If you are at a loss for outdoor or garden design ideas, a great way to get some inspiration is at a former private estate that has been donated to your local park system (check with your local/state park system). These estates were once privately owned and well-cared for properties (house and grounds). While each […]
Is it true? A flower can make you happy? Can lift your mood and reduce your stress? The happiness and enjoyment flowers can bring to our lives is something we all need with our never ending to-do lists and schedules of places to be. I think one of the most exciting times of the year […]
If you are planning for some type of outdoor entertaining area with a formal setting, you may be wondering what plants would be used in such a setting. There are indeed specific plants that have traditionally been used for formal settings. Not only are there specific plants, but they are used in specific ways. […]
Do you know how to turn a shrub into a small multi-stemmed ‘tree’? Here’s a technique that many homeowners will find useful for certain shrubs that have gotten too big and outgrown their space. This just so happens to be the case with a Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) in my yard. It was probably […]
The Spirea is native to eastern Asia. Many types of Spirea fall into the old fashioned deciduous shrub category. These shrubs have graced the residential landscape with lovely springtime blossoms for over a century. The spirea shrub is a very nostalgic plant for us as it perhaps is for many people. It was in our […]
Learn about landscape plant hardiness zones to help you select trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and annuals for your outdoor spaces as you page through plant books and plant catalogs. What is Plant Hardiness? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the developing agency of the hardiness map. Basically, the hardiness of a plant refers […]
Every landscape plant has lots of unique features. Make a chart to organize the information for a quick reference for a landscape project, because there is a lot of information available on each plant regarding its characteristics, flower color, attributes, problems, and so on. There are literally thousands of different plants worldwide that the plant […]
Add certain plants to your outdoors that have special characteristic, such as colorful branches, fruit, shape, or interesting bark to enhance and add natural beauty to any winter landscape. You may be looking for a way to spice up your yard’s winter landscape. The lack of color, muted hues, and sometimes the biting cold temperatures […]
This is an arbor we designed as part of a residential project a number of years ago, and we thought it may help give a little inspiration to anyone who may be thinking of putting one in their own yard. This type of outdoor architectural structure can be used as a focal point, and to […]
When January and February roll around, many homeowners start to become concerned about the risk of water freezing in their house’s water lines. Protect Outdoor Hose Bibs from Freezing Temperatures Even outdoor faucets are at risk. Water that freezes inside the supply line to an outside wall-mounted hose bib can cause the pipe to […]
