May is here and we have installed about 7 tractor trailer loads of mulch so far! Lots of spring cleanups and the weather has stayed fairly cool and dry so makes it nice to work in. Of course the annoying little gnats (or May flies as some are called) are also out and about along with inch size tent caterpillars that just hatched the end of April. If you are looking to control the caterpillars on shrubs and planting beds you can give Dave Schwarm at The Green Scene a call. If they seem to be coming from higher up in the trees along with gypsy moth larvae then you should contact Mike Chaput over at MC Tree Care 860-214-6716. Mike also does tree trimming or removal, stump grinding and stump removal too.
With the recent media coverage on the rise of ticks in Connecticut many folks are asking for tick spraying to protect your families and pets while out in the yard. The Green Scene has provided this service for our home in Glastonbury for several years along with lawn fertilization and weed control for planting beds for many of our clients.
For those of you that we have just mulched over the past month, here’s a weed control reminder to apply Preen to both your mulch areas as well as any rock areas since it continues to work for about 2-3 months to help prevent new weeds from establishing. If any weeds or grass are sprouting in the mulch or stone areas then spray some Roundup or other weed killer on a nice dry sunny day and it will assist in keeping your beds weed free and looking good all summer long. Maintenance-Care-guide-after-mulching.
My Outdoor Living Space…
Now that the weather is nice and springlike, we have setup our outdoor concrete paver patio with our 2 existing 10 x 10 gazebos with new canopies (Gardenwinds.com), fresh washed curtains, outdoor carpet, and our chairs, table and bench. Feels just like a living room! I also setup my outdoor fan for when it gets warm or I just want to discourage those pesky flying bugs. The big box stores like Sam’s Club and BJs or Costco have some really nice outdoor gazebos or pergolas and furniture sets available. You can also find good ones at Home Depot, Lowes, Target and Walmart. We leave ours up all year round and just remove the canopies each fall so snow and wind don’t damage it. If you are in the market for some sharp looking outdoor furniture then visit Patio and Hearth over in Wethersfield and just down the road in Rocky Hill is Namco which carries not only pools and pool supplies but also patio sets, umbrellas, gliders and swings and is where I also get chlorine tabs for my pool and pond 🙂
Your Outdoor Living Space…
We are working with several clients on their backyard spaces. We use our design program to define the space and also show them what a table with 4 chairs or 6 chairs will look like and how much space it will take up so patios can be enlarged or changed to fit their lifestyle and families. Creating a space for a fire pit bowl or chimnea or propane heater like the restaurants have on their patios is also important. There are also many that want either a pondless waterfall incorporated off the patio or deck or even a spot to just set up a small bubbling fountain.
Here’s one video design I did a few years back for a client to see the many different areas that we can create: Backyard Ideas 3D It has a pool, hot tub, fire pit area, grill area, shaded pergola dining area, and an outdoor bar. Plus a pondless waterfall and fence area with easy to maintain plantings. I included people sitting and swimming to give it a more lived in sense of appeal and also helps visualize the scale.
Sometimes it’s nice to have a raised patio area to help create another space for entertaining that’s separate from say a pool or playscape area. Our guys are installing concrete steps that will compliment the pavers and also keep things low maintenance for cleaning each year.
By installing retaining walls and columns, you not only enclose the space or separate elements but those walls can be used as extra seating or benches too especially for around a fire pit.
One of our suppliers Unilock just emailed us the latest catalog of ideas for 2017. It gives many of our clients the inspiration, education and tips they need for planning their next outdoor project.
The 2017 Design Idea Catalog has more photos, pages and products than ever before! Click image below to view…
Next week we will be showcasing a few of our current projects that we have been working on: a planting from before to computer design to actual finished install and a walkway and patio area we are currently installing for another client.