Landscaping Design on the Main Line

Serving the Main Line, Suburban Philadelphia and Tri-State area

June 10, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Will Yours Be a Trophy Garden This Summer?

Will Yours Be a Trophy Garden This Summer?

Now that summer is here you may enjoy looking at residential gardens surrounding homes in your Philadelphia community. Every now and then you may see a sign thaaardwegholidaydecoratingmainlinephiladelphia3t says “Best Garden in the County” or “Top Flower Garden in Town”. One home in our community is regularly seen sporting the “Garden of the Month” sign and you can be sure that hands down, he deserves it. We slow down and drink in the whole garden when we drive by. Do you aspire to having one of those gorgeous gardens some day, a Trophy Garden?

Very few gardens come close to being what would be considered a trophy garden for one simple reason, they were designed, laid out, and planted years ago. While remaining attractive, the fact is they are older gardens. The garden has lost the shape, proportion and layering it once so beautifully displayed. What’s the solution? A garden restoration.

Does your property have an older garden, one that is ready for garden restoration? Many landscaped gardens around homes as young as 8 years old have reached a point where they are no longer the beautiful gardens they once surrounding homes in Philadelphia’s Main Line, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware communities. Larger plants have outgrown the area in which they were originally placed, dwarfing adjacent plants, walkways and even the home. The overall form and proportions in the garden have disappeared. There comes a time when the garden needs to be evaluated, and older plants, flowers and trees should be removed or transplanted; and new plants added.

beautiful gardens in Philadelphia’s Main Line Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware communitiesbeautiful gardens in Philadelphia’s Main Line Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware communitiesbeautiful gardens in Philadelphia’s Main Line Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware communities

A professional landscape designer will create a well-planned landscape design that anticipates growth patterns; using indigenous plants carefully selected to maintain proportions, layering, seasonal color, and scaled to maintain shape over time. Aardweg Landscaping is just such a designer, with over 35 years of experience designing and installing affordable gardens in the greater Philadelphia area.

Aardweg Landscaping is a recipient of the coveted Best of Houzz 2014 Award for Customer Satisfaction in Landscape Design and Architecture. You will find a plethora of gorgeous perennial garden images at the Aardweg Landscaping Houzz page.  

Aardweg Landscaping provides expert landscape design, installation and maintenance services to residents of Philadelphia’s Main Line, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware communities, including an array of drawing and photograph options. These drawing and photograph formats include the Master Landscape Plan Drawing, Photographic Image Designs, and 3D Renderings. If you are interested in learning more about a new landscape design to revitalize and recreate your “Trophy Garden,” contact us today by telephone at 610.355.0703.

Check out Aardweg Landscaping on YouTube and on Houzz to see many beautiful perennial garden images. 

May 27, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Annual Plant Care Tips for Perennials

Annual Plant Care Tips for Perennials

Do you continuously enjoy the perennials in your garden year after year? Herbaceous perennials are plants with tops that die each fall, leaving crowns and root systems alive (although dormant) during winter, re-growing when conditions are right the following spring. Perennials typically do not flower in the first season if grown from seed, rather channeling energy into the root system. Established perennial plants grown in containers at a nursery often bloom the first season you plant them in your garden. Other types of herbaceous perennials are spring-flowering bulbs, and ornamental grasses and ferns which require special treatment to grow. Well-designed and carefully installed perennial gardens are enjoyed for years!

Widely popular due to the fact that perennials return annually, they are also admired because they divide up into multiple plants for replanting in other areas after a few years. Additionally, they change with each season, enabling homeowners to have a variety of bloom schedules in the garden. While they do require a larger initial investment if purchased as established plants, they are a great value in the garden year after year.

Residents in southeastern Pennsylvania communities such as Malvern, Radnor, Tredyffrin, Easttown, East Whiteland and Willistown Townships enjoy watching perennial plants grow annually in their landscaped gardens as a result of well-executed landscape design and installation plans. While many perennials are hardy by nature, they do require careful maintenance. The following are annual care tips for perennial plants and flowers that will help your plants grow vigorously and stay beautiful.

