Soft Garden Landscaping With Flowers, Grass and Trees

Charleston Landscaping With Flowers and Plants

Landscaping with flowers, plants and vegetation is known as soft landscaping. All the vegetation in a garden is collectively called soft landscape. Broadly speaking, this will include ornamental flowers and plants, ground cover (grass or similar), and shrubs or trees. The choices for each are various but should depend upon essential considerations such as how well they will survive local climate and soil conditions; in addition to their place in the overall garden design such as color, texture, shape and when they flower.

The main concern in choosing plants is that they will be able to live and flourish under local conditions; such elements as the temperature, sunlight and rainfall as well as soil type must be given full consideration or else your beautiful garden will likely fail miserably. Discover the best plants for your local area and make your selection from those to avoid disappointment and a waste of time and money. Consider both Perennials and annuals. The perennials will continue to grow and flower each year without replanting and will most likely be the backbone of your soft landscape design; in terms of color, shape and texture. Annuals must be replanted or replaced each year and so you might add variety and change each year with these.

There are many types of grass, or ground cover, available to the landscape gardener and it is not just a case of simply just buying grass seed or turf. Again, the local climate and weather conditions are best taken into consideration so you will get the best type for your garden. Grass is good for filling the spaces between flower beds and other plants, and also provides a good root system for protecting your garden against soil erosion. It can also be decorative both in its appearance and in the shape of area you plant it in.

Finally, the choice of trees and shrubs to grow in your garden will have a great effect upon the overall impression your garden makes. Large plants such as these can provide shade for other plants as well as assist in protecting against soil erosion. But by their larger physical presence they bring a strong visual appeal and act as powerful focal points so should be positioned with care both for their appearance and effect upon other plants. Landscaping with flowers is like painting with living brushes and colors and, in many ways, the lessons of painting might be applied.

Call Porter Hayes Landscaping for help with all your landscaping needs We can help you select the right flowers, plants and trees to make your Charleston landscaping project a success.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

The Best Ways to Landscape your Beachfront Property

Beachfront homes in Charleston can provide idyllic surroundings for property owners when utilizing well prepared landscaping. When saltwater is a consider in landscaping, there are added considerations - consisting of capability, maintainability, visual appeals and being cost effective - that should be thought about to produce a sustainable environment that will serve the requirements of nature and your family

Read the pointers listed below and learn more about the best ways to landscape your beachfront property.

Salt tolerant greenery – Among the most essential elements to think about when landscaping a seaside area is salt-tolerant plants. If your house is within 1/8 of a mile from the Charleston oceanfront, you should be planting greenery with differing degrees of salt tolerance. The Japanese black evergreen, willow oak, oleander and confederate jasmine are all kinds of plants that are exceptionally tolerant of salt, sandy soil and dry conditions.

Direct sun exposure – When dreaming of and creating a green landscape for your beachfront property, the percentage of sun exposure is another important aspect to think about. The specific plants you select and where you place them will vary depending upon the kind of sun your home is exposed to. Seek advice from a professional landscaping company to find out if the plants that you're planning to use tolerate full sun, light shade, part shade or full shade. Take note of nearby building such as a shed or pool cabana that will bring partial shade during the day. This will also affect which plants and shrubbery you choose.

Hardscape – Hardscape is all of surfaces that makes up your landscape that are not grass or plants. When possible, avoid utilizing non-porous surface areas, including concrete and blacktop, for hardscape surfaces. Water that runs from these surface areas might include toxins that are then carried off into bodies of water, which can infect our oceans and environment.

Before jumping into a hardscape design, think about the effect you are trying to create. When you have a style in mine, choose just a few materials that will bring that style to life. Avoid a look that is all one texture or color. Find two or three materials that are visually appealing and incorporate them into your beach front landscaping design.

When creating your landscape, integrate porous surface areas, such as brick, mulch, gravel and turf block. These permeable hardscape surface areas are not just good for the environment but they are cost effective and a can reduce the effect of water runoff.

Call Porter Hayes Landscaping when you have an idea of the effect you want to create with your beach front landscaping. We can help you with the design and implementation of your landscaping.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

Issues To Consider With Pool Landscaping

With pool landscaping there are a number of issues you will need to consider in addition to visual impact. A pool needs to look beautiful, and will often do so with little additional consideration except where to put it, but it requires a Charleston landscape designer to place it so that it fits its environment and doesn't look like it's been dropped into place indiscriminately; furthermore the landscape designer must address other elements such as safety and privacy within their plans and design.

Plants can serve to integrate an in-ground swimming pool into a beautiful backyard escape. Their shapes contrast the more rigid lines of a pool and break up the more uniform lines and shapes of the pool. They soften the surfaces overall and bring the garden to the pool, rather than allow the pool merely to enter the garden. From the pool user's point of view it can create a far more relaxed environment and give even the pools manufactured and watery interior a sense of being integrated and natural.

Types of Plants for Pools Charleston Landscape Design

It is not, of course, necessary to insist upon plants that can reside in an wet environment since a pool is unlikely to greatly affect the water levels in the local area as a natural water hole or pond would; so the first consideration might be to choose plants which require little in the way of maintenance, little pruning and are not likely to drop many leaves or fruit into the pool thereby creating greater pool maintenance problem.

