Keystone Landscape Contractors

Summertime and the Livin’ Outdoors is Easy
By Michelle Garling

Fond summer memories such as chasing fireflies, hosting barbeques and roasting marshmallows on the campfire can all be experienced in your own backyard. Outdoor spaces like patios, fireplaces and gardens set the scene for summer parties and play, while accessories like outdoor fireplaces and kitchens add to the fun.

Keystone Landscape Contractors knows a lot of work goes into creating a beautiful landscape but owner Barry Martin assures that with proper planning, it can still be a relaxing retreat. A good design and professional construction make all the difference. Working with an expert can save time and the investment in quality can even save money.

Enjoyable outdoor living starts with a good design. An experienced landscape designer will consider every aspect of a site then apply their technical knowledge and creative abilities to the design to create a beautiful and efficient landscape that meets both immediate needs and long-term objectives. A well-planned design meets the clients’ requirements while also addressing the functional issues most homeowners don’t consider until it is too late.

One of the most frequent mistakes Martin sees are overcrowded plantings that outgrew their placement. He says “It’s such shame to have to remove plants because someone did not consider their ultimate size.” Understanding a plants growth habit can also simplify the pruning and maintenance required, while knowing their needs assures the health and performance of the plants. Well placed trees can be used to create shade at a specific time of day. Shrubs establish privacy and offer beauty with a variety of ornamental qualities including blooms, fragrance, berries, fall and evergreen color. Choose large plants to achieve results quickly.

In a well-designed space, outdoor entertaining can be one of summers’ simple pleasures. Entertaining outdoors is so much easier—you don’t even have to clean the house! Before planning an entertaining area, a homeowner should know the quantity, size and function of furniture they would like to include. The typical number of guests will also affect the size of the space. A landscape designer can use this information to create an area appropriate for everyday living and occasional entertaining.

Delicious food and drink are essential to any celebration. More and more backyard patios are including outdoor kitchens. An outdoor kitchen allows the host to be with their guests while preparing food. Adequate counter space and storage doors keep the tools for preparation and clean-up close at hand. Counter top space can also be utilized for buffet service or bar-style seating. Built-in grills include accessories such as rotisseries or side burners and can be connected to a supply line so that the fuel never runs out.

In addition to grills, there are a wide range of other appliance that can be incorporated into an outdoor kitchen. “We find that outdoor refrigerators and sinks are the most common requests” says Martin “Our clients want to spend more time outdoors with their family and friends while grilling. Having a place to wash up and not having to return to the house for cold items improves the convenience of outdoor cooking.” Other helpful accessories include warming drawers, a cocktail station and electrical outlets, useful for operating blenders and musical devices. “Keystone Landscape Contractors offer a great product; a cocktail station that includes a faucet, ice bucket and bottle opener.” Martin says “It offers all the basics for outdoor entertaining.”

Fireplaces are another way to bring the comforts of the indoors outside. Flame offers warmth and light, extending the use of a patio late into the evening and even late into the season. A fireplace can be designed to compliment a wide variety of architectural styles and be embellished beautifully with personalized accessories such as mantles, lights and seating walls.

Lighting can also be used to extend the usefulness of a patio into the evening. With most families working late, this is often the time they get to enjoy their homes. A well designed lighting plan can illuminate functional spaces for grilling and dining, adequately light pathways for safety and beautifully highlight specimen plants. Barry Martin says Keystone Landscape Contractors offers a variety of lighting effects that many homeowners are not even aware of such as moonlighting, backlighting and wall washing.

Expert installation and quality construction with durable materials offer piece of mind. An understanding of the construction process is required when co-coordinating several aspects. Keystone Landscape Contractors has over ten years of experience building masonry kitchens, fireplaces, dry laid patios and walls. Landscape construction is an investment in your home—to protect it, they offer three-year a guarantee on most hardscape applications.

Finally, consider professional maintenance. Not only will it save you time, but ongoing maintenance will support the intent of the design. Martin says “We inspect the health and development of plants when we are on-site in order to ensure the landscape matures as we envisioned.”

Far from being a luxury item, investing in landscape improvements can yield returns year after year as your yard is sure to become a favorite destination, one to be enjoyed each day. Keystone Landscape Contractors can help you achieve your dreams for relaxed and enjoyable summer living.
Keystone Landscape Contractors, LLC is located at P.O. Box 2004 in Doylestown. For more information, visit www.keystone-landscape.com or call (215) 340-0547.

Michelle Garling is a freelance writer who lives in Doylestown.