Category: Landscaping

How to Enhance Your Hardscapes

Calvin Davidson

A high-quality hardscaping project adds beauty to your property and increases its value. It also eliminates the need for traditional mowing, trimming and weeding.

Hardscapes

It is important that your hardscapes blend with their surroundings – this can be the natural world or the style of your home. Hardscapes Greensboro NC include patios, walkways, sitting walls, water features, fire pits and landscape lighting.

Whether made of concrete, brick pavers or flagstone, patios offer versatile outdoor living areas for relaxing and entertaining. They can be enhanced by incorporating seating walls, walkways and water features. Patios are ideal for homeowners that entertain frequently or want to expand the usable space of their landscapes.

Driveways are another hardscape element that can enhance the functionality of your home’s exterior. They provide a durable surface for parking vehicles and reduce maintenance work such as weed removal, mowing, and edging. They can also be incorporated into the design to define specific areas of your garden.

Retaining walls are a common feature that can be added to gardens to create planting areas or convert a sloped yard into usable space. They also provide the ability to install a deck or patio.

Other hardscape features include fire pits and outdoor lighting. These can be used to increase the entertainment possibilities of your outdoor spaces after the sun goes down and create a festive ambiance during winter gatherings.

It is important to balance hardscape and softscape elements so that they appear as one cohesive picture, rather than a disconnected series of features. A well-designed landscape can make all the difference in how you use your outdoor spaces, improve your home’s curb appeal and boost its resale value. Landscape professionals can help you determine the best hardscape options for your needs.

Walkways

As the name suggests, walkways are paths that connect your outdoor spaces. Paths are a crucial part of any landscape, offering an unchanging focal point that contrasts against all of the greenery. They can be designed from many different materials, but pavers are an excellent option. They are available in a range of colors and shapes, giving you the freedom to create a walkway that is as unique as your home.

In addition to aesthetics, well-designed hardscape walkways help to prevent slips and falls by directing pedestrian traffic on an even surface. They also protect bare soil from erosion and allow for a natural look in areas of high foot traffic. Moreover, they can be designed to include a variety of features, including tree grates, water-clearing trench drains, stormwater grates, detectable warning plates, bollards, lids and frames.

Depending on where your walkways are located, it is important to make sure they receive adequate sunlight. This will help to prevent the growth of mold, mildew and other fungus that can occur in damp or shaded areas.

A walkway can be created from a wide variety of materials, but flagstone and concrete pavers are popular choices. They are relatively inexpensive and are available in a number of colors, styles and patterns. Alternatively, gravel is a great choice for its durability and permeability. Decomposed granite (DG) is another affordable material that feels soft underfoot and can be combined with shrubs to create an attractive edging.

Retaining Walls

Retaining walls serve a functional purpose, keeping soil in place and preventing it from eroding. They can also be used to terrace a slope, creating an area for planting and improving the overall aesthetic of a landscape design. Retaining walls come in many different styles, from natural-looking structures made with large rounded rocks to those with a more modern feel and intricate stone veneers.

A hardscape can create a relaxing space for entertaining friends and family, a beautiful place to enjoy the flowers in your garden or simply a spot to relax with a book on a sunny day. By adding a patio or walkway, you will be able to extend the amount of time you can spend in your outdoor space.

Your hardscapes should always be paired with softscape features to create a balance in your landscape. Water features are an important part of a balanced design, as they can provide a cooling effect and add visual interest. They can also reduce the need for chemical-based lawn care, allowing you to enjoy your landscaping without the hassle of pesticides or fertilizers.

A well-designed hardscape can boost the curb appeal of your property and increase its resale value. By adding elements such as paths, seating areas, fire pits and landscape lighting to your yard, you will have a space that serves a variety of purposes, making it a comfortable and enjoyable place for everyone in the family.

Water Features

Adding water features like fountains and ponds adds a soothing, relaxing element to your landscape. A well-designed waterfall or koi pond is an artful addition to your yard that will also create a natural habitat for birds and aquatic life. Water features can also be made from a variety of materials and construction methods, from simple stone to more elaborate stonework and concrete, allowing for a wide range of styles that reflect the Upstate’s diverse cultural heritage.

