Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. Launches New Website, www.glacierviewlandscape.com

Redesigned Site Provides Improved Navigation, Easy Access to Project Photos and User-Friendly Layout for Erie and Boulder, Colorado Area Residents

F O R   I M M E D I A T E   R E L E A S E

ERIE, COLORADO, USA—August, 2012
Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website www.glacierviewlandscape.com. This WordPress-based website offers many great new features including a user-friendly layout with easy to use text and graphic based navigation. Additionally, a landscape photo section is included with the website. This photo gallery includes project profiles and other useful landscape design photos.

About Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc.
Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. is a family-owned commercial and residential Boulder County area landscaping contractor and provides full service landscape design and installation including rock and timber retaining walls, flagstone patios and walkways, sod, irrigation, tree, shrub and perennial plantings, mulches, water features and more. Dave White, Owner/Designer of Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. operates this business out of Erie, Colorado. Honesty, integrity, and an acute attention to the details have enabled Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. to continue to exceed customers’ expectations. Dave has over 20 years experience in the landscape and nursery industries both in north Florida and Colorado and has been a Boulder County Colorado resident for 29 years.

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• Where does your plant material come from?
  All our plant material is hand selected from local wholesale nurseries. Some plant material is grown here in Colorado, some comes from California and Oregon and is often “seasoned” at the nurseries to help acclimatize them to the Colorado climate. Over the last 25 years we have developed solid relationships with a variety of suppliers which allows us a vast array of choices in plant specimens.

Related Link for Landscape Vendors & Suppliers

• How long does a design/bid take to complete?
  We can usually have a design and bid to you within 1 week of our initial consultation. The design phase may go through several iterations with you to finalize the “working design”.
• How much does a landscape cost?
  Landscapes are highly variable. Costs can range from several hundred to over $100,000 depending on the size of the property and the scope of the work. We will help you tailor your landscape ideas to your budget. It is wise to have a general idea of how much you can afford to spend on your property. There is no sense in designing a $100,000 landscape if your budget is $15,000.

Related Link for Landscape Service Offered

• How much soil should I add to my landscape?
  Colorado soils are usually a heavy clay. Hence, in many new construction sites, the original topsoil is removed and clay is dug up for home foundations. Then it is severely compacted by construction machinery during the building phase. It is VERY IMPORTANT to import screened topsoil and rototill that into the existing clay. This serves two purposes. It breaks up the clay and mixes the topsoil into it providing organic material and air for roots of plants and grass to penetrate. Finally, planters mix (a combination of topsoil, compost and sand) is used to topdress areas before sod is laid and for all planted material.
  
• Do you guarantee your plant material?
  We guarantee that the plants used are the correct species and that they are disease free when installed. We will replace plant material that dies for up to 90 days or winterover/leafout for those plantings done in late fall provided reasonable care is taken with watering as we suggest.
  
• Can we do our landscape project in phases?
  We will help you manage your project in phases if that helps with your budget. There is a certain order in which items need to be installed. Start with soil preparation and hardscapes. Then progress to irrigation, plant material and edging. Next comes weed barrier and mulches. Finalize the project with sod.
  
• Do you personally oversee the installation?
  We are a small, specialized company. As such, I will be on all jobsites, regardless of size. I may leave a crew on site for short periods while attending to new customers. However, when your job is scheduled, there are not other jobs scheduled at the same time. My focus is on your project. This insures quality control over every aspect of your project so that your are ecstatic with the results.
  

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A Longmont CO Landscaper Solution to Colorado’s Clay Soils

You know, I can’t even call the clay I work in most of the time “soil”. It is almost as bad as trying to plant in solid rock! Most people in Colorado who live outside of downtown Denver have a yard in a subdivision. At some point, they’ve tried to plant something in their yard and discovered either clay, sandy clay, or a few inches of topsoil followed by lots of broken rocks. How did all that get there and what can be done about it so that things can live? Actually, of all three soil types described, the one with the rock is probably the best of the three native soils to work with. Even though it is about the worst to dig a hole into, the rocks provide a space for air to exist within the soil. Roots need air to survive. In this short article, I’m going to explore the soil types along the Front Range of Colorado like for example in Longmont CO and what we as landscapers do to combat those soils so that the material we plant in them can thrive.

