Hidden Creek Landscaping Blog

Backyard Tailgates: Outdoor Kitchens and Bars

Posted on August 15, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

In recent years, backyard spaces have been transformed. Instead of big lawns and little patios of decades ago, homeowners are drawn to properties with functional, usable outdoor spaces. Homeowners are installing outdoor kitchens and bars, filling their green space with beautiful gathering spaces where family and friends come together to eat, drink and be merry.

Why An Outdoor Living Space?

There are many reasons to install an outdoor living space in your home. Whether you’re planning to sell your home in a few years or you hope to live in your house for the next several decades, you can enjoy the many benefits of an outdoor living area.

Property value. Homebuyers love outdoor living spaces, and will pay extra for nice features like an outdoor kitchen, bar, dining room or living room.
Entertainment. Do you love hosting parties or inviting guests to your home? If you’re the king of the outdoor barbecue, then you’re almost certainly going to love having an outdoor kitchen or bar, where guests and family members alike can spend time lounging, watching you cook, and enjoying time together.
Functionality. With an outdoor kitchen and bar, you can have as many guests as you want without making a mess in your house.

How to Make Your Outdoor Kitchen or Bar Standout

Once you’ve made the decision to install a living space in your yard, it’s important to choose a design that is functional as well as attractive. Below are some suggestions for making the most of your exterior upgrade.

Install Lighting

Outdoor lighting is important after the sun goes down. To facilitate parties that go on into the night, install exterior lighting that is warm, cheerful and strategically positioned.

Garden lighting that’s low to the ground will prevent accidents like trips and falls, while strings of cafe lights or Chinese lanterns can make the space feel festive. Your contractor can help you choose a variety of lighting options to make your outdoor space feel comfortable and safe for your guests.

Provide Shelter

We get regular rain here in Ohio! You’ll get a lot more mileage out of your outdoor kitchen or bar if you can provide shelter over your outdoor living space. Some homeowners do this by placing their outdoor bar or kitchen under a deck that provides shelter from wind and rain.

Other homeowners shelter their space by positioning it under an overhang attached to their house. Even if your outdoor living space is positioned in the middle of your yard, you can still provide a shelter separate from your house. Work with your contractor to build a roof over your outdoor living space that will provide shade, shelter, a place to hang a ceiling fan on hot days, and a place to position your outdoor heaters on cooler days.

Landscape the Area

Landscaping creates a beautiful frame for your outdoor living space. Work with a landscaping contractor with a style and sensibility that matches your own, and with an understanding of the best landscaping flowers, shrubs and trees for an Ohio property.

With proper landscaping positioned around your outdoor kitchen or bar, you can create an environment that is both natural and comforting. Tropical plants make your outdoor space feel exotic, while easy to maintain perennials provide a great return on investment with annual blooms and beauty.

Plan Ahead

Work closely with other members of your family to decide what your goals are for your outdoor space. Before meeting with a contractor to discuss your exterior upgrade, have a plan in place for what you’d like to accomplish with your home improvement.

Think about your use of the space year-round, including the size of the parties you hope to have, whether you plan to use the space in the summer only or throughout the year, and what kind of activities you’d like to do in that space.

Maybe you hope to cook and serve drinks to friends – or maybe you only really want a place where you can prepare food. Knowing ahead of time what you hope to do with your living space can help ensure you’ll accomplish what you hope to accomplish.

Hire the Right Contractor

Hiring the right contractor is so important for a big home improvement like the construction of an outdoor kitchen. Hire a contractor who has experience performing hardscaping and landscaping installation.

The contractor should be able to discuss similar projects they’ve worked on, and should be able to show you pictures of their previous projects, so you can see for yourself how they work and the quality they produce. Some more tips:

Check references. Talk to homeowners who have worked with that landscape contractor to finish similar projects.
Interview multiple contractors. Meeting with multiple contractors can help you decide which qualities are most important in a contractor, which makes the decision-making process easier.
Read the contract. Read the contract thoroughly to ensure that you’re comfortable with the details of your agreement with your contractor. Pay close attention to the payment schedule, scope of work and time frame.
Meet in person. Never work with a landscape contractor that would work with you sight-unseen.

Contact Hidden Creek Landscaping

Are you hoping to install an outdoor bar or kitchen on your property? Hidden Creek Landscaping can help you with the planning, design and installation of this home improvement project. With over 20 years in the landscaping business, we know what Ohio homeowners expect from their landscaping and hardscaping projects. Call today to make an appointment for your free consultation to discuss your plans for your outdoor space.

Top Landscaping Trends

Posted on August 1, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Landscaping styles are always changing, just like interior design. For homeowners who want to maximize their experience in their yard while also making smart investments in their property, it’s helpful to follow those trends and keep up. If you’d like to get the most out of your yard this summer, the following landscaping trends can help you dress up the exterior space around your house.

Drought-Tolerant Plants

Sustainability is important to homeowners who want to protect their community and save money on utilities. Planting drought-tolerant plants on your property is one way that you can save money on watering while greening up your space at the same time. There are many types of drought-tolerant plants, so you can choose the type that’s most suitable for your tastes and needs.

