How to Add Color to Your Fall and Winter Landscapes

Professional Fall Landscaping in Westchester County, NY Bring Your Home to Life

flowers and mulch installation Landwork Contractors

Just because the weather is turning grey, it doesn’t mean your home has to go grey too. Make your business or home look bright and inviting with these fall landscape design tricks!

Make Your Mulch Sing!

Mulch is a superhero for your plants. It provides extra warmth for your soil, protects against frost, and even fights off disease. Mulch also comes in a wide range of colors, so it is the perfect way to add color to drab autumn landscapes. Choose dark mulches to make bright colors pop or choose brightly colored mulches against evergreens. Talk to your trusted landscapers in Westchester County, NY, to help you create a design you’ll love. 

Go For the Gusto with Ornamentals!

Texture and vibrant shades of color are great additions to any landscape. Luckily, ornamental grasses and shrubs pack a double punch of drama to dull landscapes. These incredible plants also help defend your home and soil against erosion issues. Consider options like:

custom flower beds with rocks and mulch
  • Indian Grass
  • Blue Fescue
  • Tufted Hairgrass
  • White Sage
  • Boxwoods
  • Ilex 
  • Switch Grass 

Invest in Evergreens and Tree Installations

The slightly warmer soil temperatures and cooler days of fall are the perfect time for installing trees in your design. Trees also provide a barrier against the harsh wind and weather of winter. When you choose an evergreen installation, you also get incredible, vibrant colors season after season. Some of our favorite evergreens include:

  • Japanese Cedar
  • Douglas Fir
  • Blue Spruce
  • Douglas Fir
  • Balsam Fir
  • Boxwood Trees
custom designed stone walkway and steps

Mums, Mums, Mums

Fall isn’t the same without bunches of beautiful, bright mums. You can add some outdoor planters on your stoop for a quick transformation. Another option is adding alternating rows of your favorite colored mums in your garden for fresh blooms through fall. 

Play with Harvest Displays

Just in time for the fall holidays, consider putting in a fun harvest display. You can design one yourself or talk to an expert landscape design in Westchester County, NY. Think about adding some of these touches to your display:

  • Wheat
  • Cornucopias
  • Indian Corn
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Berries
  • Haybales
  • Autumn Leaves

Whatever your style, the team at Landwork Contractors is here to help you kick up the color for fall. Our landscape designers will help you choose the perfect plants and colors to brighten up your home or business this fall. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We’re always ready to make your dreams come to life!

How to Add Color to Your Fall Landscape

Professional Landscape Designs in Westchester County, NY

custom unilock stone patio

Many people completely skip the autumn planting season. They leave their homes and businesses looking drab during one of the most beautiful times of the year.  As you plan your autumn landscape design, here are a few ways you can add some color to your landscaping. 

Mulch

The crisp weather and increased rainfall of autumn months are the perfect time to refresh your mulch beds. Choose a bright, bold color when you add new mulch into your favorite gardens to create extra color. Or, you can go with a darker brown or even black to make your evergreens and shrubs pop. 

Create a Carpet of Ground Cover

Perennials like Creeping Phlox, Creeping Thyme, and Goldenrod are excellent ground cover choices for creating lush, vivid colors in your landscape. Wether its at home or part of your grounds maintenance at your office, these vibrant plants will bring your designs alive. You can even place them over retaining walls, in between stepping stones, or within garden beds. Here are a few more groundcover plants to choose from:

  • Meadow Sage
  • Virginia Sweetspire
  • Cora Bells
  • Juniper
  • Catmint
  • White Heath Aster
unilock stone wall westchester project

Include Colorful Shrubs and Ornamental Grasses

A beautiful landscape needs to have a variety of colors and textures. Shrubs and ornamental grasses that will bring your landscape to lisses provide both. They can also help slow erosion in your gardens. Here are a few options for shrubs and fe. 