THIS CLAY IS THE WORST!

The recent history (last 20,000 years) of soil development along the Front Range plains of Colorado consists of wind-blown (Aeolian) loess, alluvial (re-deposited) soils and fluvial (river) transport of materials that was laid down on top of the sandstone, shale, and limestone deposits of the Late Cretaceous Inland Sea (a large body of water that extended from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains about 90 million years ago). This is a gross overgeneralization of the process but explains the thin “topsoil” that covers what we’ve all come to call “clay”. Soil is classified into horizons in undisturbed areas.

The “O” horizon is the dark topsoil which contains decomposing plant matter and nutrients and exists from the surface down to approximately 50cm here in Colorado, but is highly variable (topsoil in Eastern Washington State can be up to 300 ft. deep!). Next in depth is “A” horizon soil which is mineralized soil mixed with decomposed organic material (dark color) that exists from 10 to 150cm in depth. It is dominated by weathered mineral matter but has sufficient organic material to have a darker color than lower horizons. Next is the “E” horizon which is dominated by leaching of clay, iron, and aluminum, which leaves behind residual minerals. It is lighter than the “A” horizon in color and is not present everywhere. Next is the “B” horizon which is characterized as the zone of accumulation of clay, and iron/aluminum compounds that were leached from the “E” horizon. Finally, there is also a “C” horizon which is best described as unweathered bedrock rubble. Some of the very dense clay soil horizons are called “bentonite” and are what builders and developers refer to as “expansive soils” that can wreak havoc on foundation walls and floors due to the way they expand when wet.

This article will not address the various geochemical compositions of soil types in Colorado, or what those compositions mean to various plant types, nor the mechanical properties of the soils. It will, however, give practical advice about the best methods to amend the clay soils in order to get plants and grasses to thrive. Almost all soils on the plains of Colorado that have not been disturbed, except those perhaps in flood prone areas, need to be amended to some degree before planting. Here is why. When a subdivision is created, the “O” horizon of soil is first removed by the developer and either sold as topsoil or worked into the existing “A”, “E”, “B”, and “C” horizons as the subdivision topography is sculpted. This is the process that occurs when one sees large earth movers making roads and huge dirt piles on what was once farmland. So, the nutrient rich “O” horizon is gone and the other horizons are homogenized into one soil type, generically called clay. Then the foundations for homes are dug, roads paved, sidewalks installed, driveways poured, and then final construction grading with heavy machinery around the homes. The soil becomes extremely compacted. Therefore, planting in the sub “O” horizons is futile at best. The remaining soil has a huge water holding capacity and is like concrete when completely dry.

Some customers ask if soil testing is needed. The short answer is “never” unless an issue arises whereby one could not account for plant failure due to not amending the clay soils before planting. In that case, then perhaps a soil test is warranted to exclude the possibility that soil contamination from petrochemicals (a gas or oil leak from a vehicle during subdivision creation) or construction debris (usually a pile of drywall buried on a construction site) is to blame. What competent landscapers in Colorado find is that the more amended soil imported to the jobsite, the better. This is a generalization, however. Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. follows some simple rules about amending soil.

For lawns that are to be sodded or seeded with either a Kentucky Bluegrass or Fescue/Bluegrass hybrid mixture, rototilling 8 inches to 12 inches into the existing clay of 4 or more cubic yards of “planter’s mix/compost blend” per 1000 sq. ft. of area is the first line of preparation. Planter’s mix is usually about 70% topsoil (“O” horizon soil), 20% composted manure, and 10% organics, usually wood chips or straw. Glacier View likes to add about 20% more horse manure compost to our mixture. Clay can be amended with sand to provide drainage, but a mixture of 80% sand to clay is required or else adobe will be created (a concrete like material used in adobe home construction). This is usually not feasible and is generally excluded as a viable option. After edging and irrigation are installed, the final grade consists of at least 3 cubic yards of straight planter’s mix per 1000 sq. ft. (this equates to about 1” depth). This gives the new sod its initial “punch” of nutrients so that the new roots can penetrate deeply into the tilled and amended sub-surface soil. This mixture of clay and amendments to about 12” depth now provides the newly formed “O” horizon. It is quite good at moisture retention due to the existence of the clay, but has the air and nutrients needed for root growth as well.

