As you approach the home, you won’t be able to miss the grand balcony porch at the front of the house. This porch was being built at the same time that we were assigned to design the landscape, so we had the privilege of coordinating the theme of the walk- way and plantings to complement this significant architectural addition.

Not to be missed is the quiet urn courtyard just off the porch. A large, ornate concrete planter urn marks the middle of this elegant space. A trimmed Teucrium hedge lines the curves of the space, and the embellished paver design is a conversation piece of itself. Overall, this home has transformed into a peaceful, stately garden. Crisp, thoughtful lines, combined with carefully placed curves and textures, bring a luxurious aura to the property. We are thankful to have been involved in this exciting undertaking.

See more photos! Click here.

Tulips or Daffodils – which are best?

Spring plants are perhaps the most welcomed specimens of all – after a long, bleak winter, everyone is ready for color and new life in their gardens. Of course, in order to have a sea of color in the Spring, you have to plan ahead by planting bulbs in the Fall season. But what should you plant? Let’s compare two of the most popular spring bulbs, Tulips and Daffodils.

Tulips:

• Tulips, the “lipstick of the garden”, offer a wide variety of color choices – from red to white to yellow, just to name a few.
• Tulips will bloom beautifully when planted, but they will only last for one season. Don’t expect them to come back up next year.
  
• If you live in a place where deer are a nuisance, Tulips may not be your best option. They are not deer-resistant.
  
  

Daffodils:

• Daffodils are limited in their color to yellows and white. There is, however, a variety of bloom times and plant sizes available.
• Daffodils are more hardy and tolerant of our Ohio clay soils.You can expect beautiful color from them year after year.
• Deer will not usually tamper with your daffodils.

Learn more about our Spring Color programs (hurry – you have to plan ahead by planting bulbs in the Fall!). Click here.

Double the Color

Get double or triple your bloom time!

Did you know that you can greatly increase the bloom time May Night Salvia (shown), reblooming daylilies, and certain other perennials? Once the blossoms begin to look tired after the first wave of blooms, cutting them back will often bring another wave of fresh blooms. Sometimes, you can even achieve a third wave of blooms by repeating the process once the second wave begins to fade away.

For an even fuller, more complete refreshment for your plants, you can drastically cut them back to within 4” of the ground. Within a few weeks they will push out new foliage, looking refreshed and strong again. So, whether you focus on just the blooms or do a hard cut with the entire plant, you’ll find this to be a surprisingly simple and effective way to maintain vibrancy in your landscaping.

Mulch Matters

Did you know your mulch can affect plant health?

We take great care to always mulch planting beds with shredded bark mulch instead of the cheaper shredded pallet mulch. Here’s why: shredded pallet mulch decomposes at a faster rate than natural bark mulch since tree bark was built to last out in the weather. This rapid decomposition rate pulls more nitrogen out of the soil - the same nitrogen your plants need to grow healthy and strong. So if you're mulching your beds this spring, or having someone mulch them for you - be sure to use bark mulch!