What do we mean by ground cover? Perennial (often evergreen), low growing, spreading plants that hug the ground from just above soil level to around 18″ high.  Ground covers offer an eco-friendly alternative to lawn or mulch while preventing weeds and erosion. These plants provide versatile, creeping solutions for pathways, slopes, and perennial borders. They slowly carpet the soil. Free-standing plants (sedge, heuchera, ferns, etc..) can also be used as ground covers when de

Container gardening is fun, easy and rewarding with several creative possibilities. It’s the perfect way to exercise your green thumb whether you live in a house with a yard, a patio, or a condo with a balcony. Use pots for plant containers filled with lush color and fascinating texture.   Place pots of color by your front door, hang baskets of blooms from the balcony, or fill a window box to enjoy outside your kitchen window.   Create a container garden by choosing pots with

In Fremont, as well as the surrounding Bay Area, we live in a fairly dry climate. While our temperatures are considered moderate, we typically run warm to hot comparatively speaking. This means the best time to water a lawn is at dusk, after the evening sun has gone down. This gives the water an opportunity to do its work throughout the night and soak deeper. In other parts of the country where the climate is more humid, they water in the morning to avoid the buildup of mold

Plant trees by digging a shallow, wide hole (2-3x root ball width) and placing the root flare slightly above ground level. Key care includes regular watering, especially for the first 3 months, and applying mulch to retain moisture. Water deeply to reach the root ball, rather than frequently in small amounts.   The best way to water trees is to apply water slowly and deeply to the soil, so the water collects below the root ball and helps the roots to grow downward. Watering t

Attracting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds to your landscape enhances biodiversity, increases fruit and vegetable yields, and creates a healthier, self-sustaining ecosystem. Pollinators improve plant quality and support local wildlife, leading to a more vibrant and natural garden environment.   Benefits Pollinators Provide Increased yield and better food quality: Pollinators are essential for fertilizing plants, leading to higher yields of fruits, vegetables, an

Bats provide significant benefits to a garden ecosystem by offering natural pest control, acting as pollinators, and producing high-quality, organic fertilizer. A healthy, diverse population of bats in your area is a strong indicator of a balanced and healthy local ecosystem. Their presence suggests good quality, wildlife-friendly environmental conditions.   Most bats in the United States are insectivores, meaning of course that they eat insects. They are natural predators of

If you’re looking for a manageable weekend project, building a birdhouse is a great option. My son and I made a few for Mother’s Day gifts one year while he was in the Cub Scouts. Not only is this project great for kids (or grandkids), but a birdhouse is a great addition to your backyard for bird watching, helping to assist our ecosystem.   Why Have a Birdhouse? Whether you’re interested in all kinds of birds or have a specific bird in mind, a birdhouse is great for both bird

Creating a thriving garden is about more than just planting flowers and shrubs. It's also about fostering a healthy ecosystem. One of the best ways to do this is by attracting beneficial insects. These tiny allies can help keep pest populations in check, ensuring your garden remains vibrant and healthy. Why Beneficial Insects Matter A diverse garden supports various beneficial insects, including lacewings, ladybugs, and dustywings. These insects are nature's pest controllers.

Nothing is more delightful than walking out into a beautiful garden that comes to life with an array of butterflies. If this hasn’t been a successful strategy in your garden so far, this quarter's newsletter should help you invite butterflies to visit now and for many seasons to come. Designing Your Butterfly Garden When getting started with the design of your butterfly garden, the placement of butterfly-friendly plants is key. Female butterflies will lay their eggs on or nea

As is discussed in our blog A Well-Balanced Landscape is Important , a fair arrangement of softscape, hardscape, waterscape, nightscape...

Keeping a small flock of chickens in your backyard has many benefits. By getting eggs from your own chickens, you avoid supporting...

Introducing a birdbath or garden statuary into your landscape can be both fun and interesting. Whether you are dealing with a smaller...

The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with the...

You may have noticed. Since the end of the drought a couple years ago, each rainy season has resulted in an ever increasing, more vibrant...

It’s that time of year again. Those of us who have the time and inclination are preparing for our gardens. What’s almost universal in...

If you haven’t heard of Little Free Libraries before, it is a neighborhood book exchange where anyone is encouraged to take a book or...

The AquaBasin™ provides a more natural-like water flow and look than a fountain does, because the water seemingly disappears into the...

For the past five years or so, we have been running into clients who present us with designs they bought online for their landscaping projects. They call us searching for an installing contractor. We seldom have good news for them.     Before you pay for an online landscape design, please allow us to caution you about what you are buying. You are undoubtedly being over-charged. Any so-called design can only be used for inspiration (so can a free photograph!). These “designs”

Some flowers require acidic soil to thrive, and when they get it, tend to reward us with a pleasant fragrance. However, before we dig...

Gophers are small burrowing pesky rodents. Everyone knows that. Like anything else, they’re also a beneficial part of the ecosystem. They...