Trees, shrubs, and perennials also need to have soil amendments added when planting in Colorado. When Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. is preparing a complete yard for turfgrass, tree, shrub, and perennial planting, along with hardscape products, we end up tilling soil into most areas of the property. If individual trees and shrubs are being planted, a good planter’s mix/compost blend soil is added to the clay that is removed from the plant holes. This clay then either gets removed from the site or redistributed during the course of grading. Pure planter’s mix soil should not be substituted for the clay that is removed from the hole, otherwise the “bathtub effect” ensues whereby the hole becomes a bathtub which holds water and can drown the tree. Instead, a mixture of the clay that comes from the hole is added to the pure planter’s mix and then the tree is planted in that mixture. This helps minimize the “bathtub effect”. If this process is not followed, plant roots will not strive to penetrate into the “clay only” area of the property since they are all but too happy to remain in the pure planter’s mix section. Those trees end up toppling in high winds due to poor root growth habits. Trees and shrubs planted correctly eventually end up with their roots penetrating into the nutrient poor clay soils anyway, so care to select plant material that can tolerate clay soils is still important. The ideal planting site would have 6 feet of pure planter’s mix, but for most customers that scenario is cost prohibitive.

Basically, the more we can stir up the clay and amend with good soil on the property, the better. This is why it is very rare for Glacier View to use heavy equipment for grading purposes. We almost always grade by hand and plant by hand. Our goal is to rototill and break up the clay soils as best we can without compacting them again with machinery. And finally, it is important to remember that it is easy to overwater clay soils amended with planter’s mix. When water is applied to properties that have not had the clay amended, the water usually penetrates very little and mostly runs down the gutter. A good mixture of clay and amendments really can hold water quite well, so be sure to follow your professional landscaper’s advice on watering. The amounts delivered by the irrigation system have been calculated with exposure, plant requirements, soil composition, and mulching techniques in mind. The old adage says “You can pay me now, or pay me later” really applies here. You can pay your landscaper to install a lot of good quality amendments to the clay soil now and you will save money in the long run by using much less water, less fertilizer, replacing fewer trees, shrubs, and perennials, and having the best looking, brightest blooming property on the block.

More information:
This Longmont Colorado area landscaping article was originally published by Dave White on Examiner.com and on Articlesbase.com

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Watering Suggestions for
Outdoor Plants in Brighton, Colorado

Isn’t it fun to spend an hour or two on a Saturday morning, cup of coffee in hand, watering our outdoor plants with a hose and watering wand? Of course, but if you are like me, you do not have the time or patience to do that every weekend as the plants require. Therefore, it is an inconsistent and ineffective way to stay on top of proper watering of trees, shrubs, and perennials. One of the questions Glacier View Landscape gets asked most often is, “How and when should I water?”. It is a multifaceted question to answer, but in this short article I’ll attempt to address a few of the most common misconceptions and best techniques I’ve found over the last 29 years in Colorado for keeping outdoor plants thriving.

First and foremost, we need to determine if the watering we are doing will be with an automated irrigation system or if one is watering by hand. In Colorado, if you have more than a “patio” garden, you will probably save yourself a lot of time, money and agony (due to plant replacements) if you have an automated irrigation system to help with watering. The reason I use the term “help” is that an automatic system, even if set up by a professional, is not foolproof. I’ll discuss that later. Watering by hand with a hose and watering wand or sprinkler is time consuming. It is also inefficient since some areas will end up overwatered and other areas will be underwatered. But, for the sake of comparison, let’s assume you are watering both plants and lawn with hose and watering wand and sprinkler. In general, if there has been no rain and it is the middle of summer, most established small deciduous trees need about 7 gallons of water for every one inch of diameter of trunk (called caliper if measured 8” above the ground) per week. So, if you have a 2” caliper tree that has been in the ground for more than 1 year, it will need 14 gallons of water per week. This is a general rule of thumb as soil type, soil compaction, and exposure to wind and sun will greatly affect the amount of water needed. Trees in exposed, windy and bright sun conditions, like those found on new construction sites, may need twice this amount or more. In general, trees should not be watered until the surface soil has dried sufficiently to allow air to penetrate the soil into the root zone.