  1. Replant container-grown and bare-root perennials: When replanting container-grown perennials, prepare a hole that is approximately the same depth as the original pot and slightly wider. Loosen the roots and firm in the soil before dousing with an abundance of water. For the slightly less expensive bare root perennial sold in the spring, the roots must be soaked before planting. Add mulch to a depth of 2-3 inches around the well-watered new plant to keep the soil moist and prevent weed growth.
  2. Stake for stability: Stake taller perennials such as delphiniums, hollyhocks, and peonies for support and anchor single stems by inserting a sturdy stick into the ground and tying the stem.
  3. Let water needs determine location: Do your research on the individual perennials you’ve selected and group them according to their water needs to prevent over or under watering.  Water perennials in the morning or early afternoon with a soaker hose to prevent powdery mildew and other fungal diseases.
  4. Deadhead for health and beauty: Regularly deadhead your herbaceous perennials by cutting the faded flowers off the plant for a better appearance. This mayMain Line Philadelphia Garden Landscaping Design and Maintenance encourage some plants to put out more blooms.
  5. Divide to prevent crowding: Approximately every three years, divide your perennials to enable them to perform well and prevent crowding by digging them up and separating them into smaller chunks. Early spring or fall are the best times of year to divide most (but not all) perennials.
  6. Fertilizing: If you have rich soil you may not need to add a fertilizer, but a general-purpose garden fertilizer applied precisely according to directions may be useful.

Finally, perennial varieties selected according to regional southeastern Pennsylvania weather characteristics should fare well during cold weather, but a layer of mulch over the plants after the soil freezes can help prevent damage. If you are an animal lover, consider leaving the dead stems standing all winter as food for the birds. Follow these annual care tips for perennial plants and flowers for a beautiful garden that will expand and transform over time.

Aardweg Landscaping is a recipient of the coveted Best of Houzz 2014 Award for Customer Satisfaction in Landscape Design and Architecture. You will find a plethora of gorgeous perennial garden images at the Aardweg Landscaping Houzz page.  

Main Line landscape design, installation and maintenance company, Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, has been creating breathtaking Main Line gardens for more than 35 years. If you are interested in learning  more about landscape designs for a new perennial garden at your home, contact us today by telephone at 610.355.0703. 

Check out Aardweg Landscaping on YouTube and on Houzz to see many beautiful perennial garden images. 

May 24, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on 3 Curb Appeal Tips to Add Value and Bring Buyers to Suburban Philadelphia Homes

3 Curb Appeal Tips to Add Value and Bring Buyers to Suburban Philadelphia Homes

With the improvement in the economy, home values are increasing and many homeowners are considering investing money in their homes prior to placing the home on the real estate market for sale in communities across the Main Line such as Rosemont, St. Davids, Swarthmore, Villanova, Wayne and Wynnewood. If you are planning home improvements Aardweg Landscaping Main Line Philadelphiathis year, consider improving the “curb appeal” of your home. Enhancing your home by improving curb appeal is an important, and often fairly easy, method of adding value to your property without spending a tremendous amount of money. HGTV reports Realtor Ron Phipps as saying, “If all your remodeling is on the inside, but the outside of the house is challenging, you’ll never have a chance to even show the inside.”

1. Perform basic maintenance to enhance curb appeal: The first step in working on the appeal of your home as viewed from the curb is by performing basic maintenance such as cleaning mildew on the walks and driveway, removing all organic debris, cleaning out garden beds, trimming trees and removing anything that is unnecessary in the landscape.

2. Repair or replace home and garden features: Secondly, adding new items such as upgrading the mailbox, front door, door and window hardware, garage door, lighting fixtures, etc. will spruce up your home in subtle ways.  You can then proceed to add landscaping such as gardens at the mail box area, near the main entrance or along a main walkway to create the curb appeal that will attract buyers.

3. Nighttime curb appeal adds character: Remember to consider night time curb appeal, including low voltage lighting along the walks, around major landscaping areas and entryways. Install a decorative pole mounted light or wall mounted light fixtures at the front porch or other areas to accentuate and illuminate distinctive landscape and architectural features at night.

Aardweg Landscaping is a recipient of the coveted Best of Houzz 2014 Award for Customer Satisfaction in Landscape Design and Architecture. You will find a plethora of gorgeous garden designs and images at the Aardweg Landscaping Houzz page.  

With more than 35 years worth of experience providing landscaping services to Rosemont, St. Davids, Swarthmore, Villanova, Wayne and Wynnewood homeowners, Steve Aardweg of Aardweg Landscaping has the expertise to design and implement a landscaping plan that will provide ultimate curb appeal. For more information, call Steve at 610.355.0703 or contact Aardweg Landscaping via email using the web contact form.

Check out the Houzz and YouTube Aardweg Landscaping pages for beautiful gallery images and videos highlighting design strategies and planting details for popular low maintenance, formal and perennial gardens designed by Aardweg Landscaping. 

