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27 Mar 2017
The Power of Landscape: How to Beat the Blahs of Your Outdoor Space
March 27, 2017 By admin Lanscaping Tips , , , ,

The Power of Landscape: How to Beat the Blahs of Your Outdoor Space

When it comes to designing a home, landscape seems to be the most overlooked. We focus on picking pretty colors and finding the perfect set of throw pillows, area rugs and accessories to pull together a room. But as Barbara Kingslover puts it, “it’s surprising how much of memory is built around things unnoticed at the time.” And in the home improvement busyness of deciding which furnishings or artwork would turn our homes from blah to fab, we seldom take time to design our outdoor spaces.

But guess what? Landscaping project activities focus on the outdoors meaning no construction debris or having to use just basement bathroom. So why not give your front or back yard a little extra love? By creating an aesthetically appealing and smart landscape, you’ll not only increase your home’s value, but will also provide your loved ones with recreation, privacy, and pleasure.

If you aren’t confident enough of your skills as a planner and depending on the scope of work, you should consider hiring a professional Naperville landscaping firm. Licensed landscapers are well-versed in different plants and techniques to craft a scheme that balances relaxation with ease. But if you have interest in running the project yourself, why not give it a shot? With the right strategy and knowing what you love you can easily give your yard a luxe lift and make each day a bit richer.

Picking Green Life

Choosing greenery requires research and finding out which trees, shrubs, and flowers are ideal for your garden. For example, if your outdoor space isn’t bathing in sunlight, it’s best to pick shade-loving plants. Trilliums, hellebores and gardenias are lovely plants that can thrive in the shade. Planting a flower bed of the same plant or the mixture of different species (shape and color) will create a colorful focal point that grabs attention. It will also highlight your home’s exterior architecture.

Mix Informal Flowers with Formal Hardscape

Aside from green life, your yard will need some hardscape. Although often easy to foretell (suburbs like Naperville are practically bursting with concrete), it does make the space functional. If concrete is too boring for you, mix things up. Naperville landscaping pros recommend installing strips of brick will soften the contemporary style of concrete and add interest to your little patch of paradise. If you prefer something gentle and on the softer side, consider gravel or mulch for your path. Hardscape has the power to add personality to an outdoor area and finish its look, so make sure to select the one that will complement both your landscape and your house.

Add Texture with Pebbles for a Rocking Landscape

Pebbles in the garden lend texture and interest to the space and can create calm soothing look and feel. When used en masse, they add an element of surprise and create a striking stage for your landscape. They meld beautifully with both contemporary, formal concrete hardscape and relaxed greenery. Because of their ability to compliment any garden style, pebbles are great for adding a wow factor to your outdoor space.

The Most Common Landscaping Mistake

When it comes to choosing elements for their landscape design, most newbies tend to buy too many and thus create chaos instead of consistency and harmony. In order to avoid making this common mistake, keep in mind that repeating specific hues, textures and forms is crucial. If all of this intimidates you or you don’t have the time to develop and execute a nice landscape design plan, you can always hire a Naperville landscaping company and let professionals get the job done for you.

22 Mar 2017
Home Landscaping 101: How to Have a Beautiful, Healthy Yard
March 22, 2017 By admin Landscaping Design , , ,

Home Landscaping 101: How to Have a Beautiful, Healthy Yard

Whether you’re about to turn your tedious yard into a fun and comfy little space where you can relax or you just moved into a new house and you’re eager to make your dream of designing your very own landscape finally come true, here is where you can find all the information you need to start from scratch: from detailed planning to choosing the right plants.

Average homeowners spend barely 4 hours a week on landscape work. Unless you have a year-round plan you stick to or hire home landscaping Bolingbrook services to take care of the job, there’s no way this amount of time and care is enough for your landscape to be as beautiful and healthy as you want it. If you’re an average homeowner (hopefully you aren’t), you are probably not aware how can your lawn pay you back for all the extra hard work you do. However, you don’t have to slave over your yard to keep it healthy, functional and visually appealing. The key is to know how, when and what to do. With no further ado, let’s get started with learning how to get and maintain the yard of your dreams.

