Interlocking stones in a garden add beauty and function to the landscaping project. This is why interlocking is a very popular and attractive choice not only for garden but also for other landscaping projects such as including driveways, patios, stairs and entryways, pathways and walkways. There is a wide variety of interlocking stone products available on the market which allows a lot of design flexibility for your unique landscaping project. Interlocking pavers have been used for centuries, dating back to ancient Roman roads. Their durability and aesthetically pleasing characteristics is what makes them a popular choice among homeowners today. These can be treated as a system, each may be put in place to keep the others intact. These are not just visually attractive but they are also beneficial to our environment. The reason is that they are usually permeable, which means water percolates through the surface and recharges our groundwater tables. Unlike traditional concrete that is one consistent slab, they have edges between each one and are filled with a porous material like sand. Interlocking pavers are excellent in large driveways and walkways. They definitely add appeal and value to your home. But before installing them in your landscaping project, you need to understand the whole process. To get the job done the right way, your project needs a compacted sub base, a geo-textile fabric, a layer of sand, edge restraint, pavers, and joint filling material. The measurements of each layer changes with each project having individual circumstances; for example if you have problems with drainage they will be addressed in the thickness of the layers. Installing these can be a big project depending on the areas size; it is recommended that you call a pro in your area to get the job done correctly the first time. For interlocking pavers, there is a large variety of designs and colors you can choose from. And once in place, they are easy to repair, durable and beneficial in many ways. They can withstand heavy weights and harsh weather conditions and do not develop cracks like traditional concrete. Best of all, hey add value to your home. The pros definitely outweigh the cons when considering this. They are one of the best paving options out there and are guaranteed to add major curb appeal to your home. Homeowners usually choose it for their numerous colors and design options. Pavers come in a variation of colors ranging from black, tan, green and nearly every other natural tone. Some projects are laid using one color of it, while others utilize multiple colors throughout creating an intriguing design. More detailed and intricate designs will all affect the final cost. Consider your edge restraint for the borders of your design; the most popular choices are a poured in place concrete curb or a staked plastic edging. Be sure you know what you are doing if you decide to do this project yourself, if installed improperly may have to be replaced in a matter of months.
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The use of ‘Permeable pavers’ in gardens is becoming popular these days because of the many benefits that homeowners derive from this choice of landscaping material. First, these are environment friendly and pleasing to the eye. They efficiently reduce run-off rainwater to gutters and storm drains without water collecting in surfaces. This makes for an accident-free garden since the surfaces are skid-resistant. Permeable pavers in Landscape design also enable homeowners to save on their water bills. This may come in different kinds of building materials but they are all sustainable and allow water to flow through their surface. While other non-porous materials direct water to storm-drains, these surfaces help ground water recharge by allowing water to flow into open spaces between the materials. These porous materials also filter pollutants and solids from the water as it percolates through the surface. Permeable paving is becoming more popular among home and business owners due to the innovative methods to save water. This paving option doesn’t just look good; it’s beneficial to our environment. Consider permeable paving in large walkways or driveways and make sure that a 6-inch gravel bed is immediately below the porous material. From the top down there are usually four layers to permeable paving. Each of these different layers acts as a filtration system to clean storm water. The top layer is the actual paving material while the second layer is the gravel bed. The third layer is a filter fabric and bottom layer should be a bed of sand. Installing stones or pavers over a bed of sand and gravel is known as dry-laying. This allows water to pass through the openings between each stone or paver. A unique opportunity exists here for grass or moss to be grown in the cracks, creating a sort of living pavement. If you desire to take your sustainability a step further, urbanite or recycled pieces of concrete is usually used to create a permeable patio. Brick is sometimes used as a porous paver by leaving gaps or spaces between each unit. The clay material will direct water to joints and open spaces. But the least expensive permeable paving material is crushed stone. Typically either decomposed granite or gravel can be loosely packed on top of leveled soil. Rainwater will easily be able to pass