More Enjoyable Outdoors

Entertain a landscaping project and expand and beautify your living space.
By Kerri Penno

Any outdoor living space has the ability of enhancing the appeal of people’s homes, according to Mary Anna Okin, landscape architect of Gasper Landscape Design and Construction (www.gasper.net) of Richboro, “whether it’s a small/private seating area accompanied by the trickle of a water feature, a patio for dining/entertaining, or an outdoor kitchen to accommodate the largest parties.”
Gasper Landscape Design and Construction provides creative design solutions for any outdoor living opportunity and its services include master planning, patios and decks, masonry, garden structures, water features and swimming pools.

An outdoor living space needs to be well thought-out and appropriately designed, Okin noted; with scale, location and building materials all weighed and considered. As in any home renovation project, building material selection must complement the existing architecture. “If outdoor rooms are being created, then the connection and the movement between the spaces must work,” Okin said. “The scale of the installation must not only fit the space but must also satisfy the needs of the homeowner.”

And, functionality must be considered as well. You want your landscaping project to fit into your daily routine. “Life is more enjoyable outdoors, and if the opportunity is well thought out as to the use of the space, and creatively and appropriately designed, then the homeowners will not only expand their living area, but they will also increase the value of their home,” Okin stressed.
Landscaping can add that value whether you’ve just moved in and are making some initial improvements to your outdoor space, are tackling that project you’ve been meaning to take on since you purchased your home, or you’re trying to increase your resale value before putting your house on the market.

Where to Begin
Landscaping projects can be as small as planting a small accent bed to add some color to your yard, to as involved as creating unique designs with stone walls, fish ponds, lagoon pools and more. Some contractors, like C.J.O. Design and Construction of Outdoor Living Spaces (www.cjodesignandconstruction.com) in Feasterville, offer custom, detail-oriented work designed to transform your yard into a resort-style getaway.
Others, like Hugh Marshall Landscape Contractors (215-862-2291) in New Hope cover the gamut from landscaping design and renovation, to historical preservation, grading issues, outdoor lighting and plantings—capable of tackling a small project or transforming your yard into a botanical masterpiece.

Unless you’re sure of your budget and have your landscaping plans for your whole yard mapped out, one way to launch into some outdoor remodeling is by starting in the front and working your way around the house, advised Jeff Kirshner, partner, Kirshner Landscapes and Nurseries Inc (www.kirshnernurseries.com).
Kirshner Landscapes and Nurseries, located in Newtown handles both commercial and residential projects, and specializes in everything from design plantings, to plant insulation and even outdoor structures. By starting in the front, even if your budget doesn’t stretch to cover your whole property, you will improve the curb appeal of your home, both enhancing your home within your community and increasing its value if you decide to sell.

If you plan to landscape the whole yard and your budget will stretch that far, then you may want to consider starting in the backyard instead, Kirshner said, where you can enjoy the results more thoroughly, in the form of a patio for cookouts, or a fully-designed pool area you can enjoy with the whole family. Many landscapers and designers offer packages to cover your project, no matter the scope, Kirshner noted. Whether you want to fence in a patio area for taking in the sun, or erect a pergola with hanging plants to add a shady retreat, the right landscaper can realize your vision.

Natural Privacy
Delving into the landscaping world doesn’t have to be a huge endeavor, however. If you’re facing a tight budget or time constraints, or just want to start small, one easy thing you can do to increase your yard’s appeal is foundation planting right along the house, Kirshner suggested. If you want to get the most for your small budget; or are looking to spruce your yard up before summer entertaining or even a graduation party, plants and properly designed accents along the front of your house can really make a difference.

Another purpose landscaping can serve is to provide privacy. Whether you have issues with your neighbors or just want to make your yard a bit more secluded, property line screenings with landscaping can provide natural privacy without being too contrived, Kirshner said. This can also be a good place to start if you’re just beginning your landscaping. If you start with planting trees around the property, then, when you add your pool or backyard patio, your privacy plantings are already in place. And privacy plantings are not just for backyards, Kirshner pointed out. Generally, when you move into a home, there’s going to be something you don’t like, whether it’s a neighbor, a view of the street or unsightly electric equipment—plants can cover these eyesores and give your property a natural beauty.

An easy way to spruce up and landscaping project is by taking advantage of mulching. “Mulching is such an important part of any properly completed job,” noted Elizabeth Cristinzio, garden center manager, Green Acres Nursery and Garden Center (www.greenacreslive.com) in Colmar. “Mulching helps to bring out the trees and shrubs throughout the bed. Mulch gives your beds that well-maintained look to them. It is like the frosting on a birthday cake!”
Green Acres Nursery and Garden Center specializes in custom landscape and paver installation projects, and prides itself on having served Bucks and Montgomery counties for 30 years with top quality at affordable prices, Cristinzio said.

Green Acres has a free design service enabling customers to work one on one with a fully trained landscape designer to create exactly what the customer is looking for. “All work is then installed by our own highly skilled crews to ensure that the job is done properly,” Cristinzio reported.
Cristinzio also recommends adding statues and other garden accents to add interest and color to your beds. “They can help create focal points of interest and they allow you to express yourself in your gardening,” she said. “Water accents such as fountains and small ponds are really striking it big. They not only add beauty for the eyes but their tranquil sound will indulge your senses.”

