Category: Landscape Challenges

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Getting Started with Big Tree Landscaping – A Short Guide

big tree landscaping - Country Springs Wholesale Nursery

Actual trees at our farm

The Iconic Big Trees

Big trees in the U.S. are most notably from California, where the redwood and sequoia trees are found. tunnel-treeSince their discovery during the Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century, big tree finds have spread throughout the world, particularly in the US and Europe, but also in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa and South America.

Interestingly enough, sequoias will reach a height of 30ft (10m) after one decade, and after 5 decades will usually reach a height of 130 ft (40m). Some of them can grow over 300 feet tall, as tall as a city skyscraper.

What Are The Requirements For Big Tree Landscaping?

The biggest trees are strong and hardy; they aren’t easily affected by insects or diseases. Because of this, they can live for many years.

However, big trees take many years to mature & the success of big tree landscaping depends a lot on the matching of the region’s climate to that of the tree family’s location. Oaks, maples, cypress, & cherry trees are examples of trees that fall into the category for our region.

So, you won’t grow the large tree you want within your lifetime if you are just now considering planting a seed.

Unless you use an already existing large tree…

How You Can Get Started With Big Tree Landscaping Now

Big tree sales create a feel of maturity when transplanting existing big trees into your landscape. This isbig-tree-landscaping-cypress the fastest method for big tree landscaping. A big tree nursery raises strong and healthy large trees for transplanting.

So, what are some of the benefits of big tree landscaping?

  • Privacy
  • Blocking noise
  • Blocking wind and shading the house can reduce heating and cooling utility bills
    A fully matured large tree can be worth anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 (small trees were found to have no effect on sales prices)
  • A big tree will give a newly built house the illusion of maturity and steadfastness with a large tree or two planted around it.
  • Underneath certain types of big trees is a good place to grow certain types of plants. The types of trees that don’t cut off all light to anything growing underneath are good candidates for this. Many plants that do well with partial sunlight or shade will grow very well under big trees. Ask your local nursery for advice about these “base” plantings.

Our farm has an excellent selection of mature trees which include Autum Blaze Maples, Pin Oaks, & Yoshino Cherry trees. You can view examples of these and others on our BIG TREES page.

There are many different factors to take into consideration with big tree landscaping. For more information on these other factors, check out this thorough article on the subject.

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Summer Plant Relocation: Essential Guidelines for Success

Summer Plant Relocation

Summer isn’t the best time to undertake plant relocation. The heat and sun angle are not plant friendly. However, there are times when the only option is to perform plant relocation during the summer. You can have success with plant relocation during any season by following these easy guidelines.

Plant Relocation Guidelines

  1. Water the plants to be dug and relocated at least a day before you plan to move them. This will make certain that hydration will reach all areas of the plant prior to the start of relocation.
  2. Dig and relocate only during cloudy days or in the evening when it is cooler.
  3. Prior to digging or removing the plant from its current location, be sure to water the base liberally. This will ensure that the soil will stay with the roots when it is removed from its current location.
  4. Do not expose the roots during plant relocation to wind, heat or sun. If relocating multiple plants, only work with one plant at a time. Do not remove multiple plants from their current location at the same time.Summer Plant Relocation Watering
  5. Water the intended plant relocation hole before moving.
  6. Put the relocated plant into the hole and pour water in until reaching half way point of the hole. The water will merge the root soil and the hole soil. After soak, finish filling hole with soil.
  7. Once the plant relocation is complete, you can tamp the soil but do so lightly.
  8. After the plant relocation is in place, water the entire plant again including the leaves.
  9. Keep the plant shielded from direct sunlight. A floating row cover or leaning a board between the plant and the direction of sun will work nicely. Do this step for 3-6 days.

Be sure to check on the plant relocation site every day for 2 weeks. Relocated plants will need watering at least once every day. If the plant is wilting give it water. Keep water the plant once or twice each day until it becomes established. If the plant has less roots than top growth or is very large, it will need more water.

This may seem to be an inordinate amount of attention, but the disturbance of being relocated is stressful to plants at any season. During the summer, taking extra caution is important to allow for the transition of your relocated plants.

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How Brilliant Landscaping will Increase Your Property Value Right Away

Landscape Property ValueIncrease Your Landscape Property Value Without Breaking a Sweat

Does landscaping increase property value? If horticultural studies are anything to go by, there can be as much as a 12% increase in property value from landscaping alone.

The value in a pleasing landscape is obvious. People want a weed-free lawn and attractive flower beds. When they host a family barbecue, they want to be proud and not embarrassed.

How to use Landscaping to Attract Buyers

The first thing that buyers will see is the outside of your house, so it must look as good as possible. Remember, a home that has a well maintained yard signals to buyers that the inside of the home is well maintained too.

To increase landscape property value and attract buyers, it is crucial to have a good landscaping plan in place before you do any actual landscaping. If you make landscaping decisions without looking at and knowing the big picture, the landscape will likely appear disorganized in the end, which will turn off prospective buyers.

A professional landscaper can provide you with clever designs that are suitable for your yard and climate.

If you don’t want to hire a professional, at least start by drawing up a master plan for the landscaping project and commit to small chunks each season. Even if you are an amateur, you can create a professional landscape for around $500 – $3000. Price factors include which landscaping company you choose as well as the plants and materials for the project.

Benefits of Landscape Property ValueLandscape Property Value Options

Speaking of plants, natural plants are worth the effort of planting. Native plants usually grow better than foreign, exotic plants. Healthy plants don’t need replacing as much, so you can save a lot of money as plants can be expensive.

The higher price you pay for plants is reasonable because landscaping will increase property value right away, and it is truly one of the few improvements that can do this. And the value will also increase over time; interior design and decor can go out of style, mechanical systems can wear out, but plants will grow and improve each year.

