Ron’s Best Landscaping Lessons for Vacation Homes & Rental Properties

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So many people choose the Hudson Valley for their vacation home because of the beauty, recreation, and great food the region offers. And, it is because of this popularity that many are also able to earn income from renting their properties to weekenders. All of these homeowners have a common interest – keeping up their landscaping when they are not on premise to watch over their property. 

Taking care of any landscape during times when no one is home for long periods of time or when those staying in the home have no stake in its equity can be demanding. The key to success begins with the choice of plantings. Here are some suggestions that are not only easy to maintain, but beautiful too:

Choose Native Plantings

Plants that are native to our region will require less water, fewer soil additives, and less maintenance to keep them looking their best. They also adapt better to the change in seasons. 

  1. Fill in with Groundcover

    There are many low-maintenance ground covers that never need mowing to look their best. In addition, ground covers retain moisture better and reduce weed growth. Many flower, as well.

  2. Choose Grasses & Perennials Instead of Annuals

    Perennials and grasses can withstand summer heat and drought better than annuals. And, they come back year-after-year so you don’t have to spend time planning your beds and planting each year.

  3. Build low maintenance patios and walkways

    A patio is a great solution for taking up a section of higher maintenance lawn while also giving your family or tenants an outdoor space to congregate, BBQ, and enjoy the outdoors. For a rental spaces or AirBnB, a patio will enhance the desirability of your property.  Flagstone and pavers require less maintenance and will last longer than a material such as concrete that tends to crack over time.

     

  4. Use Barrier Cloth for Weed Control

Laying down a barrier of fabric or biodegradable material will help keep weeds at bay. Cover it with a layer of mulch that will enhance the weed control and keep moisture in the soil.

Have questions? Call on Augustine to help you make the best decisions regarding your landscaping. We are here for you whether you just have a few questions or need us to plan and implement a low-maintenance landscape for you.

Mum’s The Word

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Fall is coming quickly. The leaves are turning but they are not the only plants that like to show off their bold colors in fall. Chrysanthemums, better known as mums are as popular a fall fixture as pumpkins.

Long after many flowers have lost their will to bloom, mums will keep their beauty going until the first frost. There are two types of mums – hardy mums and florist mums. Did you you know that hardy mums are perennials?

Many people just buy a potted mum in the fall and toss it away when its blooms are done. With a little care and know-how, you can overwinter mums and even propagate them, so that the mum you bought in the fall can keep brightening your garden year after year.

How to Care for Mums

Mums are bred to survive outdoors and can thrive in either pots or beds. They produce horizontal runners beneath the soil which helps to produce new plants

Mums like sunlight and require six or more hours per day. They also require rich, well-drained soil. If your soil is dense or contains clay, just add a good amount of compost and work it well into the soil. They also like plenty of water but soaking them can cause disease. To help them winter over, plant them before the first frost and cover them with plenty of mulch after the blooms are gone. Mums like plenty of space, so in the spring once you are certain all frosts have passed, dig up the entire plant and divide it. Pinching off the growth at the top of the stems, even when new growth is coming will bring stronger stems and thicker flowers.

How to Pick Mums that Last

Human nature drives us to pick the plants that are already bursting with color. However, if you pick ones that are full of lush green foliage and lots of buds, they will last much longer.

(Photo by Alex Martin from Pexels)

Your Garden and Yard is Good for Your Health

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The lengthy COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of upset and anxiety in people’s lives. Social distancing, isolation, disruptions in work and schooling, and financial issues are wearing on us all. Did you know that there’s a well-documented treatment that can be had by simply walking out your door?

It’s not a new concept that time spent outdoors helps people manage stress and anxiety. The boost of Vitamin D from the sun helps our bodies function more efficiently and the increase in serotonin levels from being with nature promotes calm and reduces stress. This makes landscaping and gardening Mother Nature’s best defense against stress.

Healthy Body

In addition, doing yardwork and gardening is a full-body workout. It helps strengthen arms and legs, keeps your joints supple, and improves heart health. The added bonus is that it will spark your creativity as you think about colors and textures and layouts.

Healthy Mind

Whether raking leaves, weeding flowerbeds, or tending to vegetables, gardening is an effective way to practice mindfulness. Engaging fully in the task at hand, noticing the color combinations and the smell of the earth is good for your well-being.

