How To Make a Flower Bed

October 13, 2023. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Landscaping, Lawn • Dallas-Fort Worth

Do you want to add a beautiful flower bed to your property? The most intimidating part of this project is deciding what it will look like. When it comes to designs, colors and layout, the options are endless. The good news is that there is plenty of room for fun experimentation.

This guide will provide a step-by-step guide on how to make a flower bed, annual flower bed ideas and flower bed edging ideas. For the best results, contact a landscaping specialist for help.

How To Make a Flower Bed

The first step to making a flower bed is to choose the right location on your property, and you have several options when it comes to aesthetics. A few possibilities are in your front yard, behind a pool and along the fence line in your backyard.

Flowers will not survive in waterlogged soil, so make sure you choose a spot with proper drainage, or … Read Full Post »

Outdoor Tree Lighting Ideas

September 19, 2023. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Landscaping, Lawn • Houston

Looking for an easy way to enhance your home’s curb appeal? Adding outdoor lights around your trees is a great solution to liven up your home’s exterior.

Outdoor landscape tree lighting can create a magical ambiance and transform your outdoor space. Plus, the extra lighting can make your lawn more enjoyable and usable at nighttime.

Where do you start with designing landscape lighting? The first thing to remember is that you need to balance aesthetics with functionality. Mapping out your design ideas will help you bring your vision to life.

The best way to achieve the outdoor space of your dreams is to work with a landscaping specialist. A professional will utilize their skills and expertise to create a seamless outdoor lighting plan for you. Along with designing your lighting plan, they can also save you time by installing the light fixtures.

Your Guide to Outdoor Tree Lighting Ideas

Illuminating your lawn with tree lighting … Read Full Post »

How To Build a Pergola

June 23, 2023. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Landscaping • Dallas-Fort Worth

If you are a fan of spending time outdoors, consider giving your backyard an upgrade with a pergola. A pergola is a customizable outdoor structure with vertical pillars and horizontal beams.

Pergolas have various uses that can be tailored to match your needs, the style of your home and the landscape. Adding a high-quality pergola to your backyard can even give you more usable space for summer BBQs.

Plan Your Pergola Design

Before you start building your pergola, decide on your design. There is ample inspiration to help you dream up your ideal pergola online.

Some pergolas are simple and modern; others are more ornate and traditional. Consider the size of your yard, the shade it can provide and the overall style of your home when choosing your pergola design.

Choose the Right Location

A level area with ample room will be best for setting up the pergola. Consider your home’s layout and any other outdoor … Read Full Post »

Ideas for a Drought-Tolerant Front Yard

June 9, 2023. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Landscaping • Houston

Most areas in the United States experience drought to some extent, with climate change and water shortages worsening the dry periods. While water conservation has never been more crucial, it doesn’t mean you should let your front yard dry out and wither away. With drought-resistant techniques, you can maintain lush greenery around your home without wasting resources.

Here are some landscaping tips that can help no matter how hot and dry it gets in your area.

How To Create a Drought-Tolerant Front Yard

Front yards can consume much water, especially if it has turf grass that needs irrigation. You can create a drought-tolerant front yard and reduce water consumption by growing water-wise plants that thrive in dry conditions. Let’s go through some drought-tolerant landscaping ideas.

Plant Groundcovers

You don’t have to maintain a massive lawn. You can reduce its size and plant groundcovers instead. The roots will prevent soil erosion, and the flowers will add … Read Full Post »

Low Maintenance Side Yard Ideas

February 17, 2023. Posted by Les Stobart in Landscaping, Lawn • San Antonio

Are you stumped on how to utilize your side yard? You aren’t alone. Most homeowners don’t know what to do with this space, and they often go unused and overlooked. However, there are several beautiful and functional ways to incorporate your side yard into the rest of your property.

Whether your side yard is big or small, it provides opportunities to get creative and set up the outdoor space you’ve always wanted. For example, you can beautify the side yard with a vertical garden or create a functional pathway with paver landscaping.

Low Maintenance Side Yard Ideas

Homeowners spend a lot of time and money perfecting their front yard and turning it into a beautiful entrance to their home. The backyard also becomes a hub for family activity and gets a lot of love. However, side yards often go overlooked.

Most homeowners don’t know how to utilize their side yard since it is often … Read Full Post »

Why Is My Crape Myrtle Not Blooming?