Plants need air as well as water to establish healthy root systems. Also, on established trees, the root zone will extend as far as three times past the diameter of the drip zone (the area under the canopy of the tree) depending on species and soil conditions. Therefore, do not water near the trunk on established trees as this can lead to disease, but instead, water only in the root zone. This is true for established shrubs as well, though it will not kill the shrub to water inside the drip zone. Also, moisture is better conserved under the shade of the tree and shrubs than it is in areas outside the drip zone. When I water by hand (I have a drip system but sometimes supplement watering during very dry and hot periods), I make sure to soak the plant stems and leaves and let the water drip into the shrub root zone under the shrub or tree. I also make sure to let water run outside the area that is shaded by the plant where the newest roots are attempting to grow. In essence, I try to imitate what a good steady rain shower would accomplish for my plants. For lawns, watering by hand is a huge pain and usually a waste of water if the lawn is to survive the heat of summer. Homeowners usually end up “chasing dry spots” a lot in order to keep areas from turning brown. In general, lawns in Colorado need around 1” of water per week to survive. I could write a whole Ph.D. dissertation on lawn care, but for this article, I’ll keep it short. Many homeowners along the Front Range of Colorado however, do not ever water by hand. Instead, they rely on an automated irrigation system.

Drip systems and automatic irrigation systems are not inexpensive to install, but over time, their benefits far outweigh the initial cost of installation if done properly. I would estimate that more than ½ of all automatic irrigation systems I see either waste more water than they save, or are ineffective in maintaining the correct soil moisture on a property. As well, I see too many homeowners who do not know how to properly program their irrigation systems, nor adjust them as necessary as the season progresses….they just set them in the spring and leave them until the fall/winter shutoff period. This wastes water in the spring and fall and usually underwaters plant material during the heat of summer when plants and lawns need water most. On good irrigation timers, there is something called “seasonal adjustment” which allows one to set the watering times for all zones programmed based on a percentage. So, in spring and fall, the percentage watered might be 75% and in summer, it might be 125% of the programmed time for all zones. Also, how often does one see sprinklers running while it is pouring rain? More often than should be. Many irrigation suppliers now offer precipitation monitoring systems (rain gauges or internet connections to automated meteorological stations that collect information on rainfall) which automatically shut off a system when a preset threshold of rainfall has been recorded. Most residential applications do not have this, so it is up to the homeowner to be cognizant of rainfall at their home. If we get a small, short lived summer thunderstorm, it probably didn’t wet the soil much….stick a finger or a sick in the ground next to a plant to see if it is wet. If dry a ½ inch down, leave the system on. However, if we get a ½ inch of rain a day for 3 days, this moisture soaks in well and the system should be turned off for a few days. Some systems allow one to program in a 48 or 72 hour delay so that one does not have to remember to turn the system back on. If not, don’t forget to turn it back on!

When Glacier View Landscape sets up an irrigation system, we use drip emitters (the small plugs that let water out at the base of each plant) that have a specified flow rate. For example, we use mostly 2 gallon per hour (gph) emitters. Therefore, we regulate water to each plant based on its need by how many emitters are placed at the base of the plant. Then, the entire zone will run for a set time per week to deliver the amount of water needed. This is where science and math come into play. Plants, when first installed need more water than they do if they have been in the ground for a few years. So, for the first growing season, Glacier View might program a system to deliver 6 gallons of water per week to a shrub. But after a year or two, this can be dialed back to 4 gallons of water per week. However, as the plants get much bigger, they need more water, and the system will need to be adjusted again to deliver perhaps 8 gallons of water per week to that shrub. When plants are first installed, there is a very fine line between watering properly and overwatering or underwatering. As was described earlier, plants need air and water to survive. The water, for example, cannot be delivered to trees and shrubs every day or multiple times per day since the soil surface will remain saturated, thus not giving the rootball of the new shrub a chance to breathe.

