Landscaping has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it. So in landscaping there must be in the gardener's mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his landscaping project.
Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your landscaping theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.
This type of open landscaping adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your landscaping efforts.
When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your landscaping project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.
For the beauty of landscaping, the catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until way into the winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider when planning your overall landscaping arrangement.
Landscaping may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. You should consider the advantages and danger points in each.
In conclusion, plan for open lawn spaces in your overall landscaping design and keep a visually appealing tree to blend in the background. Think balance and you will come up with a beautiful landscaping design for your yard.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, October 1, 2010
Choosing the right Trees for landscaping
Truthfully, you can use any kind of trees for landscaping. Everyone wants something that looks nice. But, why not plant something that serves more than one purpose? Here's a look at some of the multipurpose species.
Fruit-bearing
A fruit-bearing tree will usually flower beautifully in the spring-time, bear fruit in the summer and add color during the fall. Because they lose their leaves in the winter, they can be planted on any side of the house without preventing the sun's warming rays from reaching your home.
Apple, plum, peach and cherry blossoms range from white to brilliant pink in color. As the fruit begins to ripen, you will see a variety of colors. During the fall, you will have orange, yellow or red leaves depending on the variety you choose.
Eating more fruit is good for your health. Having a fruit-bearing tree in your yard makes it easier and less expensive to add these nourishing treats to your daily diet.
For those of you that are butterfly and bird watchers, you will find that you have more to look at. Nothing is more attractive to the creatures than the spring blooms and summer fruit.
Windbreaks
One of the earliest uses of trees for landscaping was to create a windbreak. Depending on where you live, a windbreak might not be something that you need. But, empty wide open spaces and cold winters don't mix. Think about the wind chill last winter and you'll understand what I mean.
In addition to helping keep you warm in the winter, a windbreak serves to protect the other plants around your home by lowering evaporation rates. Less evaporation means less watering.
Evergreens are the best choices to use for windbreaks. You can choose low growing shrubs like boxwoods or fast growing cedars.
Shade
Choosing deciduous trees for landscaping and placing them in the right spots will help keep your house cool in the summer, but won't block out the sun in the winter. It could even help improve the energy efficiency of your home by reducing air conditioner use in the summertime.
CO2 Reduction-O2 Production
Any tree will absorb CO2 and give off O2 or oxygen. Planting one is something that you can do to help fight global warming, while beautifying your home.
Whether you choose deciduous or evergreen, you are doing something good for the planet when you use trees for landscaping. Your friendly neighborhood landscape designer will have more green ideas.
Fruit-bearing
A fruit-bearing tree will usually flower beautifully in the spring-time, bear fruit in the summer and add color during the fall. Because they lose their leaves in the winter, they can be planted on any side of the house without preventing the sun's warming rays from reaching your home.
Apple, plum, peach and cherry blossoms range from white to brilliant pink in color. As the fruit begins to ripen, you will see a variety of colors. During the fall, you will have orange, yellow or red leaves depending on the variety you choose.
Eating more fruit is good for your health. Having a fruit-bearing tree in your yard makes it easier and less expensive to add these nourishing treats to your daily diet.
For those of you that are butterfly and bird watchers, you will find that you have more to look at. Nothing is more attractive to the creatures than the spring blooms and summer fruit.
Windbreaks
One of the earliest uses of trees for landscaping was to create a windbreak. Depending on where you live, a windbreak might not be something that you need. But, empty wide open spaces and cold winters don't mix. Think about the wind chill last winter and you'll understand what I mean.
In addition to helping keep you warm in the winter, a windbreak serves to protect the other plants around your home by lowering evaporation rates. Less evaporation means less watering.
Evergreens are the best choices to use for windbreaks. You can choose low growing shrubs like boxwoods or fast growing cedars.
Shade
Choosing deciduous trees for landscaping and placing them in the right spots will help keep your house cool in the summer, but won't block out the sun in the winter. It could even help improve the energy efficiency of your home by reducing air conditioner use in the summertime.
CO2 Reduction-O2 Production
Any tree will absorb CO2 and give off O2 or oxygen. Planting one is something that you can do to help fight global warming, while beautifying your home.
Whether you choose deciduous or evergreen, you are doing something good for the planet when you use trees for landscaping. Your friendly neighborhood landscape designer will have more green ideas.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
When is the Best Time to Fertilize the Grass?