For safety reasons an area of decking or concrete will often surround a pool, providing a solid and non slip surface for bathers; this might encourage the use of potted plants or enclosed plant beds near the pool so that the possibility of wet earth either on the poolside or in the pool can be minimized. Trees will often be grown close to a pool for their decorative effect but also for the shade they provide; both from the sun and as a means for providing privacy to bathers in and out of the pool. Shrubs, bushes and low fences might be used in similar ways.

Properly attending to your pool landscaping needs will ensure you end up with a relaxing and safe environment which will be as nice to look at as to be in and look out from.

Porter Hayes Landscaping has extensive experience in creating a pool side landscaping design that is both functional and eye-appealing. Call today to discuss your dream backyard escape and landscape design.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

Your Charleston Landscape Hardscape Are a Detail With Visual Appeal

The shape of your flower beds might be a function you want to emphasize and produce landscape borders between, for instance, your turf and your flower beds can both highlight these shapes and help in keeping both tidier. Landscape edging, such as this sort of border, can render a clean, refined and sophisticated look to your garden yet is an easy and cheap strategy. There are various methods you can produce a border, relying on the design you prefer; you might utilize wood, stone or plastic borders or almost any other product whether bought particularly for the job or created yourself.



Gardeners and landscape designers will frequently utilize wood for its natural impact. For that reason, whether you use treated or neglected wood might rely on your factors for picking it as a border product. Neglected wood will have the tendency to rot and break down and have to be changed however this is also a part of its natural appearance. For the most natural design you may use branches sliced to size, possibly even bound together and pressed into the edge of your flower bed. Many individuals want to utilize chopped timber such as two by 4 or perhaps old railroad ties or fence posts. In reality, these can help to emphasize the angular qualities of a flower bed's shape; otherwise, cut into brief lengths, you might even trace a curve with them.

Stone is another natural favorite among Charleston landscape designers. In reality, frequently stones are collected gradually especially for the purpose of embellishing an edge. The range of sizes and shapes includes an intriguing quality to the line of the border. Otherwise, stones of all sizes and shapes may be bought from a garden center. Bricks and stone slabs are variations on this concept, typically bringing additional color to the garden.



Lastly, there is a large industry surrounding the design and development of plastic shapes to be used as borders and edges for garden flower beds; whether as imitation fences or other structures this can be a highly ornamental and decorative option, available in numerous colors and shapes there will be something for most tastes. Similar to everything else in your garden design it is good to think about the general effect of your choice and how it fits in with the rest of the garden. Whether you decide to utilize a readymade border or something totally special to you, such as broken pottery, your landscape borders will enhance and decorate your flower beds and further embellish the look of your garden.

Porter Landscaping specializes in landscape design and the effective use of borders. Call us today for help with designing and installing beautiful hardscape designs.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

Your Landscape Borders Are a Detail With Great Visual Appeal

The shape of your flower beds might be a feature you would like to emphasize and create landscape borders between, for example, your grass and your flower beds can both accentuate these shapes and assist in keeping both tidier. Landscape edging, such as this kind of border, can render a clean, polished and sophisticated look to your garden yet is a simple and cheap technique. There are many different ways you can create a border, depending upon the style you prefer; you might use wood, stone or plastic borders or almost any other material whether bought especially for the task or created yourself.

Gardeners and landscape designers will often use wood for its natural effect. Therefore, whether you use treated or untreated wood may depend upon your reasons for choosing it as a border material. Untreated wood will tend to rot and break down and need to be replaced but this is also a part of its natural look. For the most organic style you might use branches chopped to size, perhaps even bound together and pushed into the edge of your flower bed. Many people like to use chopped timber such as two by four or even old railroad ties or fence posts. In fact, these can help to emphasize the angular qualities of a flower bed's shape; or else, cut into short lengths, you might even trace a curve with them.

Stone is another natural favorite among Charleston landscape designers. In fact, often stones are collected over time especially for the purpose of decorating an edge. The variety of shapes and sizes adds an interesting quality to the line of the border. Otherwise, stones of all shapes and sizes may be bought from a garden center. Bricks and stone slabs are variations on this idea, often bringing additional color to the garden.

Finally, there is a large industry surrounding the design and creation of plastic shapes to be used as borders and edges for garden flower beds; whether as imitation fences or other structures this can be a highly ornamental and decorative solution, available in many colors and shapes there will be something for most tastes. As with everything else in your garden design it is good to consider the overall effect of your decision and how it fits in with the rest of the garden. Whether you decide to use a readymade border or something entirely unique to you, such as broken pottery, your landscape borders will enhance and decorate your flower beds and further individualize the look of your garden.

Porter Landscaping specializes in landscape design and the effective use of borders. Call us today for help with designing and installing beautiful hardscape designs.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

How To Enjoy Charleston Landscape Planning

When you have decided to design your garden or backyard retreat it is the landscape planning that comes first and must be the most important job to get right. Many people are nervous when designing something themselves and look to experts or Charleston Landscape professionals to do the job for them or reassure them in some way that what they are doing is right. Of course, that is what the professionals are there for but if it is fear of doing it yourself that causes you to turn to help then a few tips might take that fear away and show you that you are not only capable of doing it yourself but, in fact, you may well even prefer it.