Getting Started or Expanding

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or want to start to experiment, the beauty of gardening is that you can start small or go big. Beautiful landscaping not only protects your yard against erosion and other detriments, but protects your yard as a valuable asset. Start at a level you can handle and add on in increments.

Professionals Provide the Best Advice

To get the most out of your landscaping projects, work with a professional like us. We’re all in this together. Don’t think of us as an added expense at a time when finances could be tight. Think of us as a valuable resource that can help you best manage the budget you have and provide information and the healthy plantings to make your efforts and investment a success. Whether you’re looking to plant a big shade tree, add some shrubs, or put a border bed around your patio, we can point you to the best plantings for your yard.

Augustine Nursery is a family-owned and run business. We stand ready to help as little or as much as you need and want. And, we’ve instituted practices that protect your family during this pandemic.

So don’t hesitate to get out there to reap all the benefits of improving the beauty and function of your landscape.

We’re closely following all current OSHA & CDC protocols to help keep our workers and clients safe and healthy. So let’s all get out there, get back to the earth space of your own yard, and reap all the benefits of working out in nature.

 

Landscaping Inspiration from Public Gardens

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It’s a stay at home kind of summer and as such, it’s impossible not to spend more time trying to match our actual surroundings to our dream ones. Now that the Mid-Hudson Valley region is opening up to more activity, there are many public gardens of note right in our own backyards, so to speak, that can provide us with the education and inspiration to upgrade our own properties.

Public gardens, while planted on a grand scale, are full of ideas that can be scaled down to our own yards. They are full of beautiful trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, rock formations, and water features that can show us what colors, smells, styles, or placements appeal to us. And because these public gardens are in the same growing zone as we are, these same plants can thrive in your yard too.

So pack up your mask and a bottle of water for your own hydration. Don’t forget to social distance. And take lots of photos that you can then bring on in to us, so we can help you realize your dream landscape.

Here are some of the open Hudson Valley gardens we love:

Innisfree Gardens, Millbrook – Recognized as one of the ten best gardens of the world, Innisfree is an incredible strolling garden with wonderful rock formations, water, trees, and sky. Advance reservations for timed admission are required at this time to maintain social distancing on this 185-acre garden.

Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie – A surprising combination of perennial and vegetable gardens, sunny meadows, and shady groves of stately trees. Masks and social distancing required.

Montgomery Place, Rhinebeck –  A mix of formal gardens, manicured lawns, farmlands, orchards, and 235 acres of woodlands that run from the Hudson River to River Road. Great vistas of the Catskill Mountains, the river, and Sawkill’s lower falls.

Wethersfield Garden, Amenia – A formal Italian Renaissance garden with extraordinary views of the Hudson. It is comprised of grassy courtyards with neatly trimmed paths, hedges, stone stairways, and statues that lead you from one ‘room’ to another. The garden is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Masks and social distancing is required.

 

What Color is Your Garden?

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Color is one of the basic considerations in landscape design. Aside from using color theory to guide choices, the colors in your yard is also a creative expression that gardeners love to explore. Just like your home’s inner décor or the clothes you pick out in the morning to wear, you rely on color choices to tie your look together. 

Too often, homeowners treat their gardens differently, thinking the more colors, the better. But, gardens with too much variety can look cluttered and disorganized. Sticking to a color scheme will give your garden a more balanced look. 

Mood

Color has an immediate impact on the mood of your garden. Decide on the energy you want to convey. Your choices can evoke a calm feeling or can energize the environment. Feelings of tranquility and calm, keep the color palette cool and contrasts to a minimum. Blues and purples accomplish this nicely. For a vibrant, energized garden, use warm tones and higher contrasts. Try an array of reds and yellows.

Color Wheel Combos

Analagous – These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These will be low contrast and will blend in with each other, creating a pleasing harmony.

Complementary – These are two colors on opposite sides of each other on the color wheel like purple and yellow or orange and blue. Complementary colors add ‘pop’ to your garden.

Complex – This is a set of analogous colors plus its complementary color. This gives you many more choices without creating a garden that looks unplanned or chaotic. 

What About White?

Just because white isn’t on the color wheel doesn’t mean it can’t have a place in your garden. White is actually the absence of color and you can use it with any color scheme. It will bring accentuate the color of any color you pair it with. And, it looks beautiful in an all white garden too.

