homeowner tips Archives - Page 2 of 2

Popular Fall Landscaping Designs For Patio Owners

Posted on October 14, 2016October 18, 2016 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Lounging around or entertaining guests in the backyard might still be possible where you live. Patio lovers know that this space can be ideal for lounging or entertaining during the fall. These fall landscaping design tips can be used to transform your patio into a warm and cozy retreat well into the season:

Bring on the Heat: A fireplace is a great feature for any patio that will be used during the fall. To make it even more functional, the fireplace border can be extended to create a back for built-in benches on either side of the fireplace. With some comfy seats and cushion, this will be a great spot to spend precious time with loved ones. Additionally, if your patio backs up to the border of your yard, enough space could be included to plant some dense, tall-growing shrubs or trees.

Create Warmth with Your Design Choices: If your patio is large, you can transform it into smaller, more intimate spaces. You can use a combination on freestanding and built-in furniture pieces to define spaces. For example, you can have a bench built around a fire pit to enjoy the company of loved ones in a more intimate setting. A single flooring material can also be used to give the different spaces a cohesive feel.

To add to the flair of the space, a touch of whimsy can be added with cushions and pillows in beautiful fall colors. In addition to dressing up chairs and benches, they will add to the coziness of the seating areas.

These are just a few tips on how patio lovers can continue to enjoy the space during the fall season. In essence, fall colors, comfy seating and a fire feature are the main necessities of enjoying patio time during the season. Everything else is just an added bonus.

Tips To Make Outdoor Entertaining Easy

Posted on June 30, 2016July 29, 2016 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Summer is the ideal season for outdoor lovers. One of the best ways to enjoy your beautifully landscaped yard is to host friends and family. There is nothing quite like enjoying fine company, good food and exceptional weather in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. Below are some easy entertaining tips to make your next outdoor gathering a success:

Mow to Perfection. Make sure to mow your lawn and prune your shrubs and trees. When entertaining outdoors, you should ensure your yard is looking its best. Call Hidden Creek Landscaping to handle this task for you and free up more time to prep for entertaining your fellow outdoor lovers.

Remain Cool. The summer heat is no joke and can quickly zap the energy out of both your guests and the party itself. Therefore, you should avoid hosting outdoor events between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m; during this time, the sun is at its hottest and very difficult to escape. You can opt for a brunch in the morning, a mixer late in the afternoon or host an evening dinner party on your beautifully manicured lawn. Even at these more ideal periods, the heat can be persistent. As such, you can provide guests with spritz bottles filled with iced water to cool their faces and arms. You should also ensure there are plenty of cold beverages to keep your guests hydrated.

Provide Lots of Comfy Seating. Use cushions and pillows to cover your chairs, benches and sofas to make them extra comfortable. You can even get a few oversized pillows to throw on the grass to provide additional seating. Cluster the seating areas so guests will find it easy to mingle with each other.

Having made these provisions, you can add mood music. However, it should be at a level that doesn’t interfere with conversations among guests.

8 Landscaping Tips For New Homeowners

Posted on May 12, 2016October 27, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Becoming a new homeowner comes with a lot of responsibilities. Landscaping has to be regularly addressed to maintain the visual appeal of your property. Below are 8 landscaping tips for new homeowners:

• Trees and shrubs should not be severely pruned. They may need some amount of care after you acquire the property; however, cutting back branches and limbs in an arbitrary manner will disfigure the tree or shrub and could result in future problems.

• Rake leaves, prune off vines and limbs that interfere with the home’s mechanical operation and get rid of the debris. Debris and plants that are a fire hazard should also be removed.

• Use your yard waste to start a compost pile.

• Check sprinklers as soon as possible to make sure they are working as you expect. If you are not skilled with irrigation matters, you should think about hiring a professional within the landscaping field. Replacing or installing a sprinkler system is not an expensive process; however, it should be replaced or installed by someone with some amount of knowledge about the system. If you have metered water, saving money on the water typically pays for the system within a season. There are also timed sprinkler systems designed to maximize water saving; you can just set it for a prescribed time period and it will turn off itself afterwards. If the street is wet after irrigation or you see the eruption of a geyser in your yard, it is time to pay some attention to the system.

• Trees should not be planted under power lines.

