By Hershel George. Photos by N. Bower

Nov. 4, 2026: For years the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) and the Village of Bronxville have wrestled with ways to improve the look and maintenance of the steep hillsides that flank Pondfield Road by the railroad overpass. Recently, a test renovation was completed on the southeast hillside that will guide the landscaping of the remaining three slopes in 2027.  

The team effort by the Bronxville Village Department of Public Works (DPW) and the BBC began when Village Administrator Jim Palmer, Hershell George from the BBC, and Victor Lema and Gus Joaquim from the DPW met on site to discussed the possibilities for the hillsides. On the spot Gus Joaquim used AI to create an image of what the hill could look like using boulders and perennials. This was presented by Jim Palmer to the Mayor and Village Trustees, and approval was given to do one hillside as a test. BBC Board member Amy Brown along with Hershell George lent their expertise to the project, working side-by-side with the DPW on the selection of materials and placement.

Large boulders were chosen from the common Eastchester town yard and transported by the DPW (no small feat!) to the site. Then the team decided on positioning and dug them into the hillside to create a naturalistic setting for the plant material. Rhododendrons, low-spreading juniper and perennials were added, always using native species when possible. Finally, 300 new daffodil bulbs were planted, joining the ones already there, after all, what would these hillsides be without the spring daffodil show! Then a thick layer of mulch was added.

This new naturalistic landscape will be much easier to weed and maintain than the former ones and should add to the beauty of the Village for years to come.