Jersey Landscaping: Vacation at Home: Upgrade your Outdoor Landscaping

The ultimate vacation is only as far as your backyard — so it’s time to take a look at your outdoor landscaping. Is it up to par for your “staycation,” or is it missing that something special? If you’re ready to make your backyard pop, we’ve got some terrific ideas for fresh, new outdoor space designs that offer both flair AND function.

The perfect staycation landscape design installation can involve:

·         Building an outdoor kitchen

·         Installing a natural stone patio around the pool

·         Creating a butterfly or bamboo garden

·         Adding a water feature like a pond or fountain

·         Placing footpaths around the yard for leisurely strolls

·         Building a rock wall or a man-made lagoon for the ultimate in luxury

By upgrading your outdoor landscaping to include features that you’ll actually use, you’re making sure your home-based vacation can continue year ‘round.

Your Outdoor Space Design Makes All the Difference

A good outdoor space design is one that can be used easily and fluidly. The very best designs let you utilize your entire yard without making you feel overwhelmed. Any landscape design installation should consider the following:

1.       The size and shape of your yard. You want to create an outdoor living space that fits — not just in terms of acreage, but also in terms of your natural landscape.  If you yard has hills, natural stone walls and pathways can add some structure.  If your yard is a bit small, you may want to scale down a larger idea to fit your space.  Instead of a full-blown outdoor kitchen, consider a brick fire pit with comfortable seating around it, to create a cozy conversational space.

2.       Where your gas and water lines are. Of course any landscape design installation involves marking the lines to avoid breaking them – but it will also influence where your new structures may go.  If your gas line runs next to your home, it could be expensive (and time consuming) to put your new grill on the opposite side of the yard.  If you want to incorporate a lot of trees into your new outdoor landscaping, you’ll need to make sure the roots won’t harm your water lines.

3.       What your favorite outdoor activities involve. If you hate to grill, then an outdoor kitchen might not be a good idea.  Instead, think about adding a pizza oven to your outdoor space design.  Now you can have dinner and a show right in the comfort of your backyard.  If you’re looking to decompress, a garden with comfortable seats can allow you to escape from the everyday without ever leaving your yard.

4.       Who will use the yard the most? Is your staycation a solitary affair, or do you plan on inviting friends and family to stay?  Does your family involve small children, or will there be teenagers lounging out back?  When you create an outdoor living space, it’s important to think about who will benefit from it. If you’re looking for a family-friendly vacation, consider adding features the whole group can use.  If you’re looking to entertain large groups, make sure you have enough space for people to move comfortably. And if you’re looking for time to simply decompress, choose a design that soothes and inspires you.

This year, treat yourself to the ultimate home-based vacation in your very own yard. Your outdoor landscaping should offer you everything a resort would: a fun, friendly place where you can forget about your job and your errands, and relax in any way you want.

Jersey Landscaping: Increasing Home Values with Outdoor Kitchens

Now that the economy is starting to turn around, home owners are giving serious thought to the increasing home values — and what they can do, as sellers, to get in on the action. For homeowners looking to sell during the nicer months, adding custom outdoor kitchens could be the difference between homes that sell quickly, and homes that don’t sell at all. But superior outdoorkitchen construction is best done by the professionals, and finding a contractor who fits your needs should be the most important part of the process.

If increasing your home’s value with an outdoor kitchen is on your mind, then we have some tips and tricks that are bound to help you out.

The Merits of Custom Outdoor Kitchens: What Every Home Seller Should Know

Outdoor kitchen construction isn’t a weekend project – especially if you’re looking to increase the value of your home.  There are some simply outdoor kitchen design ideas that can be done in a few days, but you still want to speak with a licensed and insured contractor about installing one.  The benefits of an outdoor cooking space can’t be denied.

1.       It’s a great spring and summer selling point. New Jersey homeowners are lucky, because we get to enjoy all four seasons. But if you’re selling your home in the winter, an outdoor kitchen might not help you.  If you’re considering an upgrade, think about when you want to put your home on the market first, before starting the project.

2.       It can be cheaper than a new indoor kitchen. Depending on what you’re planning, you may be able to build a new outdoor kitchen for less money than it would costs to redo your entire indoor kitchen.  If you have the budget, consider outdoor kitchen design ideas that involve a pizza oven: it looks great, and watching the cheese bubble up can be pretty entertaining – especially for kids.

