As a horticulturist, the question I inevitably get at this time of year is, “What is the trick to keeping a cut Christmas tree from drying out/last longer?” There is no trick to it. Follow these suggestions and your tree should last well through the holiday. Choose a Christmas tree that has firm needles that do not fall from branches when handling [...]
Before you get distracted by the upcoming holidays and the weather turns too cold to work outside, there are a few jobs that need to get done. Doing these few things before Thanksgiving will make a big difference in protecting your plants and lawn from the Winter to come. Deer-proof evergreen shrubs by encircling them with stakes and attaching burlap [...]
In the gardening world, October is often referred to as the “Second Spring.” This month’s warm soil and cool temperatures are perfect for plants to establish their roots. So, now is the time to plant shrubs, trees, and evergreens to give them plenty of time to establish their roots before the upcoming winter. Also, there is still time to plant [...]
The end of Summer does not mean the end of lawn care. In fact, September could be the most important month of the year because the cooler temperatures and occasional rain are ideal growing conditions for plants and grass. So, what you do now will give you a jump on a healthy lawn beautiful beds in the Spring. Aerate: Aerating [...]
Last month we wrote about how Native Designs can add inviting outdoor living space to your home. This month, we want to address Commercial Properties. Commercial property owners need to be just as concerned about “Curb Appeal” as residential homeowners. Statistics show that people are more attracted to – and spend more time and money at – attractive, well-maintained businesses [...]
Outdoor gathering is a necessary reality these days, but that does not mean you need to settle on sitting on camp chairs in the driveway. Add style and ambiance to your outdoor space with lighting, a fireplace, landscape, or a patio with defining walls to create a dynamic outdoor experience. The photos above are from a project we completed recently. [...]
All the hard work we did in the Spring should be paying off now that June is here, but there is still some maintenance to do. You will need to prune and shape shrubs and trees from their Spring growth spurts, add mulch to beds where needed, decorate with Summer annuals, and, of course, do your routine grass mowing. Along [...]
May, in my opinion, is the most beautiful month here in Southeastern PA. Everywhere we look, Mother Nature is showing off her buds, blooms, and colors. May is also the time for you to show off by planting annuals and perennials that will flower throughout the Summer and into the early Fall and add those pops of color to your [...]
For most homeowners here in the Philly Area, April is the month to start gardening in earnest. The jobs you do this month will lay the foundation for peak season. So here are a few jobs that you should do now to get started on the right path. Apply fertilizer and weed control to lawns. Once nighttime temps consistently stay [...]
Remember back in January when we suggested you take your Winter down-time to make plans for the Spring? Well, now it is time to break out those plans and sketches and get to work. Prioritize What needs to be done first? You will probably need to start with a clean-up – tree pruning, raking leftover Fall leaves, and tearing out [...]