Making Choices

Start with one color – your favorite color. This can be your main color and experiment from there. And here are a few ways to add in many colors in case you can’t choose:

  • Make separate but deliberate color beds on all four sides of your house.
  • Use the times of the season when flowers bloom to change colors. Yellow in early spring can highlight daffodils and forsythia. As those flowers fade in May, the red peonies and roses are coming into bloom. By July and August, your garden can be a peaceful array of blue hydrangea, and blue and white daisies.

The best way to approach color in the garden is to just have fun with it and create an inviting and lovely ensemble. Our new arrivals are inspirational. And take a look at some of the residential environments Augustine has created.

Edible Landscaping

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When you look up and down your street what you mostly see are manicured lawns sprinkled with a shade tree and a few flower beds. As homeowners, we take this sight for granted – is there any other kind of landscaping?

Using food plants as part of a decorative landscape is not new. Medieval monasteries planted a wonderful mix of vegetables, flowers, fruits and medicinal herbs and English yards often combined edible and decorative plants together.

Edible landscaping can involve planting anything from full-size fruit trees to ornamental lettuces and can range from small window boxes filled with herbs to whole fields as orchards and everything in between. There are so many ways to incorporate food plants into your landscape. And, edible plants live nicely side-by-side with ornamental plants.

It all comes down to choosing the right edibles for your space and desires.

Fruit

Many people already have a fruit tree or two in their yard. That’s not so unusual.  But consider a strawberry patch planted in a sunny spot. It can produce delicious berries for years to come. Blueberry bushes, currants, gooseberries or bush cherries are wonderful alternatives to the regular variety of ornamental shrubs.

Herbs

Herbs are the most common type of edible garden. Annual and perennial herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano, sage, thyme, and lavender, among many other choices add not only a wonderful array of tastes to your meals, but are beautiful flowering plants, as well. They are easy to grow as they do well in poor soil with little water and thrive in both in-ground gardens and patio pots. Another benefit is that most animals will not eat them.

Flowers

Eating our flowers does not seem natural, but there are so many varieties that add such beauty to your yard as well as to your salad. Try growing nasturtiums, violas, pansies, borage, and calendula.

Perennial Vegetables

A few vegetables, such as rhubarb, asparagus, and Jerusalem artichoke keep coming back year after year, saving you the need to replant. Asparagus, for one, likes to spread, so you can provide all your neighbors with plants for them to enjoy.

Vining Vegetables

Delicious vegetables like scarlet runner beans, peas, squash, and cucumber are wonderful to grow on a trellis, if you aren’t into garden beds. And, they are as wonderful to look at as they are to harvest and eat.

When you garden with edibles, every hour you spend on yardwork becomes ever more valuable as you harvest and incorporate these edibles into your meals. There’s nothing like running outside to pick a few herbs or vegetables right off the vine to add to dinner.

We are Open!

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Staying at home does not mean staying indoors. Your outdoor spaces need you more than ever and Augustine is here to help.  Our good fortune of being able to stay in operation can be your good fortune too. Spring is here.

Give us a call and tell us what you need. We’ll have it ready and waiting for you when you arrive or delivered to your door.

Landscaping in February for Fanatics

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No, this isn’t a joke. Most homeowners understand that there are always chores to be done in the yard. But, not many except the diehard venture out to actually do them in the cold. Luckily, our winter has been a bit on the warm side, so those who feel compelled to work can do it in a bit of comfort.

The big news is that Punxatawney Phil says winter is on the wane. So, throw on a coat, boots, and gloves; slap on the chapstick and let’s get started.

Deciduous Trees

Winter is the ideal time to prune deciduous trees because the loss of leaves allows you to really see their structure and shape. It’s easier to tell which branches are growing in what direction. This dormant time is also the dormant time for insects and diseases attracted to fresh cut branches.

Shrubs

Hedges, summer blooming shrubs, grapes, and raspberries canes like to be pruned this time of year too. Get rid of all deadwood and suckers. And, if you’re feeling creative, it’s the best time to design topiary shapes.

Trellises & Arbors

If you have trellises and arbors the lack of growth will let you better see if repairs are needed. The lack of foliage also lets you see if your garden would benefit from a trellis.

Wildlife – If you love gardening, I assume you also love those creatures that add charm, song, and life to our outdoor hours. Birds and other small critters need extra nutrition to survive the cold weather. High fat foods are best.