• Trees and shrubs should not be planted before carrying out research on whether it is climate-appropriate. You should also determine whether they will be suitable for your landscape when they become mature specimens. There are a number of trees that get amazingly large with age.

• Pesticides or fertilizers should not be overused. Labels should be read carefully and the instructions followed.

• Mow the lawn often enough so bag clippings will be avoided. Bagging clippings removes valuable nutrients from the lawn. If globs of grass are left on the lawn, think about raising the mowing height or mow more frequently to see if it helps.

Back-to-School Landscaping Tips

Posted on August 13, 2015August 19, 2015 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

As the summer season draws to a close, life becomes more hectic for families. There’s a lot of preparation needed to get kids ready for the school year and a new schedule, and tending to the lawn can easily fall to the bottom of the to-do list. However, it’s important to upkeep the landscaping at this time of the year, even as winter is approaching. Here are a few simple and smart tips for homeowners to keep up with landscaping during the back-to-school rush:

Mow in the Evening. Mowing your lawn in the evening is a smart way to beat the heat during the summer, and it can be a good time to squeeze in the task during the week. You won’t have to worry about becoming overheated. Just don’t want until it’s too late in the day, since it starts to get darker earlier in the fall.

Feed the Lawn. The fall is the ideal time for grass growth, since it typically rains more, and the colder overnight temperatures allow dew to form on the lawn in the morning. By feeding it in the fall, it will have the nutrients that it needs to stay strong and healthy through the harsh winter months. When Spring finally arrives, it will bounce back quickly.

Hire Professionals. If you really cannot fit lawn care into your schedule during the back-to-school rush, hire a professional landscaping service to cut your grass. It saves you time, and you won’t even have to think about it. The crew will simply show up, mow the lawn, and leave it looking great. They can also provide services like aeration and fertilization, both of which are essential for proper landscaping.

Fall is one of the most important; if not the most important, time to take care of your lawn. Make time to work on it, even if you have a packed schedule, or turn to a professional service. You’ll be glad that you maintained it, especially once spring rolls around. Keep these simple landscaping tips in mind, and you will have a healthy, attractive lawn in every season.

3 Tips To Make Patio Entertaining Easy

Posted on July 16, 2015September 20, 2021 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Having a patio area for entertaining makes it easy to host gatherings, especially during the warmer months. Whether you’re throwing a party, having a casual cookout, or just inviting friends over for a few drinks, you want to ensure that your outdoor space is comfortable and functional. Here are 3 outdoor living tips to make patio entertaining easy:

Have Plenty of Seating. A party or get together on the patio is perfect for a casual gathering, but you still want to make sure that you provide ample seating for guests. A well designed and comfortable patio will have furnishings like a table, whether for dining or placing drinks and books down, a weatherproof outdoor sofa, and maybe even an outdoor chaise lounge or two. You can use a mix of seating options, so if you need to pull out a few lawn chairs to accommodate many guests, it’s perfectly acceptable.

Keep Bugs at Bay. There’s nothing worse than trying to enjoy an outdoor soiree and having to fight off pesky insects every few minutes. Keep the bugs at bay by lighting citronella candles. Incorporate Tiki torches into your garden design. The smell of Citronella oil repels pests like mosquitoes, fleas, and black flies. Protect food that is set out buffet style with food tents designed to fit right over dishes.

Provide Some Shade. Before the sun goes down, your patio may be splashed with sunshine. While this can be nice when the temperature is a bit cooler, it can easily get guests overheated when both the sun and the temperature are high. Be sure to provide a shady spot to escape the sun. You can add a large umbrella to a dining table, install a retractable awning, or use a removable tent to cover the patio. A colorful umbrella makes a nice choice because it can define a dining area.

Keep these landscaping tips in mind before hosting your next get together on your patio. With plenty of seats, a shady area to relax, and no bugs to contend with, parties on your patio are sure to be a hit with guests.

How Landscaping Can Increase the Value of Your Home

Posted on July 2, 2015March 7, 2022 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

If you think the most cost-effective home improvement involves installing wiring and the latest technology for audio, video and data technology, think again. Landscaping can add thousands of dollars to your property’s value. While interior improvements and design concepts regularly become dated, landscaping can add lasting value to your home and increase its value by as much as 20%.

