifetime
- Installation standard on every paver projectICPI spec
The financing
Through our partnership with Unilock and EnerBank, your project doesn't have to wait for next season's budget.
- No payments or no interest1 year
- Extended plans5 yrs at 6.9%
- Consultation and estimateAlways free
Questions
Before you call
What areas do you serve?
We're based in East Longmeadow, MA and work across Springfield, Agawam, Chicopee, Wilbraham, Hampden, Feeding Hills, West Springfield and Northampton in Massachusetts, plus Hartford, West Hartford, Windsor Locks, Glastonbury, Somers, Enfield, Suffield, West Suffield and Granby in Connecticut, along with surrounding towns. Nearby? Call and ask.
How much does a paver patio or retaining wall cost?
Every property is different. Size, access, materials and grading all move the number, which is why the consultation and estimate are genuinely free: we walk the property, show you a computer-aided design, and give you a clear price before any work begins. Clients consistently describe our pricing as fair and our projects as on-budget.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. Through Unilock and EnerBank we can offer no payments or no interest for one year, or five-year plans at 6.9%. Ask during your consultation.
What credentials do you hold?
Authorized Unilock Contractor for over 20 years, ICPI member for over 10, and an A+ Better Business Bureau rating held since 2003. Tom trained in Landscape and Environmental Design at UMass and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.
What warranty comes with the work?
A 5-year warranty on our craftsmanship for every hardscape project, plus Unilock's lifetime warranty on its products. That one transfers with the home if you sell.
How do I get started?
Call (413) 525-3712 or email environmentaldesign@yahoo.com. We'll schedule a no-cost visit, listen to your ideas, and design the project in CAD so you see it finished before we break ground.
Service area
Western Massachusetts & Northern Connecticut
Massachusetts
- Springfield
- East Longmeadow
- Agawam
- Chicopee
- Wilbraham
- Hampden
- Feeding Hills
- West Springfield
- Northampton
- Longmeadow
Connecticut
- Hartford
- West Hartford
- Windsor Locks
- Glastonbury
- Somers
- Enfield
- Suffield
- West Suffield
- Granby
- Windsor
Don't see your town? We regularly work beyond this list. Call (413) 525-3712 and ask.
Free consultation · Free estimate
Let's walk your property.
Tell us what you're picturing. We'll listen, measure, and come back with a design you can see before you spend a dime.
Walls that hold their ground for decades, not seasons.
A retaining wall is a structure first and a design feature second. We build stone, concrete block and poured concrete walls engineered to stop erosion, manage drainage and reclaim sloped yards, from 80-foot structural walls to decorative garden borders. Every wall starts as a computer-aided design so you can see exactly what will be built before we break ground.
What separates a wall that lasts from one that leans is what you never see: excavation depth, compacted base, proper backfill and drainage. Tom trained in Landscape and Environmental Design at UMass and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and he is on site building alongside his crew on every wall.
- Segmental block, natural stone and poured concrete walls
- Wall removal and full rebuilds of failing DIY or aging walls
- Drainage design: gravel backfill, perforated pipe, grading
- Steps, caps, pillars and lighting integrated into the wall
- Projects around utility lines handled safely
More of what we build
See all projectsOutdoor living, built to ICPI specification.
From an intimate sitting patio to a full outdoor kitchen or pool surround, we design and install paver hardscapes that become the most-used room of the house. As an Authorized Unilock Contractor for over 20 years, we design your project in software built for Unilock's own pavers, colors and elements, so you approve the exact look before installation begins.
Every paver we set follows Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute specs: proper excavation, compacted structural base, screeded bedding and edge restraint. That is why our patios stay flat through New England winters. Our craftsmanship carries a 5-year warranty, and Unilock backs its products with a lifetime warranty that transfers with your home.
- Patios, outdoor kitchens, pool decks and fire pit areas
- Front entry walkways, garden paths and stoops
- Bluestone, natural stone and Unilock paver steps
- Borders, inlays and multi-texture designs
- Financing available through Unilock and EnerBank
More of what we build
See all projectsThe sound of running water, right outside your door.
Nothing changes the feel of a yard like moving water. We design and build custom ecosystem Koi ponds, pondless waterfalls, fountains and waterwalls, sized to your space and built as balanced, low-maintenance living systems, not just holes with liners.
Because a pond is a living ecosystem, plant selection, filtration, circulation and stone placement all matter. Our horticultural training means your water feature gets the right aquatic plants in the right zones, edges that look natural, and maintenance guidance so it stays clear season after season. We handle design, installation and ongoing maintenance.
- Custom Koi and ecosystem ponds
- Pondless waterfalls for smaller yards and safety
- Fountains, bubbling boulders and waterwalls
- Boulder edging, aquatic planting and lighting
- Seasonal maintenance, cleaning and repairs
More of what we build
See all projectsThe right plant, in the right place, for the next thirty years.
Plants fail when they are chosen for the garden center shelf instead of the yard they will live in. We select trees, shrubs and perennials matched to your soil, light, drainage and USDA zone, then place them where they will actually thrive, so your landscape gets better every year instead of needing replacement every other spring.
Tom holds multiple degrees in Landscape Design from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, and that plant knowledge is the difference between decoration and design: privacy screens that fill in evenly, foundation beds scaled to the house, and four-season interest instead of two good weeks in June.
- Shade and ornamental tree installation
- Evergreen privacy screens along fence lines
- Foundation plantings, perennial beds and borders
- Bed design with edging, soil amendment and mulch
- New-construction landscapes from bare lot to finished yard
More of what we build
See all projectsYour landscape, after dark.
You invested in your landscape; lighting is how you enjoy it past sunset. We design custom low-voltage lighting that highlights trees, walls and architecture, extends your evenings outdoors, and makes walkways, steps and entries safer for your family and guests.
Good lighting design is about restraint: warm fixtures placed where light should fall, not where fixtures show. We plan the design around how you use the yard at night, install energy-efficient LED systems, and integrate lighting into hardscape projects like steps and wall caps as they are built.
- Uplighting for trees and architectural features
- Path, step and driveway lighting for safety
- Patio, pergola and outdoor-kitchen lighting
- Low-voltage LED systems with timers
- Lighting integrated into new hardscape builds
More of what we build
See all projectsOne firm from first sketch to final stone.
Since 1998, Environmental Design and Landscaping has offered homeowners a complete design-and-build service: one firm responsible for the plan, the budget, the construction and the result. We bring the vision you aspire to into reality with the utmost attention to your existing conditions, personal taste and budget.
The process is simple. We walk your property and listen. We produce a computer-aided design you can react to, revise and approve. Then Tom and his crew build exactly what was drawn, on the schedule quoted, at the price quoted. That is why our reviews repeat the same phrases: on time, on budget, shows up when he says he will.
- Full-property master plans and phased projects
- Computer-aided design you approve before we dig
- Hardscape, plantings, water features and lighting under one roof
- Grading, drainage and lawn installation
- No-cost consultation and estimate to start
More of what we build
See all projectsThe portfolio
No stock photos here. Every project below was designed and installed by Tom and his crew for homeowners across Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. Click any category to learn how we build it.
Pool surround & walkways
Natural pond & perennial garden
Fire pit & circular paver patio
Privacy planting & bed installation
Low-voltage landscape lighting
Concrete block retaining wall
Koi pond & waterfall
Paver patio installation
Shade garden & hosta beds
Want to see your property on this page? The consultation and estimate are free.
Call (413) 525-3712