Landscaping & Design Ideas

When planning your landscape design, there are many factors one should take into consideration.  Your design and plant selection should be specific to both your geographic area, including your yard’s sun and shade requirements, and it should be tailored to your desires.  Whether you’re the type who wants to spend every moment of free time you have in the garden, or you barely have time to cut the grass, there is a plan that is right for you.  These are things you should consider before any designing or planting takes place.  Sometimes we see beautiful plants at the local nursery and compulsively think they are must-haves, but after only a short while, the plant that looked so good at the store has withered in your yard.

Another pitfall to avoid is being so focused on the price of the plant or tree, that we neglect seeking the best quality.  Many people call one garden center after another looking for the best price on the same sized plants.  Without ever setting eyes on it, they go to where they think they are getting the best deal.  But the best price and the best deal are two different things.  The best way to select the plants for your landscape is to visit the different garden centers and see what it is you are paying for.

If you are looking to hire these services out to a landscaper, do some checking before you hire.  Just like when purchasing plants and trees, getting the best price does not equate to getting the best value.  If you hire a company because they were the cheapest, there’s probably a reason.  If they don’t have liability insurance or Worker’s Compensation insurance, and they do damage to your property or someone gets hurt on your property, you become liable.  By trying to save a few dollars, it can end up costing you your house.  If the deal seems to good to be true, then it probably is.  Experienced landscape installers have years of experience in how to properly face the plant, how large to dig the hole, how to read plans, and how to make on-the-job changes.  A reputable company will also be able to provide advice and assistance to you long after the installation has been completed

Buying plants and landscape services is like anything else.  You get what you pay for.  Your landscape should be considered an investment, and treated accordingly.  In the end, the landscape design and plants and trees you select should provide years of beauty and enjoyment for you and your guests.  There is a plan that is right for your yard and your needs.

Our customers often ask when the best time of the year to prune & trim is.  The short answer is:  It depends on what is being pruned, and also what you are trying to accomplish.

Often people think of pruning as getting an overgrown shrub or tree back down to a manageable size.  But there are many reasons to prune that have nothing to do with size.  Proper pruning and trimming not only improve the appearance of the plant, but also the condition and vitality.

Pruning can repair damage before more occurs.  It can encourage higher yields of fruits or flowers.  It can make a plant’s shape both more attractive and able to better withstand storms and heavy snows.  It will not only stimulate new growth, but also direct that growth where you want it to go.

You need to be careful about when you prune, because pruning in the wrong season can decrease flowers and fruits.  If you cut back a forsythia in the winter it won’t bloom much in the spring because you have removed most of the flower buds.  It is important to learn the specific needs of each plant you have in your landscape to avoid mistakes like these.  Your local nursery or landscape professional should be able to help you determine the best time to prune your plants.

Here are some general timing guidelines, but it is important to remember that there are exceptions to every rule.

Winter: Trimming deciduous plant in winter can promote fast growth in spring.  The lack of foliage also makes this easier because you can see the shape and branch structure of the plant.  The end of winter is ideal because wound closure begins in spring.

Early Spring: Pruning just before new growth starts allows plants to recover quickly and stimulates growth.

Summer: Summer pruning can cause damage by exposing previously shaded tissue to the sun.  It can also stunt the plant’s growth because it is now using it’s energy to close the wounds caused by pruning.  This is sometimes beneficial in slowing the growth of fast growing hedges.

Fall: Fall is the worst time to shear plants because it encourages new growth that may not have time to harden before winter.  The new growth may then be killed by the cold.  Thinning plants in the fall is ok, especially after the plant has gone dormant.

This is meant to be a general guideline to pruning.  By identifying and researching the specific plants in your landscape, you should be able to tailor a specific plan that fits your needs, and promotes beautiful and healthy growth in your yard.