between the small pieces of stone. This is good for walkways and even driveways. Other materials serving as permeable pavers are stones, ground reinforcement grids, plastic mats with cells, and grass pavers. Stones and rocks are placed apart with gravel or planting in between. Ground reinforcement grids are a kind of mesh while plastic mats with cells are circular or hexagonal cells that allow for planting or porous material between the cells. Grass pavers resemble a lawn. Open cells are filled with dirt and then planted with grass seed. These are especially suited for residential driveways because they are designed to carry heavy loads. The cost of installing permeable paving depends on the homeowner’s choice of materials. Some things that can affect the cost are the type of material chosen. Pennsylvanians are blessed with a good year-round weather that allows for weekend hikes, days at the beach and enjoying other outdoor activities any month of the year. The sun, sand and warm weather are the main draws for many of us who choose to call Pennsylvania home, so it comes as no surprise that homeowners in this state should place a premium on outdoor living spaces. The purpose of outdoor living spaces is to extend the usable square footage of your home in a manner that allows you to more fully enjoy your property and makes your backyard serve a more functional purpose for you and your family. In some cases, this may be very specific, such as woyld-be baseball players in need of a backyard batting cage or golf enthusiasts who want to practice their putting on their own putting green. Whether around town, at the beach or visiting one of our many local attractions, most of us like to be outside as much as possible, and there is no reason for this to end when we get home. Most detached homes in Pennsylvania have some sort of outdoor living area, although many of these spaces consist of little more than a patio and lawn installed in the backyard. This is a great start and allows for some enjoyment of the property outside of the home, but having just these features puts some serious limits on how much a homeowner can use their yard as additional living space. Attached homes, condominiums and apartment complexes generally also have some sort of outdoor common areas, which often include a swimming pool, fire pits or a playground, but landlords and homeowners associations can significantly increase interest in their properties if they choose to include more outdoor amenities. The purpose of outdoor living spaces is to extend the usable square footage of your home in a manner that allows you to more fully enjoy your property and makes your backyard serve a more functional purpose for you and your family. The spaces you create might be used for more general purposes or to enhance your home’s appeal when it comes time to show it off to potential buyers. Depending on the improvements you make, creating outdoor rooms and areas can significantly increase the value of your home, which is an important factor to consider if you plan to sell sometime in the future. Attractive exterior spaces can also add visual appeal to a lackluster home and can help smaller homes compete better once they are put on the market. Since improving your outdoor areas is often much less expensive than adding interior space to your home, this is a great way to expand your home’s living space with functional outdoor rooms, particularly if you are looking for improvements that can be made on a budget. Whether it is to enhance your own enjoyment of your home or to better position your home to sell, outdoor living spaces are an absolute necessity in Pennsylvania. It is a well-known fact that garden landscaping done by professional landscape contractors such as Garden Square Landscaping Inc. can reduce your utility bills and conserve energy. This is because professionals in landscape architecture will structure your garden in such a way that your home is protected from harsh winds during the winter months while the garden also absorbs the heat of the sun to cool off your home during summer. To protect your home from harsh winter winds, professional landscape design usually includes trees, hedges, grasses and shrubs in your garden. These protect your home from strong seasonal winds while capturing the winter sun. In summer, the garden’s trees and hedges can absorb heat from the sun to help keep your home cooler. Adding trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, plants and hedges to your landscaped garden can attract wildlife such as birds, insects and squirrels. If you add extras like bird tables to your garden, then you’re likely to attract even more animals. Natural landscaping really is a haven for wildlife because it offers shelter from predators and natural food supplies that are available all year long. Real estate agents and property experts are quick to point out that a well-landscaped garden can increase the value of your home dramatically. In some cases, your trim and beautiful garden can increase the value of your home more than a newly decorated lounge or kitchen, so it is worth hiring a landscape gardener or landscape contractor before you put your house up for sale. Moreover, a landscaped garden can also improve the aesthetic quality of your home, making it feel like a much more pleasant place to be. So, even if