Succulents. Succulents need to be watered regularly, but often don’t need as much water as other types of plants. They need well-drained soil and prefer some soil dryness between waterings. Succulents tend to need full sun, so if your property is shady, check the growing requirements before planting.
Cacti. You can plant some types of cacti in Ohio! Prickly pear cactus, for example, produce beautiful flowers. Plant in well-drained soil and full sun.
Lavender. Lavender can get by with infrequent watering. Plant lavender in full sun and water well until established, then cut back watering.

Multi-Season Hardscaping

Want to make use of your outdoor spaces even when the weather gets chilly or wet? Work with a landscape contractor to install multi-season hardscaping like a covered outdoor kitchen or a covered outdoor living space. Your contractor can install electric heaters or even a ceiling fan to make the space more comfortable no matter what the temperature.

If you’re planning to spend your evenings outside in your outdoor dining room or living room, work with your contractor to install a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace where you can huddle up and keep warm… even on chilly evenings.

Native Plants

Native plants are lovely because they come in all different shapes and sizes, can be suitable to a variety of growing conditions, and yet they’re also perfectly suited for your outdoor environment. Native plants in Ohio can be found growing in forests and fields, so some native plants need full sun, while other native plants need partial or deep shade.

There are many types of native plants that you can grow in your Ohio backyard, including:

Black-eyed Susan. This daisy-like flower is best grown in full-sun and will produce blooms for months, with regular dead-heading.
Goldenrod. This plant can reach heights of about 4 feet tall. It blooms in early fall, but plant it in the spring to give it time to mature.
Wild geranium. This wildflower is found in forests and prefers to grow in shady conditions. It produces cheerful, beautiful purple blossoms.
Butterfly weed. This beautiful flower produces clusters of orange flowers in late summer. True to its name, it attracts butterflies.

Lovely Lighting

Spending time outdoors with family, friends and loved ones is more important to people than ever before. Installing outdoor lighting makes it easier to spend time outdoors after the sun goes down. Although solar lighting options are available for sale in home improvement stores, these lights are easy to knock over and often need their batteries to be changed.

Rather than installing low-cost solar-powered lighting, it’s better to hardwire your lighting to make it more reliable overall. Working with a contractor to install your lighting will also help ensure that your lighting is attractive and functional at the same time.

Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable gardens are popular, especially among people who enjoy eating fresh foods. Vegetable gardens need to be installed in a full-sun patch of yard. They look their best when they’re installed in permanent stone-lined beds.

Raised beds tend to be easier to maintain than in-the-ground beds, because they’re easier to reach and often need less weeding. If you’d like to install stone vegetable beds in your garden, work with a landscape contractor to make this happen.

Extra Durable Decks

Decks have been popular for decades, but there’s been a new development in the world of deck-making: composite decking material. Composite decking material is made from a combination of wood pulp and resin, but it looks like wood. Composite decking is now the most popular decking material for homeowners installing a new deck on their property because it’s incredibly durable, long-lasting and it never needs to be refinished.

What needs to be done to maintain composite decking? Just clean it periodically to remove mold, mildew, moss or dirt. You’ll love the way composite decking looks like natural decking material but needs less care.

Smart Irrigation

Years ago, irrigation systems were run on automatic timers that had to be turned on at the control panel at the beginning of the season, turned off at the control panel when they were no longer needed, and until turned off, the irrigation system continued to work no matter what the conditions.

Today, irrigation systems are designed differently. Some systems respond to exterior conditions like rain and can also be controlled with a remote control or a connection to WiFi. This gives you total control over your irrigation system and allows you to run your in-ground sprinklers according to the needs of your yard.

Your landscape contractor can help you set up your irrigation system so that it meets the needs of your plants and grass. If you’re relying on an old sprinkler system, you could be wasting a lot of water and doing your lawn an injustice. Contact a landscape contractor to have a new sprinkler system installed.

Ready to Upgrade Your Landscaping? Contact Hidden Creek Landscaping

This is the perfect time of year to upgrade your landscaping and make your yard look. beautiful! To get started with your upcoming exterior renovation, contact Hidden Creek Landscaping. With over 20 years in the business, Hidden Creek Landscaping is a trusted name in residential and commercial landscaping in Ohio. Call us today!

How will my pool affect my landscaping?

Your pool is a focal point in your landscape. The eyes are drawn to that big blue shape on the lawn. Once installed, a pool will influence your landscaping in a variety of ways. These tips can help ensure that your pool will look its best in the environment where it is placed.

Keep Landscaping Practical

Shrubs, flowers and trees tend to shed debris that can blow around and fill spaces like pools and pool decks. When choosing shrubs and plants for the area around your pool, it’s important to identify types that create as little debris as possible.

Succulents. Succulents are slow-growing plants that are easy to keep contained to flower beds. They require little pruning and often create little debris.
No-mess perennials. Some perennials just make little mess, producing few dead leaves and needing little pruning or trimming over time. Hostas, ornamental grasses and heuchera are all examples of these kinds of plants.
Contained flowers. Most flowers produce lots of dead blossoms and even seeds as they age – but some do not. Some good examples of flowers that make little mess include zinnias, marigolds and strawflowers.

Landscaping needs to be set back far enough that it will not impede your ability to use your pool. If you’re working with a landscaping company, you should have no trouble with this.

What can I do to make my pool look like a natural part of my backyard space?

Pools have a way of standing out, and sometimes they can be tough to integrate into outdoor spaces. You can make your pool look like a natural part of your backyard space, but it helps to work with a landscaper that knows how to strategically position trees, shrubs and flowers around your pool deck and in the surrounding environment.

