Category: Landscaping Design

Professional Landscaping Brightens Your Home with Beautiful Plantings

Early spring is the perfect time to start planting your garden and adding new touches to your landscaping. Landwork Contractors offers a variety of beautiful spring plantings, including flowering trees that can bring your garden to life all year long. Our experienced crew of designers and landscapers will help you make your vision come true.

Why Plant in Spring?

Trees need time to grow and strengthen before the weather turns hot and/or dry. Spring soil provides a moderate temperature, plenty of moisture, and the time roots need to create a foundation for new plantings.

What to Plant?

There are many wonderful choices for your spring plantings in Westchester County. Here are some of our favorites to consider for your home or office.

Spruce Trees- Beautiful and hardy, these low maintenance colorful trees add so much to any landscape. They can provide privacy, shade, and even save you money on your energy bill!

Crabapples- These jewels of the garden pop with delicate colorful blooms in the spring, continue through the summer with vibrant leaves, turn fiery in autumn, then bring bright fruit in the winter. Crabapples need rich soil and proper drainage. If you are having issues with your soil, our drainage experts can help you design the perfect solution for your landscaping.

Dogwoods-  A popular favorite everywhere, these lovely trees provide beautiful fragrant blossoms in the spring and continued beauty during the summer and fall as their leaves begin to change. Great for pathways or borders.

Scarlett Oaks- If you want bright beautiful foliage in the fall, Scarlett Oaks bring fiery colors. These trees grow fast and work well in many different types of soils. They are great for providing colorful shade along your pathways or in your garden.

Magnolias- The delicate blooms from the pink or white magnolia trees give off a lovely sweet scent. During the summer their lush green leaves create a gentle shade. Wonderful along pathways or on focal parts of your garden.

Flowering Pear Trees- In the spring, flowering pear trees bloom with tiny flowers, in the summer they have gorgeous foliage and in fall they bring bright sunbursts of color as they lose their leaves. Wonderful on pathways.

Japanese  Maples- Bright and versatile, Japanese Maples are great for any area of your landscaping. They provide vibrant colors from spring to fall and grow best in sunny areas.

Whatever flowering tree you choose for your spring plantings, the experienced team at Landwork Contractors is here to help you design your dream landscaping. We also offer spring planting installations and landscaping maintenance. Call us today at 914-279-2537 to get started on your new landscape. Or make an appointment online while you pick out the perfect design. We’ll have your lawn blooming in no time.

Why Installing Mulch In Your Landscape Beds Every Spring is Important

March is the perfect time to start adding mulch to your landscape beds. Besides giving your lawn a pop of color, mulch provides multiple benefits to the soil and plants as spring begins to bloom. Landwork Contractors provides a variety of mulch designs and layouts for your yard with our professional lawn care and landscape design services. To get you started, here are just a few reasons why mulching in the spring is important for the health of your landscaping.

Benefits of Mulch in March

• Insulation- During the unpredictable weather of spring, mulch adds an extra layer of insulation to your soil. The insulation acts as a cover to protect soil from drying out, freezing, or becoming diseased.

• Improves Soil Health and Diversity- A layer of mulch protects soil from pests and provides shelter for friendly organisms like worms or microbes. As mulch breaks down, it also enhances the soil, making it healthier and stronger for spring flowers. Landwork Contractors can provide you with the expertise needed for layering mulch.

• Moisture Control- Mulch helps reduce the evaporation of water in your soil. Keeping an even level of moisture also protects plant roots and healthy organisms from cold weather.

• Cuts Back on Weeds- Mulch makes it difficult for weeds to grown in your landscape beds. First, it reduces sunlight to the weed seeds, making fewer weeds grow. Second, it blocks weed seeds from getting into the soil to germinate.

How To Mulch

The way you mulch really depends on where you live. In colder areas, like our beautiful Westchester County, NY, mulch will need a slightly thicker layer toward the beginning of spring. As the sun warms up, you must adjust the layer to allow for more sun, air, and water to reach the roots of your plants.

