You want a yard that turns heads and gives you a sense of peace — but without spending every weekend knee-deep in mulch or battling weeds. The good news? You absolutely can have both.
Do you ever look at your yard and think: What am I even supposed to do with this? Whether it’s a sloped side yard, a postage-stamp backyard or an oddly shaped front yard, outdoor spaces like these can feel more like a ...
It’s tempting to follow the latest landscaping trends — bright new colors, fast-growing plants or flashy features that look great in year one.
Privacy is a top priority for many homeowners, but not everyone loves the look or feel of a traditional privacy fence. Hard barriers can come off as cold or unwelcoming, especially in smaller yards or front-facing ...
Creating a beautiful outdoor space that’s also kind to the environment can feel like a tough balancing act. Homeowners often want a lush and welcoming yard, but worry that going eco-friendly means giving up color, ...
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to feel stuck with an outdoor space that’s seen better days. When you’re confronted with overgrown shrubs, patchy grass or a patio that hasn’t hosted a gathering in years, it can be hard ...
If you’ve ever stood in front of a garden center wondering what plants actually look good together, you’re not alone. Creating a visually appealing border garden can feel like trying to match throw pillows without ...
For many homeowners, the term “sustainable landscaping” conjures images of expensive garden overhauls, obscure soil tests, or giving up your lawn entirely. But going green in your yard doesn’t have to be complicated or ...
If you've ever stood in front of a rack of plant tags wondering what will actually thrive in your yard — and not just survive — you’re not alone.
Does it seem like no matter how much you water or tend to your plants, they just won’t thrive? The culprit may be poor soil.
Who doesn’t dream of a perfectly manicured garden with lush greenery and vibrant flowers lining her walkways — but between work, family, and life’s never-ending to-do list, who has time for constant upkeep? But there’s ...
You love the idea of watching butterflies flutter through the garden and listening to the buzz of bees, but you have one problem — you’re not sure which flowers and plants will keep these pollinators coming back to your ...
Think sustainable, eco-friendly landscaping will be a major hit to your wallet? While it’s true that switching to organic landscaping methods might seem pricey at first, the long-term savings will have both your wallet ...
Imagine stepping outside and being greeted by a lush, vibrant landscape that flourishes in every season — all without relying on harmful chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides or wasteful practices.
Winter might seem like a quiet time in the garden, but it’s actually one of the important seasons for maintaining plants and flowers in your landscape.
With the proper landscape design, there’s no reason your yard can’t display eye-catching color throughout all four seasons, even in a changing climate like Massachusetts.
A well-timed pruning session can make all the difference between a garden that thrives and one that struggles. Cutting back trees, shrubs and flowers at the right moment encourages stronger growth, healthier blooms and ...
For many allergy sufferers, spending time in their own backyard can become a struggle rather than a source of enjoyment. High pollen counts, mold and even the wrong choice of plants can trigger sneezing, sinus ...
When you’re in the middle of the freezing temperatures, biting winds and piling snow of a New England winter, spring landscaping may seem very far away. However, the winter months are actually an optimal time to begin ...
When the last of the leaves have been raked, the lawn aerated, and the final layer of mulch laid, many homeowners consider their late fall landscape tasks complete.
When winter arrives and blankets everything in frost and snow, it’s easy to think of your garden as going dormant. But who says your yard has to hibernate all season? With a little creativity and our landscaping ...
Bright red poinsettias may be the iconic plant of the holiday season, but they’re far from the only option that can bring festive cheer to your home this season. If you’re ready to branch out from the poinsettia plant ...
Many homeowners schedule their fall yard clean up and consider their lawn care needs met until spring. But end-of-season maintenance shouldn’t stop with the collection of fallen leaves.
Privacy trees can help your landscape feel complete, and create a peaceful sense of solitude in even the most densely-settled neighborhoods. There are several excellent options for fast-growing privacy trees for ...
Fall is firmly upon us, which means you may have already completed some essential landscape tasks, such as storing your garden hose, cleaning out your gutters and winterizing yourirrigation systems. However, there’s ...
If you have sunny spots in your yard that are in need of some attention, consider using the space to plant a gorgeous new perennial garden. Sun-loving perennials return year after year, and can add low-maintenance ...
If you’re a homeowner who has been discouraged about gardening because your property is partially or even totally shaded, take heart. Gardening in shady areas is not only possible, it is also can be very rewarding — if ...
One of our favorite things about landscape design is the amount of personal expression it allows. Most people associate landscape with flowers and shrubs, but there are many different styles of plants that can thrive in ...
Now that cooler weather is upon us, you may be looking to spruce up your landscape during the favorable planting temperatures. While on the hunt for new foliage to add to your yard, consider diversifying the types of ...
Summertime passes by quickly, but that doesn’t mean that you’re out of time to garden this year. On the contrary, now is the perfect planting time for a fall garden.
Now is the time of year when cold weather approaches and spring blooms are mostly gone. But just because it’s not the beginning of the season doesn’t mean you have no interest in your yard to look forward to. With some ...
For an environmentally conscious gardener, managing your garden during a drought is a constant battle between needing to conserve water and keeping your parched plants alive. Drought is often paired with heat waves, ...
This time of year, many of us drag out our hoses and sprinklers in an effort to keep our lawns lush and inviting, only to find ourselves mowing down the fresh growth a few days later.