The water feature can have any number of elements, such as dumping buckets, dancing water jets or waterfalls. The water can even be sent cascading down a rock wall, creating a dramatic, tropical feel to your pool.

From a water management perspective, hardscape features need to have some sort of drainage system. Since urban landscapes are covered in impervious surfaces that don’t absorb water, they require artificial ways to manage stormwater runoff. Failure to do so results in flooding, soil erosion and other environmental problems, including wet rot to wood elements, basement flooding, sinkholes, accelerated wear to driveways or sidewalks, and mosquito breeding.

The most common hardscapes include garden edging, steps and walkways, decking and patios, retaining walls, waterscapes, and fire pits. They are non-living parts of the landscape and can be built with a variety of materials such as pavers, stone, blocks and concrete. They can be complemented by a variety of softscapes, such as grass, shrubs, flowers and trees.

Outdoor Lighting

Adding outdoor lighting is an excellent way to extend the functional use of your hardscape features. Lights can brighten walkways for safer navigation, illuminate retaining walls and highlight water features or other points of interest to increase the beauty of your landscape after dark. Lights can also deter crime by illuminating dark areas of your property and help to keep your family safe from intruders. Choose from flood lights that switch on at night and are activated by motion sensors to a variety of wall pack lighting options for greater control.

A hardscape gazebo is an excellent way to enhance the value and beauty of your landscape while providing you with a private retreat or living area. Gazebos are great for relaxing, entertaining, meditation and yoga or simply a place to escape with a good book. Creating a gazebo out of the right materials ensures that your hardscape will stand up to the demands of the landscape and your family for years to come.

Hardscape materials like concrete, pavers, brick and natural stone each offer unique benefits and styles. It is important to take into account your project needs, location and budget when determining what material to select. For example, some materials are better suited to specific climates and require more maintenance than others. In addition, some hardscapes require special considerations for safety and installation, such as steps or retaining walls.

Fire Pits

A well-designed fire pit transforms a garden into an inviting living space. Families gather around it to roast marshmallows or adults enjoy cocktails and conversations into the evening. Choose a wood-burning model for a classic feel or opt for gas-fueled fire pits like those from Solo Stove and Outland that provide quick ignition and easy control. Fire pit accessories can include safety screens, covers and built-in seating.

Each of the smokeless fire pits we tested burns wood in a way that produces minimal visible emissions and heat. They also produce a good amount of radiant heat that helps keep people warm. Most have raised metal strips that act as a wood grate to increase initial airflow and prevent ash from burning. Our favorite, the Sunnydaze Cosmic Fire Pit, has a celestial moon and stars cutout around the fire bowl that shines when lit. It took the longest to assemble of all the pits we tested but did so with detailed and intuitive instructions. It also includes a mesh cover, short fire poker and a grate removal tool.

When choosing a fire pit, remember that wood smoke can cause irritation for those with asthma and other respiratory conditions. Also, local code may dictate where wood fire pits can be located or whether they are allowed at all. Check with your fire or building department to see what the requirements are for your area.

Lawn Care – Choosing the Right Lawn Care Company

Zach Livingston

A healthy lawn is key to curbing pests and weeds. Choosing the right lawn care company is essential, as well. Many reputable companies offer satisfaction guarantees to ensure that your lawn looks great. Contact Lawn Care Harrisburg PA now!

Watering deeply and at the right times is crucial to a lush, green lawn. Aerating breaks up a thick layer of organic matter known as thatch, allowing roots to breathe and improving water and nutrient penetration.

Lawn care may seem simple enough to do yourself, but it requires attention to detail for optimal results. Hiring a professional lawn maintenance business can save time and energy and prevent common mistakes that lead to unhealthy grass and an unsightly yard. A landscaper has the right tools to mow correctly, quickly, and thoroughly. They can also weed whack and clean up the trimmings for a crisp, pristine yard.

A good lawn starts with a well-designed sprinkler system that delivers the right amount of water. The best time of day to water is the early morning, which allows for maximum soil penetration and minimizes fungal problems. If grass doesn’t receive enough water, it will start to die.

Regular aeration promotes healthy soil, which reduces compaction and improves drainage. Aerating also encourages root growth, making it easier for grass to establish in bare spots and thicken up. If shady areas have trouble growing, lawn experts can sow shade-tolerant seeds and apply a weed killer.

