Rumor has it the real estate market will be picking up in 2014, what with home prices rising and more people gaining approval for mortgages. If you’ve been waiting for prices to go up so that you can turn a profit, now might be the time to get your home on the market. Read more
We often hear from homeowners who want low maintenance landscaping, but we’ve found that the meaning of “low maintenance” can vary from one person to the next. Before we create a low -maintenance-landscaping plan for you, it’s best to examine what exactly you hope for and expect. This way we can design a yard that is perfect for your individual needs. Read more
Do you ever wish you had a professionally landscaped yard, yet you don’t bother attempting it because you’re afraid your dog will only destroy your investment? You aren’t alone. This is a common concern with dog owners, but luckily there are ways we can give you that beautiful yard of your dreams. When we incorporate these pet-friendly elements into your landscaping, you can upgrade that plain yard without worries of wasting your time and money: Read more
As the holiday season approaches, we’re all pretty busy planning our menus and booking flights to visit family. But now is not the time to neglect your landscaping! Not only do you want to take care of your investment; you can add extra seasonal cheer to your home with a few small seasonal details. Read more
If you’re looking for a beautiful and hardy flower for your garden, some Camellias might be just what you need. These plants produce big, beautiful blooms in an array of colors, and they aren’t overly difficult to get started. Read more
At first glance, you might wonder what your landscaping has to do with retirement. For some it might mean that you planning to spend more time in your garden once you retire. But for a lot of our clients, we find that their interest in travel can complicate things a bit landscaping-wise. If you hope to enjoy a lot of trips in your retirement years, you’ll want to plan for low-maintenance landscaping that allows you to be away from home for extended periods of time. We can show you several options that will allow you the flexibility to plan all the cruises and visits with grandchildren your heart desires. Read more
So you want to hire a gardener to perform basic landscaping maintenance on your yard? You might be thinking you’ll just hire the person who quotes you the lowest hourly rate and be done with it. Unfortunately for you, that could wind up being a huge mistake. There are several reasons you should always check to be sure your gardener is licensed, bonded, and insured. Read more
Have you been walking or driving around your neighborhood recently, noticing the beautiful fall colors in your neighbors’ yards? Have you been wishing your yard had the same bursts of vibrant fall color? If so, you might be suffering from yard envy. Luckily for you, there’s a simple solution to this problem. With some careful observation and planning, you can choose plants that will provide your favorite autumn colors every year. Read more
When you’re planning your home’s landscaping, the lifespan of the plants you’re considering is likely to be one of your many questions. It’s a valid concern, because you aren’t making landscaping decisions based solely on what looks pretty in your yard. Your landscaping is an investment in your home, and you want to choose plants that fulfill your expectations. Read more
A swimming pool can provide not only leisure time, but adds a lovely and soothing touch to your landscaping as well. If you have a pool in your yard, you may wish to landscape around it to make it blend into the surroundings more naturally. However, if you use saltwater in your pool, it’s important to make careful choices about the plants you use around it. Read more
One aspect of plant care that people often don’t consider is washing them. Yes, washing your plants is actually very important. It doesn’t take long for dirt and dust to accumulate on leaves, and the grime will begin to block sunlight. Plants need sunlight to make their food, so you’ll eventually have a stressed plant that cannot feed itself properly. Since stressed plants are much more susceptible to disease, failing to keep them clean can invite some pretty major health problems. Washing your plants regularly also helps to remove pests, which attack and weaken them. Read more
Trees offer some great advantages to your landscaping; they’re beautiful, provide shade, and can even lower your electric bills in the summer. But if you aren’t careful about placement and choosing the right species of trees, you could end up with a cracked and damaged driveway, sidewalk, or patio. Doing a little research will go a long way toward protecting your existing concrete structures. Read more
Living walls have recently become very popular, as parts of a structure or as free-standing walls. They’re very unusual and eye-catching, since we aren’t accustomed to seeing a garden growing vertically, and they instantly add color and life anywhere you install one. Although they’re a beautiful way to add more greenery to almost any space, living walls actually have many more benefits that you should know about. Read more