Before you do anything else you need to know some basic essentials about your yard. You need to know what the local climate is like: is it predominately sunny, rainy, wet, windy, etc?  You need to know what sort of soil you have in your area and what kind of plant life it will support best. You need to know which direction the sun rises and sets and where the areas of shade are in your garden or outdoor retreat. Together, these details will provide an outline of what sort of plants you can support in your garden and what sort of an environment you have to work with. This may seem simple but it is absolutely essential and you may be surprised to know how often hapless homeowners waste time and money on choices they would never have made if they had done this simple research.

There are probably as many different approaches to planning a garden as there are people to do the planning. So while I endorse this approach I cannot assure you it is the only or best one; but it is productive. When you make yourself familiar with the climate and conditions of your garden you can make yourself familiar with the kind of plants and environments it can support. As you do this, as you familiarize yourself with what your options are, you must try to remain aware of how you respond to each option. Some plants you might automatically like, others you may feel less enthusiastic about. It may be a color, it may be a shape, it may be the name of a plant or something about its history or prior use that attracts you. This response is important because it can direct you towards a theme, by remaining conscious of your reactions as you research then you become aware of what sort of a garden would be the sort that you would enjoy.

If you find the shapes of plants appeal to you then use this as your predominant organizing theme, if it is colors, then that is the way to go; if you are intrigued by historical aspects then use that interest as a means to arrange your garden's design. In so many ways it is the indulgence you allow yourself which assists you in making decisions about your plan, and as these decisions are made the next steps are dictated by their requirements; Landscape planning isn't a dry pursuit but an extension of the enjoyment you experience in researching your new backyard retreat.

Porter Hayes Landscaping is your Charleston landscape design professional. Call today to an on-site evaluation of your landscape design needs.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/

Lawn Sprinkler System News

Sprinkler systems are going green. Besides simply helping to keep your lawn an appealing shade of evergreen, automatic yard watering systems (as professional landscapers call them) offer unique environmentally friendly functions to save water. This is great news for everyone who is tired of hassling with dragging around a yard hose or, hand operated sprinkler to provide their turf with the water it requires. Even the typical pop-up lawn sprinklers are now being replaced by programmable variations for more effective water usage.

Prior to Setting up a Yard Irrigation System

Consider your lawn. An automatic irrigation system is best matched for a medium to large area, with appropriate drainage. If your soil is compressed or high in clay, you might wish to modify it or use another method of watering.

Consider your budget. Look at the overall cost of any irrigation system you are thinking about. Take into consideration the preliminary purchase rate including design, devices, and installation. Then include water use plus the expense to keep and repair the lawn sprinkler system for a more precise idea.

Consider your local regulations. You are likely to require a permit prior to you start digging in preparation for the sprinkler system install. You will definitely need to discover whether there are any power line or gas lines buried in the location where you'd like to set up the system– contact a one-call center to find out. In addition, check out the local water restrictions and make sure that your system will adhere.

Programmable Lawn Sprinkler Systems

Just as programmable smart home security systems have been established for the inside, there are now clever lawn systems too. You can purchase an extremely smart sprinkler system that might be configured to turn the flow on and off at the specific times you select, in order to optimize water use.

Your lawn irrigation system need to consist of a shut-off switch or rain sensor that overrides the timer, so that it doesn't come on when it is needed the least … in the middle of a rainstorm. Some states have actually passed legislation making this an obligatory feature. To save water more, the lawn sprinkler can also be fitted with a soil wetness sensing unit.

Another kind of programmable lawn sprinkler can be set to spray only within your yard's exact parameters, reducing water wastage through over-spray onto pavements or other unneeded locations. It is even efficient in watering around corners.

And what about the issue of varying quantities of sun? A section of your yard that is exposed to strong daylight for numerous hours a day will obviously require more water than a location in deep shade. You can set your lawn sprinkler to provide a shorter watering time to the shaded part.

Use Water Sensibly

Set up your system to water between 5 and 10 AM. This will enable the moisture to soak into your yard. Watering throughout the heat of the day, that is, in late early morning or afternoon, will cause inefficient use of water due to stronger winds and a much faster evaporation rate. Watering at night is also unfavorable due to the fact that the water will be taken in too gradually, possibly resulting in molds and plant conditions.

Check the sprinkler system periodically making sure it is directed properly and has not end up being blocked. Adjust the settings as the seasons modification and with them, your yard's requirements.

Combine the use of an effective watering system with a conscientious yard care program. This may include verticutting (cutting the lawn vertically to prevent thatch buildup), trimming with sharp blades set to 2 1/2 to 3 inches, and mulching.

Call Porter Hayes Landscaping for a quote on adding an irrigation system for your law.

Porter Hayes Landscaping LLC

Charleston, SC 29419

(843) 532-3270

http://www.porterhayeslandscaping.com/