 

May 13, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Landscaping Offers High Return on Investment

Landscaping Offers High Return on Investment

Main Line Philadelphia real estate experts say that adding top-quality landscaping completed by a professional landscape design and installation company will add as much as 20 percent to the value of your home, and help you sell your home more quickly. Historically, residential landscaping offers a high return on investment (ROI) in comparison to many other home improvements. Plus, if you perform these home improvements upon moving in to a new home or shortly thereafter, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful greenery, trees and flowers for years.

Gorgeous gardens designed and installed by Aardweg Landscaping invite visitors to this attractive Main Line residence

Gorgeous gardens designed and installed by Aardweg Landscaping

Evolving a Landscape Design
Frequently, homeowners will engage a professional landscape design firm possessed with the education, experience and knowledge of indigenous plants to design a master landscape design plan that coordinates all planted areas plus walkways, paths, hardscaping (such as decks and patios), water features and outdoor living areas. The purpose of the plan is to show existing conditions on the site, along with a proposed new landscape plan.

Steve Aardweg of Aardweg Landscaping discussing the proposed design

Steve Aardweg discussing the proposed design

The Design Process
The landscape design process begins when the principal in the firm you select, such as Steve Aardweg of Aardweg Landscaping, meets with the homeowner and discusses preferences, expectations, and design ideas in a complimentary (approximately one hour) consultation. In the next step, Steve typically performs a survey of the property to map the plants, features and terrain in order to begin the design phase of the work. Finally, working with the homeowner, Steve creates a master plan that everyone is enthusiastic about and an estimate of costs is submitted to the homeowner. The work can be phased over time, or completed all at once according to the homeowners’ timetable and resources.

3.1after - garden and patio with knee wall

Photographic Image Designs
Another excellent option to consider as you evaluate different landscape designs is the photographic image design. Photographic image designs begin with taking a picture of your existing landscape before improvements are made, then, a computer software program is used by the landscape designer to “add in” certain plants and hardscaping features to create a localized garden area or feature. With the photographic image designs, you’ll be able to see what the finished result will look like once all the plants you choose are planted and fully mature.

Many new outdoor living trends are popular with homeowners, as they extend indoor living spaces outward, including everything from terraced gardens to outdoor kitchens and entertainment areas. Adorned with fire pits, swimming pools and extensive hardscaping – these areas present significant additional financial investment in the property, however, the return on investment for outdoor living areas and kitchens is significantly lower than for classic residential landscaping.

Aardweg Landscaping is a recipient of the coveted Best of Houzz 2014 Award for Customer Satisfaction in Landscape Design and Architecture. Visit our Houzz page to see many gorgeous garden designs and images. 

Consider Aardweg Landscaping
As one of the leading landscaping companies on the Philadelphia Main Line, Aardweg Landscaping has many years of experience assisting homeowners in planning, installing, and maintaining a landscaped garden that will significantly add value to the property, and one that is well-suited to the unique preferences, lifestyle and architectural style of the home. Contact Steve Aardweg to begin developing your Main Line landscaped garden plan, by telephone at 610.355.0703.

Visit Aardweg Landscaping on Houzz and YouTube to see many beautiful gallery images and videos with narrated walk-throughs of some of our most popular Formal and Perennial gardens. 

 

 

April 22, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Flower and Garden Bed Tips for Perfect Residential Landscape Pictures

Flower and Garden Bed Tips for Perfect Residential Landscape Pictures

Are you planning to take residential landscape pictures of your home to list it for sale or upload to your Facebook, Pinterest or Houzz page? Before you do, we have 5 tips on how to care for island flower and garden beds located on residential properties. Invest the time to make your landscaped property look beautiful before you schedule the photographer!

Tip 1. Perform Regular Landscape Maintenance Services
Regular landscape maintenance services, such as weeding, spraying, and raking, are essential to maintain a healthy garden year after year. Raking is completed Natural-border-traditional-landscape-philadelphiaon a regular basis to remove grass clippings or other natural debris within the garden bed or in surrounding areas. Raking also serves to aerate the top surface of the garden material, and to contribute to a well-groomed appearance in the garden bed. Hand weeding on a regular basis removes unwanted growth of grass, weeds or other plants.

Tip 2. Create Attractive Garden Beds and Borders
Landscaped gardens often include different types of garden beds, whether they are island beds or borders with a backdrop of a building, fence or hedgerow. A garden bed may include any combination of popular ground cover, flowers, plants, and trees. Island flower and garden beds are typically landscaped areas with a well-defined edge surrounded by grass or sidewalks. Perfect focal points for beautiful residential landscape pictures, garden beds and borders provide the character that defines your landscaping.

