Monthly Archives: February 2011

How to Plant a Perfect Flower Garden on a Slope

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With spring showing it’s face in a few weeks, it’s time that you spruce up the exterior nature design with some beautiful flowers and plants that will compliment your home.

But there’s one problem– you live on a slope.

While this may be a little challenging, you should find comfort in knowing that planning a beautiful flower garden is still possible. Now you will have to consider, such as soil erosion and proper absorption of water; but if it is done right, you’ll be able to jump these hurdles with no problem!

When planning a flower garden for a sloped area, here are three  ideas that you might find useful:

  • Purchase large shrubs to plant throughout the slope. These plants have sprawling root systems that will help prevent erosion.
  • It is best to buy a mixture of plants and flowers that will cover the slope. It is important that you purchase plants that grow out to cover the ground and so that you’ll have a different mix of layers between falling rain and the ground.
  • Dig both large and small channels spaced a few feet apart, and just deep enough so that it forces water to follow in its tracks instead of rolling down the entire slope.

If you need additional tips and help with your flower garden, contact a specialist at Phase One Landscapes in Denver at 303.750.6060.

Image: Dirt Du Jour

Driveway Landscaping Tips

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Since the driveway is the entrance to your property, you’ll want to make sure that it’s pleasingly designed to serve its purpose without being a distraction to the rest of your landscape. Therefore, it’s important that you choose the right features, but make sure that it’s simplicity is one that is welcoming to the property.

With that said, here are a few tips that you’ll want to consider about the landscape before laying the brinks, cement or cobblestones in front of your home for a driveway:

  1. Decide if you want the landscape items to run the entire length of the driveway, or if you just want to accent the entrance.  For an example, would you rather two palm trees at the beginning of the entrance; or would you rather accent the entire driveway with a flower bed.
  2. Before landscaping, consider your neighborhood.  Do you live in a neighborhood that has lots of children? If so, you might want to eliminate the flowerbed at the entrance.  A better choice could be something such as a small rock garden.
  3. Be sure that the landscaping ideas you have will not interfere with footpaths or walkways of those who reside in the house.

If you need help in designing the perfect landscape around your driveway, contact Phase One Landscapes in Denver at 303-750-6060.

photo: Innovations in Design & Building Co., Inc.

4 Beautifully Landscaped Entries

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Think of an entry to your home or garden as a first impression. If it isn’t inviting, approachable or aesthetically pleasing, people probably won’t want to go any further. If you want to make an excellent first impression and greet your guests in style, hopefully you’ll find inspiration in some of these beautiful entries from Phase One Landscapes’ portfolio:

This entry walk is made of buff stone and includes a well head water basin and lovely flowers.

This is another entry walk of buff stone that’s elegant and colorful.

Buff stone steps add to a relaxing entry courtyard where you’ll love to welcome guests.

The modern water feature and seating area invite guests to sit and stay awhile in this entry.

As you can see from these pictures, the entry area can really make a space. If you want a beautiful entry for your Denver-area home or garden, contact Phase One Landscapes today.

Getting Your Dream Landscape

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Some people think of their landscape as separate from their home, when actually a landscape is a continuation that is full of potential and possibilities. But just as you do for any other part of your home, you need to determine its intended purpose before it can begin fulfilling your needs. If you want to achieve your dream landscape design, check out HGTV’s suggestions for the different ways you can take advantage of your outdoor space:

An outdoor living space by Phase One Landscapes

  • To enjoy all the pretty plants and flowers or to attract birds and butterflies
  • To entertain—there’s so much you can do these days to make your outdoor landscape perfect for having guests over
  • To relax and rejuvenate after a trying day or to have somewhere to think in a peaceful setting

How do you want to use your outdoor space? If you want help getting your dream landscape in the Denver, Colorado, area, contact Phase One Landscapes today.

Phase One Landscapes is on Facebook and Twitter!

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Our blog is not the only way you can interact with us online—in fact, we’re also on Facebook and Twitter. By liking and following Phase One Landscapes on these social sites, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date on our latest landscaping tips and hints, neat projects and updates on going green. If you’re not sure how to join us, here’s a quick breakdown of what to do:

Find us on Facebook, and, after logging in to your account, click the “Like” button right next to our company name.

And you can find us on Twitter @PhaseOneLands. To follow us, just log in and click the “Follow” button below our name and logo.

It’s really that simple! Plus, liking and following us on these social sites will help you interact with others who have similar interests as you, like landscapes, gardens, plants and more. We can’t wait for you to join us!

Create Pretty Indoor Views of Outdoor Landscaping

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Landscaping provides beautiful views even beyond the outdoors. What do we mean? Think about standing inside your home looking out through one of the windows. You have a view in front of you of your yard and gardens, and these views could be even greater by considering your window locations when planning your landscaping. Freshome has a number of tips to offer for maximizing interior views with outdoor landscaping. Here are a few things to think about:

  • Don’t block noteworthy views with heavy window treatments like dark drapes. The landscaping can serve as a sort of “wall art” for your home’s décor.
  • Make the indoors and outdoors more cohesive by displaying more potted plants and greenery inside.
  • If you feel like your home isn’t offering enough views from windows, think about adding a sunroom where you can admire your landscaping while still sitting inside.

For help making your landscaping beautiful from inside and out, contact Phase One Landscapes in Denver at 303-750-6060.

Image via Freshome

Bring Birds to the Garden with These Berries

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Some people want their gardens just for their beautiful views, but others want to go beyond that and invite certain insects or birds to their yard. If you’re someone who loves looking out at the garden and seeing local birds flying and frolicking, you can plant certain trees, shrubs and ground covers that birds are especially drawn to. These berries are likely to bring on the flocks:

  • American cranberry bush viburnum attracts brown thrashers and cedar waxwings
  • Red-twig dogwood attracts birds and is pretty in the winter with red stems, like you may have guessed from the name
  • Songbirds like chokeberries, which are shrubs that grow about 6 to 10 feet tall
  • Crabapples will also bring in songbirds
  • The serviceberry tends to appeal to robins, thrushes and more birds

You can visit Better Homes and Gardens to learn more about berries that’ll attract birds to your garden.

Contact Phase One Landscapes at 303-750-6060 for all of your Denver landscape service needs.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

Flowers Blooming in February

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February means a lot of things to a lot of people—Valentine’s Day and Black History Month to name a couple—but we bet not too many people associate the second month of the year with blooming flowers. Nevertheless, there are a few flowers that do show their faces in February. Are you wondering which ones?

Pansies

  • Pansies and snapdragons bloom in most plant hardiness zones, adding pretty pops of color to winter flowerbeds, like eHow explains here.
  • The Christmas rose can also be found with February flowers in white, lavender or pink. Get more details from this garden guide.
  • And ShelterPop’s gardening section mentions witch hazels and pussy willow plants offering blooms during this cold month. Witch hazels yield warm-colored blooms in red and yellow, while pussy willows have catkins.

Do you have winter flowers in your garden? For help with all of your February landscaping needs, contact Phase One Landscapes in the Denver, Colorado area at 303-750-6060.

Photo: Doug Wertman via Flickr