you are not planning on selling your home anytime soon, having your garden landscaped now means you get time to enjoy your beautiful garden surroundings as well as knowing that your house is worth more than it was before. Trees, shrubs, hedges and flowers offer substantial environmental benefits, because vegetation like this protects water supplies, provides food in the form of vegetable gardens, and reduces air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Having your garden landscaped by a professional can also reduce noise pollution in your home by blocking out surrounding noises. In addition to the aesthetic reasons for adding trees, shrubs and ground-cover around a structure, there are beneficial purposes that go beyond merely adding architectural decoration. While landscaping works to enhance and complement a space, it can also provide real benefits that affect the profitability, health, productivity, and overall sense of well-being. The design of the landscape in conjunction with the overall site planning and architectural design can create a place where people want to spend time, socialize, or work. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover in conjunction with outdoor plazas, can become spaces that can be used for organized events, casual meetings or simply taking a break. Seating areas can also provide spaces, which can give the visitor or user a respite from the built environment which can encourage a sense of community. The most obvious benefit of landscaping to your front yard has to do with aesthetics. A landscaped garden out front improves the looks and beauty of your home. But there are many other benefits of garden landscaping and here is a lowdown on the main ones. Firstly, landscaping makes good economic sense because it increases the value of your home. It also makes your property more attractive to prospective buyers if you intend to sell. In this case, you can be sure that the time your property is on the market will be drastically reduced. If there is no intent to sell and the plan is to stay in your home for good, it would be nice to know that you’ll be spending much less for heating and cooling costs. This is because the greenery cools the surroundings when the weather is warm. It provides the advantage of lessening the annual cooling and heating costs because carefully placed trees can cut about 20 percent off the energy consumption in a certain house for both cooling and heating. Landscaping assists in reducing heat accumulation in the house through absorbing and blocking most of the energy from the sun during summer periods. Moreover, fences and trees are normally used like windbreaks for shielding a home from cold winds during winter. Landscaping adds value to the house and potential buyers are going to pay more money for a house that appears well maintained and nice both indoors and outdoors. We all endeavor to increase the value of our assets and landscaping offers a simple technique of doing that. A study done by researchers in the real estate field discovered that beautiful landscapes enhanced the value of the houses by about 14 percent. Landscaping is critical when selling. It provides buyers with an insight into how the owner looks after their home. A well-presented home from the street with manicured gardens and landscaping shows buyers that the owners take pride in their home and will certainly influence the sale price. In environmental terms, landscaping controls temperature extremes, stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It reduces the storm water runoff during inclement weather, thus reducing local flooding. During such weather events, landscaping is great for erosion control since it reduces loss of top soil. In effect, it protects your property from soil degradation and evaporation. The most practical use of landscaping is probably the creation of a healthier home. It does so by filtering pollutants and providing cleaner air all around. A beautiful environment is then created to provide privacy and decrease your stress levels commonly high in these stressful times. So you can say that landscaping helps to keep your family fit by fostering an active lifestyle. Then there are the social benefits of landscaping. In general, it creates green buffer zones that increase the livability of such densely populated communities as Pennsylvania. A landscaped garden in as many homes as possible serves to absorb noise and heat. For your own particular purpose, landscaping gives your home an attractive environment for entertaining and relaxing. A house only becomes a home when landscaping designs and ideas enhance its front yard. The yard is an extension of your home. It gives visitors their first impression of what kind of house you come home to. The people living in a house with front yard landscaping will surely make a good impression on their house guests who will see that since the house has an outdoor living space, living should be even more pleasant indoors. It is therefore worthwhile, even important, to build outdoor living spaces that will provide a tranquil escape for you and your family and increase the value of your home manifold. With front yard landscaping, you sort of put your best foot forward. The fact is, the yard is often the most overlooked area of the house as interior decorating preoccupies most homeowners.
