blue house gardens llc

I’ve been thinking a lot about garden accessories lately, especially pottery. The term accessories seems to trivialize these items, though, while I’m thinking of them as the backbone of a design.

A typical strategy for planting is to work big to small, often starting with the trees, then the shrubs, and so on. In this approach, a large evergreen is often an anchoring piece, with shrubs creating outlines, and special plants with unique features serving as accents. The drawback in this plan is that unfortunately, sometimes plants fail, and that’s where man-made objects offer something unique.

Pottery is a simple and affordable way to bring made objects into your garden.

It’s not unusual to see large objects like a sculpture or pergola featured in a design, but more humble and accessible objects like planters have much to offer, as well. Depending on size and form, they can fill a myriad of roles and generally occupy space in a useful way.

What can containers do for the garden?

• Allow you to express your personal style;
• Provide structure year round, i.e. a reliable form that won’t let you down when aphids or powdery mildew show up;
• Elevate a simple plant into a specimen;
• Serve as a focal point, a repeated motif, or a big jumble of planted exuberance.

If you have the opportunity (we can find one!), don’t hesitate to invest in pieces that will help define your landscape for years to come. Not sure where to start? I can help.

Well, what’s going on?

It’s been months since I’ve posted, and the world is a different place than it was when I shared my first 2020 installation back in February. Did things came to a stop for you, or have you barely kept up with all your Covid-19 responsibilities? Here at the blue house we’ve all soldiered on in our own work spaces.

Everyone wants their home to be a beautiful safe haven.

I’ve had so many calls this spring. Many people in our area are fortunate to have job security. Apparently, as they look out their home office windows, they’re thinking- wow, we should get some landscape work done! I’m grateful for that and I hope I’m helping to make beautiful places where people can feel happy and safe. I know I’ve been so glad to have my own little garden that I can stroll through with my coffee, noting whatever new thing is happening that day.

What are you planning for June?

Will you brave a road trip, or, dare I say, a meal out at a restaurant? Plant some veggies or get back to the farmers’ market? Maybe you’d like to work on a landscape project together. I’m designing every day and I expect to be managing installations through the summer. If you’re reading this in June, now is a great time for us to talk about fall projects. Or, maybe you just want to breathe and be happy with what you already have.

I hope you’re well and you know where to find me.

Today is February 29th, which means I have an extra day to relish wrapping up a new patio installation before spring even begins. My clients contacted me on January 6th, and we broke ground on February 14th- a very good progression that is only possible in the off-season.

What did we do?

The clients moved into their home last fall and knew right away that the layout wasn’t going to work for them. There was a small patio at the far back corner of the lot, and no patio space immediately behind the back doors.

Once we identified the program, we quickly arrived at the new design. We simply flipped the layout so that the outdoor entertaining space is immediately adjacent to the house, while the remainder of the yard is now play space. The homeowners already had furniture that needed to fit within the new patio outline, so the size and shape easily fell into place.

A few details:

• The patio is Full Color Pennsylvania Flagstone, a classic choice that works almost everywhere;
• We buried conduit with extension cords to both sides of the patio for the fountain and future string lights;
• We placed the existing fountain in the garden bed for an integrated look and a bit of white noise between the seating area and the neighbor’s deck;
• Small river rock and reused stone steppers connect the patio to the side gate;
• Three single-leader Amelanchier ‘Autumn Brilliance’ trees line the back fence;
• Other shrubs include Distylium ‘Vintage Jade’, Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’, Camellia sasanqua;
• Lastly, we’ll add perennials in April when they’re at least breaking dormancy in their containers.

Next Steps for Spring?

Now we watch the plants leaf out, add perennials and cushions- oh, and the house is getting painted!- and start taking beautiful photos!

Do you have spring projects? Let’s work on them together.

We’re already starting our 2020 spring installations!

When you think of being outdoors, your mind might go to summer, but for landscapers, there are 2 main seasons- spring and fall, with summer largely a time of maintenance and watering. Why is that?

1. It’s better to plant in milder temperatures.

Spring and fall are the best times to put new plants in the ground- the temperatures are milder, meaning they won’t be immediately frozen or scorched, and it’s easier to keep up with the watering. We generally find the best plant selection in spring (especially perennials), but a fall planting allows plants to settle in and go dormant over the winter.

2. It’s easier to build in milder temperatures.

Mild temperatures mean the ground isn’t frozen solid or hard as a rock from drought. Almost all outdoor construction involves soil disturbance, so this is an important factor. That said, mild winters are a great time for construction, and in fact, I started my first installation on February 14th.

3. It’s easier to work in milder temperatures.

Have you ever driven past a job site and thought, “I’m glad I’m not out there sweating?” Enough said.

We can’t install without a plan!

All this is to say, if you’re thinking about a new landscape installation this spring, it’s time to start your design. Check out my FAQs for some basic information and let’s work on it together!

Hang on to your pumpkin spice latte, because it’s planting time again. Where on earth did 2019 go?

Yes, fall is the best time to put in new plants. Why? Because the weather is cooling and many plants are starting to go dormant, which means they need less water and experience less stress. Even better, the chance to winter over means more robust and established plants coming up in the spring.

Let’s get your plan together now so we can plant before the first frost!

If you’re looking to plant this year, there’s still time to create your design and plan your installation for late fall. That said, you’ll have to make quick decisions in order to finalize our plan in the next few weeks. (For reference, I find that most design projects take at least 3 weeks between revisions and meetings.) Sound too rushed? Let’s plan for the second-best planting time- spring! Winter is the best time to work on designs for the coming year, and if we plan now you’ll be relaxed in the spring knowing you’re on the schedule.

Not sure what you’re doing and want some inspiration? Totally overwhelmed with the content on Pinterest or Houzz? Head over to one of my very favorite sites for browsing with my morning coffee, Gardenista. Then call me.

I love construction. It’s when all the dreaming and planning become reality. But aside from the actual work, I also enjoy the crews and the human details of the job site- like bringing your own microwave to work.

For landscape crews, the job site is their office.

If you work indoors, you don’t need to think about using the bathroom, storing your lunch, or reheating your coffee. But if you work outside, all of these things require some problem-solving.

Just like office workers, landscapers have different mindsets. Some leave the job site to get fast food for lunch. Others bring everything they need for the day and eat their homemade food in a shady spot on site. Oddly, this is the first year that many of us have noticed crews using microwaves. Is this a new trend that somehow made its way through the landscaper network, or have we not been paying attention before? I’m not sure, but this resourcefulness is just another thing that makes me smile.