We are in the process of renovating our Mom’s two side yards. Right now, we are working on the side along the wall of the garage. It’s been a process, with removing old shrubs, and relocated/reusing others. Even though it’s been a lot of work, it is exciting to see the improvements that the renovation […]
We have seen this plant installation a number of times, and it is unfortunate, because landscape plants aren’t cheap, and this tree’s enhancement to the yard could have been so effective in the right location. Some homeowners may take a liking to a certain landscape plant at the garden center and buy it without giving […]
Yes, it’s that ‘back to school’ time of year, almost the end of summer. I don’t know about you, but I don’t let go of summer so easily. Really, the weather is still great and there’s so much outdoor living to do yet. I like summer so much that I like to use its […]
When we see steps that were constructed at the very edge of a walk or driveway, when there was ample room to move the steps back away from these objects, it is puzzling to us. In fact, as landscape (outdoor) architects, it is a pet peeve of ours! If you can’t picture what we […]
We think that one of the first impressions people have of someone’s home can come from the entry way leading to the front door. A homeowner may think they’re out of luck in ever being able to build an attractive and inviting entry design to their home if their front yard is on a slope. […]
It’s amazing what a simple thing like edging can do for the appearance of your lawn. It had been a while since any edging had been done to our mom’s lawn, and it was in desperate need of edging to give it those crisp clean lines you see on manicured lawns. The string line of […]
Are you looking for a patriotic wreath idea to decorate your front door with for the 4th of July holiday celebrations? This welcoming wreath has it all – Red, White, and Blue, stars, stripes, and sparkle! Our wreath got it’s’ Fireworks’ name after the sparkley star spray was made – it reminded us of fireworks […]
A wood porch can add such architectural character to a house, and present great opportunities for adding detailing to your home. Porches, being at a higher elevation than the surrounding grade, use masonry piers or wood posts to support the structural framing for the raised wood porch (ledger boards are used also, but they typically […]
Not to get all architect-y, but being landscape architects, we like obsessing over the details in some older designs – beauty is in the details – really! It’s those details that added so much to a person’s everyday surroundings in the past, and are missing so often from life today. If you can remember […]
You know what an arbor looks like. You know what a pergola looks like. Have you ever noticed those beautiful, intricate patterns and scrolls that are cut into the ends of the uppermost boards? These patterns, or designs, really add a layer of gorgeous detailing to the arbor or pergola. Sometimes, these little craftsman […]
