By Kyra Breslin | Photographs by Justin Kaneps for WSJ

Landscaping vehicles seemed to line every driveway of East Hampton, N.Y., on an overcast April morning. Uniformed men trimmed and pruned, preparing properties for the coming season. For most Hamptonites, a vibrant green lawn by Memorial Day is nonnegotiable.

Tony Piazza, a landscape designer and founder of Piazza Horticultural in Southampton, surveyed the clover-filled lawn of longtime client David Andrew Trust, a director at a brand marketing firm. His whimsical, colonial East Hampton property -- estimated to be worth nearly $8.8 million by Zillow -- is steps from the ocean. Piazza points to a patch of petals that look like buttercup called Lesser Celandine. "People freak out about it," he said of the weed. "Even with chemicals, it's impossible to control. Let's just lean into it. It's actually kind of pretty."

In the Hamptons, where manicured lawns are status symbols, the traditional image is threatening the environment. Nutrient runoff from landscaping fertilizers fuels toxic algae blooms across the region's 247 square miles of surface water and 453 miles of shoreline. Bob DeLuca, president of the nonprofit Group for the East End, notes that many bodies of water have limited or no tidal flushing, trapping contaminants and killing off marine life. DeLuca says the Hamptons are especially vulnerable due to Long Island's porous soils and rampant overdevelopment. Impervious surfaces accelerate contaminated stormwater runoff.

Chris Gobler, chair of coastal ecology and conservation at Stony Brook University, said that last summer, dogs got sick in Mecox Bay. In 2015, a nitrogen-fueled bloom caused a major fish kill in Riverhead. In 2012, a dog died after drinking from polluted Georgica Pond.

Despite the damage caused by conventional landscaping practices and fertilizers, many Hamptons residents still prize the traditional aesthetic. Designers like Piazza are trying to drive a shift to a more natural, safer way to do lawns.

The American lawn obsession dates back to the 1920s when corporations like Scotts marketed products like Turf Builder, designed to link pristine lawns with masculinity, and later with names like "Family" and "Play," according to Ted Steinberg, author of "American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn."

"It's supposed to convey to the neighbors that you're an upstanding citizen," said Steinberg.

Today, Hamptons homeowners often fertilize before the ground can absorb treatments and overspray for ticks and mosquitoes, says Piazza. Fertilizers used in landscaping and agriculture contribute up to 25% of the nitrogen pollution fueling harmful algae blooms -- second only to septic systems, says Joyce Novak of the Peconic Estuary Partnership, an environmental protection organization.

Towns such as East Hampton have created water quality initiatives funded by real-estate transfer taxes, allocating 20% to projects like bioswales and rain gardens to capture toxic runoff. Within the next month, East Hampton will codify its ban on pesticides or herbicides on municipal properties. Suffolk County prohibits fertilizer use from Nov. 1 to April 1.

Still, water quality improvement is slow, as measured by state and county regulators and academic researchers like The Gobler Laboratory, which monitors local waters. Though landscaping chemicals aren't the sole offender, DeLuca likens the cumulative harm of homeowners' landscaping chemicals to death by a thousand cuts.

Piazza's natural approach is becoming more popular locally. He says his clientele and maintenance revenue have climbed over 20% annually since 2017. His firm was recently acquired by landscaping company Whitmores. Though a handful of luxury, nature-based landscapers now operate in the Hamptons -- along with about 10 landscape designers and architects -- Piazza is a pioneer.

When he founded his firm in 1998 -- now employing 45 people -- he said he initially caved to client pressure for chemically maintained aesthetics. But in 2013, landscape architect Edwina von Gal invited him to collaborate on a toxin-free project on Lily Pond Lane, which became a turning point.

Nature-based landscaping varies in design and cost but follows the same basic principle: restoring ecological balance with minimal intervention.

Piazza's projects typically begin with meticulous soil remediation, which can cost up to $150,000; invasive species removal, the labor for which costs up to $10,000; and irrigation and drainage systems. His team then plants natives and clover to fertilize the grass naturally and builds compost stations. Maintenance costs for his clients range, for example, from $60,000 annually for a property just shy of an acre, $175,000 annually for a 5-acre property and $1.2 million annually for a 2-acre property, says Piazza.