3.       It should match your landscaping. If your yard is decorated with bamboo and natural wood, then a brick outdoor kitchen will look out of place. If you’re really concerned about increasing your home value, build a kitchen that blends with your design — although we recommend concrete or stone for the countertops, regardless of what your yard looks like.

4.       It needs the basics. You’ll still need a refrigerator, a sink with running water and a cooking space. But the greatest thing about custom outdoor kitchens is that they’re designed with your needs in mind.  You can add a bar sink, extra grilling spaces – even a dishwasher. You can even direct the run-off water into your flowerbeds, providing that you don’t use detergents in the sink.

5.       It’s supposed to be fun. Remember how much fun barbeques were when you were kids? Our door eating spaces are supposed to be fun! It doesn’t matter if it’s just you and a loved one or a yard filled with people: the best outdoor kitchens are the ones that invite games, storytelling and a well-cooked meal — just like the indoor kitchen you remember from childhood. If your outdoor space has the same amount of warmth and personality as your home, no seller will be able to resist it.

In short, outdoor kitchen construction can do a lot for increasing your home’s worth on the market, provided you plan accordingly.  Hiring the services of a trusted local construction company is the first step in building the outdoor space you want. Consulting with a landscape designer can ensure that your new kitchen not only blends with your yard, but also with your neighborhood. You’ll be on your way to increasing your home’s value in no time!

Jersey Landscaping: Preparing for Spring Landscaping After the Storm

After months of storm damage cleanup, we’re turning our thoughts to how we can best handle people’s spring landscaping needs. We know that as a home or business owner in New Jersey, clean up is probably your first priority – but the weather will be warm before you know it, and prepping for spring takes time. 

Since spring is the season of renewal, we’re offering some ideas for landscaping clean up that can help you feel good about the year to come.

·         Be brush and debris free. Regardless of the amount of damage you may have sustained during the storms this year, great spring landscaping starts with a clean foundation.  Damaged or dying bushes or shrubs should probably be rooted out — both for your protection and for increased space in which to work.

·         Trim those trees. Even if your trees are still swaying majestically, it’s probably time for a trim. Removing dead limbs and branches is an important part of landscaping clean up, because it allows the trees to grown in a healthy fashion — and neatens up your outdoor space nicely.

·         Gather up the leaves. It’s easy to ignore dead leaves in the winter: they’re not really “hurting” anything, right?  But once those leaves get wet and mushy, they can start to do some damage to your lawn.  As part of our landscape clean up services, we’ll remove the leaves from your yard and flowerbeds, ensuring that there won’t be any trouble during the growing season.

·         Don’t forget fertilizer. Depending on the kind of flora you have, you might need to start fertilizing it early.  Your spring landscaping plans should include contacting your maintenance company to see if fertilizer needs to be applied.

·         Think about mulch. Like fertilizer, mulch can be an important part of keeping your yard looking fresh and healthy.  Because of the nature of the materials, a lot of much was swept away during the storm — and by home and business owners in New Jersey doing their own clean up. Make sure to discuss your missing mulch with a landscape designer: you may need more for your spring flowers.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, it’s okay: Jersey Landscaping, LLC offers full landscape clean up services throughout the state. We’ll take care of everything, from raking leaves to trimming trees to replacing — or adding — new pavers and retaining walls.  And because we’re home-grown, so to speak, you never have to worry about us using the wrong materials. We know the soil, the stones and the flowers that will work best for you and your home.  Together, we’ll rebuild your yard into the paradise you always wanted.

Jersey Landscaping: Terrific Hardscape Designs Make a World of Difference

The holidays are almost here, but spring is never far away — which means it’s never too soon to think about adding some natural looking hardscape designs to your yard. At Jersey Landscaping, LLC, our designers create custom hardscape landscaping for customers who really want their yards to “pop.”

Not sure if a hardscape landscape design will work for you? Let me tell you why it’s a terrific idea for any yard!

1.       It’s a year-long addition. Unlike flowers, hardscape designs don’t slumber through the winter.  So even when it’s cold and grey, your yard will still look beautiful. And because they’re so durable, it doesn’t take much care to keep them looking great season after season.

