Plan Now For a Gorgeous Front Entry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Create Design PIZZAZ…Ask Yourself These Questions:

 

Is your front entry a dud?

• Are the plantings out of control and hiding the windows and doors?  Start anew!  With many new cultivars available, add color and plant in masses for an updated look with less maintenance.
• Is the landing too confining to greet guests?  Increase the size with a spacious and inviting outdoor foyer.  Make it large enough to add a bench for a sitting area.

Does your front walkway lack spunk? 

• Create a larger, inviting landing at the driveway or city walkway. 
• Install a column or architectural element matching the house for a focal point or to anchor or frame the entryway.
• Widen the walkway by adding a course of brick along the sides or replace it with brick or pavers that compliment the colors of your house.
  

  Adding a larger outdoor foyer with a brick inset and a sitting area provides adequate room for greeting visitors. A round brick planter adds a focal interest to the entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does your house have an interesting feature like an archway or window detail?

• Add a classy element and repeat the shape in a brick inset or in the outline of a planting bed.

Has your front stoop passed its prime, giving a poor impression of what might be behind?

• Cap it by mortaring on brick or Bluestone if it’s structurally sound.  Replace it if it’s crumbling or settled, preventing water from entering the basement and injuries from people tripping and falling.
  

  A curved stoop is reconstructed and capped with Bluestone in a shape that mimics the shape of the front door and windows. A large landing at the driveway welcomes visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does nighttime steal away your hospitality?

• Bring your home and landscaping to life with a low voltage lighting system.  Up lighting a tree can create a visual sculpture or accent your façade.  Path lights create safety and security.

Could your front door be a focal point?

• The front door sets the tone for the whole house.  Replace it with a door with more architectural character.
• Painting the door a vibrant color makes it pop and catches the eye.
  

  The sidewalk is widened by adding a course of brick to the sides. The materials of the stoop and sidewalk compliment the colors of the house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tips For A Low Maintenance Landscape

 

 

 

 

 

 

With busy schedules and little extra time, most homeowners request a landscape with no maintenance. But unless you have the Rocky Mountains or the Pacific Ocean for your yard, there is no such thing as a “no maintenance” landscape. However, with these tips, you can easily have a landscape that is LOW maintenance.

Low Maintenance Tips

• Decrease the use of herbicides, fertilizers and mowing by reducing the amount of grass and replacing it with planting beds. Install an evergreen groundcover like Pachysandra or Vinca to give the same look of green turf.
• Install masses of perennials and shrubs, 5 to 7 or more, instead of planting a couple of plants here and there.
• Install the right plants in the right place. Make sure they are hardy for the area. Amend the soil with organic materials before you plant. Make sure the plant doesn’t overgrow its space. Avoid putting trees and tall shrubs under utility wires. Let larger shrubs like Forsythia grow to its full size and place them in outer beds. Tidy, narrow plants can be placed in smaller areas. Plant heat-seeking plants in dryer sunny areas and shady loving plants under trees and on the north side of buildings.
• Mulch planting beds with up to 2 to 3 inches of Eco-Rich! bark mulchto help keep weeds down and reduce soil erosion. Put a mulch ring around trees for easier mowing, decreasing the likelihood of damage to the tree. Create a nice clean edge along planting beds.
• Save time on pruning and consider letting plants grow to a more natural look instead of shearing them down to little balls.
• Choose healthy, disease-resistant plants with a moderate growth rate. Select perennials that don’t spread or re-seed easily.
• Practice good planting techniques. Install plants in holes that are wider then the pot or planting ball. In our heavy clay soils, it’s a good idea to plant trees and shrubs a few inches higher than the existing grade to prevent downing. Water the plants adequately, until established. Spend a little more time with your plants in the beginning, and it will take a lot less time than if you need to replace them later.                                                                   

 

 

 

 

Plant masses of Pachysandra for a groundcover instead of installing sod.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Create a planting bed or a mulch ring around trees for easier mowing and reduce damage that can be done to the tree from string trimmers and mowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plant shrubs and perennials in masses like this Astilbe for a simple look and easy care.