Simple outdoor decorating and landscaping architecture will help incorporate outside activities into your family’s daily life by creating a cool space away from the television set. These living areas can also include lavish amenities such as outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, and covered patios to protect you from the hot sun or torrential rains. Landscape lighting can provide soft illumination to your outside living space for nighttime entertaining. If you want to create an outdoor living space but unsure to go about it, find specialists in landscape architecture which abound in many cities. For ideas on landscaping and hardscaping, start by exploring your local nursery or home improvement store. Regardless of the size, budget or concept, easy outdoor landscape ideas can be carried out implemented in any home. Look for cheap seasonal flowers and plants to fill large garden areas and edge outdoor living spaces because you can achieve larger ground cover and a lusher look at a much lower cost. Small backyard landscaping ideas can turn even tiny townhome patios into outdoor living rooms. You can take a cue from the trends and tips from do-it-yourself home improvement ideas for small rooms. Try some plants. Some tall climbing ivy or foliage options on enclosing walls will draw the eye up to the sky rather than highlighting the tiny enclosing layout. You may also use your own creative talent by extending design schemes from the front of your house into the back in order to ensure a unified look throughout your outdoor living spaces. Spending time outside does not require you to give up the comforts of the indoors. In designing your outdoor living spaces on your own, it is important to pursue both beauty and functionality. For example, popular fire pits will greatly enhance your back yard living spaces, as these provide not only decorative appeal but also incorporate a heat feature into your layout so that outdoor entertaining will be possible all year round. Any great party also requires food, therefore, make sure to install outdoor grills built in reviews can help you determine which one is the best type and quality for your area. If you plan to do a lot of cooking in your backyard space, look at outdoor kitchen designs and pictures for ways to incorporate functional spaces to prepare meals for your guests. There are a great many landscaping ideas and ideas to enhance the front of your home. You can choose a formal look with a courtyard circling a fountain. Or you can go for a low-maintenance front yard that’s natural, with a meandering pathway lined with native plants. You can even create a private space for outdoor entertaining. Whatever you decide, be sure to spend plenty of time determining the look you want and planning how to achieve it. With the help of a landscaping designer to guide you, you’ll be sure to get a front yard landscape you can be proud of. From a good landscaping professional, you can learn how to create an inspiring front yard garden, with project profiles from around the country, including a courtyard in Pennsylvania and a modern front yard remodel. Get some ideas on how to make over your own front yard, including use of walls to add privacy, creating a grand entrance with a wide walkway and arbor, and replacing the lawn with a meadow planted with ornamental grasses and other natural plantings. Get some tips on how to turn a front yard into an outdoor entertaining space, complete with a fire pit and a seating area. There are ways to create privacy to separate a front yard from the road and neighbors. Landscaping techniques include the three components of good entryway design, including planning for vehicle circulation and parking, creating a beckoning walkway to your door, and accenting the front entry. Landscaping architects will instruct you on the typical front yard landscape dimensions for entry gates, driveways, walkways, walls, and water features. Landscaping experts know driveway designs, including various layouts, material options and decorative accents. There are three important design considerations for front walkways: width, shape and paving materials. They dispense advice on how to choose a walkway style that complements the look of your home. The three main functions of a front porch are: to highlight the entrance, provide a protected transition, and serve as a place to relax with friends and family. Your landscape designer will build your front porch accordingly. This means that the front porch designs are well-suited to your home style, whether it is colonial, modern, ranch or bungalow styles. You have many options for enclosing a front courtyard. You may use walls, fencing and even plants. The landscape designer you consult knows exactly what factors to consider when you want to add a fountain or other water feature to your garden. Some finishing touches to consider for your courtyard include furniture, lighting and accent plants. So if you wish your home had more appeal outside, you need a front yard makeover. With creative landscaping ideas, front yards can be more than just a pathway and some plants. Ross, the President of Garden Square Landscaping, Inc., has enjoyed the design and build aspects of a landscape