Strategically Position Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs frame the landscaping around your pool, to create a varying green space that adds an attractive border around the deck. When planting trees, be cognizant of how large the tree will grow. Keep trees that might shed leaves far back, or you could spend the next several years fishing leaves out of your pool.

Integrate Boulders Into Your Landscaping

One way to make your pool look more like a natural part of your landscaping is to integrate boulders into the area just around the pool deck. This creates a transition from water to pavement to natural stone, so that the leaves and other plants around your pool seem to be a more natural part of the environment.

One way to smooth the transition from a man-made pool to natural landscaping is to install a water feature near the pool, with boulders and a waterfall. Install this feature just to the side of your pool.

Install Planter Beds Near the Pool

Line the pool deck with planter beds where you can plant large tropical plants or one of the easily contained plants described above. Line the planter beds with stone to prevent any dirt or leaves from blowing into your pool.

How can I prevent my pool from taking up all my usable backyard space?

Pools do take up a lot of usable space in the backyard, so it’s important to work with a landscaping company that can help you make efficient use of the remaining space. They can help you by devising design proposals that will enable you to make good use of the remaining space in your backyard.

Installing hardscaping is one way that your landscaper can help you create more useful space. By installing a separate patio, deck or play equipment set back away from the pool, your landscaping team will help you install useful space where you can engage in non-pool activities.

Work With Hidden Creek Landscaping

Want to make the space around your pool look its best? Call Hidden Creek Landscaping to discuss your upcoming landscape installation and what you can do to make your backyard a more attractive space for your swimming pool.

If you’re installing a pool in your backyard, talk to us to find out which pool installation contractors we’ve worked with in the past. By working with a team that already knows and trusts each other, you can help ensure that your pool and landscaping installation will be a success.

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Posted on July 1, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Summer is almost here! Hot weather, occasional rain showers and intense sunshine can be good for your grass and hard on it at the same time. These summer lawn care tips can help you keep your grass lush and healthy all summer long. Make the most of your summer and your time spent outdoors by maintaining a green, vibrant lawn throughout the growing season.

Water Deeply, Infrequently and At the Right Time

Watering deeply encourages your grass to grow deep roots that embed it in the soil. These deep roots make it harder for weeds to grow on your lawn. What counts as deep watering? Stick a pen or a ruler in the ground after the sprinklers turn off. The soil should be wet to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. If the water in the soil doesn’t go that far, adjust your sprinkler to water longer for each stretch.

Water your lawn two to three times each week. Your lawn may need watering more frequently on the hottest and most intense days of summer, and less watering if you get a lot of rain. Adjust your sprinkler schedule accordingly.

Control Weeds

Controlling weeds is a weekly chore in the summer, but staying on top of the problem can prevent weeds from spreading. Once weeds mature, they can spread seeds that make controlling the problem even more difficult. Set aside time each week to use weed treatment on your lawn.

Use weed treatments carefully, following the manufacturer’s instructions exactly. Keep weed treatments away from children and store them in conditions as specified on the container.

Alternatively, you can also pull weeds the old-fashioned way. Some tips when pulling weeds:

Pull weeds straight up, including their roots.
Pull weeds after a rain or after watering your lawn, because it’s easier to pull weeds out from moist soil.
Wear gloves when weeding; some weeds have pointy leaves.
Use a shovel or a garden hoe to remove tough weeds.
Mulch beds after weeding, or fill in holes left by weeds with grass seed.

Weeding can be hard on your back and hard on your knees. To prevent damage to your body, weed in short spells. Wear knee pads or sit on a gardening stool.

If you’re not up for the hard work of weeding, contact a landscaper who performs garden or lawn maintenance. You don’t have to take on this job yourself. It’s best to do the work regularly and often than it is to let weeds get out of control, so contact a landscaping professional as soon as possible. Your landscaping professional can tell you how often they think weeding should happen based on the condition of your yard.

Cut Your Grass to the Right Height

Different types of grass should be cut to different heights, so research your type of grass to find out what height is preferred. If you’re not sure what kind of grass is planted in your yard, ask your landscape contractor for advice. Longer grass is usually best. Maintaining semi-long grass blades is healthy for the grass and also good for the soil. Long blades shade the soil and help keep it moist.

Avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass at a time. If your grass is far too long, cut it to about 30% of its current height, then cut again in a week to help keep your grass healthy.

Fertilize Your Lawn

Some experts say to fertilize your lawn about every six weeks throughout the summer. However, some fertilizers cause the grass to grow too quickly, which can lead to a lot of extra grass cutting for you.

Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer, following the instructions on the fertilizer and take care to disperse the fertilizer evenly. Too much fertilizer can cause your grass to turn brown.

Let Clippings Feed the Lawn

Leave grass clippings on your lawn to fertilize the grass and return nutrients to the soil. Some lawn mowers are designed to cut grass and leave tiny clippings on the lawn. If you have this type of lawnmower, the job will be done for you. If you don’t have this type of mower, scatter clippings on your lawn after mowing.

Get Your Lawn Off to the Right Start

Some lawns are just too damaged to repair. If your lawn is more weed than grass, or if your grass is too unhealthy to resuscitate, laying new sod is the fastest, easiest way to improve the appearance of your lawn and get your grass off to the right start.