The amount of mulch may also need adjusting to adapt to rainfall. A particularly wet spring will need a lighter layer to keep the soil from getting too wet. You want to be sure the soil is protected but also able to breathe and receive the nutrients it needs.

Let the professionals at Landwork Contractors handle all your lawn care and landscape design needs. We’ll monitor your lawn and landscape beds, providing you with the perfect amount of mulch all year long. We’ll also help you design a beautiful mulch bed to make your home stand out as winter ends and the blooms begin. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. We can’t wait to bring your landscape to life with beautiful, colorful mulch.

Get the Best for Your Holiday Home or Office

Has holiday season snuck up on you again? Not ready for those holiday guests? A few simple touches can completely transform your home into a winter wonderland. Landwork Contractors is here to help. We’ve got a few quick tips to get your office or home holiday ready!

Bringing the Holidays to Life

The winter holidays bring all our favorites. Pumpkin spice dishes, delicious desserts, cocoa and cider all make us happy for the holidays. So how can you bring that warm holiday spirit to your home or office? Easy, use these quick and beautiful design ideas!

• Lighting Up Winter Wonderlands- Sparkling lights reflect the magic of the season. Adding decorative lighting to your home or office can sprinkle joy all over your home. You don’t have to overdo it. A few festive lights in bushes, along a drive, or even in windows can make a big difference.

• Wreaths Wrap It Up!– A beautiful wreath is nice anytime of the year, but there is just something special about a holiday wreath. Reflect the holiday with some harvest touches like gourds, Indian corn, or wheat. Or, celebrate the winter season with pine cones, evergreen branches, and bright vibrant ribbons. Landwork Contractors  offers wreaths to perfectly suit your style and setting. Check out some of our inspirations on our Pinterest page!

• Bring the Outside In– Think of the things you love about the season. Add those little touches in the house.
  • Holly sprigs in front of pictures
  • Evergreen boughs along the mantle
  • Pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn displays
  • Tiny trees along the table
  • Colorful poinsettias in your entry way
  • Tiny wreaths on your tables or shelving
  • Use holiday scents in common spaces

• Festive Bows- Adding a simple bow or ribbons to your porch light, windows, doorways, and banisters can truly bring the holiday spirit alive.Choose brilliant gemstone colors like gorgeous greens, bold burgundies, or rich reds. Want something traditional? Go for plaids or stripes.

• Natural Beauties- There is nothing like a gorgeous evergreen tree or shrub to really brighten your holidays. If you don’t currently have evergreen trees or bushes, consider adding a couple this season. You can even get beautiful potted evergreens to place outside your business or company for the season and use them for your landscaping later. Landwork Contractors has been providing evergreen plantings and decorative potted plants in the Westchester County area for over 15 years!

• Special Treats– Colorful candy and delicious treats can be tempting decorations for your home or office. Leave out special little treats for guests in festive bowls or even clear vases. They’ll not only look great, they’ll be easy for your clients, staff, family, or friends to grab as a snack.  You can even go healthy with a combination of bright healthy fruits like oranges and apples with nuts.

Holiday Decorations for Everyone

However you choose to decorate your home or business, Landwork Contractors is here to help. We offer professionally made holiday displays for any occasion. We also offer a wide variety of seasonal plantings and potted plants that can be used to decorate your home or office. Call us today at 914-479-2537 to get our display started, or make an appointment online. We can’t wait to spread holiday cheer throughout your home or business.

Professional Landscapers Bring Harmony Throughout Your Home

In an area known for its beautiful homes and grounds, it can be difficult for homes to stand out. The best way to create a home with a lasting impression is to focus on the flow from you landscaping to your home. Landwork Contractors has teams of expert designers, landscapers, and masons who can really bring your home to life. For over 16 years, we have worked on some of the most beautiful homes in the Westchester and Putnam County area. We provide:

Don’t let your landscaping detract from your beautiful home. Improve your flow and curb appeal to make your home dazzle. Just take a look at some of our tips below to get started.

