Landscaping Design on the Main Line

April 17, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Eye-catching Landscaping Ideas for Main Line Front Yard Gardens

Eye-catching Landscaping Ideas for Main Line Front Yard Gardens

Front yard gardens offer vast opportunities for the development of first impressions – the ones that affect how passersby and visitors perceive the property and even homeowners themselves. What does yours say about you? Does it reflect the landscape design style and image you wish to portray?

Are you interested in creating a breathtaking front yard garden for your Tri-State New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware area home landscape? Then consider a few landscape design pointers to get you moving in the right direction.

Determine your style – Gardens typically reflect the architectural style of the residence itself, so determining your house style is the best place to start. If it is characterized by strong, geometric lines, then a formal landscape will complement the house well. If, however, your house sprawls a bit more informally, then the cottage garden would be your ideal choice.
Plan for year-round color – By carefully selecting plant varieties that bloom at different times and placing them at strategic points around the yard, you can achieve an almost continuous flow of all-season color and interest in your Tri-State New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware area home landscape.
Choose attractive boundaries – The integration of appealing fences, flower garden borders and hardscapes such as stone walls lends an aura of orderliness and finesse. Landscape screening for privacy offers added opportunity to arrange evergreen borders or construct a wood or vinyl fence as a garden backdrop.
Draw the eye to a focal point – Using garden features to draw the gaze toward the entryway is a common technique employed in professional landscaping, as well as the incorporation of a focal point for added depth and interest.

Your front yard garden can be a masterpiece that complements both your house style and personal tastes. If you need more inspiration for what your garden can become, contact Aardweg Landscaping for professional help in designing a wonderful Tri-State New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware area home landscape.

Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA was a “Best Of Houzz” award recipient for Customer Satisfaction in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The accomplished landscape design, installation and maintenance firm also received the exclusive “Recommended” badge for top rated professionals from Houzz in 2015.

Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation with garden landscape design professionals from Philadelphia area Aardweg Landscaping by calling 610.355.0703, or by sending an email using the website contact form.

April 12, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Lovely Mailbox Garden Ideas for Dramatic Curb Appeal

Lovely Mailbox Garden Ideas for Dramatic Curb Appeal

Is your mailbox simply a necessary structure in your Philadelphia landscaping design, or is it rather an opportunity to unleash your personality in gardening artistry?

Whether you choose to grow a small vine on the post your mailbox sits on, or to surround your mailbox with annual flowers that can be changed out each year — it’s time to elevate mailbox garden areas from their mundane existence to something more dramatic.

Let’s take a look at some lovely ideas that can turn this part of your Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd or Berwyn yard into an interesting and colorful focal point.

Copy of Aardweg Landscaping Formal Garden Boxwood Parterre

Aardweg Landscaping Main Line Formal Garden

Formal garden – If your penchant in design tends toward the more stately, then think about a stone or brick mailbox structure, surrounded by lush, well-tended greenery such as miniature shrubs, sedums or creeping thyme, “mulched” with natural materials in a subtle border.

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Aardweg Landscaping Butterfly Garden

Butterfly garden – In the direction of more informal tastes, the butterfly garden offers lovely flowers that attract vibrantly-hued winged visitors for an even richer experience in your Philadelphia landscaping design. Excellent flower choices for this garden include bee balm, hibiscus, daisies, rudbeckia, salvia, coreopsis, asclepias, trumpet vine and jasmine.

Aardweg Landscaping Asian Landscape Inspired

Japanese garden – For an immediate inundation of feng shui, give things a more Oriental twist, with graceful additions of plants like Japanese maples, dwarf trees and shrubs, iris and perhaps some potted bonsai.

Aardweg Landscaping Spring Garden Cleaning & Maintenance

Aardweg Landscaping Low Maintenance Garden

Easy-care garden – For those who want dramatic impact with very little maintenance, this style is the perfect choice. Fantastic, free-flowering selections include plants like Russian sage, yarrow, rudbeckia, daylilies, carnations and herbs with vine choices like hardy

clematis, annual hyacinth bean or morning glory. Once established, these plants can take the heat and provide long-lasting beauty for your season-long enjoyment at your Main Line home in communities such as Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd and Berwyn.

There are so many possibilities for making your mailbox garden area a key player in your overall Philadelphia landscaping design. With the instant colorful impact it can bring to your yard, you may wonder why you didn’t think of it before!

