The Art, Science, and Practice of Landscaping
Your Pa yard is full of potential. And landscaping is the art and science of potential meeting reality. The word landscape does a lot of heavy lifting. There's a reason we call ourselves Lawns & Beyond. Hardscaping, trees, lawn mowing, design, maintenance, and the list goes on! But it all starts with a commitment and a plan. So, for L & B's inaugural blog, we are sharing what landscaping means to us! Landscaping in the Abstract: Art & Science To be a great landscaper, you must be a scientist and an artist. It takes the artist in you to create the picture you want from your yard. But it takes a practical scientist to know what will work and how to make it work. Since plants are living things, you can't put them anywhere you like, like you can with paint. Instead, you must understand how they interact with one another and the rest of the environment. In Practice: Knowledge & Commitment Even once you understand how it all works together and you've created the picture in your mind, you still need to make it a reality. Here, knowledge and are must also combine with skill and practice. They say it takes 10,000 hours to become a master of anything, so it's always wise to hire experts in a field rather than do it yourself unless, of course, your goal is to become an expert too. The Steps to Having a Gorgeous Landscape Up to this point, we've mostly talked about landscaping in either theoretical or vague terms. But when it comes to having a beautiful yard, you can divide it into three parts: landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Lawn and Beyond handle all three! Design You can only get to your destination if you know where you're going or how to get there. All good things start with a plan. For your yard, that plan is the landscape design. We begin the design process by talking with you about your goals for your property. Then, we'll take the time to understand what you want aesthetically and functionally. For example, do you plan to use your yard for particular types of gatherings, and do you want a rustic, traditional, or modern aesthetic? Once we understand your property's desired look and function, we'll survey it to understand how to make it happen. We'll let you know what is possible and any suggestions we have. Then we'll design your landscape and present it to you for approval or changes. Installation Here we put the shovel in the ground! There are many moving parts when making your landscape dreams a reality. Preparation matters, and so does timing. For example, when planting something new, it's vital to ensure the soil will support and amend the soil if not. In addition, for most plants, you'll also want to water the ground before and after installation. But that's just the start! Maintenance Creation is all well and good. It may be the most enjoyable and powerful part of landscaping, but if you want your design to stay the way you intended, it requires landscape maintenance. Lawns need mowing, edging, and seasonal care. Trees and flowers need pruning. Mulching is a regular task that will beautify your gardens and keep them healthy. We don't abandon your yard once we create. We're available for all your maintenance needs too! Pieces of the Puzzle As we hope we've clearly presented, there's a lot to landscaping! We strive to create health and beauty throughout your yard during design, installation, and maintenance. While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, variety, and contrast are part of a beautiful landscape. One of the significant ways that we provide contrast is the marriage of living and nonliving elements. Your hardscaping will be the place you spend most of your time entertaining. Patios and outdoor living spaces are the spots to entertain guests, and walkways are how you'll move around your living landscape. We'll also want to create a mix of colors and heights with your many plants. For example, a flat lawn goes nicely with tall trees and well-maintained mid-sized shrubs. And, of course, we must remember to add pops of color with flowers and other blooming plants. Trust the Pros at Lawns and Beyond You're good at your job, and we're good at ours. So trust Lawns and Beyond to handle the work of your home so it can be the place where you go to relax. We have experience, knowledge, and all the skills necessary to create your perfect yard!