The Benefits of Flow

Your outdoor space should be a direct reflection and continuation of your indoor space. You can still create an outdoor oasis and use different colors, but you don’t want the design change to be drastic. A balanced design will make your home appear larger, help it stand out and add curb appeal and value.

Creating Balance

Creating balance between your outdoor and indoor spaces helps to blur the physical lines dividing them. It also helps to make even small spaces feel large and expansive. Here are a few ways to skillfully create flow from your indoors and outdoors.

Walkways- A beautifully designed pathway is a vital part of creating flow from the curb to the door. Walkways keep guests safe and create a visual point for eyes to follow from your curb. Already have one? Upgrade it with some flowers or lamps.

Add a Patio:  If you don’t already have a patio, adding one will not only create more entertainment space, it will also greatly increase the value of your home.  Designing a patio that feels like an extension of your home will increase the appeal.

Additions and Upgrades!

Already have a patio? Add accents that complement your home and enhance your lifestyle. These additions will complete your home and help designs flow from inside to outside. Consider some of these upgrades:

• Ambient lighting– Provide lighting that is soothing and soft, not overly bright. Lights should be aimed where they won’t shine in the eyes of guests or glare. Don’t forget to light pathways for safety. Use lighting accents that match or complement the other light fixtures outside your home.
• Wet Bar- A wet bar is the perfect addition to any patio. Considerate, convenient and cool, wet bars give you the opportunity to take care of guests and spend time with them.
• Fire Places– An outdoor fireplace really upgrades your backyard patio. During summer, you can use them to roast marshmallows and hot dogs. As the weather turns chilly, use your fireplace to stay warm and cozy.
• Heaters– It may sound odd in the middle of summer, but a good space heater can really extend the use of your patio or deck. Install permanent heaters or mobile space heaters and keep enjoying your favorite spot all year round. Have the heaters placed as part of the décor or find subtle ways to blend them into the area.

Beautiful Designs Throughout Your Home and Yard

To create a continued flow from the curb to the door and on, use a design pattern that concentrates on a central theme or look. Follow similar styles, materials, and colors throughout your home. Change things up, but don’t go too far off the design of your home.  For example, for classic homes don’t go too modern on the outside. Use designs that will enhance and compliment the original beauty of your home.

Professional Designers Provide Outdoor Balance

No matter what model of home you have or what style you love, Landwork Contractors can help bring it all together. We can work with you to create the perfect design that will add visual appeal and value to your home. Call us today at 914-479-2537 to improve the flow of your home today. Or you can make an appointment online! We can’t wait to start designing with you!

Begin Your Summer with Beautiful Patriotic Touches

Celebrating Memorial Day is a great way to start your summer off. Getting the grill ready, mowing the lawn and decorating your home for a traditional Memorial BBQ takes time and some hard work. Landwork Contractors can help get your home Memorial Day ready with:

You can have your yard looking bright and patriotic for Memorial Day and all summer long with a few quick additions.

Start Summer off With a Bang of  Bright Colors!

For many of us, Memorial Day marks the official start of summer. The sun is shining, kids are getting out of school and we’re all breaking out our grills and swimsuits. Memorial day is a celebration of our heroes, our patriotism and our favorite season, summer. Landwork Contractors can help bring a beautiful and respectful memorial display to your home or office with a few patriotic additions and bright colors. Here are a few ideas for getting your home ready for Memorial Day and summer.

• Paint Potted Plants – Dust off the old planters that have been hiding all winter. Painted flower pots and planters are a great way to add color or Memorial Day spirit to your home. A few ideas include:
  • Have kids paint flags, stars, stripes or any design in red white and blue. They’ll have fun and you’ll have a treasure to use on Memorial Day, 4th of July or all summer.
  • Spray paint pots in patriotic colors and line them up.
  • Add classic monogram letters in patriotic colors or spell out USA on pots.
  • Create a Collage of Pots– Gather pots of different sizes and shapes and place them together on your stoop or porch.  You can add a patriotic message, one word at a time to your pots or just put them together with patriotic colors.

