Make money with trees over time with this hedge-organized space for growing and selling trees within neighborhoods.
Photo © Erin Kelly, Lambert, Rotherstien & Associates
The Hedge Fund lot design creates organized spaces for growing trees that can later be sold and transplanted to another site. This is well-suited for those who would like to have a hands-on approach to both maintaining and potentially selling trees.
This lot design takes advantage of land available to increase tree production activity in Detroit, while considering the full season visual and spatial impact of scattered, neighborhood-based tree nurseries.
The mix of hedges and tree planting areas create clean edges, pathways for maintenance and preserves views through the lot. This is a lot design that work well over multiple lots if time and resources permit. If you enjoy plant maintenance and are interested in the potential of working with the land to make a bit of profit, the Hedge Fund is for you!
Ideal Location: Residential or commercial side lot in full sun to part sun.
The Hedge Fund is a higher priced lot design, but may also generate revenue. The price is estimated based on the cost of planting 1.5 inch in diameter trees and utilizing volunteer labor. The larger the tree, the more expensive it is. Buying smaller trees and shrubs can reduce the cost even further—however using younger trees and shrubs will delay the accrual of benefits this lot design offers. In addition to the shrubs, trees and seeding, lot owners can anticipate the cost of all the associated maintenance. The Field Guide encourages folks to purchase small trees for this lot design, as one of the primary materials needed to make the Hedge Fund is time.
Trees provide multiple benefits to every neighborhood, including their ability to soak up water during storm events. With time, the benefits of planting a tree only increase. The benefits of the Hedge Fund are twice as nice on a commercial lot due to DWSD’s current drainage charge practices.
The age of your trees will impact visibility on your lot; younger trees are shorter and thinner and will preserve clear and visible areas. Broad pathways for maintenance purposes contribute to the visual access of this lot design.
If you follow the design specifications, the tree and shrubs are located to ensure that basement root intrusion, and potential falling hazards do not occur, and that the City’s plan review requirements are followed. Unmaintained trees create a hazard to neighboring structures. We recommend working with a certified arborist as your trees mature. Please note the trees on the plan are shown at a mature spread.
Photo © Detroit Future City
Photo © Detroit Future City
If you’ve completed your research, selected your species and your lot is ready for design installation, construction on your Hedge Fund should take one weekend. Developing a business plan and considering the most desirable trees for your nursery will take more time than the actual construction. Other than this intellectual preparation, the most strenuous activity will be removing any existing vegetation from the planting beds and your lot pathways, and digging the proper holes to plant your plants. Installing the Hedge Fund will make for a fun and rewarding weekend with your friends, family or neighbors. The construction process should not require professional assistance if you, with the help and support of others, would like to build this design. Please refer to the Step-By-Step section for guidance. The installation process for the Hedge Fund does not require any special, mechanized equipment. The Field Guide recommends having access to a car or vehicle for transporting your plants as part of this design. Always hire a professional if you are not up for the challenge, but remember, this will increase your costs.
Maintenance on the Hedge Fund is a way of protecting your investment in this lot. If you are not prepared to participate in the close observation of your trees and the multi-seasonal maintenance requirements, this might not be the best lot design for you right now. A commitment to the regular monitoring of the trees and plants is needed to ensure the health and proper form of these plants that are being grown for profit. Maintenance will include watering plants, particularly during times of drought or excess heat, trimming trees and shrubs and regular inspection of your plants as they mature.
