1. Create a rock waterfall

One popular idea our customers love is creating a rock waterfall. When creating a rock waterfall in your yard or garden we suggest trying to imitate nature as best possible. Spend time in nature listening and watching how a waterfall operates in its raw, natural form, then, replicate this in your garden. We suggest incorporating a variety of boulder sizes. Create twists and turns in the waterfall.

2. Create a dog house

Building a doghouse, sort of an igloo shaped structure with stone, is a great way to use any leftover rock and a great way to offer shade to your pet. A doghouse also looks pretty, and rustic. Create the structure with plastic first, then, mount your rocks over the form. Once complete, plant some vine to climb over the house. Voila! You have an attractive, rock made shelter for your pooch!

3. Add stone to your fireplace

Another great rock landscaping idea is to add rock to your existing outdoor structures such as your fireplace. Simply secure rock on the exterior of the fireplace. Try being mindful of the natural flow of the rock, making the formation and design replicate nature.

4. Make a rock garden

Slopes can be tricky to navigate in any garden, but rocks can make a slope look more rustic and less bland. Another incentive for adding rocks to your slope is rocks prevent erosion and allow your plants to be anchored, therefore accelerating and helping their growth. When placing your rocks on your slope, we suggest digging a hole larger than the rock. Place the rock in the hole, then fill in the dirt.

5. Build a wall

Another interesting rock landscaping project is building a wall. Walls don’t have to be simple or boring. When done well, rock walls can look stunning! Please keep in mind however you will need a building permit if your wall exceeds four feet. We suggest adding steps up to the wall, then, add a vine or two. Beautiful! And yet so affordable and simple!

Call us at (336) 442-0160 for expert guidance and advice! We are here to help you!

Full Sun Flowerbed ideas

1. Shasta Daisy

For the garden where you receive full sun throughout the day the Shasta daisy is a wonderful flower. This bright, white flowered daisy has a sturdy stem and looks great in a vase. Shasta daisies do best in well-drained, rich soil. These daisies grow two to three feet tall.

2. Sedums

These are another gorgeous spring plant that look great as soon as they emerge from the soil. As long as you have full sun and good drainage, the sedums will do great and may well thrive into your winter.

3. Purple Coneflower

As the name suggests, the purple coneflower is a cool plant to add to your spring flowerbed. Birds and butterflies love this flower, and so will you!

4. Siberian Iris

The name is as exotic as the flower, just gorgeous! This was named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow and comes in many colors.

5. Catmint

We also love the catmint because of its sturdiness. These come in a silvery blue color and weather all those strong North Carolina thunder storms well. Your cats will love it too!

Partial Sun Flowerbed Ideas

6. Red Painted Daisy

One favorite perennial flower is the red painted daisy. This thrives in a partial sun/shade environment and is a stunning, bright red. This flower cuts well and can’t be beaten for elegance.

7. Japanese Anemone

This is another gorgeous partial-shade flower that blooms in late summer to fall.

8. Aster

It’s an old classic but a beauty and also blooms in late summer to fall.

9. Baby’s Breath

This dainty but sweet flower comes out in full bloom in summer.

10. Balloon Flower

You can expect to see this gorgeous flower in your flowerbed in late spring to summer. The Balloon Flower does best in slightly acidic, well drained soil.

Click here for some helpful information issued by North Carolina State University on other perennial flowers for our fine state.

• Aerate Your Lawn

Your lawn should never be overlooked — if you’re like most North Carolinians your lawns is the most used part of your yard.  Especially if you have children or pets, over time your lawn can become very compacted and even mowing will compact your lawn more.  Aerating your lawn will make it more beautiful and luscious.  Simply insert holes in your lawn about 3 inches deep either with a aerating machine or with an aerating tool.  Then, step back and see the great results within just a few days.

• Water Your Lawn Deeply

Another quick trick to improving the look of your guard this spring is water your lawns deeply and less often.  Experts suggest watering your lawn with an inch of water once a week.

• Fertilize Your Yard

We don’t just mean fertilizing your lawn; fertilize any areas where soil exists.  This way your flowers and vegetable crop will be in full bloom by late spring early summer, making your yard a true oasis for you and your visitors.

