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As a homeowner, what types of plants I should consider adding to my landscaping during the spring?

When planning your new landscape you should consider consulting with a professional, but here are some helpful tips: First, consider your surroundings. Sun and shade exposure is very important, as there are many different plant varieties that will thrive in the sun, and there are many that will thrive in the shade. This is the most important aspect when deciding on what plants you are going to use. Second is spacing. Plants will be tagged at the nursery with details in regard to the variety, such as growth habit, so this can be helpful when deciding on the space in which the plant will need to grow, as well as the height that you may desire. It is very important to allow the proper spacing between plants so they do not grow into each other and compete for nutrition. Finally, you should take notice of the pests in your area (deer, rabbits, etc.) and select the plants that are resistant.

Rock Bottom Landscaping

Which plants and flowers attract beneficial insects, like butterflies, bumblebees and lady beetles, and which repel pests, such as mosquitoes, houseflies and aphids?

There can be benefits to selecting certain varieties of plants—for example, butterfly bushes will attract butterflies to the garden, which can be relaxing. There are also many plants that can attract certain insects that will eat other damaging insects to your plants. Coreopsis is a beautiful perennial that offers a mass of flowers in the summer, but will also attract lady beetles. The lady beetle and its larvae will eat many damaging insects, such as aphids and mealybugs. Catnip and hydrangea will attract soldier beetles, which will feed on aphids and caterpillars. There are also plant varieties that can repel mosquitoes, such as lemongrass and marigolds.

Rock Bottom Landscaping

As a professional, what are some of the newest landscaping trends you’re seeing for spring?

There has been a rise in outdoor kitchen features. Built-in grills, as well as pizza ovens, have become quite popular. Pizza ovens offer a great and different means of cooking. The oven is not only for pizza, as it can reach much higher temperatures than the traditional oven, and can offer restaurant-quality options for preparing meals. This can also be great fun for parties and entertaining.

Rock Bottom Landscaping

What are the primary steps involved in planning a landscape design?

We first want to meet with the client at their home and walk through the property. We’ll discuss their vision for the space and bounce around ideas. This initial meeting should not be one-sided. We want the customer’s interaction. It’s important to know what they like, and probably just as important to know what they don’t like. We’re here to solve a problem, which might be adding curb appeal or replacing plants that have not grown properly. We’ll put together a plan with materials we know will do well on your particular property.

Gill's Landscaping

We always try to get a budget beforehand. It helps us zone in on your priorities. We don’t want to create a design only to find out it’s outside your budget. We can still create something nice within the budget you give us. If you’re getting proposals from different companies, I recommend giving them all the same budget and then comparing estimates to see what you’re getting for that money.

Gill's Landscaping

How important is it for a client to have a budget?

We always try to get a budget beforehand. It helps us zone in on your priorities. We don’t want to create a design only to find out it’s outside your budget. We can still create something nice within the budget you give us. If you’re getting proposals from different companies, I recommend giving them all the same budget and then comparing estimates to see what you’re getting for that money.

Gill's Landscaping

What are some popular elements that can be incorporated into a design?

Our goal is to create visual interest throughout the year. We don’t want to create a static landscape that never changes. We try to choose materials that will bloom at different times. You might have a rose bush blooming in the summer, but then in the fall something else is providing that life and color to the yard.

We’re also doing a lot of hardscaping, replacing walkways with paver materials from Techobloc or EP Henry. LED night lighting is also another popular feature that is becoming more economical and adds visual interest at night.

Gill's Landscaping

How extensive is installing a lawn drainage system? About how long does it take?

Each property will have a full evaluation to determine the extent of the needed solution. Most of the times we focus on finding the vast majority of concerns and then we can add into the system in the future if needed. Most of our projects are completed in one day and we can build the right size crew in order to limit the disruption to the home and family life.

Nickett's Landscaping

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