work

Space Renovation

After 4 trees were felled leaving trunks and branches in the greenbelt as well as the space being overrun with Blackberry bushes and English Ivy, this area was in need of some major work. We started with pulling invasive English ivy from trees, snags, and the entire slope. Once cleared, we brought in tree chips, dirt, and rocks to fill the space over the branches, and finished with the addition of native plants. This area requires continued attention and opportunity for new ideas as a result of plants dying, animals feeding on plants, and nature's climate changes.

Pathways & Swales for Troublesome Areas

The designs for this back neglected area required removal of deep tree roots and unwanted plants, included some existing plants such as a Dwarf Japanese Maple, and took into account the different microclimates. Swales were added to help reduce the water that drops during heavy rains from the above overflowing gutters which empties into a water retention area. The pathway was added to fill a troublesome space and allow access from the yard to the patio without having to walk through the garden beds.

Planter Designs

Planters bring unlimited beauty year round. With that in mind, containers are created with designs that take into account the sun and climate to allow for seasonal interest by mixing interesting foliage with blooming plants, evergreens with deciduous and herbaceous, and room to add seasonal annuals.

Proper Pruning

Bushes pruned properly create light and space, allow the plant to thrive in its natural form, and promote good plant health. It is easy to shear shrubs, hack back branches, and other forms of poor pruning. However, this is harmful to the plant, invites pests and disease, and looks bad. So, bushes and small trees are pruned according to practices and guidelines learned in the Master Pruner program which can be found on the Plant Amnesty website. This annual work reduces the overall size, clears access to the door, removes suckers from the tree base, and creates movement space underneath the tree.

Blank Slate

Like an artist approaching a blank canvas, designing plant layouts for empty spaces is much the same. We look at the space itself, the climate and sublimates of the area, troublesome areas, and how best to design the garden beds before buying plants, adding hardscape, and increasing or decreasing the space. This is an example of a side yard that added Emerald Green Arborvitae trees for privacy and shade plants to fill in the empty space.