Consider How You’re Going to Use Your Yard

Before you start planning, the first and most important tip of all is to consider how will you be using your yard. Are you planning to host associates from your company? Playing soccer with your kids? Have family Sunday dinners? Get naps during summer? Your personal and your family preferences should be the crucial factor to dictate the design of your landscape.

Get Familiar with Your Yard and Make an Assessment

Chances are that you’re not a professional landscape designer, however, you still need to get familiar with your yard and make an honest assessment of it. Consider the topography of your site, your regional climate, your soil conditions and sun exposure. Look out for best places for specific decorative items and find the ideal spot for your favorite plants you’re planning to add. Also, if you want a driveway, check if you have enough space and if it will fit the overall style of your landscape.

Choose a Style

Speaking of style, that is another important step towards a beautiful and functional yard. Health-wise, it is not very important, but it can definitely provide motivation to spend an extra hour or two every week on landscape work. The more you find yourself into your landscape, the more you want it to be well maintained. Therefore, choose a style that reflects your personality best. Decide whether formal or informal landscape fits you better and start from there. A formal landscape features strong lines, symmetrical plantings and decorative elements and uniform plants. Informal landscape designs, on the other hand, are completely up to your taste and you can add as many asymmetrical elements, plants and decorative items as you wish.

Consider Who Will be Using Your Yard

Once you’ve decided the purpose of your landscape, made an honest assessment and chosen a style that fits your purpose best, it’s time to consider who will be using your yard. Will children play games in your yard? Do you have any pets who will be digging, running and make all sorts of mess? Will you strictly use your yard for dinners and meetings? But why limit yourself when you can create a tiny little space for everyone! By using strategic plantings and hardscapes, you can separate different spaces in one yard. However, it is important to consider your budget and keep up to your landscape style. The more realistic you are, the better the outcome.

Place Your Plants Correctly

Before you randomly plant anything, you need to determine what types of plants will work in your current landscape and regional conditions (sun exposure, temperature, wind, etc.) and how will they function in your landscape. Plants can indeed be used in many different ways, but since the way you arrange them will define your creative hour, give your best. Find what plants work best for you and give your landscape a fresh, colorful look. Also, keep in mind that you can use plants as barriers to define specific areas within your yard. Get an expert advice from home landscaping Bolingbrook services providers or Google well before you plant a single flower.

Pay Attention to the Smallest Details

As you’re slowly completing the process of building or rearranging your landscape, you may be getting really excited and easily overlook some not-so-tiny mistakes. Of course, you’re probably a landscape beginner (for now), but paying attention to detail can spare you from a plenty of trouble in future. Garden ornaments, fence posts, hardscapes, lawn and plants, they all have their own visual details, such as shapes, forms, colors, textures, length, width, etc. Making sure that all of these visual details complement and contrast each other can result in an amazing landscape. Aside from its visual appearance, consider all the scents of the plants you choose, because they too can improve the experience in your yard.

16 Mar 2017
When Tree Removal is the Best Option
March 16, 2017 By admin Tree Removal , , , , ,

When Tree Removal is the Best Option

Cicero once said “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need”, and I think rarely would one disagree with this. While books are food for the mind, a beautiful yard is definitely the most wonderful food for the senses. Not to mention how a beautiful landscape can add to the value of your home. But tending a lawn that excites with rich scents and fresh colors is a demanding task many have failed at. That’s where landscapers come into play. They use their extensive knowledge in plants and soil to make the lawn a functional space, and their refined design talents to transform it into a living piece of art.

But not always a landscaper will have the role of a creator. Sometimes he will need to step in and do some destruction. When a certain pesky and stubborn tree starts hindering the trimmed, immaculate look of your front lawn, a landscaper can save the day by removing it promptly.