January 27, 2023. Posted by Les Stobart in Landscaping, Tree Care & Trimming • Bryan-College Station

Crape myrtle is a gorgeous plant that boosts the curb appeal of any home. They produce a cloud of beautiful and colorful blooms in the summertime and rich-colored green leaves in the fall.

If your crape myrtle is not blooming, there could be many reasons, such as too much shade, insufficient water, improper pruning or a soil imbalance. Keep reading to learn how to correct these problems so that your crape myrtle will bloom its beautiful flowers again.

Next, the growth of black fungus can weaken crape myrtle plants and detract from their beauty. Seeing sooty mold means that your crape myrtle has an insect infestation you must deal with before it spreads further.

Lastly, crape myrtle aphids are the most common pest to infest crape myrtle trees and shrubs. They suck the sap from the leaves and leave a sugary substance that causes black mold to grow. Luckily, there are easy ways … Read Full Post »

How to Build a Flower Bed

January 4, 2023. Posted by Les Stobart in Landscaping, Lawn • Austin

Spring is coming, so it’s time to start thinking about springtime gardens. Whether you are a seasoned green thumb or a flower newbie, building your own flower bed is not too difficult.

There are several types of flower beds, and creating your own ensures that you get exactly what you want that will fit your lawn.

Flower beds require routine maintenance before and after you build them. Keeping them tidy is important to discourage weed growth and help your flowers thrive.

Finally, front lawn flower beds add curb appeal and make your home feel more inviting. There are several ways to spruce up your front lawn with flower beds, from ring-shaped beds around your trees to flower beds along your walkway.

Keep reading to learn how to build and care for a flower bed. For the best outcome, contact a landscaping specialist. They have the knowledge to advise you on which plants will work … Read Full Post »

Plants That Like Full Sun and Heat

December 13, 2022. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Landscaping, Lawn • Houston

Looking to refresh your garden with plants that like full sun and heat? As we move toward warmer weather with less precipitation, it’s smart to plan a garden around the changing conditions of your region. The good news is that many plants and grasses fit these specifications. That means you can plant a garden that stays healthy and beautiful through the hot, dry summer. It won’t take much water or upkeep to keep it thriving.

Flowering Plants That Can Take The Heat

Butterfly bushes got their name from their ability to attract butterflies with their clusters of tiny, sweet-smelling flowers. These bushes can grow very tall. Some gardeners don’t like them because they can crowd out other native plants that are important to butterflies. This isn’t as much of an issue in hotter zones, and you can also plant sterile butterfly bushes that won’t reproduce and spread.
Cosmos love heat and full sun. … Read Full Post »

Landscape Tree Lighting Tips and Ideas

November 29, 2022. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Landscaping, Lawn • Houston

Have you dreamed of having a beautifully curated lawn that adds to your home’s curb appeal? One of the best ways to accentuate your lawn is to use landscape tree lighting.

Highlighting your trees with in-ground spotlights creates a beautiful ornamental centerpiece on your lawn. You can also use downward lights to create unique effects and add light to dark areas of your lawn.

Besides adding visual interest at night, landscape lighting also increases your home’s security and makes it more welcoming. You can also use outdoor light to accentuate other areas of your lawn, such as your plants and flower beds, deck, pergola and pool.

Finally, small walkway lights create a beautiful effect on your lawn. They even make it safer to navigate dark pathways. Follow the tips below to create a stunning visual effect with landscape accent lighting in your yard. Then, contact a professional landscaper to create a customized outdoor … Read Full Post »

Pavers Versus Concrete: Which Is Best?

November 23, 2022. Posted by Les Stobart in Landscaping • Bryan-College Station

As the seasons change, you might be looking to complete landscaping projects. One popular project is building a patio, perfect for spending time around a fire pit or lounging in patio chairs. There are a couple of ways that you can build a separate outdoor area for such activities, with either patio pavers or concrete as a base. But which one is better? Each one has its pros and cons.

Concrete Appearance

First, let’s look at concrete. You can get concrete in one of several ways: poured, in premade slabs or in prefabricated blocks that have the look of pavers. You can also choose different options for finishes, from smooth to lightly textured to a stamped concrete that looks like anything from pavers to stone to wood and has texture that provides traction. A landscaping professional can show you all your options and help you choose what is best for your space … Read Full Post »