“Save the bees” is a phrase that has been repeated endlessly over the last couple of decades. We know how important it is to support our pollinator population, and have learned many ways to care for bees as they do ...
If you’re a homeowner who has been discouraged about gardening because your property is partially or even totally shaded, take heart. Gardening in shady areas is not only possible, it also can be very rewarding – if you ...
Nothing improves the beauty of a yard and the curb appeal of a home more than the right plantings. Color, texture, size, and shape combine to create a unique and attractive environment that adds value as well as beauty ...
While we may be firmly in summer’s grasp here in Massachusetts, as locals know, this weather won’t last forever. Although we are now seeing more extended runs of high temperature thanks to climate change, our area has ...
With the warmer weather of summer now here to stay in Massachusetts, homeowners will soon start seeing sprouts and seedlings from their early season plantings, if they haven’t already. As your yard grows, it’s important ...
After battling the forces of winter into the early part of May, it appears to finally be time for consistent warm weather here in Massachusetts! We’ve been dealing with the cold longer than normal this year, which can ...
As the name suggests, biennials are plants that take at least two years to go through their entire lifecycle. With multicolor bloom phases and interesting shapes, these plants make an ideal addition to any yard. Some of ...
One of our favorite things about landscape design is the amount of personal expression it allows. Most people associate landscape with flowers and shrubs, but there are many different styles of plants that can thrive in ...
Before the wind and early snow take away the rest of our fall foliage, make some time to appreciate the variety of color New England has this time of year. Plants that have phenomenal fall foliage colors are important ...
Homeowners often place lots of emphasis on creating a garden with beautiful flowers and shrubs that bloom majestically in the spring season. Unfortunately, focusing on beauty for a single season can leave your yard ...
Spring Is On Its Way! Here are few suggestions for getting your garden and yard ready for the warm weather and green grass.
The timing of your garden is much more complex than simply thinking about planting, growing, and harvesting seasons. You must also think about the lifecycle of the plants in your yard. With a bit of planning and ...
One of the best things about the outdoors is its ability to rejuvenate the human spirit. After a tough day at work or a difficult experience with a friend or family member, it’s nice to be able to get home to a tranquil ...
4 Tips to Prepare Your Garden for Warmer Weather Think you can’t garden just because it’s cold outside? Think again! While you may not be able to put in the long, peaceful afternoons in the yard like you can in the ...
Picking the right plants for your gardens not only makes your landscaping look beautiful, they can add pleasurable, relaxing scents. Choosing flower smells you enjoy is important because they can have a positive effect ...
Creating vivacious landscape designs can be challenging, given New England’s intense four seasons. Massachusetts weather ranges from bitterly cold nights in the middle of winter to hot and humid summer days. This ...
Picking out the right permanent plants will give your landscapes great color throughout the year. They will complement your house and the flowers you chose for the rest of your garden. That’s why many considerations ...
Two of our favorite native perennials to plant in Eastern Massachusetts are Kim's Knee High and Bridal Veil False Spirea. The Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High' is a compact version of Purple Coneflower. It is covered ...
In Eastern MA, there are many different types of gardens that will grow and thrive, even in the finicky coastal MA weather. A few garden types you might want to consider planting are:
Many gardeners choose perennials to plant in their yards to add color and create a low maintenance garden space. Perennials are great because they have color that pops in the spring, summer, or fall, then die back for ...
Are You Growing Plants in the Shade?
One of the best ways to create an ecological garden is by planting more native plants. Planting native plants enhances and supports your local ecosystem which has more benefits than we can imagine. When selecting plants ...
Clients in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts presented us with a very challenging situation in their back/ side yard.
The colorful garden combination above is from a front yard garden design in Arlington, Massachusetts. The homeowner wanted colorful blooms combined with various textures and flower shapes and sizes. The pink shrub is an ...
When deciding on a new garden landscape, there are many types of garden designs to choose from. Depending on your needs and existing conditions, gardens can be made for privacy, relaxation, entertainment, play space, ...
At our client's home in Watertown, Massachusetts, a beautiful arbor design is complimented by an existing Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond' Tree. Well designed front entry walkways connect the front yard to the back ...
Add an early bloomer to your yard for next spring!
One of the most versatile trees for almost any garden in New England, Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) exists in a multitude of forms that provide an endless choice of colors, sizes, and shapes. The most recognizable ...
One of the most important factors that play into landscape design is understanding the light conditions of a front, back or side yard. When selecting new plants to add to your yard, or moving existing ones around, it is ...
Hydrangeas are one of the easiest shrubs to identify throughout Eastern Massachusetts. They are superb garden plants with an enormous diversity from evergreen climbers, to small deciduous trees with splendid masses of ...
One of my favorite aspects of living in New England is being able to watch the seasons change and plants adapt with seasonal interest. Most plants have one or two seasons of which they bloom or have bright foliage, very ...
Winter sun, wind, and cold temperatures can damage bark, injure or kill branches, flower buds, and roots. Snow and ice can break branches and ruin entire trees. Winter food shortages force some rodents and deer to feed ...
Daphne Carol Mackie- Daphne burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie'
February is halfway over!! This means it's time to start looking for early signs of spring! There is nothing I love more than looking out from my home office window and seeing a glimmer of hope for warm weather ...