Earth & Stone LLC

Harwich's Conservation Commission enforces the Wetlands Protection Act and a local bylaw, and the Nantucket Sound shore, the many kettle ponds, the Herring River, salt marsh, and coastal banks carry a 100-foot buffer with a strict no-disturb inner zone — so a large share of lots fall under conservation review, and most pond- or shore-adjacent work needs an Order of Conditions. Title 5 septic and nutrient rules tied to ponds and estuaries can affect grading and plantings. Public shade trees are protected under state law. Retaining walls and seawalls over four feet need a building permit and engineering, and pools, grading, and stormwater work require permits.

Harwich pricing runs high, typical of the Cape, with strong seasonal demand. Weekly mowing typically runs $50-90; spring cleanup $300-850; fall cleanup $350-1,100. Bark mulch installed runs roughly $90-145 per yard. Irrigation — near-universal given sandy soil — typically lands $5,500-10,000. Stone or paver patios and walls run $12-20K. Full design-build with drought-tolerant plantings, irrigation, and hardscape usually lands $30K-110K, with pond-front and sound-front estate work climbing higher once conservation review is factored in.

Massachusetts requires a written contract and a Home Improvement Contractor registration for most residential landscaping work; ask for the registration number and check it before paying a deposit.

More on permits, costs, rebates and common questions, plus every other landscaping contractor serving the town, on the Landscaping in Harwich page.