Since opening their doors in 1996, Seasons Garden Center (www.seasonsgardencenter.com) in Washington Crossing has remained the perfect source of classically-inspired beauty.  The talented staff, headed by Dan Piestor, remains true to nature by educating its customers with its eco-friendly and locally-grown products at their full-service garden center. The garden center provides a tranquil shopping environment where a customer can relax and be inspired by the scents and sounds of nature. From holding well renowned seminars and offering its popular private planter service, to doing custom garden work and growing organic vegetables, Seasons makes it easy for the clients to enjoy their gardening experience through body, mind and spirit.

Keep in Mind
When it comes to plant selection, you certainly want to plan for the future. Between work, errands, cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring children and walking the family dog, there’s little time left over to spend spraying, weeding and otherwise caring for your landscaping. Choose additions that will be low maintenance, Kirshner advised. You want plants that aren’t going to need to be sprayed or pruned too frequently, that won’t grow too fast and that are well spaced, so you won’t have to break out the machete and whip your plants back into shape. Kirshner suggests compact forms that don’t need a lot of attention.

Either the staff at your local nursery or your landscaping consultant can help you balance aesthetics with hardiness and self-sufficiency when it comes to choosing your plants. Kirshner says the most important thing during planning is to plan well, so you don’t end up paying twice. In other words, do things right the first time so you don’t have to start over or pay for expensive fixes like relocating trees or shrubs. Unlike wallpaper and paint, which can be changed fairly easily, landscaping is a living art, that can’t be so easily redone, Kirshner stressed. If you space trees too close together or too close to a neighbor’s yard, you risk wasting time and money (and even losing the trees) if you have to move them years down the road.

Make sure you enlist the help of a knowledgeable landscaper or nursery specialist when selecting plants, and be sure to put them in the right locations. While your front yard might be exposed to full sun all day long, your backyard can contain shady recesses, especially if you have tall fences which can cast a shadow over the edges of your yard. The same plants won’t work in both areas. The key is to plan your yard based on micro-locations, assessing the conditions of each section and purchasing appropriate plants, Kirshner noted. If you just stroll into a nursery and start buying plants indiscriminately without planning for sun exposure, root space and other environmental concerns, you risk putting the plants under distress.

Scott Nickett, owner of Nickett Landscaping (215-345-1385) in Doylestown, said during any landscaping project’s planning stages, the homeowner should be informed on all the aspects of the design and its future, such as trimming, cleaning, maintenance and general cost of upkeep for the new design. Nickett Landscaping specializes in being a full-service landscape company, working on all aspects of the exterior of the property, including lawn mowing, bed renovation and maintenance, lawn drainage systems, landscape lighting, new design, patios, walks, walls and more.
According to Nickett, landscapers should base all designs on the needs and desires of the homeowners, aiming to meet or exceed all expectations or more. Nickett advises his customers to bring sustainable, long lasting elements into a landscaping project. “A new design should not have to be replaced or repaired a few years down the road,” Nickett said. “The design should grow with the property and the homeowners, fulfilling the original needs or desires for the design for a long time to come.” To that end, he recommends using durable woods and materials for any structures (think arbors, pergolas and gazebos) as resilient plants and trees.

While you’re looking to the future, you might want to consider how your landscaping will look throughout the year. Kirshner encourages homeowners to add some color to their designs, and not just of the floral variety. Incorporating reds into the greens typical in landscaping will increase the versatility and appeal of your yard throughout the seasons.

In addition to foliage color, form and texture can also be utilized when designing landscapes, says Bryan Ruckel of Natural Landscape. A sharp bladed perennial such as a daylily can really pop out when planted in front of a softer textured evergreen shrub.  Native species can be easier to establish and even deter deer or rabbits from sampling them. Natural Landscape (www.naturallandscapeonline.com), based out of Holland, provides their clients with landscape design and installation, all facets of hardscaping including natural stone work, landscape lighting, bed maintenance, and complete lawn care.  Their main focus is to produce an outdoor environment that is a refreshing sanctuary for each customer.

Spring Cleaning
While you don’t want to be tied down to your yard, constantly maintaining and trimming, you will need to spend some time keeping your landscaping looking its best. Nickett says “keep it tidy and perform simple yearly tasks.”
Some companies, like Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC (www.keystone-landscape.com), not only design and install landscape plants and lighting, but also specialize in landscape construction, using natural stone. Keystone Landscape Contractors LLC, based in Doylestown installs masonry outdoor kitchens, bluestone patios and dry laid stone walls. Natural stone is a versatile product that compliments any style.

Clarke’s Landscaping and Lawn Care Inc.( www.clarkeslandscaping.com) in Hatfield also offers maintenance programs in addition to original landscaping design; hardscaping; aquascaping; and lawn installation, renovation and irrigation. Clarke’s talented staff combines its extensive knowledge of plant nutrient requirements and proper management practices with their local perspective to beautify your green lawns and healthy plants. Clarke Landscaping and Lawn Care offers fertilizing, pesticide/herbicide applications, pruning, mowing, aeration, tree care including pruning and removal, edging, mulching, leaf removal, weeding, and snow and ice removal.

Spring is a great time to evaluate your property and perform some annual maintenance. Bring in new mulch for your planting beds; trim shrubs and low-hanging tree limbs; and fertilize plants and trees to boost the yard’s appeal and leave your property one you’re happy to pull up in front of at the end of the day.

Kerri Penno is a freelance writer based in Conshohocken, PA.