Instead, we program our system to deliver water 2 or 3 times per week for a set time, so that over the course of a week, they get the water needed. In the summer months, as little as 150% of the needed water can kill new plants if not administered properly (i.e. running a drip system 3 times a day for 7 minutes instead of three times a week for 30 minutes). So, in general, it is better to water with more water less frequently than to water more frequently with less water. The water needs to soak in but still give the rootball a chance to dry out some between watering. For lawns, there are five rules of thumb Glacier View adheres to. First, double cover all areas. This means that one sprinkler head will cover an area that reaches to all adjacent sprinkler heads. Second, zones are installed to cover areas with similar exposures (sun and wind). This allows adjustment of the zone so that less water is given to areas that are shaded more, and more water to areas that are exposed to more sun and wind. Third, all heads are specifically adjusted and nozzles are properly chosen. This means that the proper amount of water is coming out of each head (remember gallons per hour for drip systems….they same can be adjusted for all sprinkler heads), and that the water in not overspraying sidewalks or planted beds (plants cannot handle the amount of water put on lawns…they will drown). Fourth, the correct type and size of sprinkler head is chosen for the application (usually a popup type head versus a gear driven head). And finally, fifth, the amount of water applied to the turf must be appropriate to maintain a green lawn without runoff. Newly sodded lawns require 3 times the amount of water of an established lawn for the first 3 weeks after installation. New sod must remain wet until roots are established. However, with proper soil preparation, a newly sodded lawn by Glacier View Landscape will use less water over time. For example, microscopic Kentucky Bluegrass roots will extend down 18” or more in properly prepared soil, thus making bluegrass quite drought tolerant in the worst of conditions. In my experience, when these 5 things are adhered to, water usage on turf areas can be reduced by as much as 30% or more.

Let’s not forget winter watering as well. It is as important to maintaining a healthy landscape as watering in the summer. The general rule of thumb I use is as follows: If there has not been snow on the ground under or around a particular tree or shrub on your property for three weeks, it needs water. I phrase it this way because a tree on a berm exposed to sunlight will be snowfree with non frozen soil far sooner than a shaded area on the north side of a fence. Water 10 gallons for every 1” of trunk diameter for trees throughout the root zone. For shrubs, the amount of water varies greatly due to size, but, on average, for every 1’ of height, water with 3 gallons of water. For evergreen trees, water 1 gallon for every 1’ of height. Do not water when the ground is frozen. And, only water then the temperature is above 45 degrees. Well established trees need little additional water except in the driest of winters. However, it takes a long time and a lot of water to soak the roots of a 60 foot Oak. These suggestions are mostly for younger, less mature plant material. Your experience with your own property will dictate your winter watering schedule.

Water conservation is an important part of landscape design and installation, especially in dry and drought prone areas such as the Front Range of Colorado and Brighton, Colorado. Proper watering of plants and lawns can provide a lush looking landscape while still using less water than a more sparse looking landscape with an inefficient irrigation system. This article is, by no means, comprehensive. Instead, it is meant to get the homeowner thinking about the complexities that go into proper planning of an efficient irrigations system and to provide a few tips on proper watering techniques. Hopefully, these few tips have answered some of the questions concerning irrigation on your property. For a complete analysis, let a professional come to your property to help you save as much water as possible yet still maintain the lush landscape you desire.

More information:
This Brighton, Colorado area landscaping article was originally published by Dave White, Erie Landscaping Examiner on Examiner.com: Water, Water Everywhere!—Watering Suggestions for Outdoor Plants in Colorado Additionally, this article was published on Articlesbase.com.

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Louisville, CO Landscaping Tips
Get Your Landscape Into Full Bloom

The weather on the Front Range has finally warmed a bit and it seems the snows are gone for now. It is time to get out there and make some assessments about what you would like to accomplish in your landscape this season.