construction company here in Southern Chester County for 20 years. A member of the Kennett Square Lions Club, Ross gives back to the community. Ross attended the University of Delaware and is a member and certified installer of ICPI and NCMA. In addition to this as a certified instructor for both organizations he has the opportunity to instruct contractors, manufacturers, and distributors across the United States. Ross lives and works in Kennett Square with his wife and 2 children. Services rendered Landscaping, Hardscaping, Hardscape Design/Build, Landscape Design Build, Water Gardens, Pondless Water Gardens, Storm Water Management, Landscape Design, Digital Imaging, Hardscape Renovation and Protection, Clean and Seal, Maintenance, Outdoor Kitchen and Fireplaces, Grading and Drainage, Fire Pits, Flagstone and Brick Patios, Walkways, and Walls, Natural Stone patios, walkways, and walls, OutdoorLiving Spaces, Interlocking Concrete Pavers, Brick and Paver Driveways, Patios, Walks, E.P. Henry Authorized Hardscape Contractor, EPHAC, Seal’n Lock, Techniseal Certified Applicator, ICPI Certified Installer, ICPI Authorized Instructor, Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers, PICP, Mulching, Spring Cleanup, Fall Cleanup, Consulting, Snow and Ice Management, SIMA, Holiday Lighting, Brite Idea Distributor. Areas served Kennett Square, Atglen, Avondale, Chadds Ford, Chatham, Chester Springs, Coatesville, Cochranville, Glen Mills, Kennett Sq., Landenberg, Lewisville, Linclon University, Mendenhall, New London, Nottingham, Oxford, Pocopson, Toughkenamon, Unionville, West Grove, Chester County, Hockessin, New Castle, Rockland, Wilmington, Yorklyn, Greenville. If you’re a homeowner aiming to have a landscaped front and backyard but without the necessary skills and expertise, it is best to hire an expert in landscape design. Landscape design is the design of outdoor structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and soil conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions that will produce the desired outcome. The scope of the profession includes landscape design; site planning; storm water management; environmental restoration; parks and recreation planning; visual resource management; green infrastructure planning and provision; and private estate and residence landscape master planning and design; all at varying scales of design, planning and management. Being a specialized field, landscaping can’t just be done helter-skelter. You have to consider the project site vis-à-vis the regions you are in. Therefore, local natural experts are recommended if it is done for the first time. This is because understanding the site is one of the main requisites for successful landscaping. Different natural features like terrain, topography, soil qualities, prevailing winds, depth of the frost line, and the system of native flora and fauna must be taken into account. Sometimes the land is not fit for landscaping. In order to landscape it, the land must be reshaped. This reshaping of land is called grading, a key feature in water garden grading and drainage. In effect, landscape design is a multi-disciplinary field that incorporates all aspects of botany, horticulture, the fine arts, architecture, industrial design, soil sciences, environmental psychology, geography, and ecology. Landscape designers work on structures and external spaces with limitations toward the landscape or park aspect of the design—large or small, urban, suburban and rural, and with “hard” (built) and “soft” (planted) materials, while integrating ecological sustainability. The most valuable contribution can be made at the first stage of a project to generate ideas with technical understanding and creative flair for the design, organization, and use of spaces. The landscape designer can conceive the overall concept and prepare the master plan, from which detailed design drawings and technical specifications are prepared. The landscaping contractor first makes a rough design and layout of what could be done with the land in order to achieve the desired outcome. Landscaping has become more technological than natural, as most projects require specialized equipment like bulldozers, lawnmowers, or chainsaws. Different areas have different qualities of plants. Some landscapers prefer to use mix gravel with rocks of varying sizes to add interest in large areas If you live in a particularly sunny or rainy climate that would necessitate shade or protection from the elements, you might consider an outdoor living room shelter into your design. |
Ross Causey
Ross, the President of Garden Square Landscaping, Inc., has enjoyed the design and build aspects of a landscape construction company here in Southern Chester County for 20 years. A member of the Kennett Square Lions Club, Ross gives back to the community. Ross attended the University of Delaware and is a member and certified installer of ICPI and NCMA. In addition to this as a certified instructor for both organizations he has the opportunity to instruct contractors, manufacturers, and distributors across the United States. Ross lives and works in Kennett Square with his wife and 2 children. Archives
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