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Spring Cleanup Time!

3/30/2014

It's that time again in New Hampshire! The snow is melting in Bedford, Amherst, Nashua and all the surrounding towns. What the easiest way to get your Fall Cleanup out of the way? Call us, of course!
If you want to tackle it yourself there are a couple of ways to do it. A rake will make a dent in it but it'll wear you out. The home improvement stores sell lawn vacs. They're nice but pricey. If you have a bagging mower your can mow them up but only if you keep up with them every few days. We use backpack blowers, for the most part. They move a lot of leaves quickly. We put them in piles and suck them up in our trucks. Backpack blowers are easily purchased, and good homeowner models can be purchased for less than 200.00. Buy one and use it year 'round. Blow grass off the driveway after you've cut. Blow powdery snow off the driveway after a light storm. Use it to dry your car off after you wash it. There are many uses for this versatile piece of equipment. Once you've blown the leaves in piles bag them to be recycled at the local recycling center or call us to suck them up. You'll never go wrong buying that blower tho'!

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Tired of looking at snow? Forgot what was under there? Afraid to look?

3/28/2014

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The front yard may be the showpiece of your landscape, but the backyard is all your own, a sanctuary for relaxation, entertaining and play. If your backyard could use a facelift, don't make the mistake of slapping a patio down here and a garden border there as time and budget allow. Instead, consider the space holistically, from how you want to use the yard to how much time you want to spend working in it. In Amherst New Hampshire we get the benefit of four seasons. We love doing things outdoors so my backyard has a pool, a bit of grass, a fire pit and a raised standalone deck. They were all specifically designed to take advantage of three of the seasons and our love of entertaining guests.
Frequently customers ask how to go about designing the perfect outdoor space. The following will help answer those questions and will help you get the creative juices flowing.

1. Dream. Ask yourself some basic questions. What do you want out of the yard — a playground for kids, a cozy retreat, and an entertaining patio? What materials do you like — brick pavers, water, sustainable plants? Try looking thru magazines and books that feature landscaping and when you find a picture of something you like cut it out or make a photo copy. Eventually, you'll want to get real. Be honest about your level of involvement. A yard that requires little work and resources is the holy grail. Think about how to simplify the plans to make this happen for you.

2. Take stock of the property. Do a walk-around and consider what you like and don't like about the space. Make a list of what's salvageable (the 100-year-old oak tree) and what's not (a sagging, rotten deck), as well as how permanent storage (shed, garage, etc.) is positioned and whether it needs to be moved or camouflaged. Don't forget to factor in geographical considerations, i.e. If you adore roses but live in an area with a lot of deer, they'll get eaten. Either plant something else or plan a fence.

3. Know the rules. Your city or homeowner's association may have specific regulations, like maximum fence height or projects that require permits. Know what's allowed before you begin work, because if you break the rules and get caught, not only will you have to take down your project, but there will be fines involved.

4. Make a plan, on paper. A plan provides a birds-eye view of your overall project, which can then be implemented logically in steps. Designers often draw bubbles to represent generic spaces like a patio, playground, garage and pool, then link the bubbles together with pathways, lawn areas and gardens.

Look at the relationships between spaces, then draw them to scale. Each individual space should flow into the next, moving people from the front yard to back, from a primary patio to a secondary patio. Entryways, pathways and exits all play a role in drawing people into the next space. You can create the impression of separate spaces by simply changing the floor material or pattern, or by elevating one portion slightly above the other to establish distinct "rooms" without disrupting the flow. Bring the "inside" out, your backyard can be just another living space, an extension of the the rooms inside your house.

Having trouble? Consider hiring a professional, at least for the planning portion. A designer can open your eyes to brilliant options you may not think of yourself.

5. Check the plan from inside. Outdoor spaces should bring pleasure every day, even when you're inside. When designed right, your backyard becomes artwork in the windows.

Start with the kitchen window, since homeowners spend more time looking out that window than any other, then assesses traffic patterns from the kitchen or mudroom. Make sure your plan allows you to move people in and out, to get the garbage out, everything you need for daily living.

6. Fine-tune each area. Zoom into each "room" in your plan to fix any shortcomings and implement your small-scale dreams. If the patio area is near an unsightly view, draw in a fence or green privacy screen. If the swing set will face the afternoon sun, turn it sideways. Does the garden area need a little oomph? Consider adding an arbor for an entryway. This is where you focus on wish-list details as well. If you want a low-maintenance yard with a small environmental impact, plan low-water plants in the garden area and think about swapping out some grassy areas for native grass or pebbles.

7. Back up and use your wide lens. Now look at your yard in context, both in relation to the house and to itself. The flowers, hardscape and even lawn become the wallpaper of your outdoor room. Choose furniture with the overall color palate in mind.

8. Execute in logical stages. The best thing about a comprehensive plan? You don't need to do it all at once. Work on one area at a time, but make sure you're always thinking ahead. For example, if you're redoing the patio and eventually want to do an outdoor kitchen, don't wait to install the gas hookup, since it's more cost-effective to do when the ground is already dug up. You simply have to have a plan. You'll save yourself heartache, time and money, and you'll have a beautiful yard when it's all finished.

We hope this helps answer some of the questions we hear all the time. Of course, we can come in and design your landscape for if you and we always love your input! After all, It is YOU that will be enjoying the new landscape! Give us a call for all your outdoor needs!

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Spring Cleanup Time!

Tired of looking at snow? Forgot what was under there? Afraid to look?

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