  • Viburnum
  • Oakleaf Hydrangea
  • Beautyberry
  • Winterberry
  • Foxtail Grass
  • Purple Fountain Grass
  • Big Bluestem
  • Feather Reed

Create a Mixture of Perennials and Annuals

Create color zones with a mix of both perennials and annuals for year-round interest, or mix them up together. Either way, be sure to vary your bloomers and dormant flowers to continue color throughout fall and winter. Some options to consider are:

beautiful Perennials
  • Russian Sage
  • Mums
  • Dianthus
  • Snapdragons
  • Asters
  • Marigolds
  • Black-eyed Susans

Invest in Trees

Trees are a great option to add to your landscape almost any time. The warm soil and lower temperatures of autumn are one of the best times to add trees to your landscape. If you’re looking for trees that will brighten up your landscape, the options are almost endless. You can go with traditional evergreens or choose trees with gorgeous, color-changing leaves. Here are some of our favorites. 

  • Washington Hawthorn
  • Dogwood
  • Japanese Maple
  • Paperbark Maple
  • Chinese Red Birch
  • Cypress
  • Spruce 

Looking for more ideas for your autumn landscape design? Ask the experts at Landwork Contractors. We’re here to help you create the perfect design for your landscaping all year long. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online today. We can’t wait to help you make your design dreams come true.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late, Start Spring Planning Now!

Professional Landscaping in Westchester NY Revitalize Homes with Spring Garden Designs

February is spring planning time. As the frost thaws, new plants begin to take root. If you wait too long, you might miss the opportunity to put your spring design plans into action. The team at Landwork Contractors are experts at providing every type of service you need to completely renew and revive your landscaping. These include:

big brick house with nice green grass
  • Stair and Step Installations
  • Spring Plantings
  • Fruit Tree Installations
  • Landscape Construction
  • Walkways
  • Patios
  • Sod Installations
  • Mulch Beds
  • Irrigation Improvements
  • And Much More

If you’re looking to remodel your yard or simply refresh your perennials and annuals, we have the experts you need to succeed. Here are just a few of our tips for your spring designs.

sod installation
  1. Plan Early- Make sure you are ready for spring by planning early and getting your design just right. Landwork Contractors partners with Unilock to provide state of the art 3D CAD technology that allows you to see your design in place before you start planting.
  2. Bulbs Add Color- There’s nothing like the striking color of bulb flowers. Fall is the optimal season to plant most bulbs. If you missed the opportunity to plant your bulbs in the autumn months, don’t worry. There are still many beautiful bulbs that can be implanted in February and early March.
  3. Mulch Freshens Up Landscaping- After a long, cold winter, it’s a great idea to refresh your mulch. Mulch beds can protect your soil, keep your plants healthy and give your home a pop of color. Professional Landscapers in Westchester, NY can refresh your mulch beds and make your landscaping look brand new.
  4. Revive your Lawn with Sod Installations-Adding a layer of sod to your lawn will make your landscaping look healthier and more vibrant. Our team of landscape experts provides long-lasting sod installations to fit your home or office needs. Your lawn will look better than ever before.
  5. Foundation Plantings- Adding foundation plants help frame your home. These plants can also strategically hide unsightly drains, foundation blocks, and wiring. They can also protect against erosion issues and provide privacy and security to your home.  Think about bushes, low lying ornamental grasses, and evergreens that can be planted near your home.

Renew Your Home with Spring Plantings Before It’s Too Late

Spring designs take time to prepare, plan, and implement. Get your home ready for beautiful blooms and fragrant blossoms by starting your landscape design plans now. Landwork Contractors is here to take all the pressure and hard work out of your hands. Our design teams will work with you to complete your vision and keep it blooming. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make your appointment online. We’ll turn your landscaping into a garden masterpiece.

Start Your New Year Right with New Designs

2019 Top Trends for Landscape Design

stone steps and walkway

The beginning of a new year is a perfect time for a fresh start. All those landscaping plans and dreams you put off last year can start to take shape with a new year. Finding the right style for your home, can get a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, Landwork Contractors keeps an eye on all the top trends and techniques for landscape design and hardscape design. We’ll help you pick the design that works best with your style and the natural terrain of your home or office. Here are some of the top trends for 2019!