Finally, in case you aren’t experienced with gardening, gardening is fun and relaxing. It has been shown in studies to be a stress reliever. Therefore you will gain in health as well as increase your landscape property value.

Tips for Maintaining Plants

  • Do not let nature take its course. Do proper maintenance on the plants – they will be healthier and prettier.
  • The longevity of plants is a result of their health. Their roots must be healthy and unconfined. If there is a problem with the roots the plants will eventually show it.
  • When a shrub gets too big and bushy on the outside, the inside of the plant suffers, so make sure to keep them pruned.
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3 Benefits of Native Plants That Landscapers will Love

Benefits of Native Plants - Counytry Springs

Top 3 Secret Benefits of Native Plants That will Save You Time and Money

The benefits of native plants for landscapers are many. The benefits of using native plants for the environment are also great.
Native plants are plants that have lived in an environment for more than hundreds of years, without much human influence.
If you want your garden or backyard to look good all year round, you should consider the benefits of planting native plants.

Why not Foreign Plants?

Unfortunately, many people don’t know the benefits of planting native plants and instead plant invasive foreign plants.
Too many foreign, exotic plants contribute to less wildlife. This is because many species of wildlife are being threatened by habitat loss, which is being caused partly by the growing amount of foreign plants.

Native Plants Benefits

Planting native plants is the best thing for the environment and for landscapers as well.
Since domestic plants are so hardy, they tend to be slow growing at first, but after they have been established you can reap all of the benefits of having native plants in your yard.
Native plants will give your backyard or garden a more natural look without the maintenance and the costs. Learn why this is as we uncover 3 little known benefits of planting native plants.

Benefits of Native Plants Northern Virginia - Country Springs

1. Save Money, Time and Effort

Purchasing imported plants is more expensive (factor in the transportation costs). Imported plants also need more maintenance and more water.

You can conserve water by planting native plants. You only need to water them while they are getting established. They have existed for hundreds if not thousands of years in your environment, so they can survive on their own. Another benefit of native plants is that they are very drought resistant (due to their very deep roots).

With native plants there is less need for fertilizer and insecticides, they are easy to overwinter, and they are generally disease free.

With imported plants, if you miss one maintenance routine, the quality and look of the plant may wither.

2. Hidden Value

Many native plants are just as uniquely beautiful as foreign plants. They just aren’t as popular because they aren’t sold in nurseries as much as exotic foreign plants are.

Sadly, many Americans don’t get a chance to see the beautiful native plants because they aren’t as popular.

In fact, American tourists have visited other countries and been amazed at the beauty of their plants, only to realize later that they were plants native to America.

Here are a few more hidden benefits of native plants:

-cleaner air

-cleans the rainwater and runoff that goes into our aquifers

-stronger fragrance and aroma

3. Save the Wildlife

Native plants and trees have coevolved with native species for millions of years. Native species are fonder of plants and trees that are familiar to them. This is because the native species’ depend on the native plants for their survival.

By planting native plants, you can provide your local wildlife with their natural habitat.

Planting native plants in your yard will bring you many types of birds, butterflies, and bees (processes such as pollination are easier done with native plants).

In the end, you will enjoy reaping the benefits of native plants while ensuring the survival of many species, which is a win-win for you and the animals.

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Landscaping on Slopes – 7 Practical Ideas That Work

Why Beautiful Landscaping On Slopes Is Not Impossible

Landscaping on slopes is, as you can probably imagine, not so simple. Still, landscapers, contractors, and outdoor property management companies can help make their customers ideal visions a reality by implementing these key landscaping ideas for slopes.

The main problems you may encounter when landscaping slopes are:

  • Maintenance
  • Erosion
  • Lack of sunlight (or lack of shade)

The first thing to understand is that you should avoid planting anything on a steep slope that requires maintenance. This will save you the headache of trying to maintain plants on a steep hill, as well as significantly narrowing down your landscaping options.

Next, erosion is a factor that cannot be ignored. It can be a pervasive problem when landscaping on slopes. Choosing the right solutions to counteract erosion is essential.

Finally, you need to determine how much sunlight your slope is exposed to. Certain plants grow better with more sunlight and some grow better with less.

With these three things in mind, here are 7 practical ideas for landscaping on steep slopes.

Landscaping Ideas For Slopes In The Sun Or Shade

1.Shrubs – The root system of shrubs will anchor to the soil and slow water runoff, which is helpful during storms. There are many types of shrubs that can be used for landscaping on slopes. Some grow best in sun and some grow best in shade. Be sure to choose the right type of shrub for your slope.

2.Azaleas – Azaleas will give the landscaping on slopes a beautiful view, especially in the spring and early summer. They will also help counter erosion. Most azaleas can grow in sun or partial shade exposure, but it really depends on the type of azalea that is being sold in your area. Your local garden center will know the best kind of exposure for azaleas in your area.

3.Stair  Steps and Terraces – This option will take a lot of digging work. You may also need to add a retaining wall depending on how steep your slope is.

4.Rock Garden – If you have interesting looking rocks on your slope, you may want to consider turning your slope into a rock garden. If you go with a rock garden, you should consider growing some perennials and low growing vines to add texture.

Retaining Walls and Landscaping

Slope Landscaping In The Sun

5.Trees – Like shrubs, trees also have a root system that will anchor to the soil and slow water runoff.

6.Wildflowers – Wildflowers are beautiful and can give the landscape on slopes a very natural look. They also have the benefit of keeping the topsoil from eroding or washing away.

Slope Landscaping In The Shade

7.Ferns, Perennials and Low Growing Vines – For landscaping on shady slopes, consider these three options. They will help slow erosion by catching rainwater on their leaves, and their roots will help prevent soil from washing away.

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