• Clean Your Grill and Deck

It’s easy to overlook the deck when you’re thinking about the yard.  But when you’re entertaining the payoff for your cleaning up will be big.  Thoroughly clean your grill first, remove all trash on and under your deck, power wash the deck down and even apply a new coat of paint.  Power wash your furniture while you’re at it and bring your indoor plants outside and on to your deck.  Voilà!  Your yard already looks transformed.

• Plant Some Things

For under $100 you could add some colorful pots with plants or flowers at your entrance way, and add two or three trees to your yard, then, plant some flower seeds.  The investment will be worth it.

Call us at (336) 442-0160 for a quote for any of your spring landscaping projects. We’d be glad to help!

But before leaping in you should also know while landscaping is joyous it is also arduous and tricky requiring much planning and research ahead of time.  There are plenty of common mistakes you could inadvertently make when trying to beautify your property.  Here are some of the common pitfalls we hear about:

Don’t Leap in without a Landscaping Plan

Before moving one rock or planting one tree, it absolutely pays off to hire a contracted landscaper working in Greensboro, Winston Salem or High Point, North Carolina to offer you their expert landscaping advice.  These experts will know which plants, shrubs and trees grow best here.  They’ll know how high trees will grow and how much shade they will offer.  They’ll also ensure the layout is not only pragmatic from a growth and landscaping perspective, the layout will be pretty and calming to the eye.  With a landscaping plan you can also take on something more ambitious, such as installing walls, gazebos and paving.  An expert landscaper may come up with ideas that never occur to you otherwise.

Plant What Thrives in North Carolina

Whether you research this alone or with your landscaping expert, always consult with experts to ensure the plants, shrubs, flowers and trees you plant will thrive in this North Carolina climate.  Many homeowners like to make their garden a surrogate for the places they left behind – but this is a common mistake.  Soil types may be different here versus other states and countries, rainfall is higher here than elsewhere along with the severity of wind, lightning and thunder.

Don’t Default to Having a Lawn Just Because Your Neighbors Do

While lawns are ubiquitous in Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point neighborhoods, not every homeowner or renter needs one.  If you don’t feel motivated to mow and irrigate your lawn frequently, then consider other landscaping options.

Work with What You Have

If your yard is rocky then incorporate rocks within your landscaping plan rather than eradicate them all.  Don’t try reinventing the wheel — you will exhaust yourself and deplete your resources fast.

Try Thinking Seasonally

As you develop your landscaping plan try thinking year around to ensure you have brightness and growth throughout the year, not just summer and spring.

Be Practical

Always be practical in your landscaping decisions rather than just think about the aesthetic.  Bottom line: your landscaping goal is to design an oasis in which you can relax and enjoy.  Anything requiring massive maintenance on your part can take away some of the joy of a beautiful landscape.

Invest in Your Tools Early on

One of the biggest time wasters when it comes to landscaping is returning to your home improvement store to restock products or items that are depleted, or to buy items you thought you already owned.  Before getting started on your landscaping, take stock of what you possess and make a big shopping trip to purchase all you need.

Contact us or call us at 704-684-7211 for more information.

One national expert stated landscaping your property can increase your property value by 20%.  Landscaping can also cut down on burglaries — nothing deters burglars more than thorny bushes lying beneath windows!

In their recent special Home and Garden magazine cited livening up the landscaping as one of the 20 ways homeowners can add value to their home.  Their suggestions included adding a shaded seating area in which people can relax, adding elegant water features and lush plants.  In the same special, Home and Garden magazine suggests adding a deck as part of your landscaping.  They say most decks cost around $10,000 but can add considerable value to your home.

The National Association of Homebuilders also points out that trees can improve your heating and cooling bills, not only your resale value. “Trees can produce shade, food, firewood or just a beautiful scene. Trees also attract birds and other wildlife,” the report says.

But keep in mind the following as you begin landscaping your property:

• Choose tree species that will thrive in North Carolina. With high rainfall plant trees that require much moisture. Areas like ours with hot summers and cold winters work best with deciduous trees.

• Consult a landscaper at Landscapers R Us on which species will be successful.

