Water adds magic and life to a garden. Unfortunately,many people think adding water is beyond their ability.Water features needn’t be large or involved; a beautiful water garden created in a shallow basin or container in less than an hour can give pleasure spring through fall. The only requirement for the water lily is a minimum…
Digging a new vegetable or flower bed can be a daunting task. Try raising that bed above existing grade. Not only will the job be easier but the method offers several advantages. Firstly, in areas of heavy, rocky or compacted soils, you don’t have to waste time or energy addressing them. Secondly, in areas of…
There are several courses of action to repair winter storm damage to deciduous shrubs. All of the suggestions offered in an earlier blog to repair damage to evergreen shrubs apply here as well. The level of complexity involved in some of these methods may make sense when involving key deciduous specimens in a landscape or…
This is the time of year to start flower and vegetables seeds. The need for sterile conditions requires that used pots be washed before reuse, a job I dislike. A simple and practical solution is to use 3 oz. plastic bathroom cups. They come in packages of 100. Punch three evenly spaced holes in the…
Nature’s timetable varies slightly from year to year. That requires the gardener to observe and use judgment. Shoots and buds emerge in spring at their own pace, not by the calender. An attentive gardener will keep checking spring’s advance and act accordingly. Clean old leaves and debris as well as winter mulches before bulbs sprout…
After the snow and ice storms of this past winter, many evergreen shrubs and hedges are split with branches pinned to the ground. Don’t panic. Most evergreen shrubs have an amazing ability to regrow and recover. If the snow is light and powdery, consider brushing it off the shrubs. If the snow is wet and…
Toward the end of January, any sign of spring is a welcome thing. A simple “fix” is achieved by forcing Forsythia. A shrub found on many if not most properties; beginning in January, numerous waves of branches can be forced into bloom until the shrubs flower naturally out of doors. Cultivated, named selections such as…
Very early in the new season, often before winter is over, a number of small spring flowers bloom, sometimes through the snow. Because of their small stature, these flowers are easily overlooked. The trick is to use them in areas that can be seen up close at a time of year when most people don’t…
Hi, I am Douglas S. Kycia, Landscape Architect. Welcome to my new blog where I will share seasonal ideas for your landscape!
It’s hard to overstate the importance of involving a landscape architect early in the site planning process. Whether siting buildings or drives with respect to orientation and elevation; so much of the future site development is controlled by those initial decisions. Too often opportunities are lost or worse, expensive corrective measures are necessary to mitigate…