• Take a walk around your property and look for any damaged trees and shrubs. The winds this winter wreaked havoc on lots of plants. As plants begin to leaf out you will notice some have “winter kill”. It is areas of the plant, usually shrubs, generally on the ends of each branch, that died back over the winter. You can prune those out as soon as the plant has leafed out. Perennials should be cut back before they start to sprout new growth. It is much easier than trying to keep from damaging tender shoots while cutting things back. Remove any dead limbs from trees using a saw or loppers. For larger branches, have a professional do the work. Clean out any leaves that have blown into beds after your fall cleanup…you did do the fall cleanup right? If not, you may have more work ahead of you than you think!
• Now consider what projects you would like to accomplish. Prepare a mental budget before calling your landscape professional. Invite them out and go over what you would like done. They will prepare a bid for you at no charge. By starting early in the spring, you can reap the benefits of a rejuvenated landscape for the whole season to come. If you have established planting beds, consider having the professional install a “top dressing” of new mulch. Mulch deteriorates over time and some will have blown away depending on the bed’s exposure to the wind. Once perennials have leafed out, you may want to add more if some have died. Fill in areas that were sparse on color and ask your landscape professional for suggestions to complement the blooming times of specific species already in place. Consider planting a new tree or two this year. It’s good for our air, the planet, and can help offset cooling costs to your home if positioned appropriately.
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  Irrigation systems need to be started up now. Inevitably, some damage or breakage of heads or lines may have occurred. Repairs are usually quick and simple for systems that were working fine the fall before, but must be addressed since any leakage that goes unnoticed might mean a heavy water bill next month. Be sure to examine all drip emitters at each plant with the system running to make sure that they have not become plugged or have popped out. Plugged emitters usually go unnoticed until the plant they are watering dies. Emitters that have popped out are easily noticed as the water will come out of the hole at high pressure and be obvious by the sounds they make.

A few simple steps early this spring can mean carefree enjoyment of your landscape all summer long. Remember to contact Dave at Glacier View Landscape & Design, Inc. for all your landscape needs.

This Louisville, Colorado Spring Landscaping Tips article is also available on Articlebase.

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We are please to present these ideas about how plants survive the heat of summer in Superior, Colorado. Contact Dave now for more ideas on keeping your plants thriving in the heat of summer.

Believe It! Your Plants Like The Heat
Of Summer in Superior, Colorado!

July. The heat is on, the days are long, and you struggle to complete those outdoor tasks unless you get up and at them by 6AM. Even the landscape crew struggles when temperatures approach 100 degrees, but we persevere. Combine heat with the inevitable dry period we get before the July or August monsoon season kicks in here in Colorado, and many of us wonder how plants and trees survive. Truth is, they like it! This article looks at the physical responses of plants to heat, and some tips to help newly planted material survive those 100 degree and very low humidity summer weeks.

A plant or tree’s temperature is usually slightly above the ambient air temperature. Plants lose heat on a hot day in order to maintain a survivable temperature by longwave radiation, convection, and by transpiration. Think of this as radiant heat loss, buoyant air moving up from the leaves of the plant itself, and evaporation of water that has passed through from the roots to the leaves of the plants (evapotranspiration). These processes help the plant survive on the hottest days.

Stresses to a plant from heat come from several factors. First, the duration of the heat presents a challenge to even the most hardy plants. If the heat wave lasts for a week, that puts more stress on a plant than one or two days of 100 degree temperatures. The peak temperature is also a factor. Most deciduous plants cannot survive a temperature spike above 125 degrees which can occur depending on exposure to sun and buildings. The water content of the plant greatly affects its ability to stave off and survive hot temperatures. The more water available in the plant’s tissue, the more the plant can transpire to keep itself cool. Just as people sweat to stay cool, plants do the same. And finally, exposure is key. Areas around concrete or asphalt, or near buildings on a south or west exposure, can be up to 20 degrees hotter than the surrounding air. A new construction site with newly planted material can be brutal on plants. Frequent watering, including wetting the plants themselves can be beneficial to their survival.

Superior, Colorado area plants trees and shrubs in the hottest of temperatures, but it is the attention to watering in the first few days that allows plants to survive. While working on other facets of the landscape, the crew will continue to monitor all newly planted material and address any heat stresses as soon as they present themselves. This attention to detail ensures that new material has the best chance at survival. However, plants severely stressed by heat have their own mechanisms for survival. Plants may lose some or all of their leaves in order to survive. By losing leaves, they are signaling that they cannot transpire water fast enough to maintain the leaf “burden”. They are preserving moisture for the stems and roots of the plant. If given some water at that time, some plants can survive a leaf drop in summer and will put out some new leaf growth again when the temperatures finally cool.

