A Winter Garnish

Crocuses in Snow

As the green leaves evanesce in favor of yellows and reds, it is clear that winter drab is just around the corner. But is it inevitable? Not if you take advantage of Nature's own solution: winter flowers. These are the plants that insist on reversing the entropy of the seasons and provide your yard and gardens with a colorful landscape throughout the cooler months.

Whether annuals or perennials, there are an abundance of winter colors to choose from. The estimable Better Homes and Gardens provides a list here, and includes Sweet Alyssum, Calendula, Sweet Pea, and Winter Jasmine, among others.

Our customers are favoring Pansies, along with some Kale and Cabbage, in strategic planting beds and pots around the yard. And our guys are happy to oblige:

Everything Old is New Again

'Tis the season to prune, and our crews are on the job.

 Pruning is actually many things, what with the different needs and requirements of the various plants we work with. But in general it is the removal of deadwood to allow in light, air, and new growth.

But pruning - and its near equivalent, hedge trimming - is also a kind of communication with the plants. Due to differing soil conditions, water, light, and topography, plants can grow awkwardly or haphazardly. Careful pruning and trimming can effectively tell a plant where it needs to focus its energies to achieve endurance and symmetry with a total landscape plan.

A rather nice view for our guys to enjoy during brief pruning respites.

The Hard Stuff

This fine Fall day finds our guys hard at work on a walkway from a backyard patio to the Lake.

When you are building a walkway with pavers, there are no shortcuts - the ground needs to be meticulously graded and leveled, prepared with sand and rock, and then each paver stone must be individually placed. 

The result, however, will be worth it - a softening of the slope accessibility of the Lake coupled with an esthetically pleasing addition to the landscape. A win-win for everyone!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Or, a number of days, depending on the project parameters. Here we post side by side before and after pictures of some recent projects in which la diferencia es muy evidente!

Pool/Patio Wall Plantings

Streetview

Lakeview

Pool & Patio

You Can Feel the Earth Move

Lawncare, Landscape, Irrigation, and Hardscape, that's what we do. Seems simple enough.

But before the lawn is seeded, sodded, and watered, the soil must be prepared. Before the trees, hollies, and flowers are installed, holes must be dug and filled again. Before the irrigation pipes are placed, the trenches must be cut. And before the fire pit, pool, or patio is constructed, the ground must be graded and compacted.

Moving dirt is not for the faint of heart. We have tractors and graders, of course, but landscape work requires meticulous attention to details, and that means working sometimes with the old reliables, the pick and shovel.

Herewith some pictures of our sturdy crews, making the earth move.

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