Trees do add a certain forest charm while also creating shade in hot summer days, but sometimes they can be the greatest disturbance factor in a yard’s balance. You can trim them and keep them neat on the outside, but below ground their roots can grow uncontrollably. And roots that run wild can cause serious damage to your home’s foundation. This is where tree removal can prove to be inevitable.

Another dangerous trait of trees is that sometimes their branches can dieback and fall on passers-by or on top of an object in your lawn you hold dearly. This is a sign that the tree is unhealthy and it’s best you ask a landscape professional to make a risk assessment of whether a tree removal is needed.

Having in mind Chicago’s unpredictable weather, there’s always a high chance of a severe storm to occur affecting the likelihood of a tree being struck by lightning. Depending on its age and species, a tree may survive or succumb the damage caused by lightning. The latter is more likely to happen however. Especially if the trunk is split or the bark is torn off. In such case, it would be very difficult for the tree to compartmentalize wounds, heal and eventually recover. Moreover, hanging broken and unsupported branches pose a serious threat to your safety. In such case, tree removal is the best option.

However, not always does a tree have to be a risk factor or damaged beyond repair in order to be considered undesirable in your lawn. If your tree is quite large, it can block the view from your house and take up a considerable amount of space and ruin the functionality of your front yard. Sometimes it can get in the way of the nice little flower bed by destroying the plants’ order with its growing root. Additionally, depending on the species, certain trees naturally “bleed” a large amount of sap damaging grass below. Excessive sap dripping can also lead to the withering away of surrounding plants. Hence it’s best to have the tree removed.

Whatever reason you may have, do not by any means undertake tree removal on your own. It’s risky for anyone without the proper equipment or knowledge. The advantage of hiring professional tree removal services is getting the job done right, and in the most safest and efficient way. Plus, removing an unwanted tree can create a big mess in your yard. Tree care professionals know how and which tools to use to prevent property damage. With their help, the front of your house will soon be the dreamy refuge of flowers and greenery it was before the tree problem.

16 Mar 2017
Make a Great First Impression With a Gorgeous Front Yard Landscape
March 16, 2017 By admin Lanscaping Tips , , , ,

Make a Great First Impression With a Gorgeous Front Yard Landscape

Sometimes to make the home pop, all you need is an entryway display that really packs a punch. So if you want a beautiful front yard landscape that renders relaxed outdoor living, you should treat the grassy area around the house to a little TLC this spring. After all gorgeous lawns don’t create themselves. Plus, your lawn will surely take a beating this summer. The heat and drought along with playing games with your kids or fetch with your dog will most likely take a toll on turf. It’s best you revitalize it now so you’re rewarded with a lush grass.

But DIY-ing your landscape can pose quite a challenge. It requires skills, time, different landscaping materials and knowledge. Even the simplest of tasks like watering can be daunting. This is where landscape professionals can prove to be valuable. They have the resources and landscaping materials that will help you create the swath of green you have in mind. Moreover, professional landscapers are well-versed when it comes to soil type and quality, water usage and more. If however you prefer to give your front yard a makeover yourself, remember, a beautiful lawn starts with strategic planning and right landscaping materials.

The Dirt on Soil

Soil, one of the most important landscaping materials, is the foundation for greenery. The good soil encourages strong root growth, proper drainage and holds nutrients that feed plants. The wrong soil can result in plants failing to grow even if you’re born with a green thumb. Hence it’s best to try to learn more about different types, texture, mineral and nutrient content and acidity to ensure you choose right.

Some of the most fertile types of soil are sand, clay, silt, peat, loam and chalk. Each type is made up of different particles and organic materials which is what determines the texture and whether the soil holds nutrients and moisture well. Also, some types are more alkaline than others.