• Bring on The Bright – Summer is the perfect time for bright blooms.
  • Bright Colored Flowers – Flowers in bright colors can really make your home pop. Your porch will look like a bunch of fireworks.
  • Patriotic Flower Pots and Window Boxes – Red, white and blue flowers, berries and plants can bring patriotism to your doorstep in potted planters. Or you can add them to your window boxes with garlands and really make the whole home light up.

• Fly the Flag – Nothing celebrates our American heritage and pride more than Old Glory. There are lots of ways you can show off our grand old flag.
  • Place flags among your garden or in the soil or in mulch beds.
  • Hang flags from windows or porches.
  • Drape flag swags from eves, above doors or under windows.
  • Add a patriotic wreath to your door, gate or patio.

Celebrate Summer Your Way

No matter how you choose to get your summer started, Landwork Contractors can help. We offer services to get your lawn beautiful and add some spark to your home. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online. Summertime fun will be right outside your door!

Make Your Mulch Work for You

Mulch beds have long been a favorite of gardeners and landscapers alike. The variety of mulching materials creates endless design opportunities with big benefits. Landwork Contractors can help you choose the perfect mulch material and color for your garden or landscape. We offer a number of services that will improve the look and health of your lawn or landscaping including:

A Multitude of Mulch Designs

Mulch is a multipurpose design and gardening tool. Mulch can be used for many different design purposes in your garden or landscaping:

Types of Mulch

Mulch comes in many different forms and colors. Most mulch comes from natural materials. These mulches work with your soil to create healthy and thriving plant life. Different  materials have different benefits. Some natural materials include:

• Shredded Leaves  –  Control weeds, help add acid to soil for plants that need it, improve soil when they decompose.

• Shredded Hardwood  –  Subdues weeds, heavy enough to stay put during rainy seasons. Comes in beautiful colors and decomposes slowly to add nutrients to gardens.

• Wood Chips  –   Bark and wood pieces that create a beautiful mulch. Controls weeds but decomposes rapidly and can take away nitrogen from the soil. Have professionals like Landwork Contractors guide you in how to use this mulch.

• Pecan Shells – Great for preserving moisture in your soil, long-lasting and made up of dark brown bits. Availability is limited.

• Colored Mulches – Dyed mulch colored vegetable dyes that have long lasting colors. Great for decorating and design aspects, work just the same as uncolored mulch.

Why Mulch?

Besides making your landscaping more attractive, mulching adds health and life to your garden. The benefits are incredible. Mulch benefits plants, trees, and soil in these ways:

These are just some of the benefits of adding mulch to areas of your lawn, garden or landscape designs.

Where to Start

Mulching requires knowledge and special care. Too little mulch doesn’t deliver the benefits needed. Too much mulch can create other problems. Plus, you need to know when to mulch, how to mulch and which mulch works for your plants and trees. A trusted professional, like Landwork Contractors, can guide you in choosing the right mulch. We also maintain mulch and flower beds throughout the year, so you can be sure you’re getting all the benefits without lifting a finger.

While it can get confusing, the benefits of mulch are endless. Landwork Contractors has the experience to keep your mulch fresh and beautiful. Our landscape design and maintenance teams can guide you in creating the perfect mulch effects for your garden. Call us today at 914-479-2537 to get your mulch bed designs started. You can even make an appointment online while you relax. Your plants will love it.

The Perfect Landscapers Can See Beneath the Snow

While frost and snow cover your garden or yard, you can start dreaming of the future. You can start planning your landscaping while you bundle up in front of the fire.The winter chill gives you plenty of time to consider placement and plants. Landwork Contractors can help you plan out the perfect design for your home.

Getting Green During Winter

If you’re planning a landscape design or remodel, January is the perfect time to get started. There are some easy steps to take to plan the perfect outdoor retreat for your home.

