Courtesy of Northampton Nursery & Northampton Building Solutions
June 2010
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Landscaping |
 Tips from the Pros
Laying the Groundwork for PaversMore and more people are using pavers to turn patios, walkways and driveways into special areas. If you're thinking about installing pavers yourself or hiring a contractor, you should have some basic knowledge. The first thing you need to know is how to prepare and install the base or foundation on which your new patio or walkway will sit. Think of it as the foundation of your home: While it's the part you don't see, it's the part that holds everything else up. Start with proper excavation of the area. For a standard walkway or patio, you want to excavate at least 9 inches deep. This provides the depth you need to accommodate your base materials and pavers. You also want to make sure you over-dig the area. That means making your excavation area wider than the actual walkway or patio by an amount equal to the depth of the base material you're putting down. We'll be offering more tips on installing pavers in future newsletters. But if you're raring to go, email us and we'll send you a FREE step-by-step plan for getting your pavers in place quickly, professionally and beautifully. Plant of the Month
 Ninebark Shrubs
Ninebark shrubs are native to North America, and they are great as either accent or border plants. They are very hardy and come in interesting colors ranging from purple to gold. Best of all, ninebarks are a four-season plant that will enhance your landscape all through the year. They flower nicely in the spring, they have colorful foliage in the summer, they have vibrant fall color, and the bark is attractive in a winter setting. Ninebarks do well in either full sun or light shade. They can grow 8 to 10 feet tall and spread to about the same width. Landscaping Trend
Less Lawn, More Garden, More Beauty
Here's a trend we're seeing that's adding beauty to yards in all kinds of neighborhoods. And it's reducing the amount of lawn that homeowners have to take care of. More and more people are cutting back the space devoted to lawns and creating gardens of shrubs and perennials that are easy to maintain and beautiful to look at. "A well-thought-out garden, especially one with drought-tolerant, native shrubs, adds curb appeal and eco-friendliness while cutting down on maintenance," says Marie Iannotti, who blogs about gardens for About.com. Shrubs and perennial flowers set in weed-checking mulch can add pizzazz to almost any space. Best of all, there's little work after the garden is installed. The 2009 Garden Trends Research Report found that use of perennials has jumped from 34 percent to 42 percent from 2006 through today. It's Time To ...
If you're like most homeowners, your yard is starting to shape up for summer. Here are some things to do this month to keep things on track for the coming months. - Keep your landscape watered, especially any new plants you've added.
- Trim evergreen hedges now that most of the new growth has occurred.
- Pull or spot-spray weeds that have reappeared in your landscape. A second application of pre-emergent weed control can be applied 9-12 weeks after the first application.
- Start harvesting spring-planted vegetables. Don't leave the area of pulled plants bare, though. Replant with summer crops.
- Cut back any mums that have re-appeared from last year by half. This will ensure bushy, full growth and a better fall display of flowers.
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Masterpiece Project
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 A Beautiful,
Terraced Back Yard
Kathy & Tim were the proud owners of a newly constructed home, but their back yard was missing something. They were looking to create an outdoor living space where they could entertain family and friends, share meals and enjoy a visually interesting environment. We worked with the homeowners to create a look that is clean, accessible and beautifully integrated with the natural slope of the yard. The project created a walkway from the driveway to the rear patio, where there is room for both an eating area and a large open seating area. Working with the slope of the lot, we designed and installed a boulder wall to create a terraced environment leading to the rear of the yard. In the area of the boulder wall we placed a variety of plantings to soften the effect of the boulders and add visual highlights. Since the lot sloped down toward the rear of the home, we also designed and installed a drainage system to capture the runoff from the rear of the property - a must for any property that doesn't slope away from the house. The drainage system piped runoff under the patio into a swale the builder had created when building the home. Because the family enjoys gardening, we left room in the landscape beds so that they could add perennials of their choice, and created an area for a vegetable garden at the rear of the property. To extend the look of the boulder wall, we used natural stone steppers to create a gradually climbing stairway to provide access to the rear of the property. From top to bottom, this project was a masterpiece we could be proud of. |
| Home Improvement | Tip of the Month
Take a Look at Your Cooling Systems
Now's the time to change filters on your air conditioner and check the condensate line that drains fluid created by the cooling process. Even better, have your system serviced so it runs efficiently when you'll be using it the most. While you're in a cooling mood, switch the position of your ceiling fan blades so that they will push cool air down where you'll enjoy it most. This will allow you to set the AC thermostat higher and save money while enjoying the cooling effect of moving air. Outside your house, check your patio or deck for any damage that may have occurred over the winter. Especially important is checking the steps and railings of your decks to make sure they're well secured. Now's also a good time to inspect and clean your gutters before the summer thunderstorms arrive.
News You Can Use
It's Getting Easier to Be GreenIt's cool to be green. And remodeling a home in a green way is getting easier. To help homeowners interested in green living the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) just launched a Green Remodeling education program. This program offers homeowners and remodeling contractors ways to incorporate cost-saving and earth-sustaining concepts into remodeling projects. The program focuses extensively on air quality, energy conservation, resource conservation, reducing material waste and the use of products that are better for the environment. To learn more about this program, click here. A shout-out to Dr. Jack Becker of Mainline Allergy for clarifying our News You Can Use item on ways to reduce allergy reactions to remodeling projects. While the prevention tips we offered were on the money, allergic reactions to renovations are mostly caused by mold and cockroach allergens, Dr. Becker reports, not dust and dust mites. Thanks for writing, Dr. Becker - and for reading our new e-newsletter! |
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Living Green & Well |
The Benefits of 'Green Exercise'People who love gardening know how relaxing it can be. But those who aren't as sold on outdoor life might consider a new study from England. Researchers from the University of Essex found that just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, boost moods and increase self-esteem. The researchers said that "green exercise" can include a variety of outdoor activities, from gardening and landscaping, to farming, walking or bicycling. The benefits of "green exercise" and outdoor activity have long been known, but this study of information from 1,252 people was the first to show how little time was needed to see positive results. So head for the garden!
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