Winter Wonder?

Ever wonder what your landscape is doing in the winter.  Are your azaleas dreaming about Spring as much as you are?  Do plants just sit dormant or is there some kind of activity occurring?  We all start the new year with new goals of growth, eating healthier and other resolutions.  Gazing out my living room window, I wonder, is the landscape contemplating a new start?  In all reality, all plants are in a state of dormancy.  However, evergreen plants are not completely inactive.  Respiration continues in evergreens to support minimal functions to keep their cells from freezing.  Both evergreen and deciduous species are surged with growth inhibitors during dormancy.  These inhibitors are concentrated in their buds and seeds to prevent new growth in an effort to make it through harsh weather conditions.
I wish that there was a way for humans to enter a state of dormancy.  When harsh conditions appear, we can just wait them out as if they never occurred.  Wouldn't it be amazing to break from dormancy and start anew!  That's my resolution!  

Five Tips for a Fabulous Outdoor Party

It is the season we have been waiting for – time to get outdoors and enjoy warm breezes, lush plants and dining al fresco. Bring restaurant patio dining home and enjoy it with no curfew. Even with the smallest of outdoor spaces, you can present a fresh feast just like the Europeans. Dining outside has long been favored by those in the Mediterranean climate. Why not transform your own yard into a little slice of the Costa del Sol.


Whether you are freshening up an existing landscape or starting from scratch, my showcase has some tips to get you started. First, Sketch out a Floor Plan so that you know how your guests will use and flow throughout the space. Create a few seating areas along the perimeter where guest can gather and mingle. For decades, patio Furniture didn’t change much. This year’s designs are so stylish that your indoor furniture will be jealous. Your patio set may be just as unique as you are. Modern furniture designers tend to clean lines. The fashion is natural materials like wood, glass and metal in their purist form. Outdoor patio furniture is no longer restricted to a dining set. A relaxing lounge set is very on trend and oh so comfy.

Have you ever had a summer barbeque on your patio but you spent the majority of the time inside preparing the rest of the food? Now you finally have the opportunity to enjoy your guest. A free standing Cook Center and counter will allow for just that. You will be able to prepare and serve everything outside without missing a beat.

Extend the time that you spend in your new entertainment space by including a fire feature. Fire pits, walls and Fireplace help carry you through the cooler fall months and even on into winter. Your patio is no longer limited to a few short months. Be sure to use Metal Chargers to rest your dining plates when entertaining in fall. The metal chargers will conduct heat and allow for your food to stay warmer for a longer period.

Now for the biggest question, who are you going to invite to your fabulous party?

Focused Design Elements

Most focal points start with your front door. Did you know that secondary focal points can be just as important? These can include anything from water or fire features to an ornamental tree. Secondary focal points visually pull you, the viewer, through a space. If your space does not have an architectural element like a water feature or fire pit, group furniture in an area to create a prime focus. Another option would be to implement custom “quilting” with a area rug brick inlay.

Entry ways should offer a sampling of the colors and styles that the viewer will find throughout the space. Continuity and composition then become tertiary focal points. Tertiary focal points creates physical movement and flow.

Proper scale and proportion set the stage for your focal points. Consider keeping shrubs below window sills and seat walls at comfortable heights. Your furniture also plays a roll in the scale of your space. They are used as a visual reference to the architectural and cultural character of a place.

Focal points are more than visual aspects. The aesthetics of water features reach far beyond what is seen. The sound of water and the coolness associated with it are apart of our emotional response. Fire features also create a sense of excitement, warmth and even danger.

Lets start with your front door and focus on where you want to travel from there.

'Reduce,Reuse and Renew' your deciduous Trees and Shrubs NOW!

I know that we are all trying to get on the GREEN band wagon but did you know that you can work on applying those concepts to your yard right now.  The three key words of sustainability are reduce, reuse and renew.  Don't think that just because temperatures are still hovering around freezing in the Midwest, that you can't get out into your yard.  You can get out there and take initiative in 'renewing' your deciduous trees and shrubs.  The best way to do that, Dormant Pruning.  The best time to prune woody trees and shrubs is in the winter, during dormancy.  Dormant pruning may seem to be a heavy undertaking at first glance.  You will be 'reducing' the plant material by 1/3, therefore it turns out to be a smaller task.  Right?  Remove any dead, damaged or diseased branches.  This will help your plant material to rejuvenate itself each spring.  You will find more buds and a lusher canopy come June.  You should be thinking about a three year dormant pruning plan.  1/3 every year.  In a sense, you will be 'reusing' your same trees and shrubs for years to come because of the sustainable dormant pruning practices that you have implemented.  Protect your investment and more importantly protect our environment.  Now get out there and get GREEN!!

Holiday Cheer and New Beginings

I am so looking forward to this Holiday Season, especially some yummy Turkey and family gatherings. This will be the first holiday that I will be sharing with my new hubby. Yes, we tied the knot this month and it was amazing. Our wedding was a true reflection of the joy that we share with each other and our families.

I look forward to this time of year because it is time to get creative. This time of year I love to brag about my wintergreen containers and now I get to brag about the wintergreens I designed for my wedding. A little narcissism can go a long ways. I have obviously been looking forward to this November for 20 months! I can't wait for all the holidays to come.

As you may already know, I love to share my seasonal color ideas with all of you.

It's all about texture. Combine the fine needles of your arb boughs with the broad leaves of magnolias and seeded eucalyptus. There are so many varieties of evergreen boughs to choose from that it can become a little overwhelming. I would suggest sticking to the basics: pine, spruce, and arbs. A little sparkle is a must but lets keep it looking organic too. Please no painted eucalyptus, it screams FAKE. I added a little sparkle by crystallizing birch branches.

Keep a little sparkle in your life to carry you through these next bitter months!

Are We Being Green!

This past week I received an award for another fire wall but I feel extremely guilty for not sticking to my morals. I have been following my cheese in an effort to bring in more sales in a down economy. But I am compromising not only my beliefs but our environment. The landscape can be nurtured to accommodate the formal styles that we are accustomed to but they can also be native.

I am stuck between performing well for my company but am I really living up to my potential. I hope that in the future I can design unique entertainment spaces for my customers that do not involve foe water features and gas guzzling fire pits. What about bio swales and rain gardens for those who are seeking one of the three components of a zen garden? But how do I bring the fire element in without the actual fire?

Fire in July

Just a small update on the current conditions. July is usually a slow month in the green industry but this month is really starting to heat up, literally. Now if I can only keep this momentum going. Have you ever heard of fire walls? These are raised stone walls with natural gas lines running down the center. My customers are really hot for them. I am in the process of installing two and designing a few more. They are a great accent to your home, especially if you do not have a green thumb. They frame the outer edges of your patio without having to invest in a lot of plant material.

The hydrangeas are in full bloom this month as our grass is starting to burn out. Be sustainable and let it go dormant. It will come back as the temperatures drop and the fall rain comes.