The team at Peer Arboricultural Services of Hopkinton includes (from left) Dan VanLeuvan, founder Kevin Narbonne and Patrick Boyle, whose passion for tree care and commitment to service have helped build the company’s strong local reputation.

Property owners quickly realize their landscaping can be affected by countless variables — too much or too little rain, a bitterly cold winter or a scorching hot summer. Working with Peer Abroricultural Services in Hopkinton, a company that assesses the health of plantings, manages and prevents disease and provides long-term installations, can make all the difference.

“Hiring a professional who has to maintain their credentials through continuing education is the best way to deal with location conditions,” said Peer founder Kevin Narbonne. “We are always learning what is happening to plants in our area, why it is happening and how to best manage the changes.”

A Massachusetts certified arborist, Narbonne earned his bachelor’s from the UMass Amherst Stockbridge School of Agriculture. In 1996, he began his career working at a nursery before moving onto a Metrowest employee-owned tree company. He started Peer Arboricultural in his hometown of Hopkinton in 2021.

Narbonne noted that there was extreme damage caused to plants by last year’s dry and humid summer.

“This year we had a normal snowy, cold New England winter, but plants weren’t prepared for it because of our summer weather,” said Narbonne. “The lack of soil moisture has put more plants under stress. A lot of evergreen shrubs and trees are not waking up like they normally do.”

He added the weather also resulted in more animal damage to trees and shrubs. “There are a lot more critters, especially rabbits, gnawing at plant stems looking for water and nutrients,” said Narbonne.

Faced with damaged plants, Narbonne said the best thing a property owner can do is call in a professional. “We will assess the property and plants to see what to do. We can use mild deterrents to repel animals. We can also apply specific fertilizers and watering methods to strengthen a plant if the damage is not extensive,” he said, noting that Peer Arboricultural offers free estimates of its work.

But sometimes a plant has to be replaced with something more suited to the specific conditions of the property. Narbonne noted one client had English boxwoods in her front yard that had been severely damaged by the weather extremes. She hoped the plants could be pruned or replaced with other boxwoods on her property.

“But just like in real estate, for plants it is location, location, location. If the microclimate in her yard was killing that species, pruning or replanting the same shrubs was not going to work,” said Narbonne. “Instead, after a discussion, she decided to install Green Mountain boxwoods from Vermont, which do better locally.” He noted native plants like spicebush or Clethra often do better because they thrive in local conditions.

Besides the knowledge Peer Arboricultural brings to landscape design and maintenance, the company actively partners with clients. “We make sure we understand everyone’s priorities and how to best proceed with our work so a landscape will last for generations,” said Narbonne.

Anyone interested in more information about Peer Arboricultural’s array of landscape services can visit Peerarboricultural.com, email info@peerarboricultural.com or call 781-801-3576.

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