More and more frequently these days, landscape architects are using wood and wood products in landscape design. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is the natural beauty of wood which, no other material can replace.

But, there has been a problem with wood! That problem is deterioration – decay, insect attack, fire, vandalism and chemical or acid resistance.

Today, thanks to HWH, the U. S. affiliate of a Dutch timber company located in Montgomeryville, PA, a wood product that is resistant to the above-mentioned problems is on the market.

The wood is from the Ekki tree, grown in West Africa. According to Dave Harkens, Sr., of HWH, the Ekki trees are six feet in diameter and grow to a height of 180 feet. “With all the branching taking place at the top of the tree, that gives us a minimum of 80 feet of clear wood, with no knots at all, and knots are one of the major problems with most types of wood.”

The company, HWH, not only sells the Ekki wood, but also has engineering and design capabilities in order to work with landscape architects who are specifying the material. They also prefabricate special designs and ship them to their final destination to make installation easier and more successful.

Prefabricating panels and shipping them to the site is another answer and this was done for a boardwalk at Charleston Navy Yard near Boston, and another in Erie, Pennsylvania. The company also furnished panels for an outdoor performing arts stage in Little Rock, Arkansas.

This should be a good indication of what can be done with the many smaller bridges which now highlight both commercial and residential designs by landscape architects. It would also apply to decks and other wooden structures included in the design.

With a Class I fire rating, Ekki wood will withstand most vandalism and will also withstand water deterioration. In fact, in Panama, Ekki wood is used for “fender systems” to protect large ocean-going ships against the hazard of scraping against concrete docks.

Another case of the wood being used “in” water is at a Japanese Garden in Memphis, Tennessee where Ekki wood is used for submerged planters holding water lilies.

Whether it is ramps, decks, stairways, bridges – actually anything which is made of wood – Ekki seems to be the answer to longevity and stability. No chemical treatments are necessary for this extremely hard and dense wood and its use throughout the world has proven advantageous to the landscape designer when the beauty of wood and the resilience, which is the hallmark of Ekki, is important to the design and to the client. You can be assured that your design will be there for a long, long time!