When planned and installed correctly, the addition of trees, shrubs, plants and hardscape elements such as patios, walkways, decorative lighting and even water features will significantly enhance your home’s curb appeal. That translates into higher value when the time comes to time to sell your residence. A landscape with attractive trees often produces the highest return on investment as home buyers are more apt to buy a residence with mature, attractive trees. After all, the exterior and its surrounding grounds are the first thing that prospective buyers see. First impressions count.

Planning and Budget:
Proper landscaping is much more than simply placing a few trees and plantings in the ground. It starts with a good design and a well thought-out budget. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends that homeowners spend 5% to 10% of your home’s value on landscaping design and installation. For a $1,000,000 home this translates to $50,000 to $100,000. While that figure may seem high, an upscale home requires quality elements that will enhance and not detract from the exterior.

When planning landscaping on this scale, one of the most important tips that homeowners should remember is to work with a landscaping architect who will consider not only your needs and personal preferences to develop a detailed plan, but will also consider how all plantings will look and interact with other elements such as fences, lighting, garden paths, ponds, fire pits, swimming pools and more. By hiring a degreed landscaping professional with knowledge of horticulture, engineering and design, you’ll receive a design that takes elements such as soil, property grading, microclimate and irrigation into consideration that will ensure success. Developing an overall plan will result in a cohesive look instead of a hodgepodge of softscape and hardscape elements that can actually detract from your property’s value. Think of the plan as another investment in your property.

Importance of Proper Assessment:

Assessment of your property is the first step in landscape renovation. This will include distinguishing between dying trees and those that need minimal care and attention, along with looking at plantings that are overgrown, obscuring windows or otherwise needs attention. Assessments will also look at areas that will benefit the most from enhancement to recommend elements such as patios, decks, decorative walkways and exterior lighting that calls attention to architectural features and landscaping elements, provides safety and extends enjoyment of your backyard at night.

While attractive trees, bushes, pavers and other masonry details will add to curb appeal out front, the hottest trends in landscape architecture occur in the backyard. Outdoor family rooms, dining and relaxation areas that often begin as terraces adjacent to the house are becoming increasingly popular. Outdoor kitchens with built-in grills, cooktops and even refrigerators are just some of the elements that can make outdoor life more enjoyable while also extending the entertainment area of your home.

Summer Landscaping Tips For Columbus, Ohio Homeowners

Posted on May 28, 2015May 29, 2015 by Hidden Creek Landscaping

Summer Landscaping Tips For Columbus, Ohio Homeowners – Beautiful landscaping can instantly transform the look of your property. The right elements can take a home from average to outstanding, but it does some require some effort and planning. Here are some helpful summer landscaping tips to have your property looking its very best this year.

Maintain a Well-Manicured Lawn. The grass on your lawn can really impact the overall look of your property. Make sure to mow it on a regular schedule, taking care to trim along walkways and patios. An overgrown lawn looks unkempt and neglected, so don’t let it get too long before you turn on the mower. Apply a weed repellent early in the season to prevent weed growth.

Fill in the Gaps. Take note of any areas of your lawn where it looks like something is missing. Fill in those spots with shrubs, flowers, or even decorative features. You want your lawn to have a balanced look, so step back and really assess it as a whole. If you see any bald patches in the grass, add fresh soil and throw down seed to fill in.

Add Pops of Color. In both the back and the front yard, you will want to add some color to liven it up. Choose flowers that will suit your needs. For example, if you don’t want to spend much time watering, select flowers that can thrive in the heat without daily watering. Be sure to read the info for each plant so that you can place it in the right area. Some plants require more sun, while others need more shade. If you have a patio area or a deck, use colorful pots and planters for flowers and greenery.

Keep Walkways and Water Features in Good Shape. Concrete walkways and paths can take a beating during the cold winter months. Repair any cracks to prevent further damage. If you have water features, like fountains, ponds, or even bird baths, make sure that they are clean and in good condition. Debris can build up, so keep them cleared out to allow water to flow freely.

With a little planning and preparation, you can prepare your lawn for summer landscaping. Once you get the grass, plant life, and garden features in place, you’ll have a beautiful space to enjoy all summer long.

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