2.       They add texture to any landscape. Not that I don’t love a rolling green lawn — I do; I really, really do — but after a while, they start to blend together.  With hardscape landscaping, you can break up the monotony of all that green by having adding in some natural stone for color and show.

3.       It really showcases your exiting landscape. Most residential landscaping ideas revolve around flowers or plants.  But a low stone wall or some beautiful Bluestone pavers can really emphasize what you already have. And because natural stone looks, well, natural, a professional hardscape landscape design will look like it belongs there.

4.       Unless, of course, you want to show off. If you’re really looking to make an impression on your neighbors or on passers-by, then hardscaping is the way to go.  Nothing invites people to stare at your yard more than a professionally installed fountain right in the middle of it.

The truth is, hardscape designs can be anything you want them to be.  Even if your yard isn’t as large as you’d like it to be, you can still use hardscapes in the overall designs.  Our most popular residential landscape designs include hardscapes of some kind:

·         Pavers or stone walkways

·         Low walls for showcasing flowers

·         Smaller decks or patios

·         Brick fire pits or grill pits

·         Water features, like ponds or fountains

Still not convinced?  Better give Jersey Landscaping, LLC a call.  We’re bound to find something that works for your yard and your budget.  You can always take a look through the photo gallery, too, to get some ideas before you come in.

For the hottest looks this year, consider hardscape landscaping.  It’s always a sure bet!

Jersey Landscaping: A Landscape Designer from NJ Can Help in Sandy’s Aftermath

You don’t have to be a landscape designer in NJ to understand the level of destruction wrought by Superstorm Sandy. The abject horror on the faces of our own family and friends is enough. Like most Monmouth County landscaping companies, our primary concern for the last few weeks has been (literally) picking up the debris left in her wake, to help alleviate some of the tension and stress associated with the rebuilding process.

But at Jersey Landscaping, LLC we believe in the power of being “Jersey Strong.” Hurricane Sandy may have knocked us down, but we ain’t licked yet.

If you’re ready to start rebuilding your home, we have some ideas that can help reinstate the normality you crave.

·         Fast growing shade trees. The amount of trees that came down in the storm is almost sickening — especially for NJ, the Garden State. Planting fast growing shade trees is an easy way to replace what was lost, and help increase the value of your home to pre-storm conditions.

·         Full submersion flowers. If you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, consider flowers that thrive in both wet and dry soil. New England aster thrives in both conditions, and attracts monarch butterflies as an added bonus.

·         Hardy shrubs and grasses. Some flowers and plants are able to withstand high winds and excessive waters because they’re designed to do so, either because of genetics or because of cultivation efforts. Speak with a Monmouth County landscaping company for ideas.

Learn More about Monmouth County Landscaping

One of the many things we’ve learned in the wake of Hurricane Sandy is that how you landscape is just as important as what you landscape.  And while any landscape designer in NJ can speak to the importance of using natural materials and flora, we think that a better way to protect your home comes from the actual design itself.

·       Plant in clusters. There is evidence that planting different species of trees in groups increases their wind resistance. The trees will buffer one another, and in doing so help protect your home.

·       Size always matters. We know that beautiful, sweeping oak trees look great when they line the road.  We also know that they can keep you from leaving your home for three or four days if they crash into the road.  Plant smaller trees with a more flexible makeup (like weeping willows) that won’t affect power lines if they fall over.

·       Stay away from your home. After Hurricane Sandy, we saw a lot of homes where trees came straight down on the roof.  When you plant your fast growing shade trees, make sure there’s ample space between them and your home.  If your yard is a bit smaller, choose smaller trees and plant them farther away.

·       Regularly prune your landscaping. Speak with a local landscape designer in NJ to find out how often you should be pruning your trees and shrubs. Regular maintenance removes dead and dry limbs, and can eliminate diseased plants.  If your landscaping is healthy, it will withstand storms better.

At Jersey Landscaping, LLC we know you might feel a little overwhelmed by the recovery process.  We also know that many of you may be more concerned with fixing your buckled floors than with replanting your landscapes. But as a Monmouth County landscaping company that’s been a part of the recovery from the beginning, we ask that you start thinking about your plants sooner than later.  A brand new landscape design might not seem like a top priority, but it can help save you money in the wake of the next storm.

From all of us to all of you, we wish you a speedy and safe recovery.