  • Grown Up Play Spaces- Growing up doesn’t have to mean you’ve forgotten how to have fun. Outdoor entertainment spaces have become extremely popular and help to add value to your home. Imagine outdoor areas that feel like an extension of your house. Picture yourself sitting under the stars after a long day at work, enjoying pizza you’re your own pizza oven or a glass of wine you’re your own bar. From outdoor kitchens to fire pits, Landwork Contractors have the experience to make these dreams a reality.
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  • Japanese Inspired Landscapes- Mirroring the style of Japanese design in landscaping remains a top trend year after year. The simple beauty and balanced design make any backyard a soothing retreat. To get this look you can add gently curving walkways and water features to any space. Plant evergreens, flowering fruit trees, and Japanese Maple trees to create beautiful colors all year round. The best thing about this design is that it can easily adapt to any size or environment.
  • Play with Textures- Combining different textures in your landscaping and hardscaping looks to be one of the biggest trends of 2019. Consider adding special pavers to your worn down pathway. Put in mulch best with different types of shrubs, bushes, and trees. The textured look is easy and comes with endless possibilities.
  • BOHO- Free-spirited and natural, Boho style combines the vibrancy of flower-child esthetic with relaxed sophistication. Choose lush plants and vibrant colors with a Moroccan flair to make your yard feel like a Bohemian getaway. Consider adding unique walkways and stone gardens for an even cleaner look.
  • Mediterranean Dreams- Another popular design that doesn’t go out of style is the Mediterranean retreat. Think spa retreat with an understated feel and lush plants. Add ornamental grasses, lavender, and terra cotta pots to your favorite spot in the yard to make your home feel romantic. Considered tiered fountain water features and comfortable seating near pools and gardens.

Make Your Landscaping Dreams Come True in 2019

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Find the style and design you love when you work with the experts at Landwork Contractors. We use only the best materials and techniques as Unilock Authorized Contractors. Call us today at 914-479-2537. Or make your appointment online. We’re ready to customize the perfect landscape design plan to bring out the best in you home.

Firewood and Fireplace Safety Tips for a Cozy, Warm Winter

Professionals Provide Seasoned Cords of Wood to Keep Your Home-Fires Burning

fire pit from stoneWinchester winters can chill you right to the bone. From your fireplace to your outdoor fire pit, coming home to a nice warm fire can be the perfect end to the day. However, if you choose the wrong wood or don’t follow fire safety, your relaxing could turn into a stressful mess. The team at Landwork Contractors has compiled a list of safety tips to keep your fire roaring without the stress.

  • Know How to Spot Bad Wood- You can’t just throw any wood on the fire. Certain kinds of woods can be damaging to your home, your health, and the environment. Avoid the following wood.
  • Wet Wood-When you place a wet log in the fire, your fire will need to use more energy before the wood can create warmth. As the wood dries out it causes more smoke. Smoke and ash cause creosote to build-up in your chimney, damaging the brick and creating a dangerous fire hazard in your home. Wet wood can also contain mold, adding another health hazard to your home.
  • Old Furniture or Construction Materials- You should never burn wood from old furniture or treated for construction purposes. This wood contains certain chemicals to help the wood withstand weathering. When you burn this wood, it will release those chemicals into the air, creating a dangerous health issue. Never burn this type of wood in your fireplace or fire pit.
  • Christmas Trees- Never, never burn a Christmas Tree in your fireplace. Christmas trees dry out quickly, so they can burst into flames and spread out of control quickly.
  • Fresh Wood- If you’re enjoying your fire pit, don’t just put the nearest wood into your fire. Using freshly cut wood seems like a good idea, but it is basically the same as using wet wood. You’ll have the same issues without the benefits you get from using properly seasoned wood.
  • stone fire placeOnly Use Properly Seasoned Wood- When you are looking for cords of wood, make sure you use properly seasoned wood. What is seasoned wood? It is wood that has been carefully dried and cut in preparation for burning. This will save you from health issues, fire hazards, and more.
  • Store Your Wood Properly- How you are storing your wood could put you in danger. Firewood should not be stored to close to fires or in damp areas. Firewood that is placed too close to a fireplace or fire pit can suddenly catch fire from flying sparks or embers. Damp areas can grow mold in the wood. Placing your firewood outside and close to the house can encourage termites. The lawn maintenance experts at Landwork Contractors can help you stack your wood in a safe place.
  • Use Only Fireplace Tools for Tending Fires- Using the wrong tools to stoke the flames in your fire can put you in danger. Fireplace tools are specially crafted and treated to deal with hot logs and embers. If you try to use whatever you have lying around the house, you’re setting yourself up for a house fire.
  • Keep Extinguishers Handy- If you own a fireplace, you should make sure to keep your extinguishers in sight. Make sure every family member and any guests know where the extinguishers are and how to use them.