Plants need the heat of summer. They develop resistance to heat by being exposed to the hot summer days. Just as people do, plants acclimate to their environment. Part of the function of good leaf mass is to shade the roots of the plant from the extreme temperatures. That shade allows for better root growth which, in turn, helps the plant access more water for transpiration. It is mother nature’s way of insuring survival of the fittest plants. The sudden spurt of leaf growth in plants when the first heat of summer really gets going is what helps it survive the brutal heat of August in Colorado. So, don’t be afraid to plant trees and shrubs in the heat of summer. Just remember that they need to be monitored a little more carefully than if planted in spring or fall.

More information:

This Superior Colorado area related article was originally published by Dave White on Examiner.com: Believe It! Your Plants Like The Heat Of Summer! by Dave White. Additionally, this article was published on Articlesbase.com.

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You Can Have Color In The Fall in your Frederick Colorado Landcaping!

By the end of summer and into fall, gardeners and landscapers are tired. But that doesn’t mean your landscape has to look drab and forgotten. There are a number of ways to keep the color of spring and summer going long into the fall months. This article highlights plants and shrubs that can add color and texture to your fall landscape.

Asters, Asters, and more Asters. The word comes from the Ancient Greek language meaning “star” to denote the shape of the flower. There are many plant species that will continue to bloom throughout summer and into fall, but there is no other fall only blooming plant more stunning and that comes in so many varieties and colors than the Aster. Red, pink, blue, purple, white, and colors in between are all represented by the Aster. From 6” to 4’ in height, Asters run the gamut. Some are compact with grayish foliage, others have strong upright stems. But all have the small and familiar daisy-like “star” flower. They look great alone nestled against a rock in a rock garden, or as mass plantings in a perennial garden. This plant is a must for any landscape.

There are a lot of other species that are fall specific for the Front Range of Colorado. Try some of these in your garden as well. Coronado Hyssop, Hollyhock, Honorine Jobert Anemone, Chocolate Flower, Snowbank Boltonia, Prarie Winecups, Fendler’s Sundrops, Sweet Autumn Clematis, Pink Coreopsis, Sunset Foxglove, Oranges and Lemons Blanketflower, Whirling Butterflies, Gazania, Sneezeweed, Scarlet Gilia, Evening Primrose, White Obedient Plant, Autumn Joy Stonecrop, Russet Showy Stonecrop, Hummingbird Flower, and Orange Carpet California Fuchsia. With all these varieties, don’t miss out on presenting the best of your landscape well into October. And finally, Chrysanthemums. They are a great fall bloomer and come in lots of colors and sizes. They are very easy to grow, are drought tolerant and hardy.

Let’s not forget about shrubs and grasses that have great color and texture in the fall. First and foremost is the Burning Bush. Its vibrant fire red color in fall is unmistakable. Though they can get large (even the dwarf burning bush tops out at 8’), they can be kept pruned to a desirable size and shape appropriate for your garden. Wonderful natural colors No yard should be without a specimen or three. Ornamental grasses are another must for fall texture. Though they lose their green (or red) color after the first hard frost, their unique plumage adds fabulous texture as a great backdrop to other bloomers. The right mixture of grasses with different textures and fall blooming perennials can add a stunning effect to your property. Explore, experiment, and hire a professional to help you design a burst of color and texture into your fall landscape.

If planned correctly, a fall blooming perennial garden can keep the interest going in your landscape into early November. Remember to plant in masses, keep your heights in check, and mix colors and textures so that the eye transitions easily from one to the next. Don’t let this season go unnoticed. You’ll be glad you did!

More information:

This Frederick, Colorado area focused article was originally published by Dave White on Examiner.com: You Can Have Color In The Fall! and on Articlesbase.com.

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Preparing For The Spring Color Burst

The holidays are over. Guests have gone home. Family is back to work and school. It’s 12 degrees outside. Now is not the time most people consider their landscapes. But avid gardeners are searching seed catalogues and dreaming of that first nice day in spring when their gardens can be tilled. And then, as it happens every year, catching those off guard who love to work in their yards…that initial warm up when you realize you could be wearing just a tee shirt and working in your yard. But, you’re still inside doing spring cleaning. You’ll know it when you smell it. The smell of the thawing ground.