By contrast, traditional landscaping costs are generally lower but can escalate. Maureen Donohue, a restaurant owner, spends over $2,000 per season on fertilizers, fungicides and pest control for her 2,984-square-foot Hampton Bays home on 0.46 acres, valued at about $1.4 million according to Zillow. Amy Knepper estimates it could cost up to $30,000 seasonally to maintain her five-bedroom Montauk estate on 0.96 acres, estimated to be worth nearly $5 million by Zillow. Piazza knows homeowners who spend over $1 million annually on frequent hedge trimming, tree clipping into specific shapes, and having the entire property swept clean.

While synthetic chemical treatments are generally less expensive per application, they may also require more frequent use, causing plants to become dependent on them, says Mariah Whitmore, CEO of Whitmores. A nature-based approach, in contrast, involves higher upfront costs and long-term commitment.

When landscapes bloom on nature's timeline, Piazza says there is vitality. "It's alive from the soil microorganisms right up to the trees, " he said. The grass is softer, and the nibbled leaves signal a healthy insect life that radiates a personality that is absent in chemically treated landscapes. "It's different for each client," Piazza said. "It's more of a feeling."

The vitality is a paradise for photographer Inez van Lamsweerde. At her 5.4-acre Water Mill estate -- designed and maintained by Piazza with Edwina von Gal for over a decade -- lush moss gardens and pots of citrus, fig and olive trees frame the 4,103-square-foot home, worth an estimated $4.6 million, according to Zillow. Van Lamsweerde says she values the barefoot-friendly grounds and the wildlife that make the property "magic." "We take our cues from nature instead of fighting it," she said.

More homeowners are embracing the natural landscaping trend. Wild Ones, a nonprofit organization that helps homeowners adopt nature-based landscaping, has seen 300% growth since 2021 for its Native Garden Design Program, said education coordinator Sara Ressing.

Vanessa Gordon, publisher of a local magazine, manages her own 2,000-square-foot East Hampton property, estimated by Zillow to be worth about $1.7 million, to save on costs. She lets leaves and branches fall on her 0.9-acre lot to protect the lawn during winter. She accepts a slightly less vibrant yard compared with chemically maintained neighbors. "People don't realize what it entails to maintain these properties," Gordon said, adding that she once spent $15,000 on traditional landscaping that lasted only one season.

Still, traditional aesthetics dominate in the Hamptons.

For many, chemical treatments offer efficiency and predictability. "Let me just spray a weed killer and be done," said Donohue. "Most people work 60 to 80 hours a week," she added. "I want instant gratification when I get home after working hard. I want everything to look pretty."

Knepper uses traditional methods to keep her lawn green and bug-free, chemically treating for ticks and mosquitoes. "The whole point of a beach house is to sit outside and not be eaten," she said. While mindful of the impacts, she wants to "live and enjoy" her home.

Another factor that makes natural landscaping a tough sell, says Piazza, is that the process of switching from chemical to a more organic approach means gardens and lawns may go through "withdrawal" early on, requiring patience. "If there's a tree that's been in the ground for 10 years and it's had irrigation for those 10 years, the roots aren't deeply rooted because it's been given everything it needs on demand," he said. "When you stop that, they go into a little bit of a tailspin."

Seasonal absenteeism also shapes homeowners' choices. "They want just to show up and know that their house is maintained," says Merry Warner, founder of traditional landscape firm Mother Earth Design. "The hot tub is ready. The barbecue grill has gas in it. The grass is green. There are no brown spots."

Elizabeth A. Linker, owner of Hedges & Gardens, says that making the switch would mean reducing the pool of potential clients. Her clients typically spend up to $20,000 per season, and while she would like to go fully chemical-free, it isn't realistic. "This is my business, and I have 10 employees I need to pay," she says, noting that one client fired her last summer after she put clover in their lawn.

While not every homeowner can afford a $100,000 nature-based overhaul with Piazza, small steps can reduce chemical use. Piazza recommends swapping high-maintenance plants for natives or trimming your lawn a little higher, which can aid soil health and reduce fertilizer needs.

Whitmore hopes to guide clients gradually. "Maybe it's saying, 'I don't use this section of lawn; let's change it over,' " she said. Or, " 'I'm not going to use a synthetic fertilizer. I'm going to use compost.' "

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 15, 2025 11:11 ET (15:11 GMT)

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