April 8, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Garden Bed Soil Preparation for Philadelphia Residential Landscapes

Garden Bed Soil Preparation for Philadelphia Residential Landscapes

Don’t let anyone underestimate the value of dirt. While it may not be very exciting to us, it’s where our beloved garden treasures find their home and nourishment. When creating a new garden or overhauling an existing garden bed to achieve the landscaped garden of your dreams, remember that your plants’ success greatly depends on how you approach garden bed soil preparation.

Perennial Garden designed by Aardweg Landscaping, Main Line, PA

Consider these important bed preparation steps for a fantastic result in your Main Line Philadelphia landscape:

Determine the location – For new beds, you need to figure out the dimensions, boundaries and location of the garden, based on the growth patterns, sizes, etc. of the plants you are growing. For a sunny border, make sure the area receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.
Dig out the garden area – Definitely the most tedious and perhaps least inspiring part of the task, yet digging the location thoroughly and deeply is critical for the future of your Main Line Philadelphia landscape. Be sure to remove sod and any debris or rocks that will inhibit luxurious root development.
Main Line garden bed soil preparation is essential for a beautiful garden (Image courtesy of Aardweg Landscaping)
Amend the soil – A balanced combination of healthy soil ingredients is essential, so that your plants will retain ample moisture while not suffering from poor drainage which can cause root rot.
Assess the soil – Now is the easiest time to assess the status of your soil and add compost or topsoil or other things to achieve your necessary combination.

Growing a Greener World says to use a blend of organic matter for the garden. “Knowing that great drainage and good soil structure is critical for success, using organic material such as compost, rotted leaves, aged manure, etc. is an easy way to achieve those results. Incorporating as little as 25-percent organic sources will greatly improve existing conditions.”

Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA was a “Best Of Houzz” award recipient for Customer Satisfaction in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Steve Aardweg of Aardweg Landscaping discussing the proposed design

Steve Aardweg discussing the proposed design

Finally, consider engaging a landscaping design professional. Getting a glorious, colorful garden takes work, and most people don’t have the time or energy to do it. It is a huge relief to have your trusted Main Line Philadelphia landscape professional on the job, making sure you get exactly what you want without the hours of backbreaking work.

March 31, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Planning and Sizing Your Outdoor Kitchen

Planning and Sizing Your Outdoor Kitchen

Danver Outdoor Kitchens Products

So… you have made the decision to extend your living space into a functional and inviting outdoor kitchen. How wonderful! But perhaps you are thinking that was the easy part. Where do you go from wanting one to actually having one? First, you need to consider some elements to help with the planning and sizing your Main Line outdoor kitchen.

Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen

It is important to determine the functional requirements for the outdoor kitchen space you desire. Ask the following questions to generate ideas for your outdoor kitchen design…

Do you need a simple area in which to grill steaks and dine alfresco with your immediate family and close friends?
Or do you envision garden parties as you play host to larger numbers and plan to prepare and serve more elaborate meals in that outdoor kitchen area?
Do you want a relaxing environment, or would you prefer something more festive and lively?
Hardscaped patio and walls covered with Travertine pavers (Image via aardweglandscaping.com – Main Line Philadelphia PA)
What is the overall feel you wish to convey in your outdoor kitchen? Defining the intended purpose and atmosphere of the space will help bring clarity to the design process and ensure you end up with the layout you are going to love.

Sizing Your Outdoor Kitchen

Any planning and sizing of your Main Line outdoor kitchen will necessarily involve objectively determining exactly how large the kitchen should be. For anything more complex than occasional hamburger barbecues, professional designers recommend allowing for specific cooking zones, including prep and storage, refrigerated, cooking/grilling and cleaning zones, not to mention ample serving and dining areas.

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New backyard outdoor kitchen renovation by Aardweg Landscaping sports a new Travertine patio and walls, outdoor kitchen featuring a grill area; custom built pergola and privacy fencing, and professionally designed landscaping and irrigation. (Image via aardweglandscaping.com – Main Line Philadelphia PA)

With some deliberate forethought and invaluable advice from your local landscaping professional, the planning and sizing of your Main Line outdoor kitchen design will result in the creation of a vibrant and lovely work of art; and hospitality designed to warm the hearts of family, friends and neighbors throughout the entire season.

In 2014, 2015, and 2016 Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA received the “Best Of Houzz” award forCustomer Satisfaction by Houzz. They also received the exclusive “Recommended” badge for top rated professionals on Houzz in 2015.

Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation to discuss arrangements for landscape and outdoor living space design with Philadelphia area Aardweg Landscaping by calling 610.355.0703, or by send an email using the website contact form.