Lawn care professionals know when to apply fungicides to control diseases like brown spot and summer patch. They can also prevent pests by creating a dense, healthy lawn that deters insects.

If you want your lawn to look professionally mowed, bend the grass blades in opposite directions when you mow. This creates the classic baseball field look, but you can also use a striping kit to achieve diagonal stripes, waves, or other shapes. Instead of bagging grass clippings, leave them on the ground to serve as a natural mulch. Avoid putting them in the trash, which takes up valuable landfill space and removes nutrients from the earth. If you need to dispose of them, shred leaves and shrubbery to make compost or a leaf mulch.

Watering

Grass needs to be watered often and thoroughly enough to promote deep root growth, but not so much that the soil becomes saturated or disease-prone. A lawn maintenance company will know how to balance the needs of your specific grass type, climate and soil conditions.

The best time to water is the early morning, when the sun hasn’t reached its peak and the temperature is still cool. This way, it’s less likely that the water will evaporate before the roots can absorb it. This is also the ideal time for applying liquid treatments like weed killer, since these products require moisture to be effective.

Avoid watering late at night, as this can lead to fungus problems. This is because droplets will cling to the grass throughout the night, and wet turf attracts lawn diseases and pests.

Performing a simple test can help determine if the lawn needs more water. Just step on the grass and if it springs back up, it’s wet enough; however, if it stays flat, it’s time for more watering.

Another important aspect of lawn maintenance is mulching. This is a layer of organic material that’s spread over landscape beds and under trees to help hold in moisture, block weeds and regulate soil temperatures. It’s a great way to keep the grass looking nice and promote healthy soil.

Finally, regular lawn care will include removing leaves and trimming trees and shrubs. This will prevent thatch buildup, which is the accumulation of dead and living grass tissue that can trap water and nutrients at the surface of the soil and inhibit the growth of the lawn’s roots. It’s recommended to perform this task once a week during the fall and spring, and every two weeks during the summer.

Fertilizing

Lawn care includes proper fertilization to promote strong grass growth that is dense and healthy. Fertilizing also helps to prevent damage from insects and weeds.

Most lawns need regular feeding to maintain good health. As a result, they must be fertilized three to six times per year. Fertilizers help to make the grass more resilient and able to withstand wear and tear from frequent mowing, kids’ sports games and weather events.

Many fertilizers are made to work during specific seasons, as well as for particular types of grass. For example, starter fertilizers are often designed with a higher percentage of phosphorus to encourage the root development of new grass. Some fertilizers also contain a pre-emergent herbicide or post-emergent herbicide to prevent or kill weeds such as crabgrass, clover and bindweed.

If you choose to apply fertilizer yourself, it’s important to read the label carefully and follow all instructions for application. This will help to ensure that the fertilizer is not applied too heavily, which can damage your lawn or soil. It’s also important to water the lawn after fertilizing. This rinses the fertilizer off of the grass blades and allows it to sink down into the soil where it can do its work.

Before you apply any fertilizer, it’s best to have your soil tested. This will tell you which nutrients are deficient and which ones the grass already has in abundance. There are at-home soil testing kits available, but professional tests done by a laboratory will provide the most accurate information. A soil test can also reveal if the lawn has any compaction problems that are impeding root development and hindering nutrient uptake.

Weeding

Weeds steal nutrients from your grass, so removing them is essential to having a healthy lawn. Ideally, you want to encourage the growth of desirable plants and crowd out any weeds that are growing. This can be done through a combination of organic and chemical treatments.

Organic weed control involves the use of natural materials like vinegar, salt, and baking soda to kill weeds. For more serious weed infestations, chemical treatments can be used. Some of the most common herbicides include glyphosate (Roundup), dicamba, and urea. These are nonselective herbicides that will kill a wide variety of plants, including your lawn grasses. Therefore, they should only be applied to isolated weeds and not your entire lawn.

Another way to help prevent weeds in your lawn is through aeration and dethatching. This process removes the layer of thatch, which is a buildup of dead and living plant material between the soil and grass roots. A layer of thatch can be detrimental to the health of your lawn because it inhibits water, oxygen, and nutrient flow from reaching the roots.

