Phase One Landscape’s principal and co-founder Dave Graham sat down with the folks over at Colorado Homes & Lifestyles magazine for their Expert Advice feature. To find out more about what makes this pillar of Denver Landscape Architecture tick, head on over to Colorado Homes & Lifestyles’ website.
Phase One Landscape's Principal Landscape Architect Dave Graham
What questions would you ask an expert in Landscape Design & Construction?
Have you been thinking that you want to add a few plants and maybe a pergola to your landscape? Even though it’s too cold to do so now this is the perfect time to begin planning your spring landscape projects.
Winter is the best time to begin considering what you would like since the majority of people wait until the weather warms up to begin planning. And with everyone looking to work on their landscapes at the same time landscapers are known to become extremely busy, which may mean you get less one-on-one time with your architect.
Another reason why you should begin planning your spring landscape projects during winter is because you’ll be ready to actually get started when the season changes. Whether you are looking to plant new flower beds and shrubs, or install a water feature or outdoor structure the weather will be just right to get your plans underway.
To begin planning your landscape call Phase One Landscapes at 303-750-6060 if you are in the Denver area.
Now that we are just over a full month into fall have you had the time to enjoy Denver’s fall foliage? If so you may have wondered why and how leaves actually change colors, being that this crosses most people’s minds around this time of year so we would like to share the reason for beautiful fall foliage with you.
Leaves contain raw materials, products and by-products which are all in chemical form and some happen to have color. When the tree begins to abandon the leaf the green chlorophyll, which is the dominant chemical found in most leaves, is broken down and recycled by the tree other-colored chemicals are left behind. Supply lines to the leaves also become clogged and if the major chemical remaining in the abandoned leaf is red, then the leaf turns red. If it’s yellow, then the leaf turns yellow and so forth.
The variation in color intensity from year to year is due to varying weather conditions, which can affect the balance of chemicals and their composition in the leaves. Differing amounts of rainfall, sunlight, temperature, humidity and other factors may have an effect on how bright, how quickly and how long the colorful season will be. (Tree Care Tips)
So tell us, where is your favorite place to admire fall foliage in Denver?
Photo Credit: dfran07 via flickr
As anyone who lives in the Denver area, knows the Colorado winters can be brutally cold and extremely hard on your home’s interior and exterior plumbing. This is why it is important to remember to winterize your home’s irrigation and /or sprinkler system.
Winterizing your irrigation system is very simple:
Check out this quick video from ABC Channel 7 news to help if you’d like to drain your own sprinkler system.
Contact Phase One Landscapes to learn more about winterizing lawn.
It’s no secret that summer is known for its exquisite foliage featuring bursts of colors from plants like carnations, hydrangeas and freesia. But in our opinion, summer’s glittery plant species has some fierce competition from the flora of the fall and there’s something undeniably enchanting about its bright oranges, reds and golds. Here in Denver, Colorado, we have the good fortune of witnessing the four distinct seasons throughout the year that activate here vibrant hues. But for those folks in warmer climates like South Georgia and Florida where the seasons aren’t as defined, it’s nice to know that there are some annual plants that can thrive year-round and still give their landscape that autumn feel.
Phase One Landscapes would like to offer a list of a few different plants that will do well in a wide variety of climates, courtesy of This Old House.
Photo Credit: This Old House
Contact Phase One Landscapes today to learn more about how we can maximize your fall landscape!
Phase One Landscapes understands that when choosing a premier landscape design company for your home, there are many options to take into consideration before making a final decision. Factors like service parameters of the company, areas of specialty, design sensibility and pricing model are all things to deliberate on before deciding which company is the best for you. That’s why we strive to provide you with as much information possible about what we can do for you to help make the deliberation process a little smoother. What type of landscape are you envisioning? What is your time line for the project? What is your budget? To help facilitate the transfer of this info as simply as possible, we’ve uploaded a handy contact form to our website. We encourage you to fill it out and one of our landscape architects will follow up with you and exchange all the info needed for you to make an informed decision.
Contact Phase One Landscapes today and let us know how we can help you with all of your Denver landscape needs!
