I finally wore Mindy down this fall and we adopted a dog. This is my sweetheart Bonnie, a German Shorthair Pointer (GSP) mix who came to us via the Mid-Atlantic GSP Rescue. Say hi, Bonnie! Anyone who’s met me knows it’s no secret that … Continue readingHow 40 Pounds of Dog Has Changed My Plans for 10,000 sq ft of Yard
It seems odd to write something about outdoor enjoyment on a day when temps have been in the single digits, but let’s go with it! Obviously there’s no end to the major changes that can make a huge difference in the landscape, but what if … Continue reading8 Simple Tricks to Get More From Your Landscape in 2021
One can break landscape design clients into general categories. There are the “I don’t care whatever you want” types; the ones who are excited about the project and invested in the result but only really care about what I think is important to their yard; … Continue readingWhy Landscape Design for Plant Collectors is So Haaaaaaaaard (and How to Make a Cohesive Collection)
If I had a penny for every client who included “I want a low/no maintenance design” as part of their wish list, well… 170 pennies are in a pound, so I’d have a stack that weighs more than my biggest cat. I get it. We’re … Continue readingWho cares for your landscape? That’s the last step in the design!
I get asked that question a lot, as you can imagine. After all, Virginians love their brick homes, so I design a lot of patios for brick homes. I always look at two things: color and size/style. Color Color is the easiest to deal with … Continue readingWhat Concrete Paver Goes with My Brick House?
Ever since starting my landscape design firm I’ve had an opportunity to meet with a lot of people, look at a lot of yards, and have a lot of conversations about how they want to get more enjoyment from their landscapes. There are recurring themes, … Continue readingDoes great landscape design make us happier?
The longer you work with people the more you see that there are different “types” of people, and landscape design clients are no exception. There are two types of clients when it comes to plants: the ones who like plants and are generally happy with … Continue readingThree Tips to Being a Plant Collector and Still Having Great Design
I meet with a fair number of homeowners who say “I either want a firepit or a fireplace.” This uncertainty is actually a great place to start discussing how they’re going to use the space and how much they’d like to invest in the space,
When I was designing landscapes in Arizona, one option we had available to us was travertine marble tile. These were actual tiles – typically 12″x12″ and less than a half inch think – so they had to be laid in a mortar bed on a … Continue readingTravertine Paver Patio Installers in Virginia – What to Know
You’ve decided to use flagstone in the landscape. Good call! You may not be done making decisions, however. If the stone will be used in an application where you see the edge of the piece (step treads, wall caps, etc) you’ll have to think about … Continue readingUnderstanding Flagstone: Sawcut, Thermaled, and Chiseled Edges