Aerating and dethatching also improves the quality of your lawn by removing compacted soil. This helps to promote the growth of a deeper root system that is more resilient to drought and heat. It will also reduce the incidence of diseases and pests. Mulching is also an excellent way to promote the growth of desirable plants in your flower beds, as well as suppress weeds and keep soil temperatures moderate. The mulches can be organic or synthetic, but the most important thing is to have a mulch layer of at least three inches in depth.

Aerating

Like the body, the lawn needs healthy soil to grow thick and strong. If the ground gets too compacted, air, water and nutrients can’t penetrate to the roots. Heavy foot traffic, heavy clay soils and excess thatch build-up can all cause compaction. Aerating loosens the soil and alleviates this problem by perforating the surface with small holes. This also helps remove excessive thatch and improves root growth and depth.

Aerating also helps maximize the effectiveness of fertilizers by ensuring that they reach the grass roots. This also helps the lawn resist weeds and tolerate stressors such as drought. Aerating a lawn every two to three years is ideal, but it’s especially important to do so if the yard is used heavily and/or has heavy foot traffic.

Core aeration is the most popular method of aerating lawns. This treatment uses an aerator machine to punch out small “plugs” of thatch and soil from the lawn surface. Aerators are available in both manual and mechanical versions, so you can rent one at your local lawn and garden store or do it yourself.

Aerating should be done in the early spring or fall for cool-season grasses and late spring through summer for warm-season grasses. It’s also a good idea to overseed at this time, which adds new grass seed that can better withstand stressors and compete with weeds for space. When coupled with aeration, this technique helps to naturally choke out the weedy dandelions and other common broadleaf varieties such as crabgrass. It’s also a great time to apply pre-emergent treatments for crabgrass, which can be particularly troublesome in thin and weak lawns.

Landscape Lighting – An Investment in Curb Appeal, Safety and Functionality

Alexis Hardy

Landscape Lighting Orlando, FL is an investment in curb appeal, safety and functionality. It’s also a project that requires careful planning and professional installation.

Landscape Lighting

LED technology offers energy savings and longer lifespans. It’s also smarter, letting you control your lights from an app. You can even set your lights to change colors for different occasions, like when your team wins the big game!

When it comes to boosting curb appeal, nothing beats the impact of a well-designed landscape with the right lighting. Not only does it highlight your home and unique landscaping features, but it also adds a sense of sophistication and elegance to the property. It can also make your property stand out in the real estate market and help you achieve the highest possible sale price.

When done right, the landscape lighting can make your home look truly stunning at night. It can transform the space into a visually appealing and welcoming area that will create a warm and inviting ambiance for your family and guests. It can even transform your outdoor living areas into a cozy retreat where you can enjoy the company of your loved ones well into the night.

Unlike a dark and uninviting exterior, the right lighting can give your Central Florida home an elegant and sophisticated ambiance that will catch the eye of anyone who passes by. This is especially true if you choose to highlight unique architectural elements of the home, like dormers or rockwork, and accentuate those features using the lighting. Similarly, you can use lighting to highlight other distinctive landscaping features of the home, such as an attractive tree or a well-placed water feature, and draw attention to those focal points.

The key to creating a great visual effect is layering the lighting throughout the yard. This means using pathway lighting, accent lighting, and security lighting in conjunction to create a balanced and cohesive design. The combination of these different types of lighting can create a wide range of effects, from creating a moonlight effect to adding drama and enhancing security.

It’s also important to remember that not every element of the landscaping should be lit up. You want to avoid over-lighting your property, as this can create a hospital operating room appearance. Instead, focus on lighting up the parts of the landscaping that are most eye-catching and add value to the property. This could be a fountain, pond, flower garden, or even the trunk of your favorite tree.

Increases Safety

In addition to being an attractive feature, landscape lighting also helps keep your property safe. Dark corners, shadows, and undergrowth are hiding spots for prowlers looking for easy targets. Strategically lighting your property eliminates these areas and makes it more difficult for trespassers to hide in the dark and sneak up on you or your loved ones. Adding lights around your home, walkways, and outdoor living spaces is a great way to prevent accidents and injuries after the sun goes down.

