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Category: Landscaping

  • Celebrate Lawn and Garden Month this April

    Did you know that April is National Lawn and Garden Month? Well now that you do, it’s time to celebrate! Many people use this as a month to focus on their own garden or lawn and others use it as an opportunity to beautify their community. However, you want to celebrate, we got you covered!

    Organize a Neighborhood Clean Up
    Gardening extends beyond your backyard. It’s important to take proper care of your neighborhood and community too! Rally up all your neighbors and friends and get to work. You can walk the streets and collect trash, plant flowers in heavily populated areas, connect with local charities and create a community garden. The opportunities are endless, but the more projects you complete together the better your community will look.

    Start a New Gardening Project
    Now is the perfect time to start a new project in your garden! Get lost on Pinterest till you find a project that stands out to you. If you aren’t much of a DIY pro, you can start with something as easy as scrubbing down your lawn furniture. More advanced projects can include building your own flower beds, trimming overgrown shrubs and even planting your own vegetable garden.

    Take Time to Enjoy your Garden
    Now that the weather has changed for the better, it’s important to take advantage of that beautiful garden in your backyard. Have some friends over for a picnic and put those homegrown veggies to use. Gardens are also a great place to relax and catch some vitamin D.

    Start an Indoor Herb Garden
    Don’t have a yard, but still want in on the action? Indoor herb gardens not only provide fresh herbs at your fingertips, but also fill your home with fragrance and greenery. Most herbs can be grown indoors like basil, chives, mint, oregano and parsley. Growing your own herbs makes cooking at home easy and healthy. Be sure to do some research on the best type of herb garden for your space.

    Enjoy a Local Farmer’s Market
    Farmer’s markets are a great way to eat organic fruits and veggies without the hassle of going to a grocery store. By shopping at your local farmers market, you will eat fresh, nutrient-rich foods for an affordable price. Farmers markets are a great way to bring communities together and support local small businesses and farms. Check out your local market today to see what you’ve been missing.

    Start Composting
    One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and yard waste such as grass clippings can be used in a compost pile. Compost improves soil structure and provides nutrients for plants, all from waste you typically throw out.

    The possibilities are endless when it comes to celebrating National Lawn and Garden Month. Regardless of if you choose a small task or a big task, you are making a positive impact on the environment and your community.

  • Garden Trends to Revamp Your Landscaping

    It’s an exciting time for gardeners. We’ve reached mid-spring and now is the time to start making our summer-garden plans. While it’s always important to touch up your garden this time of year, why not go a little bigger this time and give your landscape a complete renovation with these hot summer trends?

    1. Go Bold
    Plant dahlias such as the Coral Gypsy, Tempest, and Beach Bum varieties to bring bright color to your yard. Planting summer-cypress adds serious pops of color, and by adding some of your standard favorites, you can perfectly complement the bright reds. For year-round boldness, plant some hardy succulents or evergreens in large, brightly colored planters that make a statement.

    Wildflower and perennial meadows also create a casual style of planting. Gardens are getting more natural and less manicured, so you should think about how you can keep your arrangements loose and less structured, which will make your garden standout. Think like the Japanese, who are known to embrace garden imperfections, asymmetry, and incompleteness.

    2. Try Textures
    Silvery dusty miller and ruffled ferns are in style this season. Bounce colors off one another with orange lilies and purple verbena. Contrast shapes by planting things like yucca and lantana. Don’t forget those hanging baskets, either. Start your hanging basket with a tall statement piece, surround it with something that fills the gaps well, and finish with some color to spill over the edges.

    3. Get Cooking
    Spending more and more time outside, including time to make a nice meal, is nothing new. Outdoor kitchens are rising in popularity, especially for homeowners who entertain a lot. When designing your outdoor cooking space, try to take your design choices in a different direction than your indoor kitchen to keep the space feeling unique. Contrasting the indoors with the outdoors is what will make your space feel truly refreshing.

    4. Get Out
    A place to relax within your garden can feel like a vacation, especially for those who don’t have the time for an official trip. Creating a lovely area to relax, read, or meditate is gaining in popularity as people become more aware of the need to decompress. Find a secluded space in your garden and set up some of your favorite chairs and a table. Or if you want to go big, build a little open-air art studio situated around or within your favorite plantings. A garden is a great place to refresh after a long day.

    5. Give Back
    You can get much more enjoyment out of something when you share it. Give to your neighbors and give back to the planet. Look into how you can make your garden a Certified Wildlife Habitat to benefit wildlife. Donate some of your fresh produce to your local food bank or share with your neighbors to really build a feeling of homeliness. Find natural solutions for weeds, slugs, and snails. Include plants that attract pollinators. Enhance your soil with organic compost by creating your own composter. It’s simple and keeps a lot of waste out of the garbage piles and puts it to work in your garden. You can also buy packaged or bulk compost at most home and garden stores.