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Landscape Design & Maintenance

Until recently, residential landscape lighting was primarily held to various shades of white light. Colorful outdoor lights showed up during the Christmas season and then disappeared until the next year. With the introduction of colored LED and halogen lights, as well as a variety of easily used colored lens covers, white lights are no longer the only option for homeowners.

As summer ends and fall approaches, many people wistfully retreat indoors convinced that opportunities for gathering together and enjoying the outdoors are over until next year.  

The truth is just because the days are getting shorter and the temperatures colder, sharing times together in the outdoors doesn’t need to end. Professional landscaping can create a space that provides the perfect gathering spot for this special time of year.

When I originally wrote this article,  being confined to my home for months on end would have seemed like the plot line of one of the dystopian young adult novels I used to teach. Little did I dream that over 18 months of staying home 24/7 would become a reality.  Had it not been for my glorious outdoor living space, I probably would have suffered from some serious bouts of cabin fever.

Although things are loosening  now and the outside world is once again becoming accessible, my outside living space is still my go-to place for rest, relaxation and renewal. It's my peaceful spot for alone time and my cheerful spot for gathering with family and friends. It helps make my house a home. After what we've all been through the past few years, perhaps it's time that you pamper yourself and add your own perfect patio. 

While we’re on the subject of bulbs   -  be sure and read last week’s article on alliums, -  I thought that it might be fun to showcase some of the less well-known specialty bulbs.  I discovered them a few years ago while pouring over a catalog from one of Embassy’s garden products suppliers, ordered a few varieties and have been hooked on them ever since. From the ones that peek out while the snow is still falling to those that herald the beginning of a long, lazy summer,  they are all worth a prime spot in the landscape.  

Boxes of fall bulbs ready for planting have begun to appear in the big box stores. As I’ve looked around here, I’ve seen a satisfying variety of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and crocus available. Even some of the smaller, less familiar bulbs like Galanthus (Snowdrops) are well represented. Sticking just to these varieties, you could have the beginnings of a beautiful spring garden, but you’d most likely miss out on one of the most dramatic, and under-appreciated stars of the spring and summer garden, the allium.

Once you’ve decided to plant a tree, found the perfect spot and settled on the perfect variety, then it’s time to figure out if you want to plant a bare root, container or b & b tree. Since there are advantages and disadvantages to each type, it’s best to understand your options before you make a purchasing decision.

Hopefully, last week’s blog, In Awe of Trees, helped inspire you to add a tree (or even two) to your landscape this fall. Before going to check out what’s available though, it’s best to spend some time figuring out which kind of tree will be the best choice for you. Just like other plants in the landscape, placing the right tree in the right place is important. The designers at Embassy Landscape Group gave me some great points to ponder before heading out on a tree buying trip.

Living in the heart of our city, I had wondered what the reaction was going to be when we killed the grass and replaced it with a prairie. Many of the homes in this older, established neighborhood (including hers) sport traditional landscapes with perfectly balanced foundation plantings, precisely edged sidewalks and lush, well-manicured lawns.