Of all the many fantastic ways to enliven your landscape, few of them have quite as much impact as redesigning your flower beds. Details like the types of flowers you plant, what textures they have, when they bloom, what draws the eye, and even the overall shape of your bed can all have an impact on your curb appeal. Offered below are tips to improve your flower bed. Height Considerations Let's start the redesign by thinking about how far apart your plants will need to be and how high they … [Read more...]

When you think of lawn care, a few obvious choices come to mind. A lawn needs consistent mowing, watering, and fertilizing. And while those maintenance actions are necessary, there are more advanced lawn care methods, such as lawn aerating and overseeding, that will greatly benefit your lawn. Lawn Aerating Lawn aerating is a procedure where small holes are created in the lawn using a mechanical, liquid, or manual aerator. These holes allow air, water, and nutrients to enter directly into the … [Read more...]

If you own a home that is governed by a homeowners’ association (HOA), you know that they take their rules seriously. HOA’s are very strict about specific requirements they set for their community. By enforcing these rules, HOA’s are able to maintain a certain level of aesthetic for their communities. An HOA is the governing body that handles the management of a condominium, planned community, or gated community. Not all communities and condominiums have a homeowners’ association, but many … [Read more...]

Whether you're hosting a barbecue, sitting around the pool, or increasing security around your home, the right outdoor lighting is essential. Outdoor lighting can transform your front and back yards from basic to beautiful by adding a warm and welcoming aspect to your home's entrance and exterior spaces. Illumination provides the perfect landscape ambiance for an outdoor get-together, increases safety for your family, and creates focal points both on our home and in your landscape. In this post, … [Read more...]

The grass is the most important aspect of any healthy lawn. Maintaining your grass can be an arduous task, depending on which kind of the 12,000 species of grass you have. If you choose to have turfgrass installed on your lawn, there are two main classifications to keep in mind: warm season grass and cool season grass. The type of grass you choose depends largely on the climate in which you live, but for locations with varying temperatures (known as transition zones), choosing warm or cool … [Read more...]

Summer is here and you’re undoubtedly going to want to spend as much time outside as possible. Whether you’re gardening, hosting a barbecue, playing with your kids or simply relaxing on your porch, you may find that you want a bit more privacy from the outside summer noise. Instead of installing a costly fence, consider planting trees to help give your yard a more organic type of privacy. Below is a list of several trees you can easily plant in order to get the privacy you’re looking … [Read more...]

Reasons to plant and mulch every spring are in abundance. Mulching helps plants and trees hold in precious moisture. Spring planting adds color to your landscape for the season – or even longer – depending on what you choose to plant. Whether you plan to redesign your entire landscape or you’re just looking to maintain your existing one, a little work now will reap big rewards the rest of the year. Choosing the Right Mulch Before you apply mulch, you need to decide what variety you are going … [Read more...]

2017 looks like it’s going to be a tough year for bugs in Northern Virginia landscapes. Every gardener dreads dealing with bugs and other pests; it can be both time-consuming and expensive. The old adage, “the best medicine is prevention,” is also true for landscape pests, though. Following good gardening practices, encouraging natural predators, and frequently checking your plants can go a long way in avoiding pesky insect damage. Uncovering the Source of Your Pest Problem Once you have … [Read more...]

Whether you're a seasoned homeowner or a brand new one, winter is a great time to plan ahead and make a spring to-do list for your yard. There are activities you may tackle yourself, like raking and mowing, but others – like aerating and fertilizing - may require some professional help. Planning now will help you achieve the lush green lawn and beautiful garden beds you’ve always desired. 7 Ways to Prepare Your Lawn and Landscape for Spring 1. Inspect As soon as the snow has melted, it’s … [Read more...]