You can resod your lawn throughout the year, but the best time to resod is in early fall, when the temperatures are starting to cool. Another good time to resod is in mid-spring. If you’re trying to resod at a challenging time of year, work closely with a landscape contractor to get the work done. Having guidance from a professional will help ensure the success of your sod.

If you do choose to plant new sod on your property, choose the right grass for your lawn. Some grass performs well in shade, while many other types of grass need bright sunshine to thrive. Plant the grass that will thrive in the conditions on your existing lawn. Working with a professional makes this easier, so if you’re not sure what type of grass is best for your property, talk to a pro.

Hire a Professional

The best way to ensure that your grass will look its best throughout the growing season is to hire a professional landscaping company. Work with a pro to resod your lawn, pull your weeds, and maintain your grass. Healthy grass looks good and can improve the value of your home!

Want to know more? Talk to Hidden Creek Landscaping. We can help you redesign your lawn or maintain your outdoor spaces. Through regular maintenance, you can keep your property looking its best throughout the growing season. Call today!

Help Your Business Grow: How Landscaping Attracts Customers

Posted on June 15, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Consumers are always gauging businesses based on how they look and how they’re maintained. Customers pay attention to details like how clean the commercial property is, how professionally their staff behaves, and more. Consumers also pay attention to business landscaping. Good landscaping is a subtle signifier to consumers that a business is thriving, well-maintained, and consumer-friendly.

If you’re a business owner who would like to help your business grow, then you should be maintaining business landscaping. Knowing why landscaping is important and what you can do to improve your business landscaping can help you take your business to the next level.

Landscaping Boosts Curb Appeal

The best professional landscaping should be designed to show off your property and accentuate the positive attributes of your surrounding environment. This boosts curb appeal, which can improve your property’s value while also making your business a place that consumers will want to look at.

Maybe your business sits in a wide-open space with few trees and other features in the area. To show off this space, your landscaper may choose to install pathways, lights, and clusters of shrubs and flowers that flow from one side of your lot to the next, leaving open green spaces in between.

Alternatively, perhaps your business is positioned near a creek. Your landscaper may choose to surround the area near your creek with water-loving flowers and trees that thrive in wet conditions and create a cool, shady spot where visitors can enjoy the babbling water.

This kind of curb appeal can attract customers to your business and boost your sales.

Good Landscaping Can Instill Confidence

Customers judge your business before they ever set foot on the property. Good landscaping shows that your business is well-maintained, and that can instill confidence in your business practices and the quality of your services or products.

Landscaping Affects Staffing

Landscaping can affect staff and employees just as much as consumers. Employees want to work for businesses that are attractive. As a business owner, you can recruit and retain good employees by taking care of your building and investing in your business.

Landscaping can create outdoor spaces where staff can spend time on lunches and staff picnics.
Landscaping can also instill a sense of pride in your employees, which can affect employee retention.
Landscaping affects employee mood and disposition throughout the day. A beautiful landscape out the windows can help employees feel good throughout the day.

What You Can Do to Improve Your Business Landscaping

There are many things you can do to improve your business landscaping. If you’re new to working on and maintaining your commercial landscaping, here’s what we recommend.

Know Your Landscaping Goals

Before hiring a landscaper, devise your landscaping goals. Do you want to install pathways, so employees and customers can safely walk on your property? Should your space look beautiful at night, or during the day only? Is easy-to-maintain landscaping important?

As a business owner, you may have other managers to discuss these issues with. Come to a meeting of the minds before meeting with a professional landscaper about your landscaping goals.

Hire a Good Commercial Landscaper

Once you’ve determined your landscaping goals, it’s time to hire a good commercial landscaper. Finding a good landscaper is a multi-step process. It takes time, but it’s worth it – especially when you’re planning to invest in a landscape that will last years and improve the value of your business.

Some tips when searching for a good commercial landscaper:

Vet multiple professionals. Meeting with multiple landscapers can help you get a good idea of the kind of professional you’re looking for and what’s a fair price for the services you’re seeking.
Check references. Check references for any contractor before signing a contract.
Read the contract. Read the contract thoroughly and ask questions that you have about the details of the contract.
Come to the discussion prepared with a list of questions. The more prepared you are for that initial consultation with a landscaping contractor, the more productive your conversation will be.

Commit To Maintaining Your Landscaping

Nearly all landscaping requires some kind of maintenance in order to look its best. Know in advance how much time or money will you be able to commit toward the commercial maintenance of your landscaping.

This is something your contractor will need to know during the initial consultation, as it will affect the ultimate design. If you’re planning to maintain the landscaping on your own, consult with other managers to find out how much time your maintenance staff has to dedicate to the maintenance of your landscaping.

If you’re planning to pay for the maintenance of your landscaping, tell your contractor in advance your monthly budget for this kind of maintenance, as this too will affect what your contractor adds to your design.

Contact Hidden Creek Landscaping Inc

Hidden Creek Landscaping installs beautiful landscaping for Ohio homes and businesses. Call today to make an appointment to discuss your landscaping needs for your Ohio business. We’ll help you improve the value of your business and boost your business’s curb appeal with stunning, low-maintenance landscaping that provides year-round beauty.

Benefits of Using Hidden Creek’s Architectural Design Experts

Posted on June 1, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

At Hidden Creek, we only work with the most skilled professionals, including our architectural design experts. Everyone at Hidden Creek has professionalism and experience that can help you with your home improvement project, whether that’s designing an outdoor kitchen or installing the deck of your dreams.