If you feel as though you’ve been living in an oven lately, you certainly aren’t alone. We’ve had a hot summer here in Southern California, and some of our plants are suffering. Would you know the signs of heat stress if you saw them? Read on to discover how you can help your plants survive the rest of this brutal summer (which generally lasts in the Temecula Valley until mid to late October). Read more
Do you have an outdoor space that could use a makeover? Would you like a more inviting place to entertain guests or simply relax and unwind? If you’d like to accomplish these goals while making a smart investment to improve your landscaping, then an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, combined with a waterfall, might be just the right choice. Read more
Tropical or succulent plants are popular in landscaping for their lush green leaves and brightly colored blooms. Here in Southern California, our weather tends to be mild (or at least more so than many parts of our contry), and this may lead you to believe your tropical plants will do just fine over the winter. However, it’s important to remember that these plants are being used outside of their native habitats – and if you don’t take the danger of frost seriously, you could be putting your plants at risk. Read more
When you consider improving the outside of your home, do you automatically think of planting decorative flowers and trees? Those are certainly important, but it’s equally important to consider the benefits of hardscape like patios and walkways. These structures give form to your landscaping and provide a place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. If you’ve read our blog on colored concrete, you’ve already learned that concrete doesn’t always have to mean a boring, plain gray slab with a traditional broom finish. If you want to take things one-step further, you can use stamped concrete to create just about any look imaginable. Read more
When you think of adding a concrete patio to your landscaping, do you picture a plain gray slab? For some homeowners, that may not sound very decorative or appealing. Many people don’t know that they have many more options than traditional gray when it comes to concrete. A well-designed concrete patio can add significant beauty to your yard, and gives you a lovely spot for relaxing, dining, and entertaining guests. Read more
We’re often asked about the best ways to ensure a landscaping project will result in healthy, long-lasting, and prolific plantings. After all, landscaping takes a lot of time and hard work, so no one likes being disappointed when their investment doesn’t pay off with the best possible results. Read more
Whether you’re trying to sell your home, or want to love your home every day when you arrive, improving its curb appeal is relatively simple. You don’t necessarily need to repaint or remodel your entire home – a few easy landscaping projects will refresh the look of your house in a matter of days, and you can select projects that fit your budget. Here are a few ideas to help you find some inspiration: Read more
One of the more frustrating aspects of home ownership is dealing with the noise from neighbors and nearby roadways. This is especially annoying if you’ve spent a good deal of time and money to create a peaceful garden oasis, only to find very little peace when you want to enjoy your outdoor space. Fortunately, you don’t have to just accept the obnoxious sounds assaulting your ears. Incorporating certain water features to your landscaping can help to mask road noise, while adding a touch of tranquility to your yard. Read more
If you’re looking for a landscaping change that will beautify your yard, give you the ability to make greater use of your outdoor living space, and increase safety, low voltage outdoor lighting would be the perfect addition. As opposed to harsh and electricity sapping floodlights, an LED lighting system is a gentler and more attractive way to light up the exterior of your home. Read more
Imagine a relaxing vacation on a tropical island… every day of the year. If that sounds appealing, why not create your own tropical paradise in your backyard? Tropical style gardens have long been popular, for both their beauty and calming atmosphere though there are some challenges associated with this kind of landscape. Read more
If a mix of beautiful blooms, useful plants, and an aura of old-fashioned romantic charm sounds appealing, then a cottage style garden might be the perfect addition to help you turn your house into a home. Traditionally, these gardens were planted by the lady of the house, and included a mixture of her favorite flowers and practical kitchen herbs. The cottage style garden can truly be personalized to fit your own sense of aesthetics, and can provide useful edible plants as well. Read more
If you’d appreciate a lush and inviting garden that is also relatively low maintenance, a Mediterranean-style garden might be right for you. For homeowners in southern California, there’s an added bonus: many of the plants typically seen in Mediterranean gardens are drought resistant, so they work with our naturally dry climate (which also helps to keep your water bills manageable). Another added benefit comes for those who have trouble with rabbits and squirrels. Many plants of Mediterranean origin are naturally animal resistant! Read more