Garage & Shed

Most gardeners are also putterers. Well now’s the time to reorganize pots, take stock of tool needs, declutter, and set yourself up for spring.

Catalog Shopping

Planning and shopping is a great way for garden enthusiasts to pull themselves out from winter lows. Go through those catalogs and reward yourself with some new garden tools and accessories. There are so many new and nifty gadgets to make gardening and landscaping easier.

Follow Augustine on Instagram – We always have images of new arrivals and posts to whet your landscaping appetite and feed your imagination. Find us @augustine.nursery. Remember, we’re your best resource. Hit us up anytime with questions.

10 New Year’s Resolutions for the Best Hudson Valley Backyards

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While New Years is a time of resolutions, rarely do they include resolutions for our backyard spaces. But, why not? The backyard resolutions we can make now will have a positive impact on our desire to spend more time outdoors with the people most important to us, improve our overall health and wellness, improve the environment, and increase the value of our home. 

Here are some backyard resolution ideas waiting for you to spring into action when spring arrives.

  1. Welcome Wildlife – Bees, butterflies, and birds are all experiencing declining populations as healthy habitats are harder to find. Plant a small pollinator garden. They’re colorful, beautiful, easily doable, and the you’ll get a lot of enjoyment from the burst of life you’ll experience all summer long.

  2. Lessen Fossil Fuels By Going Electric – The array of efficient battery operated tools, from lawn mowers and leaf blowers to chain saws and clippers, will save on gas as well as noise.

  3. Cut Grass To The Proper Height – Your grass will grow stronger and healthier when you cut it to its proper height. The optimal height for grass is 2 ½ inches and you should only be clipping off the top 1/3 of the grass blade. Therefore, the best time to mow is when your lawn is 3 2/3 inches high.

  4. Conserve Water – Conserving water doesn’t mean your plants need to go thirsty. There are several ways to go like installing an irrigation system, using a timer, or purchasing a rain barrel or two. Don’t overlook the option of planting more native plants. They need less as they are adapted to our climate.

  5. Install a Bat House – Bats will rid your yard of bugs and mosquitos that make spending time outdoors less enjoyable. Some of the bugs they eat are also saving your flowers and shrubs from damaging insects.

  6. Plant a Tree for Planet Earth – Reduce your carbon foot print while upgrading the look of your landscaping by planting a large tree. Why wait a decade for shade or the majesty of that mature landscape look?

  7. Recycle your Grass Clipping – Leave your grass clipping where they lie instead of bagging them. They work as a natural mulch and will provide your lawn with nutrients as they decompose.

  8. Create a Special Spot for Fido – If you have a dog, you can create a small area with mulch or gravel for them to do their business. This will eliminate all those urine spots in the lawn.

  9. Bring the Family Together with a Fire Pit – Embark on a small hardscape project to install a fire pit surrounded by some Adirondack chairs and enjoy some family fun with s’mores. Spending more time outdoors with the family is what summer days are made for.

  10. Add Some New Color to Your landscape – Color wakes up our senses, and the choices are endless. Blue hydrangeas, bright and sunny yellow daffodils, red roses, or purple irises. What’s your favorite color?

 

Plan for Summer in Winter

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When the days get short and the temperatures turn cold, there’s one great thing you can do for your yard – plan out your one big project for the spring.

Just like the inside of your home, your yard needs continual updates as well. As we begin to take stock of the yard from the windows of our warm home, dreams of summer draws the mind to what would make our yards the perfect entertainment place or more secluded hideaway. Laying plans now for larger outdoor projects allow for both figuring out priorities and budgets.

Here are some popular yard projects Augustine has experience with:

  • Plant a large mature tree or two: Planting a mature tree instead of a sapling provides multiple benefits to your yard. It adds instant curb appeal, can decrease the amount of heat and air conditioning you use by providing shelter from the sun in summer and cutting down the wind in winter. Trees can also aid drainage problems by soaking up storm water. A properly sited tree can increase the value of your property by up to 20%.
  • Build or update a patio: More and more people consider their backyard an outdoor living space. And as such, want to create an environment with amenities like outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and beautiful lounge areas.
  • Add some stonework: Stone paths, a wall, or a few large stones set for effect adds elegance and is a durable, long lasting and low maintenance element all year round. Stone paths create the ideal way to connect different areas of your landscape.
  • Illuminate your yard: Landscape lighting is a burglar deterrent, adds safety for those walking up your drive, and highlights your home’s architectural features.
  • Increase privacy: Evergreen trees with dense foliage will add both privacy and a noise buffer to your property. 