Take a Walk

Start your planning with a stroll around your home. Ask questions as you walk.

• What do I love here?
• What do I dislike about my yard?
• How much space do I have?
• What would make this space more comfortable or useful?
• What do I want to use this space for?

Dream a little. Imagine a space that makes you happy. Remember grounds you admired. Get a vision for what you want to do.

Take Stock

As you are walking or when you relax, later on, start evaluating your yard or grounds. Consider what your garden or yard needs to be both functional and beautiful. Think about these areas when you start:

• Window Views – Look out your main windows. You can even mark off the area where the line of eyesight ends. This will give you a better idea of how much room you have to create a great view.
• Private Areas-Do you need a little privacy from roads or neighbors? Block off areas where you would like some privacy. A trusted landscaper can help you choose fencing or natural privacy screens with hedges and trees.
• Entertaining – Do you like having guests over? Entertaining doesn’t have to stop indoors. Consider creating extra room outside with fire pit installations, brick courtyards or patios.
• Shade – Is there an area of your home that gets too hot? Do you have a patio that is just too sunny? Considering shady trees or plants can create a calmer, cooler retreat in your backyard.

Plot a Picture

You don’t need to be an artist to plot out your landscape picture. Just follow these simple steps:

• Measure your yard or grounds.
• Convert the measurement from feet to inches or centimeters.
• Use the converted measurement to draw an outline of your grounds.
• Fill in the right areas for current structures you use like gates, driveways, arbors or patios.
• Move onto structures you’d like to add, like a bench, arbor, fire pit or courtyard.
• Draw the areas you want to plant.

For extra options, make a few copies of your original outline and play around with the design.

Dream It, Design It, Do It

You don’t have to be Van Gogh to create a landscaping masterpiece. You simply have to imagine. Your landscaping not only says a lot about you, it speaks to you. That beautiful big oak shades your favorite bench. The path you love to stroll down. All the things that bring you comfort or joy can be added or enhanced with landscape planning. Landwork Contractors can help you with your designs. Call us now at 914-479-2537 or make an appointment online to be first in line for your landscaping. We can make your landscape dreams come true.

Bringing Beauty to Winter Landscapes

Winter brings often grey skies and seas of white snow blanketing everything in sight. While winter vistas can be beautiful, they can also be a little boring. Landscape Contractors have specialists to help complete the perfect winter design to keep your home warm and welcoming through the toughest weather. Here are a few landscaping ideas to change those winter blahs into winter ahhs.

• Start thinking about some practical additions. Arbors, trellises, or a bench, particularly in bright tasteful colors (think Holly Red or Christmas Tree Green or even Royal Blue) when done right can add a splash of color that is both warm and inviting. Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces can also add real warmth and extra space to entertain. Winter should mean the beginning of entertaining family and friends, not the end.
• Not so Green Evergreens: When we think winter, we often picture lush evergreens. But many people don’t realize how many beautiful colors evergreens come in. Dwarf Blue Spruce and Gold Thread False Cypress are two beautiful examples of not so green evergreens to add to your landscaping for a year round glow.
• Spruce Up the Extras: Those hardy containers like hanging baskets, lattice work and window boxes can all be brightened up for winter. Add some evergreen boughs, twigs or plant some new miniature evergreens, holly or rhododendron. These will all add a little extra oomph to your home in winter.
• Berries, of Course!: It’s hard to imagine winter without bright berries or mistletoe. When you are planning your winter design, be sure to include some of these bright and beautiful additions, holly bushes and Cranapple bushes will not only add a pop of color to your landscape, they will attract late-migrating birds.
• Bark is Best – Believe it or not, bare trees can be gorgeous. Barks that are colorful or have unique textures can add a lot of depth and natural beauty to your home. Birch trees, Japanese maple, lacebark elm, dogwoods and crape myrtle are famous for their bare beauty. Many of these trees and similar shrubs are small enough to place in any winter landscape.
• Keep On Growing – Grass doesn’t need to stop growing in winter. Adding some ryegrass to your fall overseeding can keep your grass growing green and lush all winter long, plus spare you the trouble of dead grass in the spring.
• Holiday Displays- A well-placed wreath or decorated evergreen can make your home seem festive and inviting to family and friends, no matter what holiday you celebrate. Adding winter-proof lighting or ornamentation can add a whimsical touch to ordinary items.