Have a Safe, Cozy Winter with Fire Cord Bundles

Cozying up to the fireplace shouldn’t be a hassle. The team at Landwork Contractors will help you find the right cord package for your needs. We will also make sure your firewood is properly seasoned and stacked so all you have to do is lay a log on the fire and relax. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We’ll have you set up for a comfy, cozy winter in no time.

Make Your Autumn Landscaping Come Alive!

Autumn Landscaping

dead growth of plants from winterVibrant plants and colors aren’t just for spring. The experts at Landwork Contractors can create a masterpiece of your dull autumn landscape with careful landscape design choices.  Our team works personally with our clients to create stunning landscapes all year long. Here are just a few ways to add color and vibrancy to your landscape this fall.

  • Add Harvest Displays- Looking to spruce up your home for a Halloween Party or Thanksgiving gathering? Add some beautiful harvest displays with personalized touches like:
    • Bright Pumpkin Towers
    • Colorful Gourds
    • Hay Bales
    • Indian Corn
    • Wreaths
    • Cornucopias

Landwork Contractors loves providing all types of holiday decor for your outdoor celebrations.

  • Mums the Word!- Colorful mums are a wonderful addition to any landscape. These hardy, bold flowers are great in window boxes, on stoops, or in gardens. Our team of experts loves delivering beautiful new mum arrangements to brighten up any home or office.
  • Screen Your Scene with Evergreens- If you’ve been wanting a little more privacy or simply want a new look, go evergreen. Adding an evergreen screen around your yard or as a foundational planting improves your home by:
    • Provide Privacy
    • Lower Noise Pollution
    • Adds Warmth to Homes in Winter
    • Helps Cool Homes During Summer
  • Ornamental Shrubs- With vivid colors and loose leaves, ornamental shrubs add much-needed color and texture to your landscape. Fall is the perfect time to plant these beauties because the soil is cool enough to allow for root growth but not so cold that it rejects the plant. Watch them come to life all winter long.
  • brown mulch in yardMulch- If you have any sort of garden bed, mulch is a necessity. Mulch provides amazing benefits as well as a beautiful color. Adding mulch to your landscape helps:
    • Protect Against Disease
    • Provide Nutrients
    • Protect Against Cold Weather
    • Add Texture and Color
    • Prevents Evaporation and Flooding
    • Creates Beautiful Texture and Clean Lines

Mulch is an incredible tool for protecting and prolonging the health of your landscaping.

Autumn landscaping doesn’t have to fade as the weather turns cooler. Instead, you can easily add beautiful touches of color and texture to turn your landscape into a brilliant masterpiece. Landwork Contractors is here to help you create your own work of art. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We can’t help to transform your landscaping for Autumn.

 

First Impression Count with Professional Landscaping Designs

Make Your House’s First Impression Count with Professional Landscaping Designs

insalled-sodWhen it comes to your home’s market value, curb appeal really matters. The first view of your home can make or break its value. Landscaping helps define your home’s unique qualities and set it apart from other homes. Landwork Contractors provides professional landscape design services that will really make your home stand out.

Refresh And Renew With Landscaping Changes

We all know maintaining your landscape can be an overwhelming chore. In today’s busy world, it’s easy to let your yard get overgrown and your landscaping get out of control. However, a simple trim and fresh layer of mulch can completely renew your home. Here are a few easy landscape design options you can use to add curb appeal to your home.