We’re proud of our architectural design team that can help you make your home upgrades a success. Every one of our architects can help bring your project from start to completion, including beautiful architectural details and stunning design choices. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of working with Hidden Creek’s team of architectural design experts.

Your Projects Will Look Better

First and foremost, the greatest benefit of working with the architectural design team at Hidden Creek Landscaping is the beauty of our finished projects. Our team is made up of experts who know how to create a breathtaking exterior design that considers the natural features in your landscape.

Our experts have an eye for design that others don’t. At Hidden Creek, we specifically employ architectural design experts who meet our standards for landscape and exterior design. Each one of our team has been carefully vetted for their artistic and design abilities.

You can see for yourself what we’re talking about. Take a look at our portfolio to get a sense of how our architects work to make your property the shining star of your neighborhood.

You’ll Improve Your Home’s Value

Working with professionals improves your home’s value. If you’re planning to sell your home sometime soon or in the near future, performing a home improvement that can make your home more beautiful and more functional can make your home more appealing to buyers. Depending on the project that you undertake, you may also be able to sell your home for more money.

Which projects have the highest value?

Deck installation
Installation of outdoor living spaces
Projects that boost curb appeal (like landscaping upgrades)

If you’re planning to sell your home sometime soon and would like to boost your home’s value, talk to your architectural design expert to get an opinion about what could be done to make your home more appealing to potential buyers.

Architectural Design Experts Make Designs that Are Practical And Beautiful

Hidden Creek architects are known for creating designs that are a stunning combination of beautiful and functional. Landscaping isn’t just about looks, it’s also about making your landscaping work for you. Our architectural experts know how to make your outside spaces a place where you want to spend time, and where others will want to spend time with you.

Our design experts will start their work with you by asking questions about your project and your goals. Only after these initial consultations will your architect be able to put together a design that you’ll love to look at and love to use. Our experts approach design problems in ways that are creative. You’ll find that your Hidden Creek expert will devise designs that you never thought of – designs that make unique use of your space.

Our Experts Combine Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

Indoor spaces recreated outdoors are a popular trend right now. Our architectural design experts are highly experienced in creating outdoor kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and more – all in your backyard.

Not every architectural design expert knows how to do this as expertly as the professionals with Hidden Creek. We know what these skills mean to homeowners, and we only work with professionals who can deliver what today’s homeowners are seeking.

You can see this for yourself with a glance at our online portfolio, where you can browse pictures of outdoor kitchens, beautiful decks, and more. We’re serious about offering what homeowners want for themselves and their properties.

Ready to Get Started With Your Design? Call Today

The experts at Hidden Creek are here to make your home improvement project a success. We provide landscaping, hardscaping, and more for your Ohio home. Whether you’re seeking a simple but elegant landscaping installation, or you’d like to create an all-new living space in your backyard, our architectural design experts can help.

Get started with your project today. Call for an initial consultation to discuss your project goals and what you hope to accomplish with your outdoor remodel. Once you’ve signed a contract and understand our process, our architects will draft plans and designs for you to approve.

We’ve streamlined the process to make it easy for you. You’ll be able to provide feedback directly to our designers, who will work with you to create the outdoor space that you want. It’s easy and professional. You’ll love the end results. To find out more about how you can get started working with Hidden Creek Landscaping, call us today.

Outdoor Features That Can Increase The Value Of Your Home

Posted on May 15, 2021July 28, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

When it comes to the value of your home, outdoor space can affect the value almost as much as (if not more so) indoor space. It’s the outdoor space that visitors see first when they arrive at your house. It’s the outdoor space where you spend your time entertaining and playing.

Whether you’re trying to sell your home soon, or simply seeking a way to improve your quality of life, there are many things you can do to your outdoor space that will add to its value.

At Hidden Creek, we can help improve your home’s landscaping and hardscaping to help you achieve your home improvement goals. We provide design and outdoor construction services to beautify residential homes in and around Hilliard Ohio. Read on to learn about the many home improvements and upgrades that can make all the difference.

Hardscape and Masonry

Hardscaping creates structure in your front yard and back. Hardscaping can take many forms, including patios, decks, pathways, and more. Before installing beautiful landscaping, first, install hardscaping. It’s best to work with an experienced hardscape designer to get this work done.

Deck or Patio

Decks and patios provide a place to lounge, play, and visit with friends and family. Decks are elevated for a slight view, while patios sit fully on the ground. Covered patios provide more all-weather outdoor entertaining options, while decks have a particular aesthetic beauty that appeals to many homeowners. Which one is right for you? Have your hardscaping contractor create a design based on your preferences.

Water Features and Fire Features

Water features are serene and provide pleasing sounds as well as beauty. They’re an excellent addition to any garden, eating space or stone patio. They can attract birds, and help create an ambiance that most people enjoy when they’re lounging outside.

Fire features, meanwhile, provide a gathering space where people can spend time warming their hands and bodies. On a dark night, they’re a sight to behold, creating an intimate atmosphere where people can spend time enjoying one another’s company. Fire features can take many forms including a fire pit, fireplace, and more.

When you’re trying to decide between a water feature and a fire feature, ask yourself: do you want to stare into the flame or listen to the sound of a babbling brook? You decide.

