Category: CT Landscaping Tips
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Snow Crocus: Unstoppable Early Spring Bloom
It’s mid-March, and my snow crocus has bloomed for a few weeks. What’s the secret to such early spring flowers? How do I pull off such a fantastic feat every year? Simple. I do nothing! Snow crocus is one of the first bulbs, technically, it’s a corm, to bloom in the landscape. Crocus is extremely…
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Oakleaf Hydrangea Glowing in the Morning Sun
This morning I stepped outside for a breath of air and caught an Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) glowing in the warmth of the morning sun. Oakleaf Hydrangeas are one of my favorite plants for several reasons. First, the oak-shaped leaves create interest in the landscape all year. Second, mid-summer blooms light up the landscape and…
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Problem Solving. That’s what I do!
I had a meeting with a prospective client yesterday to discuss a design for the front of their home. When I drove up their driveway one thought came to my mind. This the most challenging space I will ever design. I stepped out of my car looked at the landscape and the ideas started to…
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Spring Seeding Tips
A couple of weeks ago I performed a spring seeding of my lawn and would like to share some spring seeding tips. My goal was to fill bare spots and overseed my dog’s run. Overseeding the run is most likely a waste of time but I had to give it a try. I live in…
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3 Landscaping Pet Peeves
Some landscaping practices should be avoided. Below are my top three landscaping pet peeves. Tags left on Plants Why would anyone leave plant tags fluttering in the wind? Leaving tags on plants takes a beautiful landscape and makes it look like the side of the highway. Please remove all tags before leaving the job. I…
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Spread Less Mulch For a More Healthy Landscape
This spring I visited a home that had recently been mulched and was shocked at how deep the mulch was and how little preparation went into the job. Weeds that had been covered in mulch poked through and the mulch was easily four to five inches deep. I recommend carrying a soil knife and removing…
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How to Mulch a Tree Incorrectly
Every spring I cringe when I see freshly mulched landscapes. The more is better principle gets beaten silly and mulch spread with reckless abandon. This isn’t the first time I’ve discussed how to mulch and it won’t be the last. How to mulch correctly is a topic worth repeating. Volcano mulching is when a mound…
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Tips for Getting Work Done
After three days of hard work I’m almost finished preparing a garden bed. It was a hard-fought victory that taught me tips for getting work done. We’ve had a mild winter and I looked forward to working with the temperature in the 50’s and 60’s. Last week the weather changed. It’s been in the low 40’s…
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CT Landscaping Tips – December 2013
The end of the 2013 CT landscaping season is here. Below are some tips to prepare your home and landscape for winter. In the Landscape Cut back perennials to prevent the overwintering of insects and disease. Cut most perennials to the ground. Some perennials, such as coral bells, should not. It’s better to post a…