A growing trend in gardening focuses on planting flowers that are not just purely decorative, but also attract desirable species of butterflies and hummingbirds as well. If you’ve ever thought it would be fun to enjoy a garden literally buzzing with life, you might enjoy cultivating this type of garden. Read more
Most of us think of landscaping as a way to make our homes look nice, but landscaping can be functional as well. When it comes to edible gardens, form and function can balance one another in a wonderful new way. Not only does your yard look nice, but you also have a fresh supply of homegrown produce at your fingertips! Read more
Those of us who live in Southern California, where we receive very little rainfall, know what a challenge it is to create a beautifully landscaped yard. We face the choice of watering thirsty lawns frequently, or finding another way to work around our naturally dry climate. Fortunately, there are ways to create low water landscaping that is both attractive and cost-efficient. Read more
As the old adage says, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Most of us associate this advice with our own health, but it applies to the health of your garden as well! When it comes to growing roses, research and planning goes a long way toward warding off common problems. Read more
Rose bushes have always been popular with gardeners due to their large, beautiful blooms, but some varieties are not without their share of work. Some traditional roses can be prone to a few common challenges. When left untreated, the spread of powdery mildew, rust, and black spot can damage a rose bush and undo all the hard work you put into planting it. It’s important to be on the watch for these common problems and treat them as they develop, so that your rose bushes live long healthy lives. Also, read our blog on aphids so that you can be on the lookout for those pests as well since they love roses’ supple new growth! Read more
For gardeners who love the the large, fragrant blooms of old garden roses, but appreciate the repeat flowering of modern roses, the David Austin English rose may be a perfect blend of both types. These roses have been cross-bred to bring the feel of an English garden to the yard, while taking advantage of modern techniques which allow the bush to flower prolifically. Gardeners love the superb fragrance of David Austin roses, and find them very versatile additions to the garden. Some of these bushes can be easily trained as climbers, while others can be allowed to grow into their naturally magnificent shapes. Read more
We’re often asked about the benefits of a drip irrigation system by homeowners who are frustrated by increasingly higher water bills. While drip irrigation will certainly save you time and energy, there are several additional benefits to installing the system. Read more
As the warm spring and summer months descend upon us, you may begin to spot snails in your garden. The brown garden snail was originally introduced to California in the 1850s by European settlers who enthusiastically enjoyed escargot. Unfortunately, the snails adapted so well to the climate that they became a common garden pest in the region. Read more
We get a lot of calls about aphids this time of year, from annoyed gardeners who spot the pests on plants such as rose bushes. Aphids generally turn up during the spring months, and are spotted in clusters on the leaves and stems of bushes. These small insects are generally less than 1/8 inch long, and are usually light green in color but can sometimes be red, black, tan, or orange. In fact, the color of aphids actually seems to be related to the type of plant on which they prefer to feed. Read more
For those who desire a bit of privacy from neighbors, or want to mark the boundaries of their property, a dividing wall would be one way to accomplish those goals. This is a lighter-duty wall than retaining walls, which are designed to withstand pressure from holding back soil. The dividing wall stands alone and marks a boundary, and it can be decorative, if you wish. Read more
One of the most frustrating aspects of home ownership is spending your hard-earned money on an improvement project, only to receive results that are lower quality than you envisioned. We frequently get calls from homeowners who had patios installed by other contractors who are less than satisfied with the results This is usually because the concrete has clearly visible cracks or has quickly become discolored. Read more
Have you ever seen a retaining wall that has become cracked and discolored? The most likely cause for this problem is that the contractor didn’t take proper steps to ensure adequate drainage of water from behind the wall. Read more
Any time someone comes along in your neighborhood and offers to do a landscaping job – for example, a wall or a patio – for much cheaper than the other estimates you received, this should raise red flags. It’s common to see unlicensed contractors doing these types of jobs, and there are several significant risks the homeowner should consider before hiring one of them. Read more
When calling a contractor for an estimate on building a wall, it’s important to know how the estimate is actually calculated. This gives the customer a better idea of what they are paying for and of different charges they may incur in the event they want to change their mind about one or more aspects of the wall. Having this information can also save the customer some unexpected costs, and prevents frustration when making changes to the original plan. Read more
Last week we began explaining hardscape, and this week we will continue focusing on a few other functions of hardscape and the important materials involved with it. Read more
We are going to spend the next couple of articles focusing on ‘hardscape’ and topics which can make your home as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Read more
On the heels of our previous discussion on how to prune roses, this week we are going to look at how to prune specific types of roses. Read more
You may have questions and concerns regarding the annual maintenance required to keep your roses looking healthy, beautiful, and happy. Ideally, the months of January and February in frost-prone areas, are the best time to prune your roses. And, believe it or not, there is a great deal of controversy focusing on the manner in which to prune these wonderful flowers that add such great beauty around your home. Read more
As we mentioned last week, there are many different terms that people use in the landscaping industry. However, since many of these terms are used interchangeably, it’s important to understand the specific definition of these terms. Read more
In the world of landscaping, there are many “landscaping” terms that people throw around and use interchangeably, even though they have different meanings. Read more
Whiteflies can definitely be a nuisance to your flowers, plants, and vegetables. Read more
In the world of gardening, you’ll often hear terms such as “grafting” and “root stock.”. They can be a bit confusing but must be handled properly to ensure healthy trees and shrubs. The method has been implemented for hundreds of years, but can still be a little tricky. Here’s a brief overview. Keep in mind that we use a tree as an example in this article, but the same process is used with shrubs. Read more