Pathways

Pathways have utility as well as beauty. They add a dynamic quality to any front- or backyard, by leading the eye and body around the space. Pathways can also prevent an impromptu path from being beaten into the ground in common areas where you and your family members walk.

Pathways can be made from stone or mulch. Work with your landscaping and hardscaping designer to pick a pathway material that’s best for you.

Retaining Wall

Retaining walls can create holding places for soil, which can then become garden beds. Retaining walls also add structure to backyards and can flatten sloped ground, creating more usable space. They need to be installed by an experienced contractor with the skills to ensure proper construction, as an improperly built retaining wall may fail.

Landscaping

Landscaping consists of the living plants that grow up around your hardscaping. Once the hardscaping is in place, landscaping can be installed. Your landscaper can make recommendations for types of plants that can be potted on your property based on the amount of light, quality of the soil, and more.

Garden Beds

Garden beds can be used to grow shrubs, flowers, or even vegetables. It takes ongoing maintenance throughout the growing season to keep your flowers and shrubs in good condition, especially as they’re becoming established. Perennial plants that are already established need far less care. Talk to your landscaper about installing perennial plants if this is important to you.

For best results with your garden beds, fertilize regularly throughout the growing season, and water your plants according to their preferences. It helps to keep flowers and shrubs with like watering preferences together.

Another way to keep your flower beds looking their best is to mulch the surrounding ground. This gives the soil a uniform appearance and also helps contain moisture and cool the roots, to promote healthy plant growth.

Work with your landscaper to choose flowers with colors that coordinate with your hardscaping, house and surroundings. Some properties benefit from multi-colored flowers while other properties do best with a limited palette.

Potted Plants

Potted plants can brighten spaces like decks and patios that might otherwise be devoid of landscaping. Potted plants require a regular watering schedule, as the soil in potted plants can dry out quickly. Mulching can help keep the roots cool and can help prevent water from evaporating from the soil.

Your landscaper can suggest the best plants for pots on your property. These plants should be well-suited to a pot and should also be coordinated with the colors in the surrounding environment.

Ready to Upgrade Your Hardscaping or Landscaping? Contact Hidden Creek

At Hidden Creek, we provide the best quality landscaping and hardscaping for homeowners in and around Hilliard, Ohio. What you do to your property matters, and how you keep your yard can make a big impact on your home’s value. Work with the best!

To find out more about how we can help improve the value of your home, call us today to make an appointment for a consultation.

The Best Perennial Plants for Ohio Weather

Posted on May 1, 2021August 31, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

The weather is warming. The threat of frost will soon be behind us. Here in Ohio, we’re all preparing for a beautiful growing season. Whether you’re preparing your own garden beds for planting or you’re working with a professional, it’s important to pick the right plants for your property. Ohio is a state with four beautiful seasons, including very hot summers and very cold winters. Our USDA growing zones are 5a and 5b, depending on your location. This means it takes the right type of perennials to grow on your property. The plants you choose must tolerate very cold winters indeed.

Given all that, you might be surprised to find out there are actually many choices available to you. Ohio’s natural beauty shows through in its flora and fauna. Below are some of the best perennials that you can plant in your Ohio landscaping.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

The cardinal flower is known for its shocking red spikes with trumpet-shaped blossoms. The long, slender flowers are difficult for many insects to navigate, so it’s the hummingbirds that ultimately help fertilize these plants. That means you can attract many hummingbirds with these gorgeous, three- to four-foot tall perennials.

They’re moderately deer resistant, will thrive in full sun to partial shade, with morning sun and afternoon shade being best. Cardinal plants also require only a moderate amount of watering. Because cardinal plants are native to Ohio, they require little supplemental watering once established, though you’ll get the best results by watering them regularly throughout the growing season.

Gayfeather, or Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Bearing funny, shaggy flowers poised on tall spikes, gayfeather is one of the most noticeable plants to appear in the garden. It attracts bees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds for an ongoing show throughout the summer. Plant this flower in full sun and maintain an average amount of moisture in the soil around the flower. gayfeathers are prominent, growing between two and five feet tall in good conditions.

If your soil is poor (and your landscaper will be able to let you know if this is the case), the gayfeather is a good plant for you, as it is moderately tolerant of poor soil as well as Ohio’s heat and humidity. This is an excellent plant to place in pots near your front door, assuming your front door is regularly exposed to bright sun. You’ll certainly attract attention to your home with these beautiful plants!

Black-Eyed Susan

Everyone loves black-eyed Susans. This easy to grow perennial flowers appear in gardens around the country, but they’re native to Ohio, which makes them perfectly well suited for garden beds throughout the state. You can find this flower growing in the wild throughout forests, fields, along interstates and roadsides, and in prairie land.

Black-eyed Susans prefer full sun and moderately dry soil. They’re quite deer resistant, and grow to be an average of two to three feet tall. They produce blooms throughout the summer, though dead-heading will help. This is a good plant if you’re not always consistent with your watering. Black-eyed Susans are also an excellent candidate for poor soil. Do not plant Black-eyed Susans if you have clay-like or poorly drained soil.

Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)

Blue flag Irises are striking in their beauty. Despite their name, their coloring falls on the line between blue and violet, with some flowers appearing much more violet than true blue. These hardy plants are able to survive in most home gardens without much care. You can find blue flags in wet meadows, along streams, and near swamps. …which is all to say that blue flag prefers moist soil. If your soil doesn’t drain well or is clay-like, this could be a good flower to plant on your property.