In combination with security cameras, landscape lighting is an effective deterrent to potential burglars. Properly illuminated areas around your home make it easier for neighbors or passersby to see any suspicious activity and alert authorities if necessary. Well-lit areas also improve the visibility of your security camera footage, making it easier for law enforcement to identify suspects and prosecute them.

Well-placed lighting can transform your house into a bold, illuminated showcase that highlights your favorite features and adds an inviting atmosphere to your home after dark. You can use different types of lighting techniques to truly emphasize your hardscape and softscape features, such as up-lighting to highlight the contrast of dark shadows against bright light or cross-lighting to really show off non-uniform shaped fixtures like fountains, ponds, patios, pergolas, or even your favorite trees.

Landscape lighting can also help first responders, guests, and party-goers find your home easily after the sun goes down. You don’t want to leave them stranded in the dark, and a well-lit home gives off the impression that it is always occupied and actively being monitored, further discouraging would-be thieves.

If you’re ready to start enjoying your property after the sun goes down, contact Frisella Lighting today for a free landscape lighting demo. We are experts at creating and installing custom landscape lighting solutions that can highlight your best features while enhancing safety and security on your property. We are here to help you create a warm and welcoming environment that you can enjoy with your family, friends, and guests after the sun goes down! Contact us now to get started.

Adds Value to Your Home

A well-designed landscape is a huge selling point for property owners. It elevates curb appeal, enhances safety and visibility, and adds value to a home. It also shows that the homeowner takes pride in their home and cares about their surroundings. This type of property is more attractive to potential buyers and is likely to sell faster and for a higher price.

With the right lighting, your outdoor spaces can be enjoyed long after the sun goes down. You can host cozy dinner parties, relax with friends and family, or simply enjoy a quiet moment in the garden.

Landscape lighting also highlights special features of your home and property. It accentuates architectural elements, such as a stone facade, columns, or trim work, and makes them stand out against the night sky. It can also highlight the colors and intricate details of flowers, trees, and shrubs. These details make your landscaping look just as stunning at night as it does during the day.

Another benefit of landscape lighting is that it increases the safety of your property at night. Illuminating walkways, stairs, and driveways prevents trips and falls, especially for children and elderly family members. It also helps deter criminal activity and unwanted trespassers by making the property more visible at night.

Investing in high-quality landscape lighting will increase the value of your home and provide years of enjoyment. Look for fixtures that are durable and weather resistant. They will stand up to harsh weather conditions and last longer than cheap fixtures that don’t perform as well. It is also a good idea to go with low-voltage lighting, which uses a safe 12 volts to power the lights and reduces the risk of electrical shock.

If you are interested in boosting your property’s value with landscape lighting, contact us today to discuss your options. Our team can design a unique lighting system that will showcase your home’s best features and enhance your lifestyle. We also offer regular maintenance services to keep your lighting in tip-top shape year round. Call Blooms Landcare today to schedule your design consultation!

Adds Value to Your Property

A well-lit property is a must for any homeowner looking to boost their curb appeal and increase their home’s value. But if you want to see even more out of your investment, make sure to work with a professional landscape lighting company like Blooms Landcare. Our team of experts can perform routine maintenance, replacing bulbs and adjusting fixtures as needed. This prevents your lights from depreciating and ensures that they are always illuminating the best features of your landscape.

In addition to highlighting trees and other architectural features, landscape lighting can be used to illuminate decorative elements such as statues, fountains and water features, or even a flowerbed to create a focal point for your outdoor space. By doing this, you can highlight the beauty of your landscape in ways that are impossible to accomplish with just natural light alone.

When it comes time to sell your home, a professionally installed lighting system can help you stand out from the competition and command a higher selling price. In a tight real estate market, landscape lighting is a great way to add value and make your property more appealing to buyers.

By incorporating landscape lighting, you’ll be able to enjoy your outdoor spaces long after the sun goes down. And by highlighting key architectural features, you’ll be creating an inviting atmosphere for guests and neighbors alike.

Landscape lighting is a must for any homeowner looking to increase their curb appeal and enhance the safety of their home. The benefits of landscape lighting extend far beyond a brightly lit walkway to the front door, and can provide an added sense of security while making your property a more welcoming place for guests and family members.