Why Soil Loves Mulch

Mulch is pretty much a top dressing for soil. It can either be organic (wood products) or inorganic (rock products) and helps reduce soil compaction; protects against soil erosion, prevents weed growth and defines areas. Quality mulch can also help minimize the spread of soil borne diseases and can even serve as an insulator keeping the soil cool during warmer months and warm during winter. Of course if used correctly, therefore, knowing which type to use is important. The most common types of mulch used nowadays are wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings, nutshells, riprap, decomposed granite and even crushed concrete. Depending on whether organic or not, some mulches are permanent while others need to be replaced over time, but all can help create beautiful landscape designs.

Drip Irrigation System: Watering Made Easy

Drip irrigation systems are becoming one of the essential management tools as they provide consistent water to the roots. This not only minimizes water loss but also helps prevent the spread of fungal diseases and weeds from growing. The beauty of drip irrigation system is that it’s designed to complement your lifestyle. It helps ensure your plants thrive in any condition with almost no fuss. If installed properly that is. The right irrigation system (installed right) will help prevent over and under-watering what can encourage fungus and diseases and lead to increased bug activity, respectively. A professional landscaper can set up the most appropriate irrigation system, which can reduce your water bill, and ensure complete coverage for your lawn.

FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY A LITTLE HARD WORK WE CAN ALSO DELIVER MANY LANDSCAPING MATERIALS.

13 Mar 2017
Fail-Proof Rules You Must Follow for Your Landscape Tasks
March 13, 2017 By admin Lanscaping Tips , , ,

Fail-Proof Rules You Must Follow for Your Landscape Tasks

Having your own little heaven outside is surely a tempting idea to many, but how much of a chore landscaping really is? If you are new in landscaping, you must be eager to plant lawn, some flowers and other plants, add a beautiful bench where you can sit and relax after a long, hard day at work. Before you reach the stage of admiring your landscaping mastery, however, there is a lot of work to do.

Although there are no guidelines in landscaping and you have all the freedom you want, you still need a few rules to help you stay up to the landscaping tasks. Mowing, trimming, mulching, planting, watering, fertilizing, feeding, digging and many other chores, landscaping requires a serious commitment, real effort and a lot of time and money. If you can’t do all the landscaping chores yourself, no worries, there are a plenty of options for hiring assistance. But if you’re rather a do-it-yourself kind of person, we got you some fail-proof rules that will help you complete each and every task all by yourself.

Create a Lawn Maintenance Schedule

Since there are so many landscaping tasks, what you need to stay up to them all is a good and regular maintenance schedule. Watering, trimming and mowing are daily, weekly and biweekly chores. Failing to meet your plants’ demands can result in (plants) death. Since you don’t want that to happen, set yourself a lawn maintenance schedule and do your best to stick to it regardless of your conditions. If you’re going on a vacation, make sure to have a person who will check your yard every 2-3 days and do some of the musts, like watering.

Style Your Landscape so It Can Reflect Your Personality

Depending on your desired result, your skill set and your yard condition, your landscape can not only determine if you’re really a do-it-yourself landscaper or not, but it also speaks volumes about your personality. Just like the interior of your home, you can use your yard to reflect your personality via your landscape style. Landscape is all about expressing your attitude and taste and it can provide you with space for outside activities too. For example, if you’re planning to have formal parties with business associates outside, you will need a formal arrangement that features some shrubs, a few beds and a sophisticated table. But if it’s for you and your family only, go for more casual.

Consider Your Landscape’s Functionality

Besides style, your landscape needs to be functional too. To make it as functional as possible while keeping your style, you will need to consider which elements do you really need and which ones should go away as all they do is get in your way. With less unnecessary elements, it will be much easier to maintain your yard. Unless you’re not styling your yard for business meetings, don’t add beds with curves and edges, as they can make your landscaping chores much difficult.

Get a Drip Water Irrigation System

In an age with incredibly advanced technology, it would be only surprising if technology failed to provide a way in every possible field. One way to take advantage of automated systems is to install an automatic drip-watering system. Simply set the time for watering and you’re good. But if you prefer DIY projects over automated, you can do it the old-school way. Put one plastic bottle in each plant. That will be enough water for about 3 days.