• Be smart where you plant your trees. Choose spaces with adequate sun and water then protect the trees from pests.

• Think of how big the tree(s) will grow and how much care will be required. Trees are most vulnerable in their early years so take care to protect them from drought.

Landscapes-R-Us provides lawn mowing and landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Contact us to find out more.

Here are some ideas for landscape lighting:

• Work with lighting specialists who really know their trade. Look for people who can work with both elaborate and really simple designs.  For instance, our lighting specialists at Landscape R Us at Highpoint, NC are certified at working with Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting, one of the best lighting products on the market.

• Try up lighting. As the name suggests up lighting is using light to achieve an upward light effect.  This means securing a mounted well type light and tilting it upwards, focusing light on objects such as trees, gazebos or shrubs, basically any object standing higher within the landscape.  The result of this illuminating effect can be quite stunning and dramatic.

• Try down lighting. This is another gorgeous technique offering stunning lighting effects.  You simply place a floodlight or spotlight somewhere high up (such as in a tree, on a pole or on a wall) and project the light downward.  The result is a gorgeous moonlight beam effect across your garden, perfect for the upcoming spring months.

• Shadow lighting. Similarly, when you have a large open area such as a wall behind the area you wish to light, placing a well light in front of an object such as a shrub or bush can create a pretty soft shadow in your garden.

• Path lighting. Illuminating your path not only adds safety to your garden, the pools of light created around your walkway and surrounding garden can make your landscape extra stunning, even romantic.

Landscapes-R-Us provides landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Call us at 704-684-7211 or Contact us to find out more.

• Tip One: Prune your hedges, shrubs and trees.
  If you own hedges, shrubs and trees then spring is the perfect time to prune these puppies back. Not only will this make a great impression on your visitors, it will look soothing and calming to you, too. Pruning back also avoids overgrowth.
• Tip Two: Spruce up your flower beds.
  By digging over the soil and adding mulch to your flower beds, you are prepping the ground for the new flowers that will come in a month or so. Ask your landscaper about stone mulch. This is a popular option to using pine needles and other forms of mulch and makes a pretty contrast to the flowers.
• Tip Three: Add the color.
  If you want color in your flowerbeds, spring is the right time for adding bright and cheery flowers such as primroses or grown daffodils. Ask your landscaper for advice on what other bright flowers are best planted this spring.
• Tip Four: Spruce up your vegetable patch.
  Spring is the right time for turning the soil in your vegetable patch. It’s best not to just dig it over. Also, add farmyard manure, compost and mulch. The goal is prepping the soil for planting new vegetables next month.
• Tip Five: Tend to the roses.
  If you want your roses looking gorgeous later in the year, then spring is the best time for feeding the soil and roses too. Hold off pruning the roses till March. But definitely get your landscaper in now to add the right nutrients and rose food to the soil.
• Tip Six: Test your soil.
  Sounds bizarre, right? But having your landscaper conduct a quick test of your soil can determine what nutrients are lacking in your soil. This will help improve your chances of a bumper flower and/or vegetable crop later in the year.
• Tip Seven: Consult your landscaper about big projects.
  Seek advice from your landscaper in the spring for any big landscaping project planned later in the year. Your landscaper can advise you accordingly on everything from large paving, installing an outdoor BBQ pit, to large or small planting projects.
• Tip Eight: Consider adding a stone wall.
  With the growing focus on conserving the environment, weathered walls are becoming more popular as a way to retain rain and irrigation water in your garden.
• Tip Nine: Consider adding a water garden.
  Water gardens are growing in popularity too and offer a tranquil place for you and others to sit and enjoy the quiet outdoors.
• Tip Ten: Service your landscaping equipment.
  If you own a mower, trimmer or other heavy duty equipment for maintaining your landscape, spring is the right time to have an expert check all works as it should.

Landscapes-R-Us provides lawn mowing and landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Contact us to find out more.