Blue flag prefers partial shade to shade and grows to be two or three feet in height. You can plant this flower to attract bees, hummingbirds, birds and butterflies.

Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

There are few plants more lovely than columbine. With delicate two-colored blossoms and dark green foliage, columbines are one of the loveliest flowers in the forest. These flowers prefer shade to partial shade and average to dry soil. Once they’re established, they can multiply quickly. They’re also deer resistant. Columbine usually grows no larger than two and a half feet tall and can attract hummingbirds.

These flowers are so delicate that many homeowners choose to plant them in the company of other flowers for variety and coverage. Columbine is a spring blooming plant that doesn’t produce blossoms until its second year, if started from seed.

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

Obedient plant produces tubular flowers from spears that look similar to snapdragons. They attract hummingbirds and bees and grow best in full sun and average to moist soil. They’re about three or four feet tall and resistant to deer. Once established, Obedient plants spread quickly.

Why are they called obedient plants? Because when you push on the flowers, they will temporarily remain in place as if on a hinge. The flowers will eventually return to their original position. Obedient plants are also called false dragonhead, because of their resemblance to dragonhead flowers.

Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

If you like wild peas, then you’ll love wild lupine. This fragrant flower thrives in full- to partial sun, and in average to dry soil. Wild lupine attracts beneficial pollinators like hummingbirds and birds. Standing at just one to two feet tall, it’s modest in stature but makes a big impression in the garden.

Ready to Plant Your Garden? Contact Hidden Creek to Get Started

You don’t have to have a green thumb or all the time in the world to enjoy a beautiful garden in Ohio. Hidden Creek can help you get started with your Ohio landscape. To get started with your landscaping project this summer, call us today to make an appointment and discuss your needs.

Make a Splash! Benefits of Having an Inground Pool

Posted on April 15, 2021May 17, 2022 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

One of the most luxurious and versatile ways to enjoy your landscape is to install an inground pool. Pools provide an excellent way for the whole family to enjoy the outdoors, and they add an elegant element to your outdoor space.

Are you considering installing an inground pool? Contact your local landscape designer to incorporate your pool into your existing landscape design.

Pools Promote Family Time

One of the most popular reasons to install a pool is to create a family-friendly outdoor environment.

Pools can be designed to accommodate a wide range of age groups. Shallow pool areas provide a refreshing spot for babies and toddlers, while a traditional swimming pool is best for older children and adults.

Incorporate a hot tub into your swimming pool for a relaxing seating area or spruce up the pool area with underwater LED lighting. The options to upgrade your swimming area are endless, which allow you to tailor your pool design to specific audiences.

Pools Increase Home Value

According to HGTV, a pool can increase your home’s value by five to eight percent, depending on the location.

They also found that not having a pool in a neighborhood where pools are common may decrease the value of your home.

The determining factor for improving your home’s value was a well-maintained, aesthetic pool area. Attractive pool tiles, walkways and a landscaped backdrop all improve the overall value of your home.

Pools Promote Fitness

According to the CDC, water-based exercises are an excellent way to improve your physical health without putting too much strain on your joints.

This is especially good news for people suffering from diseases causing joint pain. Water-based exercises may help alleviate some symptoms and provide a way to improve overall health in a low-impact environment.

Swimming is an obvious water-based workout, but the options don’t end there. Water aerobics and resistance training may help build muscle and improve flexibility, giving your body a total workout.

Pools Build Community

Pools attract parties, which is good news for extroverts and socialites. Nothing brings people together in the heat of summer like a cool, refreshing swim.

Whether you’re entertaining families, children’s sports teams, church groups or a few adult friends, a pool is an excellent hangout spot.

Create an entertainment area in your backyard by incorporating the pool into other outdoor living spaces. Patios, outdoor kitchens, water features and other outdoor improvements can create a welcoming environment in your yard for any social gathering.

Pools Are Relaxing

Of course, if you would rather use your yard as a private oasis, a pool can be a secluded, relaxing hideaway.

Going for a swim can help reduce stress, as well as provide a great workout. Lounging in or near the pool can help calm your mind as you take a break from devices and the hustle and bustle of society.

A well-landscaped pool area can reduce stress by providing an aesthetic green space.

Green spaces are known to:

Restore mental energy
Inspire learning and creativity
Encourage physical activity
Improve emotional and social health
Reduce symptoms of ADD
Improve cognitive function
Improve symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Improve sleep habits
Improve immune system

A pool can help encourage outdoor time and add another layer of relaxation and stress relief in addition to the many health benefits of spending time in a green space.

Pools Provide Aquatic Therapy

In addition to promoting relaxation and physical activity, pools can provide a source of physical therapy for some people suffering from disabilities.

The water pressure on a person’s body has been found to be especially calming to people who are diagnosed with autism. Research shows the even pressure from being underwater has the same calming effect as a weighted blanket and can help autistic people reduce stress and focus on other activities.

Water therapy is also a great way for people with degenerative disorders to get physical activity without putting strain on joints or bones. It’s also a relaxing experience that can help relieve stress and improve mental health.

Of course, aquatic therapy is also beneficial for people suffering from injuries that make traditional exercises painful or dangerous. Recovering from torn ligaments, broken bones, or other traumatic injuries can be easier in a pool where the exercises are low-impact and there is a much lower risk of getting re-injured.