Add Mulch for Both Decorative and Maintenance Purposes

By using mulch, you can create a beautiful and healthy landscape that controls weeds, conserves water and reduces labor costs. Depending on the number of plants you have, you will need to invest a reasonable amount of money in mulch every now and then. To save money on mulch, you can chip and shred all the brushes, tree prunings, leaves and grass clippings that you would otherwise throw away as they fall on the ground. This organic mulch will add a beautiful layer that will also protect the soil.

Invest in Quality Soil

Since all of your plants depend on the soil quality, you should never try to save on soil, whether it’s extra work or money. Healthy, quality soil contains mineral materials, biological organisms, organic matter, air and water and is an important asset you need to take a good care of. If the soil doesn’t let water and air to get in touch with the roots of your plants, it means that the soil has become compacted and requires aeration. If you don’t fix your soil on time, it could be too late for your plants. If its quality has become too poor to fix, it’s time for new soil.

Make Sure Your Plants Get Plenty of Sunlight

Not only do you want to enjoy the sun, but your plants too. Regardless of what type of plants you have in your yard, they all share the same need for sunlight. Plants convert air, water and sunlight into energy for themselves and that is the only way they can thrive. If some of your plants lack of natural light, instead of supplementing artificial lighting, it’s better if you simply reorganize your whole landscape so that the sunlight will be smiling at your plants. It’s not an easy task, but it can definitely save you from a lot of trouble in long run.

Allow us to take care of your landscaping projects and save 10% on your next landscaping service over $500. Claim offer here!

13 Mar 2017
4 Great Tips for Proper Lawn Maintenance
March 13, 2017 By admin Lawn Maintenance Tips , , ,

4 Great Tips for Proper Lawn Maintenance

You know you haven’t paid much attention to your lawn when you see your neighbor’s healthy, shiny grass that looks like a green carpet. Then you start wondering where did you go wrong and why your lawn doesn’t look like that, while it’s rather simple – you haven’t been maintaining your lawn properly or not maintaining it at all.

With the temperature rising and the sun sticking around longer in spring, your lawn is actively growing and starts requiring a lot more care than in any other season. Lawn maintenance may not be the most attractive activity you can do on a sunny day, but it is a must for those of you who want to do their part in turning your neighborhood into the Shire. You don’t need a green thumb to keep all things in your garden neat, but you surely need the stubbornness, the will and the wisdom of Bilbo Baggins. I can help you with the latter by providing you 4 great tips on how to properly maintain your lawn. So let’s get started.

Read some of our other articles about landscaping & lawn maintenance tips:

I Like to Mow it, Mow it! Yall Like to… MOW IT!

As moving is vital for our optimal health, mowing is the key to good-looking and healthy lawn. Just because it is simple, many gardeners underestimate the importance of mowing. Mowing incorrectly, not mowing regularly and mowing too often are common mistakes. To get your lawn healthy and attractive, first you will need to find out how often should you mow it. Next, do a little research to find out the right height at each season, which heavily depends on your grass type. Also, make sure your mower blade is sharp, because otherwise, you may tear the grass, not cut it, and make it more prone to diseases. The height of cut is also very important and it varies depending on few factors: grass type, time of year and weather conditions.

Water Your Lawn the Right Way

Another essential factor in growing a healthy and gorgeous lawn is proper watering. It is yet another obvious tip, especially for experienced gardeners, but its importance goes beyond their pride. By proper watering, you will not only benefit your grass, but you will also save yourself some time and some cash. If you feed and mow your grass properly, you will water it less, as it is much more likely to have strong deep roots that can find water better. Also, grass doesn’t need a lot of water, as it takes advantage of rains. When Mother Nature doesn’t provide enough rain, however, just wait for your grass to dull in color. Make sure you water early in the morning when the sun is not so hot and cannot cause water loses to evaporation. If you’re not a morning person, find a water timer at your local store or online and set it to water your grass automatically at the best time in the morning. Convenience at its finest!