Jersey Landscaping: Commercial Snow Plowing

Superior Snow Plow Service for Monmouth County Businesses

Now that it’s autumn, we have to think about winter – and that means talking about snow plow services. And at Jersey Landscaping, LLC we take commercial snow plowing seriously. That’s why we’re already gearing up for what the Weather Channel thinks is going to be a rough winter.

Maybe you’re thinking that you don’t really need a snow plow service. Or maybe you think it’s a bit early to start worrying about weather that may or may not come – right? Well, if we’ve learned anything from living and working here for more than 35 years, it’s this: snow removal in NJ is a pretty big deal.

So what makes us such a sure bet?  Easy!

1.       We stay in Monmouth. A lot of commercial snow plowing services stretch themselves out too thin, in hopes of making more money. We stay right in Monmouth County. That means we’re always here when you need us.

2.       We bring our own tools. Did you know that some companies advertising for snow removal in NJ make you supply your own materials? It’s true! But not us. We have our own machinery that we keep in excellent condition all year ‘round.

3.       We stick with businesses. At Jersey Landscaping, LLC we focus on commercial snow plowing. We understand that waiting on snow removal can cost you money in lost wages or lost revenue. So we stick to helping out our local businesses instead of branching off into residential areas.

4.       We’re always prepared. It might not be cold yet, but you don’t want to get stuck when the weather really hits. We create a site plan of your property before the winter settles in. This makes it easier for us to dig you out, and lets you rest a bit easier at night knowing you hired a reliable snow plowing service.

5.       We’re professional landscapers. We know how much it costs for you to landscape your commercial property because we provide that service ourselves. Our snow plow service always operates with the utmost care and respect for your landscaping.

It’s Never Too Soon to Think about Commercial Snow Plowing

We always make a point stay two steps ahead of the weather. This way we can always offer the highest-quality services to our commercial customers. So if you’re in need of a reliable snow plowing service, we’re ready and able to help. It’s like the old story about the grasshopper and the ant. You don’t want to be left out in the cold, right? With Jersey Landscaping, LLC you can rest assured that you won’t be.

Jersey Landscaping: The Benefits of Using Mulch for Landscaping Projects

It’s getting to be fall, and at Jersey Landscaping, LLC we’re starting to think about applying mulch for landscaping projects we’re working on right now. (Maybe some of you are, too.) The benefits of using mulch for landscaping protection are pretty significant, so if you’re not in a mulching state of mind, it’s time to get there.

But mulch can be a tricky master, and if you don’t have a lot of experience with lawn care you can do some damage to your flowers and trees. It’s best to hire the services of a professional landscaping company to make sure it’s done right the first time and every time. And lucky for you, our landscapers in Monmouth County, NJ have the experience you need to get the yard you’ll love

A Professional Landscaping Company Is Your Best Bet

So why use a professional landscaping company instead of going it alone?

1.       Mulch volcanoes. I promise — that’s a real thing. And you’ve definitely seen them. When you use too much mulch for landscaping, you get these mounds that look a lot like, well, volcanoes. When the mulch is too high against tree trunks or shrubs, it can actually harm the roots of the plants.

2.       Imbalanced PH. When the PH is off in your soil, it can actually become toxic. So instead of enjoying your lawn, your time in the yard can become a literal game of “the floor is lava.” 

3.       Bad smells. Too much mulch gives off a sour smell that’s pretty awful. It also adds to the PH imbalance in the lawn.

4.       Creepy crawlies. Even if you apply the exact right amount of mulch, you can invite the local wildlife to create nests in your yard by applying it at the wrong time.

When it comes to using mulch for landscaping, you’re better off not taking any chances. A professional landscaping company (like ours) uses licensed, insured contractors who have both the education and the experience to know how much mulch you really need, and what parts of the yard need it most.

We also save you some money by using high-quality, local products that work well with native plants and flowers. Some landscapers in Monmouth County, NJ may use mulch that’s composted from inorganic materials or shipped from out of state. (Pennsylvania is a popular place.) But at Jersey Landscaping, LLC we’ve spent years working with some of the finest mulch materials from distributors we know and trust.

Whether you’re protecting your vegetable gardens or keeping your trees snug through the winter, we’ve got what you need. Don’t ruin a perfectly good lawn with good intentions. Call our professional landscaping company to take care of all you mulching needs.