You bought a new house in the fall. Winter came and went and now it’s time to haul out the lawn mower. As you’re doing laps in the yard, you can’t help but notice all the interesting patches of pseudo-grass. You have crabgrass; you have weeds; you have clover; you have a boatload of dandelions. Contrarily, your neighbor’s yard looks like a golf course. Sometimes you sneak over there sans shoes just to run your tootsies through the lush greenery. No worries; can you turn your sparse excuse for grass around in one season; and it won’t cost you a fortune. Put the yellow pages away, you’re not calling a service. If you fertilize at the right time of the year, you can have your own gorgeous thick green grass.
Let’s cut to the chase. The optimum time to fertilize your lawn is in the fall. The time of year when most people are considering putting away their lawn mower, is when you should be getting out the spreader. It’s also the time of year when you can get an accurate picture of your lawn’s health. After the summer stresses, you will be able to see where the dead brown grass is and where the crabgrass is. Changes in lawn appearance in October can reveal whether appropriate lawn care is being practiced. Properly fertilized lawns tend to improve in appearance, while the opposite takes place for improperly fertilized lawns.
A November application is ideal. Although the air temperatures will have cooled considerably by this time, soil temperatures will remain warm enough for some primarily-root and tiller-grass growth. This late fall fertilization facilitates winterizing the grass and sets the foundation for the grass to make a quick start in the spring. Although be prepared that fertilizing at this late date can result in an additional mowing. However, the payback is that the grass will have a dark green color going into winter that returns early in the spring.
Many new lawn aficionados are under the false impression that spring is the best time to fertilize their grass. Actually, fertilizing at that time may be detrimental to the long-term health of the lawn. Sure you’ll get expedited top growth and a beautiful lush appearance, but at what cost? Spring fertilization discourages grass from storing food reserves for the hard times to come during the summer. Akin to having a chocolate snack in the afternoon to perk you up; it works for a short while, but then you crash, and crash much harder than if you would have maintained your blood sugar throughout the day.
Not only will the chocolate cause your glucose levels to sky rocket and plummet, it’ll also wreak havoc on your teeth. Same holds true for the grass. Not only does March-April-May fertilization discourage storage of food reserves, the lush top growth also provides an environment conducive for diseases to take hold and sweep through a yard. Therefore, when summer comes, the spring-only fertilized lawns are often more susceptible to the summer stresses of disease and moisture stress. Not exactly the look you were going for.
The irony of lawn care is that at the end of August when the appearance of one’s lawn hits an all time season low, it is actually the best time to fertilize or renovate a lawn. By then grasses have endured the summer stresses and the coming cool fall temperatures will provide an opportunity for recovery. Fertilizing in the fall also encourages the plant’s recovery by providing nutrients when the plant really needs them to build food reserves going into the winter. As a rule of thumb, Labor Day weekend is a good time to make the first fall fertilization to lawns, as the cool temperatures are soon to come.
Though it may be spring and you’re envious of your neighbor’s yard, don’t try to take a short cut and apply a boatload of fertilizer just to jump start your lawn. Ignore your seasonal urges and follow responsible soil management practices. Just do it. Then start fresh this fall. This time next year, you’ll be the envy of your neighbor on the other side!
Let’s cut to the chase. The optimum time to fertilize your lawn is in the fall. The time of year when most people are considering putting away their lawn mower, is when you should be getting out the spreader. It’s also the time of year when you can get an accurate picture of your lawn’s health. After the summer stresses, you will be able to see where the dead brown grass is and where the crabgrass is. Changes in lawn appearance in October can reveal whether appropriate lawn care is being practiced. Properly fertilized lawns tend to improve in appearance, while the opposite takes place for improperly fertilized lawns.
A November application is ideal. Although the air temperatures will have cooled considerably by this time, soil temperatures will remain warm enough for some primarily-root and tiller-grass growth. This late fall fertilization facilitates winterizing the grass and sets the foundation for the grass to make a quick start in the spring. Although be prepared that fertilizing at this late date can result in an additional mowing. However, the payback is that the grass will have a dark green color going into winter that returns early in the spring.