March 29, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Unique Selection of Shrubs for Your Philadelphia Landscape

Unique Selection of Shrubs for Your Philadelphia Landscape

Unique selection and layout of garden shrubs and flowers for Philadelphia area homeowner by landscape designer Aardweg Landscaping, Newtown Square, PA

There is no doubt about it – shrubs feature prominently in masterpiece landscapes. Throughout the changing seasons, they provide structure and charm with their eye-catching foliage and flowers, often accompanied by sweet, permeating fragrances.

With so many choices, how is one to know which are really the best shrub choices for your Main Line lawn and garden design? The Penn State Cooperative Extension says, “Carefully selecting shrubs for specific landscape function and characteristics with an eye toward adaptability to the site and future maintenance requirements can result in a collection that is aesthetically pleasing, functional, and long lasting.”

Judiciously chosen shrubs serve as:

Border plants for garden, plaza and circulation areas
Accent plants with seasonal color
Screening for privacy within garden areas and at the yard perimeter

These shrubs are recommended for their hardiness, performance and curb appeal:

Camellia “Korean Fire”

Camellia “Korean Fire” – Absolutely stunning and considered the hardiest of the species, this gem regales gardens with its beautiful evergreen leaves and bright red flowers which bloom from March to May. It can handle sub-zero temperatures and laughs off pests.

Royal Purple Smokebush – This visual treat is one of the best shrub choices for your Main Line lawn and garden design. The deciduous bush greets spring with lovely reddish-purple leaves, followed later in the season by contrasting dainty pink flowers. Autumn sees the leaves turning bright red before the plant goes dormant for the winter.

Hydrangea, the queen of the summer garden, is positively quintessential in elegance and old-fashioned landscaping charm.

Fothergilla – This shrub delights with its beautiful bottle-brush flowers of varying hues and sweet licorice fragrance, followed by a brilliant autumnal display. Easy care and versatility in the landscape are also key features in this splendid plant.

Fothergilla

Hydrangea – The queen of the summer garden, this deciduous shrub, with its beautiful panicles of soft colors held over glossy green leaves, is quintessential in elegance and old-fashioned landscaping charm. With so many cultivars to choose from, one need never be without this wonderful garden shrub. This selection is from a list assembled by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Hydrangea

There are so many wonderful shrub choices for your Main Line lawn and garden design! Spring is a great time to decide which you want to add into your landscape, so start dreaming in “garden color” today!

Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation with an expert Philadelphia landscape designer / Aardweg Landscaping, by calling 610.355.0703; or send an email using the website contact form.

March 26, 2016
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Beautiful Trees for Your Philadelphia Landscape

Beautiful Trees for Your Philadelphia Landscape

William Blake once wrote, “To the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.” Is not one’s own garden the ideal place to unleash that imagination, to achieve a portrait of textures, shapes, colors and fragrances to reflect in some way the unique vision and personality of the owner? How could that be done without at least the consideration of a few showstopping trees for your Main Line residential landscape?

The following are a few key tree specimens highlighted in lovely landscaping design:

Flowering cherry ‘Hally Jollivete’ – Absolutely breathtaking when ensconced in its airy light-to-white pink flowers in early spring, this tree has a lot to recommend itself. Besides offering such a lovely spring show, it has pleasant green foliage throughout the remainder of the growing season, and, when they fall, the branches provide quite pretty winter interest. Petite in size, this gem can find a home in almost any garden situation.

“To the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.” (William Blake)

River birch ‘Cully’ – This medium-to-tall tree is great for specimen plantings, definitely one of the best showstopping trees for your Main Line residential landscape. The habit is rounded with pretty, glossy, green leaves which change to yellow during the autumn, and offers all-season interest with its distinctive creamy-toned peeling bark.

Japanese cedar ‘Yoshino’ – Evergreens lend a consistent, restful atmosphere to a garden, and this is one of the best. Conical in 'Yoshino' cedar shape and slow growing, this Japanese cedar is also resistant to pest and fungal problems. Planted in groups, it makes a wonderful, long lasting, living privacy fence.

Ornamental trees bring another dimension to the garden space, a depth and richness–and feeling of permanence–that would be lost if gardens were restricted merely to shrubs and plants.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has recommended these trees, “… as exceptional plants for the home gardener and professional landscaper.” Expand your garden tapestry with the inclusion of some showstopping trees for your Main Line residential landscape. A parade of beautiful seasons to come beckons!

In 2014, 2015, and 2016 Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA received the “Best Of Houzz” award for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz. They also received the exclusive “Recommended” badge for top rated professionals on Houzz in 2015.

Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation to discuss arrangements for landscape design, installation and maintenance with Philadelphia area Aardweg Landscaping by calling 610.355.0703, or send an email using the website contact form.