So after a long and hot summer, the cool presence of fall is finally upon us and it’s now the perfect time to get out in the yard and make a few touchups to your landscape before the holidays arrive. Since the weather isn’t as blistery and the sun not as blazing, you can spend a little more time in the afternoon doing things like weeding, adding mulch and planting autumn varieties of foliage now before it gets too icy out to do so.
If you’re in Colorado and need some climate-specific suggestions of plant species that will be perfect for our location, then you’re in luck. We’ve got some great ideas for you, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens, to help keep your landscape looking its absolute best right through the new year.
From Better Homes & Gardens:
Screen Views: Add depth and mystery to your landscape by using large shrubs and small trees to block views. Because you can’t to see the entire yard from one spot, you create the sense that your garden goes on and on. Here, a brilliant golden Japanese maple makes you want to check out what’s on the other side of it.
Repeat Plant Shapes: Build a theme in your landscape by repeating a particular plant shape. Here, an upright columnar white pine and blue spruce both echo the tall, narrow arborvitae in the background.
Add Great Groundcovers: Reduce weeds and create a carpet of color with ground-hugging plants that put on a fall show. For example, this cranberry cotoneaster offers dazzling red fruits with attractive purple-red fall color. Giving yourself a ceiling of fall leaves above and a blanket of color below will make your garden more interesting.
For more information on how Phase One Landscapes can help revamp your yard before the holidays, give us a call today!
Mother in Law's Tongue adds lots of oxygen to the air
Phase One Landscapes knows that just as much as outdoor plants can help accent the exterior of your home, indoor plants have their fair share of benefits too and are nice decorations for homes and offices. If you like taking care of indoor foliage, then here’s a reason to get one more potted plant. Some types of houseplants can improve air quality. If you’re sensitive to dust or mildew, there are a few houseplants that might reduce your sniffles.
During the day, the Areca Palm generates a lot of oxygen. Plant scientists recommend that you buy four shoulder-high plants for each person in your home, but you can still benefit from having just a couple of these trees around the house.
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue generates more oxygen in the evening. Again, plant scientists recommend having six to eight plants per person. However, you can still enjoy the benefits of a good supply of oxygen through the night, even if you don’t own that many of these plants.
If you are interested in removing volatile organic compounds from the air (VOCs), the Money Plant is your foliage of choice. It acts like a filter that can remove VOCs like formaldehyde out of the air, improving air quality.
If you’re looking for something equally as aesthetically pleasing as it is useful, try the English Ivy. It’s easy to care for, and can be trained to climb book cases and be hung from ceiling hooks .
Want more ideas of these useful plants? Check out PersonalDividends.com. Their website has a list of house plants that can leave the air in your home fresher.
Photo Courtesy of PersonalDividends.com
Because of the sun’s unwavering heat and temperamental qualities, transplanting garden plants in the summertime is never idea. But, often times, it’s the time of the year that we tend to have the most time to take care of household tasks that we’re not able to get to in the fall and spring. If that’s the case for you and you suspect that you’ll be transferring plants this summer, fear not. Follow a few simple tips from Phase One Landscapes and you’ll be in good shape!
For more plant care information or for assistance transferring your garden plants to new spots in your yard this summer, contact Phase One Landscapes today!
Photo Credit: Taste of the Times
So it’s summertime. And the weather is fine. While you may have had no problem allowing your landscaper do the pruning and mowing during the cooler months of spring, the sun is out now and it’s the perfect time for you to take a few of those yardly tasks on your own. If that’s the case, chances are you may be a little rusty on exactly what items you’ll need for a little light gardening and there’s an awful lot to choose from in the gardening supply stores no
wadays. While all of those expensive trinkets and gadgets like gas-powered tillers and electric hedge trimmers may seem like necessities, just a few simple items can easily get the job done.
Phase One Landscapes would like to highlight a few of the tried and true essentials that you’ll need to get you through basic tasks.
Contact Phase One Landscapes today to learn about how we can help with your landscape design needs this summer.
Photo Credit: Connect.com