• Tip One: Find a landscaper within close proximity to your home. This way the landscaper won’t lose time in their commute and has more time to work on your yard. Also, you can drive to their headquarters with ease and check how their company looks.
• Tip Two: Research the landscaper’s reputation, both verbally, by asking your own community and by researching online. Type the landscaper’s company name in on the North Carolina Angie’s List or, see if customers leave reviews and/or testimonials on their website.
• Tip Three: Meet the landscaper and ask to see photography or other records of their work. Excellent landscapers will have photography of their work on their website or, a portfolio of their work.
• Tip Four: Trust your gut. If you like how the landscaper looks and sounds, if you feel the landscaper is listening to your wants and needs, then chances are this landscaper is reliable and does terrific work.
• Tip Five: Look for examples of excellence through the reviewing the kinds of service the landscaper offers. Is the landscaper capable of working with landscape maintenance along with adding outdoor lighting, irrigation, tree removal, installing sod and drainage? Do they use software to show you how your finished project will look? Excellent and reliable landscapers can do it all.

Landscapes-R-Us provides lawn mowing and landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Contact us to find out more.

• Tip One: Find a landscaper close to your office. This way the landscaper won’t lose time in their commute and has more time to work on your company’s grounds.
• Tip Two: Research the landscaper’s reputation, both verbally, by asking other friends and other business owners in the neighborhood, and by researching online. Type the landscaper’s company name in on the North Carolina Angie’s List or, see if customers leave reviews and/or testimonials on their website. Also look for photography or other examples of their commercial landscaping. Excellent landscapers will have photography of their work on their website or, a portfolio of their work.
• Tip Three: Within that first consultation with your commercial landscaper, pay attention to whether the landscaper listens well. Do they ask questions about what you want and do they seem sincere?
• Tip Four: Ensure the landscaper offers many services. Do they offer turf fertilization, plant flowers, lay mulch and pine needles? Do they use software to show you how your finished project will look? Excellent and reliable landscapers can do it all.
• Tip Five: Look for someone certified. Top notch landscapers will be certified by nationally known companies such as John Deere.

Landscapes-R-Us provides lawn mowing and landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Contact us to find out more.

Proper mowing is one of the most beneficial things that you can do to keep your lawn healthy and green. The key to a beautiful lawn is mowing often and at the proper height. It is important that you never mow more than one-third of a grass’s blade at one time.

There are recommended height ranges for most grasses. When the temperatures are hot or there has been very little rain, you should try to keep the height toward the upper end of the range. When you mow the grass too short, you are depriving it of nutrients as you are removing a large part of its food-producing leaf surface. This can weaken the grass, making it more susceptible to disease and insects. The ideal length for most grasses is between 2 and 3 inches.  Lawns grown at these lengths tend to have deeper roots, fewer weeds, and look thicker and lusher.

It is important that you mow your lawn frequently, even during the winter months when there is not much growth. Once a week is a good recommendation for most lawns. During peak growing season, you may want to mow every 4-5 days. When growth is slow, mowing your lawn every 8-9 days will be fine. You will not need to remove grass clippings if you are mowing at proper intervals.

Frequent mowing will get rid of weeds before they are able to seed and take control of your yard. Your grass will grow thicker as competition for valuable nutrients is greatly decreased. There will be less cover for insects and pests as well.

When your grass is kept short, you will need less water because there is less leaf blade to transpire water. This is especially important during those hot summer months when water shortages tend to occur. Plus, less irrigation can prevent fungus and bugs from becoming a problem.

To avoid injury to your grass, be sure that you are using a mower with sharp blades. For an even cut, only mow when the grass is completely dry. Vary your mowing pattern each week. This will allow the grass to grow in an upright position.

Consider hiring a landscaping company that provides lawn-mowing services each week. These companies have the equipment and knowledge to make sure that your lawn looks beautiful and stays healthy. They also offer a variety of other services including thatching, reseeding, fertilization and more to encourage growth and improve the overall appearance of your yard.

When your lawn is healthy, it is better able to recover from drought conditions, disease and insect damage. It can withstand foot traffic without resulting in bald spots. Proper mowing encourages a lush, thick lawn that will be healthy and look beautiful all year long.

Landscapes-R-Us provides lawn mowing and landscaping services to homes and commercial properties in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and the Lake Norman region of NC. Contact us to find out more.