Here are some great landscaping ideas for your front yard featuring a berm planted to give curb appeal to a lovely colonial. A fieldstone wall compliments the colorful plantings.
By John Holden
Author: John Holden
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How to Renovate a Lawn
In this video I show you how to renovate a lawn using a tool called a Rotodairon.
If your lawn is not growing well look at the big picture to see what is causing the trouble.
Some, of the many, causes of a poor lawn are:
- Sandy soil
- Too much shade
- Soil has a low ph
- Soil has a high ph
- Low organic matter content
- Buried debris under the soil
- Too damp of an area
- Too dry of an area
- Mowing too short
- Too many tree roots (Please don’t cut them all, there’s a better solution.)
The key is to look around and figure out why your lawn isn’t growing well and don’t make assumptions. This is a situation where like Joe Friday says you have to look at, “Just the facts.”
If you have any questions about lawn renovation please post them below.
By John Holden
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Front Yard Landscaping Ideas by a Trumbull CT Landscaper
I installed this front yard landscaping over 9 years ago and been involved in the maintenance ever since.
I hope you can learn a few tips when it comes time to design your own landscape. If you are looking for a Trumbull CT landscaper or landscape designer please call today.
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How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 3
In the last video in my series on How to Prune Tree Hydrangeas I show you the results of our effort. A tree hydrandgea full of flowers.
This winter I hope you will get out and try pruning your tree hydrangea. I know you can do it!
By John Holden
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How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 2
Over the winter I showed you how to prune a tree hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). In this video I show you the new growth emerging on the same shrub. I hope this video gives you the confidence to try pruning your tree hydrangea.
By John Holden
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How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 1
Prune your tree hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) after growth has stopped in the fall or before new growth in the spring. Tree hydrangeas can take a heavy pruning with ease. Don’t be afraid to prune them.
Your goal when pruning tree hydrangeas is to:
- Remove crossing branches.
- Remove dead branches.
- Remove last years flower buds.
- Thin out weak stems to encourage larger blooms.
- Make room for new growth.
The first time you prune your tree hydrangea it’s probably going to take a while. Take it one cut at a time and you’ll do fine.
The video above goes into all the detail you need to get the job done. Please post any questions in the comments below.
By John Holden
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Why Should You Hire a Landscape Designer?
What are the benefits of hiring a landscape designer? Why should you hire a landscape designer?
There are at least three situations where you should hire a landscape designer:
- The most obvious reason, you don’t know about garden design. A good landscape designer can help you get the results that best meet your needs.
- You know about gardening but have a limited knowledge of plants or design. There’s a world of plants out there that you are not familiar with. A landscape designer can introduce you to those plants and show you how to make the best use of them in your landscape.
- You don’t know about gardening but you do have an idea of what you want. If you call me and say, “I want a patio” there are some questions I’ll ask you are, “What is the patio for? Do you want a quiet place to relax? A stimulating place to entertain? A place where young children can play? Are you looking to combine different design needs?” A landscape designer can hone your ideas into a beautiful landscape.
Make sure your landscape designer puts your needs first. Your landscape design is about meeting your needs. If you suspect a landscape designer isn’t looking out for your best interests trust your gut.
When I design a landscape I act as a filter translating my clients needs into a finished landscape design.
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How to Prune Using the Three Cut Method
There is plenty of information about how to prune using the three cut method. Today I’d like to show you why to prune using the three cut method.
When pruning trees and shrubs we want the wound to heal quickly. The quicker the wound heals the better your tree or shrub can seal out attack by disease, rot, and insects.
The three cut method lets your trees and shrubs heal quickly.
How to Prune Trees and Shrubs Using the Three Cut Method
We are going to make three cuts with our pruning saw to remove a branch.
First Cut
Cut from the underside of the branch about a foot from the trunk. Make this cut about a third of the diameter of the branch. If you’re pruning a large branch remove limbs farther out to lighten the load.
Second Cut
Cut from the top of the branch about half-inch to an inch outside the first cut. The undercut you made in step one will prevent the bark from peeling and damaging the trunk as the branch falls.
Third Cut
Now it is time to make the most important cut at the trunk of the tree or shrub. There are two parts of the tree you should know about at this phase.
Branch Bark Ridge – The ridged line of bark along the crotch of the tree.
Branch Collar – The swollen growth along the branch.
Your goal is to cut the branch just outside the branch collar and never cut into the branch bark ridge so the cut will heal quickly and seal out insects, disease and moisture.
I look for the swollen part of the branch and try to prune just outside.
If you cut into the Branch Bark Ridge of Branch Collar you can injure the callous tissue of the tree and it may never close the wound, exposing the tree to disease and rot.
Conclusion
If you take a little extra time to do it right your trees and shrubs will thrive. Be sure your pruning tools are sharp, it reduces the effort involved and improves your cuts. Now go out and have fun!
By John Holden
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Front Yard Landscape Design by an Oxford CT Landscaper
The video above is a beautiful colonial in Oxford CT where we were the landscaper of choice. I hope you enjoy the tour of this lovely home.