Many new lawn aficionados are under the false impression that spring is the best time to fertilize their grass. Actually, fertilizing at that time may be detrimental to the long-term health of the lawn. Sure you’ll get expedited top growth and a beautiful lush appearance, but at what cost? Spring fertilization discourages grass from storing food reserves for the hard times to come during the summer. Akin to having a chocolate snack in the afternoon to perk you up; it works for a short while, but then you crash, and crash much harder than if you would have maintained your blood sugar throughout the day.
Not only will the chocolate cause your glucose levels to sky rocket and plummet, it’ll also wreak havoc on your teeth. Same holds true for the grass. Not only does March-April-May fertilization discourage storage of food reserves, the lush top growth also provides an environment conducive for diseases to take hold and sweep through a yard. Therefore, when summer comes, the spring-only fertilized lawns are often more susceptible to the summer stresses of disease and moisture stress. Not exactly the look you were going for.
The irony of lawn care is that at the end of August when the appearance of one’s lawn hits an all time season low, it is actually the best time to fertilize or renovate a lawn. By then grasses have endured the summer stresses and the coming cool fall temperatures will provide an opportunity for recovery. Fertilizing in the fall also encourages the plant’s recovery by providing nutrients when the plant really needs them to build food reserves going into the winter. As a rule of thumb, Labor Day weekend is a good time to make the first fall fertilization to lawns, as the cool temperatures are soon to come.
Though it may be spring and you’re envious of your neighbor’s yard, don’t try to take a short cut and apply a boatload of fertilizer just to jump start your lawn. Ignore your seasonal urges and follow responsible soil management practices. Just do it. Then start fresh this fall. This time next year, you’ll be the envy of your neighbor on the other side!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sheridan Landscaping serving Burbank CA is one of the premier landscaping companies in California. Sheridan Landscaping has the experience that counts. David Junod started in business way back in 1959 with Sheridan Gardens Nursery in Sun Valley; then in 1982 did a spin-off and formed Sheridan Landscaping, Inc.
David Junod has been a licensed Landscape Contractor since 1965. He currently holds a C-27 Landscape Contractors License #439778 from the state of California. David has been an active member and officer on a Chapter level and State level for the California Landscape Contractors Association and the California Nurseryman's Association. David Junod also has been a featured guest on HGTV's hit show "landscapers Challenge".
David Junod has a passion for beautifying our world through landscaping. His creative and artistic designs are most impressive. Mr. Junod's highly skilled workmanship and vast experience makes him one of the leading landscape designers in existence today.
Sheridan Landscaping, INC. services include landscape creation from start to finish. David Junod's team of experienced workers guarantee outstanding service. We can work from your plans or from our proposed plans. SHERIDAN LANDSCAPING, INC. is a Design & Build firm- which may include landscape design and consultation, planting, masonry, grading, carpentry, railroad tie installation, water effects, irrigation, xeriscape, night lighting, and much more. We pride ourselves at paying attention to every detail, in every phase of work. Landscaping your home not only enhances your property, but it increases the value tremendously.
Great landscaping is one of the best property investments you will make.
Don't trust your landscaping with just anyone Go with a name you can TRUST! Go with Sheridan Landscaping, Inc.
David Junod has been a licensed Landscape Contractor since 1965. He currently holds a C-27 Landscape Contractors License #439778 from the state of California. David has been an active member and officer on a Chapter level and State level for the California Landscape Contractors Association and the California Nurseryman's Association. David Junod also has been a featured guest on HGTV's hit show "landscapers Challenge".
David Junod has a passion for beautifying our world through landscaping. His creative and artistic designs are most impressive. Mr. Junod's highly skilled workmanship and vast experience makes him one of the leading landscape designers in existence today.
Sheridan Landscaping, INC. services include landscape creation from start to finish. David Junod's team of experienced workers guarantee outstanding service. We can work from your plans or from our proposed plans. SHERIDAN LANDSCAPING, INC. is a Design & Build firm- which may include landscape design and consultation, planting, masonry, grading, carpentry, railroad tie installation, water effects, irrigation, xeriscape, night lighting, and much more. We pride ourselves at paying attention to every detail, in every phase of work. Landscaping your home not only enhances your property, but it increases the value tremendously.
Great landscaping is one of the best property investments you will make.
Don't trust your landscaping with just anyone Go with a name you can TRUST! Go with Sheridan Landscaping, Inc.
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