Tip 3. Redefine or Replace Bed Edges
The garden bed edge serves the function of retaining the bed materials in place, and separates the bed from walkways or grass areas. Periodically it is necessary to redefine bed edges due to natural overgrowth when a planted edge either grows beyond the scale that is appropriate as a bed edge planting, or simply deteriorates to the point that it no longer functions as a well-defined edge of the garden bed. When the bed edge is constructed of brick or other man-made material, it is occasionally necessary to replace portions of the edging material.  The distinct bed edge is made up of a variety of natural and artificial materials, such as:

  • Planted or raised natural garden edge
  • Path constructed of natural or man-made materials such as brick, flagstone or concrete
  • Artificial bed edging material such as brick, plastic or metal edging
  • Architectural/outdoor living structure  adjacent to the garden bed

Tip 4.  Perform Garden Bed Restoration on Older Gardens
Frequently, the residential garden is a second or third generation garden with beds as old as the building, that now stand in need of restoration including removal of old plants and main-line-backyard-designsaddition of new.  As yard and garden maintenance specialists, Aardweg Landscaping offers a wide range of garden and flower bed restoration services, beginning with cultivation and proceeding to thinning, removal and/or replacement of plants. Cultivation involves tilling, preparing and improving the soil for the healthy growth of plants. The cultivation of bed areas may include overturning the soil by shoveling, hoeing, and raking to improve soil drainage, increase water and nutrient holding capacity, and aerate the top layer of soil. Adding the right plants, trees, and flowers to enhance the garden design, is the next step.

Tip 5. Selectively Add Flowers
When flower bed care is needed in the residential garden, it may require the addition of new flowers to an existing garden, or the creation of a whole new flower bed area. As yard and garden maintenance experts, Aardweg Landscaping select flowers with alternating bloom schedules to provide seasonal color. Spot spraying is sometimes needed in the garden beds as part of flower bed care for general disease prevention. It is administered selectively at regular intervals during the year.

Once your landscaped gardens are thriving and looking beautiful, schedule the photographer to come out to take residential landscape pictures of your property. If you own a suburban Philadelphia property and require garden and flower bed care performed by a professional, Aardweg Landscaping is a full service yard and garden maintenance company that provides landscaping design, installation and maintenance services at homes across the Philadelphia and Tri-State region.

A recipient of a Best of Houzz 2014 Award for Customer Satisfaction in Landscape Design and Architecture, Aardweg Landscaping has the experience, dependability and quality workmanship to perform your flower bed care work to your satisfaction — meeting and exceeding your every expectation. Contact Aardweg Landscaping today for more information by telephone at 610.355.0703.

Don’t miss the wide variety of Aardweg Landscaping residential landscape pictures on Houzz and YouTube.

April 22, 2014
by aardweglandscaping
Comments Off on Press Release: Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square Receives Best Of Houzz 2014 Award

Press Release: Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square Receives Best Of Houzz 2014 Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 16 Million Monthly Users
Reveals Top-Rated Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals 

Newtown Square, PA (February 4, 2014) – Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The 30 yeaardweg-landscaping-featured-on-houzzar old design-build Philadelphia landscaping company was chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2013. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhoneapp and Androidapp. Winners received a “Best Of Houzz 2014” badge on their profiles, showing the Houzz community their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

Steve Aardweg, owner of Aardweg Landscaping was especially pleased to receive the award on behalf of his company, commenting, “Our thanks go out to our many gracious clients for their testimonials and endorsements, which are the basis for the Best of Houzz 2014 Award. Aardweg Landscaping has been serving customers for more than 35 years in communities across the Philadelphia Main Line – providing excellent service from the beginning of the project to the end, is our goal.”

Aardweg Landscaping Formal Garden Boxwood Parterre“Houzz provides homeowners with the most comprehensive view of home building, remodeling and design professionals, empowering them to find and hire the right professional to execute their vision,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Aardweg Landscaping among our “Best Of” professionals for customer satisfaction as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Aardweg Landscaping, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and reviewing their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community. Follow Aardweg Landscaping on Houzz

About Aardweg Landscaping
For over 30 years, Aardweg Landscaping has been one of the leading design-build Philadelphia landscaping companies; designing both large estate master plans and small, intimate gardens. Known for richly captivating aardwegholidaydecoratingmainlinephiladelphia3garden colors and design styles, owner Steven T. Aardweg, A.P.L.D. is a licensed member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Aardweg Landscaping specializes in low maintenance; custom designed garden styles and themes, including the Formal Garden, the Japanese Garden, and the Casual, Cottage Style or Natural Garden. Garden restoration is one of the focal points of our work, providing the creativity and inspiration needed to transform your overgrown residential landscape into a source of pleasure and pride. 

About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

 ###

Landscaping Design on the Main Line