Check and Adjust Your Soil pH for Healthy Grass

Lawn maintenance does not only include taking care of the grass, but of the soil too. Soil pH affects the availability of nutrients to your grass. Your grass heavily depends on the soil acidity level (pH), which is why you must check it regularly and adjust it accordingly as well. One common mistake is assuming that the soil has the right pH just by looking black and rich. To check your soil pH, take an example from your garden and take it to your local extension service for testing. If the testing discovers too much acidity, add lime to increase alkalinity and reach the ideal pH for lawn, which ranges from 6.0 to 7.2. If the testing finds too much alkalinity, then add sulfur to increase the acidity and so adjust the pH according to the target. After 3 months, take an example for testing again to check if your soil needs to be treated once again.

Aerate Your Lawn Annually

Aerating is also important, as it is the most efficient way to refresh your grass when it gets too compacted. Over time, the soil becomes compacted and so reduces the air holes in it, which are the only way the roots of your grass can get nutrients and water. Needless to say, this can affect your lawn’s health, so it must be prevented. There are many ways you can aerate your lawn, but the very essence is to poke holes in your lawn and let the air do the job. But before you start poking holes, make sure the soil has enough moist. Growing season is the best time for aeration, because it’s when the grass can heal best and fill in those open areas quickly.

We do not claim that these 4 tips will allow you to make your garden look like it belongs in the Shire, but if you want to achieve something like that, they can surely give you a great start!

Allow our professional teams take care of your lawn and make it look green and shiny like you’ve always wanted. Use our preseason discount – 20% OFF first month on any weekly lawn maintenance service. Claim offer here!

19 Jan 2017
winter lawn
January 19, 2017 By admin Lanscaping Tips , , , ,

How To Better Take Care Of Your Lawn In The Winter Season

Winter is here. You might think that this means a vacation from all the activities that include lawn maintaining, but if you take a great deal of pride as I do in my yard, you would know that taking care of your lawn and yard is not a one or two season activity. Here in the north-east Illinois, winter can be pretty harsh as we all know it. This could have a devastating effect on your lawn. If you don’t take the required measurements, it will be almost impossible to get the summer lawn you wanted. That’s why we are providing 5 tips to keep your lawn alive during winter and persevere its fully beauty.

Add mulch before the cold hits hard

Make sure you add a thin layer of mulch right before the weather gets too cold. This will protect your grass from snow, frost and inclement weather. Also, it prevents the deeper layers of your soil from freezing so that it will be much easier for your grass to return in the spring.

Rest the lawn

When the snow covers the lawn, walking on it can cause damage because the grass plants are not actively growing which makes it hard to repair themselves if damaged. You can direct all the foot traffic through a clean path that goes around the lawn. Be careful, don’t park a vehicle on the lawn in winter, it can do some serious damage.

Don’t cut your grass too short

This means you have to stop mowing your lawn after the first frost, because if you do, you will be left with a short grass that is exposed to dryness and evaporation and can cause issues with bacteria later on.

Keep the lawn clean

Leaving fallen leaves or branches on the grass for too long can seriously stunt your grass and cause a lot of damage. This can be easily prevented with a garden rake or brush by sweeping the fallen leaves.

Watch out for salt

Snow full of salt can undo all the work you have put in your lawn all year. Be careful not to use salt onto your grass or if you have to, try using as minimal salt as you can.

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20 Oct 2015
October 20, 2015 By admin General, Landscaping

Ask Jennifer: Your Gardening Questions Answered

I would like to grow some “barometer plants” to use as an early warning system for my garden. What plants are first to respond to frost, first to bolt and first to wilt? Is this a waste of time? It’s not a waste of time, but I’m not sure you’d have to invest in any particular variety. I would use half-hardy annuals that are sensitive to frost, such as cosmos lobelia

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