Investing in your landscape puts your home in its best light and gives you and your family an outdoor space in which to have summer fun. Don’t let spring creep up on you and leave you unprepared. Plan that landscape project now and give yourself something to look forward to when the cold winter comes to an end.

Landscaping From the Couch—A Winter Guide for Garden Owners

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Winter can be a frustrating time for yard enthusiasts who have a hard time waiting for spring to return. Winter is an ideal time to imagine all your yard can be and to map out a plan. While you can’t actually get your hands dirty in December, you can do so virtually.

There are a number of landscape design apps for homeowners that let you create a digital layout of your landscape so you can see what a new flowerbed might look like, fencing, pathways, and more. And even if you plan to hire a professional to help you do the work, the designs you create will help any pro better understand what you want to accomplish. Use the winter months to book a landscape design consultation with Ronnie Augustine to get his expert advice.

Landscape Design Apps for Homeowners

PRO Landscape Home

PRO Landscape HOme

With a very high App Store rating, this tool allows you to redesign your entire landscape. You start with a photo of your yard, then add plants, trees, and man-made features like paths and patios. You can search for plants by climate zone and even add furniture. Once your design is complete, you can share it on social media and get feedback from friends. The app is free, but there is an extensive image library that is an add-on for $14.99 that gives you nearly infinite choices.

Garden Designer

This app is better for simpler designs. It allows you to place the plan you create directly onto your photos of the space. It has an extensive library, allows you to drag and drop items, and also lets you resize things like fences and paving.

iscape

Iscape also has a free and paid for version. And, you can test out the full version before you buy it. This tool has a texture tool that lets you see a more realistic rendition of grass, mulch, pavers and stones. They have an elite version that is targeted to professional landscapers.

So don’t fret those gray skies and chilly temperatures. Light a fire in your fireplace and let these apps inspire your spring spruce-up projects now.

Leaving Your Falling Leaves Alone

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We are in full leaf falling season and the perennial question of “To rake or not to rake” is once again upon us. Leaf clean up is a big deal in our neck of the woods. And, there are a growing number of people who believe leaves are better left where they lie. Most people rake their leaves because they were taught that leaves suffocate the lawn. They also don’t want to put up with the upset of their neighbors who do keep their lawns completely free of leaves. Yet, the activity of raking leaves make most people feel like Sisyphus with his boulder. Which faction is correct?

The Reasons to Leave Your Leaves on the Lawn

  • By removing the leaves year after year, you are removing vital nutrients from your lawn. Most people are unaware that there are beneficial fungi that thrive from decomposing leaf matter in the lawn. One of these fungi call Mycorrhizal fungi thrive on decomposing plant matter, helping to exchange nutrients and fight off other harmful fungi and bacteria.
  • Leaves form a natural mulch that helps suppress weeds.
  • The gas-powered leaf blowers that most homeowners user are not only noisy, but their emissions are terrible for the environment.
  • Some animal species in our area such as turtles, chipmunks, and earthworms rely on leaf layers for insulation against the winter weather.

The Reasons to Rake Your Leaves Up

  • If you leave lots of leaves on your lawn over winter, in spring the decomposing leaves will block the light, making it harder for the new grass to grow.
  • Bugs like gnats will flourish in wet decomposing leaves. As will many molds and fungi, some of which may be harmful to your lawn or the plants in your landscape.
  • When you go to clean up leaves in spring, they are no longer easily raked up.
  • Your neighbors will appreciate your tidy lawn.

The Best of Both Worlds

Instead of raking the leaves, here are two alternatives to please both nature and neighbor lovers.

  • Mow leaves in place. When the leaves become dry and crunchy do your last mow of the season. This both makes them less conspicuous on your lawn and ensures that you won’t have deep leaf areas that will harm your lawn in the spring. It’s an environmentally friendlier way to leave leaves on the lawn for healthier spring growth.
  • If you have an abundance of leaves and want to look less unkempt for the neighbors, spread those mulched leaves over your flower and vegetable beds or around trees to build soil fertility and inhibit spring weeds.