Pruning and Trimming- You’ve seen those homes with beautiful shrubs that have become overgrown or scraggly. A few simple clips and a little trimming can turn an unkempt lawn into the prettiest house on the block. Have an expert come by and trim your lawn, shrubs, and trees to give it that finished look.

Mulch- If you want to provide nourishment and protection, a layer of mulch is the answer. Mulch also adds a gorgeous pop of color all year long. You can change mulch colors and ingredients for different seasons to create a beautiful first impression.

dead growth of plants from winterNew Plantings- You can completely renew your landscape with a few new plantings. Talk to your professional landscaper in Westchester to know which plants are in season. Experiment with textures, sizes, and colors to add style and depth to any size landscape. Some wonderful options include:

  • Evergreens
  • Flowering Peach Trees
  • Dogwoods
  • Hydrangeas
  • Roses

Hardscaping- Structures like walkways and

outdoor kitchens are quickly becoming must-have features for homebuyers. Little additions like fire pits or benches can give a home a real personality. You can put your home at the top of the market by adding any number of hardscaping features. Our experienced masonry team can help you choose which one works for you, including:

  • Unilock-Treo-New-York-Blend-Walkway-Installation1Built-In Grills
  • Brick Pizza Ovens
  • Water Features
  • Retaining Walls
  • Fire Pits
  • Benches
  • Walkways
  • Steps

No matter what design options you choose, the team of experts at Landwork Contractors are here to help. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We are here to refresh and renew your landscaping, making your home the top spot in the neighborhood.

Design Your Dream Retreat for A Summer Staycation You’ll Love

Professional Landscape Design in Westchester County Provide Relaxation Right Outside Your Door

pool paversWhat if you could come home to your dream retreat every night? The experienced landscape design team at Landwork Contractors have been crafting dream retreats for our clients since 2006. Here are a few tips to help you get the perfect design for a relaxing staycation.

Step One- Design with Your Dream in Mind

The first step in creating your personal retreat is known what you want. As you design, think of your dream retreat.

  • Browse your favorite sites for inspirations, like our Houzz site to see past projects we love.
  • Write down activities you and your family enjoy. Grilling, sitting by the fire, relaxing by the pool or simply gardening fresh vegetables.
  • Consider the materials you like including pavers, wood types, trees, and plants that make you feel relaxed.
  • Don’t forget to include seating options. Consider built-in wall seating or hanging hammocks.

Endless Summer, Endless Options

Now it’s time to start your plan. Remember all the things you listed in your dream design. Start to choose your options. Here are just a few:

natural stone pool patioWater Features- Being near water is not only soothing, it’s scientifically proven to be good for you. To help you relax, consider a water feature. You can add a small koi pond, or full brook or a simple fountain in your pool.

Dining- Eating outside is fun and relaxing. Consider adding a full outdoor kitchen complete with brick oven, refrigerator, and sink or simply add a built-in grill. Fire-pits are also great for extending your outdoor fun all year long.

Privacy- It’s hard to escape to a quiet place when you don’t have any privacy. Choose a privacy fence that works for you. From beautiful cedar fences tall fir trees, you can enclose your favorite spot easily. You’ll soon feel transported to another world.

Don’t Forget Safety- Patios and walkways not only complete the look of your home, they also keep you and your family safe. The right patio and/or walkway can guide family members away from dangerous spots in your lawn and create slip resistant paths for rainy days.

Green and Beautiful- Your retreat won’t be complete without the proper landscaping. Ornamental grasses can create a beachy feel while blooming bushes can add pop, color and fragrant breezes by the pool.

No matter what you decide, the experts at Landwork Contractors are here to craft your dream getaway, right outside your door. Call us today at 914-479-2537, or make an appointment online. We’ll transform your backyard into your favorite vacation spot for summer.

 

The Best Patio Furniture to Invest in for Spring

The professionals at Landwork Contractors have been providing premium landscape design services in the Westchester and Putnam County areas for over 17 years. We love helping our friends and neighbors find the perfect fit for their outdoor spaces. One of the most overlooked and most important parts of designing the perfect patio is choosing furniture you love.