Along the Front Range here in Colorado, our weather can be fickle at best. Very strong Arctic cold snaps can linger through February and even into March. But our altitude and the increasing sun angle will quickly melt even the heaviest of snows in March and April here. Don’t be caught this year unprepared. If yard maintenance is your only outdoor chore this year, then a few things can be done in late February or early March. Cut back ornamental grasses to 6 inches using pruning shears, scissors, or if you have a lot of grasses you can use a string trimmer. The string trimmer leaves a bigger mess to clean up though. I burn mine, but you’ll have to do that at your own risk and in accordance with local laws. Prune back any perennials you didn’t cut back in the fall, and take Russian Sage and Butterfly bushes down to about 12”-18” if you didn’t do that in the fall. You can prune out any evident winter-kill after they begin to leaf out. You’ll want all perennials cut back before they begin to leaf out so you don’t have to prune around delicate new growth in March and April.

If you have larger landscape projects in mind for the year, January and February are the times to start planning. The absolute best thing you can do NOW is to get a plan on paper and a loose budget in place. If you are having a landscape contractor do some or all of the work, talk to them now to solicit ideas and get a bid in place before they get too busy in the spring. Before you know it, their time frame for installation will be August. Have a budget range to work with. There is no sense in designing a 1000 sq. ft. flagstone patio and walkways if your budget is only $5,000. Talk to your landscape designer to get an idea of what things cost and to get your ideas into a drawing. They can give you a ball-park idea of what various projects cost so you can plan accordingly.

That “water feature” that everyone dreams of….? Let’s just say that they are not inexpensive to install correctly. You certainly do NOT want one that leaks. I’ve seen so many that were out of place, empty after three years, the wrong scale for the landscape, or just plain ugly. Remember—water features should blend into the landscape in most situations. Sure, there are those next to pools and spas that have that modern, angular feel, and those should be a focal point. But most water features should be designed to provide a quiet and tranquil oasis in the landscape. And, if you are ready to start, hardscape features such as retaining walls, patios, walkways and water features can be installed in the winter months as long as the ground isn’t frozen solid. Along the Front Range plains, the ground is workable for all but a few weeks of the year depending on exposure. In fact, some areas never freeze at all. So, for your hardscape projects, call your landscaper anytime. If they start and it snows too much, they’ll simply be that much more ahead of the game when the snow melts. We can even shovel off the landscape so it is workable much sooner than if left to thaw naturally.

Finally, the last things you can do in winter is talk to your local nursery to find out what new plant cultivars (hybrids, or new sub species of plants) have been introduced this year, what they are going to carry, and about any deals you may be able to get on last years over-stock. Plant material that didn’t sell last year will be more acclimatized and have a stronger root structure than plant material fresh in from other states. Walking into local nurseries in winter will allow you to get to know their personnel better than during the spring mad-house rush. And last, but not least, please DO NOT FORGET to water trees and shrubs in the winter months. If we go 3 weeks without snow on the ground, give everything a soak on any day when the air temperature is above 45 degrees. Do this once a month at most, and your plants will thrive in the spring. Getting an early start will let your landscape burst alive with color, even through the March and April snows!

More information:

This Niwot, Colorado area article was originally published by Dave White on Examiner.com: Winter landscape suggestions: Preparing for the spring color burst

This Winter Landscape Suggestions article is also available at Articlebase.

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Tips For Reducing Your Lafayette Colorado Property’s Energy Consumption Through Efficient Landscaping

• Place your air conditioner in the shade to reduce its energy use by up to 10 percent.
• Allow at least 3 feet of open air between the air conditioner and any shrubs or trees to ensure proper air flow to maintain system efficiency.
• Plant deciduous trees to the south, east and west of your home to reduce the impact of solar heat. Trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures by up to 9 degrees. Temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than the air above nearby asphalt.
• Planting trees that lose their leaves in the winter will give protection from the summer heat while allowing the sun to warm your home in the cold of winter.
• During winter, dense foundation planting (shrubs) act as a windbreak on the north and northeast sides of your home and can help protect your home against wind chill.

Your well-planned landscape can reduce your winter heating bills by up to one-third. Contact us now to help you plan and plant for effective energy conservation as well as aesthetic beauty.

More information:

This Lafayette, Colorado area article was originally published by Dave White, Erie Landscaping Examiner on Examiner.com: Energy Efficient Landscapes on the Front Range of Colorado

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