 Winter Beauty at its Best

Winter can be bleak, grey skies and mounds of snow overwhelm most landscaping. Special landscape designs can turn your winter blues into gorgeous views. Landwork Contractors have the best specialists to bring a beautiful winter design to life and make your home cozy and bright through any weather. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or schedule an appointment online. We can have your home feeling warm and inviting all winter long.

Fall planting is the best way to add brilliant color and staying power to your landscaping. There are many varieties perfect for planting in the fall.

• Mums
• Flowering Trees
• Spring Bulbs
• Ornamental Shrubs
• Foundational Planting
• Evergreen Screens.

The hardest part will be picking what to plant. Our team at Landwork Contractors specializes in creating beautiful unique spaces. Call us to help you design your own personal work of living art.

Why Fall?

In other seasons, it is hard to get a plant in the ground that has a chance to take root. Summer is too dry and hot. Winter is too wet and cold. Spring can have very unpredictable weather. Fall is just right for planting a variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. The mixture of cooler air and soil still warm from the summer creates the perfect combination for plants to take root and thrive. Plants also have fewer threats from bugs and diseases during fall. Add it together and fall planting is a winning recipe for amazing grounds all year long.

Spruce it up!

If you like to change things up, fall is the great time to start. Here’s a rundown of a few fall planting varieties.

• Mums – If planted correctly and early enough in the fall, mums will add beautiful bursts of color in fading gardens. To keep mums producing the following spring, make sure they don’t get too wet in the winter. Landwork Contractors can help you properly plant and care for your mums all year round. Loved for their vibrant hues, healthy appearance and easy care, Mums remain the most popular choice for fall.

• Spring Bulbs –For success your spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips need to start in the fall. Fall soil and air temperature is perfect for planting spring bulbs. You might need to check your zone for plant hardiness. Our team at Landwork Contractors can take all care of all the planning and planting.
• Flowering Trees –Beautiful blooms from trees like the Eastern Redbud, Flowering Dogwood or Black Cherry bring romance and comfort to any home. Though enjoyed every season, flowering trees are best planted in the fall when their roots can expand. Situating the trees takes some consideration. However, after they are planted they will bloom for years.
• Ornamental Shrubs – Lovely shrubs like Glossy Abelia, Rose Daphne, and Beauty Berry require important planting techniques. Special initial care including, watering root-balls, sideways root carving, and proper sunlight are needed for ornamental shrubs. Landwork Contractors handles the hard work and leaves you with beautiful results. Once these gorgeous shrubs take root, they are easy to maintain for years to come.
• Evergreen Screens – A screen of beautiful lush evergreens creates the best privacy. Natural screens of evergreens or hedges cut noise pollution by up to 15 decibels or ½ the noise registered by the human ear. Ultimate size of these plants must be considered before planting. Trees must be spaced away from buildings and power lines. Professional contractors can space each tree perfectly for both safety and beauty.
• Foundational Planting –A welcoming feel all around the home comes from foundational planting. Entrance ways, corner planting and transition areas are all parts of foundational planting. You can use any combination of flowers, flowing trees, ornamental shrubs and screens to personalize your home. Landwork Contractors is the best source for all in one care. We design, supply, space and plant your vision of foundational planting.

Welcome Home

Whichever plants you choose, fall is the perfect time to recreate your home or add a splash of color. Landwork Contractors can help you create a warm, inviting home you can’t wait to relax in. Call us today at 914-479-2537 or schedule an appointment online to get started on your fall wonderland.