Choosing the Right Materials and Design Techniques

natural stone patio workPicking the right material is an important part of getting the perfect fit for your patio furniture. Take a quick look at this break down of the best materials to choose from.

Wood- Wooden furniture costs a bit more at first and will need to be painted and sealed periodically, but it will last a lot longer. The look and durability of wood often far outweigh the costs. However, you can avoid some of these costs by choosing denser woods like teak, northern white oak, and eucalyptus.

  • Design Techniques- Wood is a beautiful compliment to natural stone pavers and shabby chic designs. Our team of expert masons can help you create the perfect outdoor getaway, just check out these gorgeous Unilock natural stone designs.

Metal- Metal is a less expensive option for outdoor furniture and is quickly rising in popularity. Both aluminum and steel metal furniture is durable, sturdy, and versatile. Aluminum is a lighter weight and needs less maintenance than steel options. Steel, while sturdier and heavier, needs to have a routine coating with a protective powder finish to avoid rust. HO

  • Design Techniques- Metal works well with pool patios and outdoor spaces near water. It is durable, easily cleaned and maintained and isn’t easily damaged by all those splashes and wet towels. Metal furniture also offers a lot of different design options at different price points.

Plastic- A lot has changed over the years, plastic can now be chic. That’s right, while there are many flimsy plastic furniture options out there, there are also very affordable and elegant looking plastic outdoor furniture that is also sturdy. Plastic furniture doesn’t require constant care and can be easily cleaned.

  • Design Techniques- Due to the incredible versatility of styles, plastic patio furniture can match any design. You could have a wood grained design table and chairs made from recycled bottles or a sleek metal look that won’t peel or fade.

Regardless of which material you choose, the design options for your outdoor retreat are endless. Let the experts at Landwork Contractors help you craft that perfect outdoor space for you and your family. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or schedule an appointment online. We can’t wait to turn your backyard into a private paradise.

Foundation Plantings Provide Seamless Beauty for Your Home

Professional Landscaping Designs to Bring Curb Appeal and Value

Lawn Mowing ServiceEvery building has them. Those little spots where the foundation sticks out or that drainage pipe that stands out. Adding the right plants with the help of Landwork Contractors expert landscapers, can hide the foundation or mask the drainage pipe. The result is a warmer, more welcoming and picture-perfect home.

We have over 300 years of combined local experience caring for the most beautiful homes in the region. Here’s how we work to blend your home into the landscape with some of our favorite foundational planting techniques.

Create a Living Frame- Vibrant Boxwoods, Spruce, Dogwood, or other evergreens and flowering trees offer a gorgeous frame for your home. Putting a couple of matching trees at the corners of your home or at entrance ways is an easy way to mask the foundation. Framing also helps center the focus on the entryway and invite guests into your home.

Arbor PergolaGo Vertical with Hardscaping- Adding a trellis or an arbor over entryways can add further privacy and warmth to your home. The structure can come in endless designs and provide arched walkways or simple entry gates. Add climbing roses or ivy and you’ll have shade and color in the spring.

Background Design- Place evergreen shrubs and small trees near the foundation. Boxwoods or juniper shrubs work well in this design to provides a blank canvas for colorful bushes, flowering trees, or even perennials. They can also be trimmed and shaped to add extra design elements.

Edges of Flowering, Feathering Plants- Fill in blank spots or add drama with lovely flowering and feather plants at a lower level. Plants like lavender or sage will further mask and foundational flaws and give a whimsical look to any garden or home.  

fall trimming on the big propertyFlowing Terraces of Greenery- Another technique that works well with the natural architecture of our region is layering bushes near the foundation. While you don’t have to create actual terraces, using different types of shrubbery and plants can produce the effect of levels and add texture to your design.

Foundational plantings craft an effortless looking beauty for any home or office. If you are looking to add value and curb appeal to your home, Landwork Contractors is here to help. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We can’t wait to make your home cozy and inviting.