If you wish to install a pool for aquatic therapy, contact your doctor about the best design for your need, and work with a trained professional for workout routines.

Pools provide a refreshing hangout spot, and they can take your entertainment game to the next level. They also help improve physical and mental health, as well as improve the value of your home.

For more information on installing a pool, contact us today.

Fun Family Activities for Your Outdoor Space

Posted on April 1, 2021May 17, 2022 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Outdoor living spaces are great for summer barbecues, backyard football and slip-n-slides, but many other creative ways exist to enjoy your lawn and landscape.

From yard games to outdoor kitchen features to relaxing landscape additions, these activities are an ideal way to get the whole family to spend some quality time together outside.

Lawn Games
Lawn games are an excellent way to entertain family and friends, and you have many creative options for small patio games or large lawn activities.

Supersized Games
Some of the most popular outdoor games are giant versions of indoor games. And why not? These games are classics for a reason.
Lawn Dominoes

These fun, larger-than-life domino tiles are fun for kids and adults alike. You can purchase lawn domino sets, or make your own from 2-by-6-inch wood and some paint.

Lawn Dominoes
These fun, larger-than-life domino tiles are fun for kids and adults alike. You can purchase lawn domino sets, or make your own from 2-by-6-inch wood and some paint.

Lawn Dice
Like most lawn games, these dice are giant versions of their indoor counterparts. Lawn dice can be used in a myriad of games, but the most common is Yahtzee. Buy a set or make your own, and have fun with this laid-back lawn/patio game.

Lawn Jenga
Yes, this is just a giant Jenga set. But who doesn’t love building a toppling tower while standing on a ladder? Buy giant Jenga sets or make your own from two-by-fours, and be prepared for hours of gravity-defying fun.

Lawn Checkers/Chess
These supersized strategy games can be played on a patterned carpet, a wooden board or a patterned section built into a deck or patio. Use one of the many options in materials to make your oversized chess and checker pieces, but for a tried-and-true DIYer, this is a fun weekend project.

Lawn Connect-4
Yes, even this classic battle of the minds is available in giant form. This game is perfect for patio play, and the larger size makes it a perfect team game. This game is available in plastic or wood.

Traditional Lawn Games
These family favorites have passed the test of time, and each provides hours of outdoor fun for families and friends.

Cornhole
This outdoor game is basically an adult version of a bean-bag toss. The best thing about this game is that you can move the boards closer together or further apart, depending on the age of the players.

Horseshoes
Horseshoes is an easy game to add to your outdoor entertainment collection, and it could even become a permanent backyard fixture. You can pack and store portable games or create a horseshoe pit with sand, rebar and real horseshoes.

How ever you decide to play, this game is a winner with kids and adults alike.

Darts
Play one of the two outdoor versions of this game: lawn darts or traditional darts. In lawn darts, you have to toss an object onto a target to make points. Traditional darts is a more relaxed game that can be played on the deck or patio, and it’s a more mature form of entertainment.

Badminton/Volleyball
Both of these sports require a net and a fair amount of youthful energy. Badminton is a relaxed racquet game that involves passing a small birdie back and forth over the net. Volleyball is an intense game that can incorporate more players, and it requires a larger playing area. Either way, these two games help active kids burn off some energy.

Putt-Putt Golf
Portable putt-putt golf is available, but this game could become a permanent fixture in your backyard. Whether you want to install a small putting green or an entire 18-hole mini golf course, all you need is some Astroturf, a lot of wood, several tools, a fair amount of woodworking experience, and an imagination (yes, it’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it).

Outdoor Living Features
Outdoor activities aren’t limited to games. Incorporate cooking, eating and relaxing into your outdoor space to expand your living area and enjoy time outside with loved ones.

Fire Pit
What outdoor living space is complete without a fire pit? You can incorporate a fire pit into a deck or patio or create an entire outdoor space around a chimney. Create a welcoming outdoor space with benches or hanging chairs, so you can relax by the fire with loved ones.

Outdoor Kitchen
An outdoor kitchen can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be, as long as you have a way to grill a decent hot dog.

Purchase pre-made kitchen units, or create your own area with outdoor appliances. Outdoor kitchens are complex, so contact a local landscape designer if you want to install or upgrade your outdoor cooking space.

Mini Bar
What living space is complete without a mini bar? This is a perfect addition to an outdoor kitchen or near the fire pit for adult hangouts. You can also incorporate your herb garden into the outdoor kitchen/bar area for fresh seasoning and drink flavorings.

Hot Tub
Yes, a hot tub is a common outdoor feature, but for good reason. Hot tubs are an excellent way to relax and enjoy your outdoor space, especially after a long day of lawn games and grilling.
A hot tub should be installed by a professional, but don’t pass up the opportunity to dress it up with landscape features. A landscape designer can create an outdoor oasis for your hot tub to create the perfect relaxation area.

Swings
No, not playsets (although that’s also a great outdoor activity). We’re talking about hanging chairs and porch swings. Spruce up your outdoor space with hanging chairs or swings instead of benches or stools. Hang them from a sturdy pergola covered in a blooming vine. Hanging seating is an elegant way to create a relaxing outdoor space that easily integrates into the landscape.

Part of enjoying your landscape is finding ways to interact with your outdoor space. Outdoor games and living features help incorporate your lawn and landscape into your everyday life.

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