How we manage leaves is one of the most financially wasteful and environmentally harmful landscape practices common to our area. The good news is that an ecological approach to leaf management can be embraced by fiscal conservatives and passionate environmentalists alike. So, what is a better way to manage leaves? The answer is the ‘Love ‘em and Leave ‘em’ approach …
Design Elements for Outdoor Living Spaces You Will Love
As much fun as it can be to work in the garden, we ultimately want to make it an enjoyable place to use. Think of your landscape as an extension of the home and you may quickly identify opportunities to create outdoor living spaces such as kitchens, dining areas, and play rooms. All of these rooms have a few things …
What to Know When Working With a Professional Landscape Designer
Working with a professional landscape designer can be a very rewarding experience. Professional designers can turn your dreams and ideas into reality and may help you avoid costly mistakes in the process. They consider the site, seasonal changes, plant requirements, spacing, wildlife, and your vision, and put it all on paper. A landscape designer is a professional who can dream …
Easy Ways to Attract Birds to your Yard
Did you ever wonder, why birds returning to our area each spring bring joy and hope to people of all ages? Maybe it is their hustle and bustle of activity as the weather warms. Or maybe it is the beauty and apparent fragility of these tiny creatures. Or maybe it is that they sing. Henry David Thoreau wrote of the …
Water Your Garden the Right Way For Healthy Plants
Of all the advice we offer as landscape professionals, at the top of the list is ‘Right plant, right place”. Appropriate design and plant selection ensures your gardens will be lush and full most of the year, regardless of the weather. However, even well designed gardens need supplemental watering, especially during the first two years after planting, or the establishment …
Why You Should Love Bugs in Your Backyard
Many people are aware of the threats to Monarch Butterflies and honeybees, yet they do not like other bugs. While these pollinators are very important, maybe we should start looking at ecosystems as a whole. Several recent studies have measured insect populations, and they have yielded some alarming results. Overall, it appears that worldwide insect populations have dropped as much as …
Great Tasting, Edible Plants for Your Landscape
You probably know that local produce is fresher and tastier, better for the local economy, and uses less resources in transportation than produce from farther away. But did you know it can be easy to grow your own? To add edible plants to your yard, read on. Some of the ways may surprise you! Add Edible Plants With Trees One …
Choose These Beautiful Native Spring Plants Instead of Traditional Bulbs
Most people love spring bulbs. Daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips planted in the fall reward gardeners who plan ahead with some of the first blooms of spring. However, none of these plants are native to North America. So add some of these native plants to your garden and celebrate the excitement of spring while benefiting nature! Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginiana) A …
How to Buy the Best Plants for Your Garden
Now that spring is here it seems like potted plants are everywhere. Grocery stores, big box stores, and produce stands all have plant displays to entice you into buying. If you find it difficult to resist, follow these guidelines on how to buy plants to make the best purchases. Basic Plant Buying Guidelines Rule number one is, do not buy …
Save Time with Tips from Garden Pros
Professional gardeners have developed many time saving hacks to get the most out of their efforts. Use these tips to help you work smarter, not harder, towards a beautiful, well-kept, and healthy garden. Use the Right Tool Good hand tools are a gardener’s best friend. For example, high-quality pruners last for years and make pruning much easier than using dull …