Accent Lighting for Your Florida Landscaping

Landscape lighting will provide glowing accents that make your home or establishment equally as captivating once the sun goes down.  This type of lighting is decorative but can also be functional: lighting pathways and driveways for safety while walking or driving, or to provide added security around the perimeter of the property.

If you are putting your home on the market for sale, keep in mind that most interested buyers will be driving by the property before ever contacting your agent.  And many of them will be doing so after work, when it may have already gotten dark.  Professionally designed, well maintained landscaping is proven to increase curb appeal so make sure it is evident at night as well.

Accent lighting throughout the landscape will be lovely to look at from your windows, from your pool, or from your outdoor lounging and entertaining areas.  We think you will find the benefits of incorporating this nocturnal art form will be an investment that pays off for years to come.

Looking for inspiration for landscape lighting styles?  Check out these articles on Houzz.com or explore your options by searching "landscape lighting" on HGTV.com.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Get inspired by hardscaping design

Brick is classic, stone is elegant, pavers are modern...no matter your preferred style of hardscaping, the most important fact to remember is that well maintained hardscapes are inviting and contribute major curb appeal to your property. If gravel areas are bare in patches, pavers are cracked, or weeds have crept into spots they should not have, then you might be wise to hire a professional landscaper to remedy the situation.  Start with hardscaping upgrades:  the result will be a beautiful design and the impression of a home that is immaculately maintained.

Looking for ideas?  What moves you?  It is always advisable to choose what you like and let your landscaping company know ahead of time.  Here are some places to start:

Do a "hardscaping" search on Pinterest.

Take a gander at Pinterest boards such as Landscape Inspiration - you will notice that the most popular landscape designs pretty much always involve some type of hardscaping.

Read and enjoy these amazing, photo-rich articles on Houzz that pertain to hardscape design.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Here's the Scoop on St. Augustine Lawn Maintenance

In this blog post we are going to cover one of the most commonly seen varieties of grass used in Florida lawns, St. Augustine, also known as Carpet, Wire, Buffalo, or Charleston grass.  St. Augustine is used primarily in tropical and subtropical areas and usually requires a sprinkler system.  Because St. Augustine turf is very thick and dense, it crowds out weeds and other unwanted grasses.  It has a lovely dark green uniform color year round as long as its maintenance needs are fully met.

Fun facts about St. Augustine grass include:

• It has been used for lawns in Florida since the 1890s.
• It is native to the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean regions.
• It has a high level of salt tolerance for beach landscaping. 
• A new variety was developed in 2008 that is resistant to chinch bugs.
• It grows only in coastal regions.
• Propagation is by plug, sod, or stolon - seed propagation was only recently made possible.

The best way to describe a St. Augustine lawn is that it is like a carpet in its thickness, spreading and growing its runners of grass so that nothing else can penetrate it.  This species of grass performs well in many soil conditions with consistent fertilization and attention to its moisture needs.  We will not only install and maintain your St. Augustine lawn, but we also understand the watering necessary to maintain it.

Alternatively, if you would prefer a softer lawn that is similar to the ones found in Northern climates or on golf courses, you may want to learn more about zoysia grass. 

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Zoysia Grass for Soft, Fine Florida Lawns

Did you think lush, soft lawns in Florida were only to be found at golf courses?  Or even worse, did you think you had to give up a fine textured lawn when you moved to the sunny, warm Florida climate? Fortunately more and more of our customers are discovering the beauty of zoysia grass, a variety of turf that was introduced in the United States in 1900 from Korea.  

Zoysia is often seen used on golf courses where a dense, low-cut turf is desired.  It does go dormant in winter though, so you cannot expect a full year of bright green grass as you can with St. Augustine lawns.  But if St. Augustine grass seems too rough and heavy to you, consider zoysia.  It requires about the same level of care and watering but you can walk barefoot in zoysia and it feels lovely.  

Once established, zoysia holds its own against weeds and other grasses. When watering, the rules are consistent: water in early morning and water deeply, wetting the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Generally zoysia does not have many insect, disease, or thatch problems if properly maintained.  

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Well Maintained Landscaping for Safety and Curb Appeal

Thinking about trimming those palm trees yourself?  Keep in mind, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that unless you have the professional skill and experience to do so, you should not perform household tasks that require you to climb anything higher than a six foot ladder.  Reportedly, ladder injuries have become a major factor in emergency room visits.

There are so many reasons why you should consider the services of a landscaper to maintain the grounds of your home or business.  Did you know that untrimmed bushes and shrubs could give coverage to a burglar attempting to break in through your doors or windows?  Or that one of the things that thieves look for is a home with a lawn that has not been mowed, indicating that the homeowner is on an extended absence?  

In a previous Florida Landscape Design post, we went over the ways that professional landscaping design and care will raise property values in areas such as St. Augustine, Palm Coast, and Ormond Beach, where motivated sellers are looking for ways to give their houses added curb appeal.  There are other facts to consider when making the choice to trust your lawn and landscape's maintenance to a company such as GreenFlex Landscaping:

• Studies have shown: 75 percent of interested buyers drive by an available property and 63 percent look at photos online before walking through. You simply must have the exterior appearance at peak perfection.
• Outdoor landscape lighting gives your property curb appeal at night!  This is becoming evidently more important as so many potential home buyers drive by homes for sale during the evening hours, after work. 
• It is recommended that to look its absolute best, a home must have its lawn mowed twice a week in the summer.  Along with that it is necessary to pull weeds from beds and sweep or blow walkways clear of trimmings and debris. 

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Landscaping for Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, and Saint Augustine

New residents to northeast Florida find almost immediately that landscaping here is very different than other parts of the country.  There are specific varieties of plant material that thrive in this area, many of which require specific care for optimal health.

Landscape designing and installation in the Palm Coast, Ormond Beach, and St. Augustine areas is challenging and many people find it beneficial to outsource these tasks to professional companies.  Choosing a trusted company to install and maintain your landscaping and lawn is of the utmost importance - check that your landscaping service provider has the appropriate licensing, customer testimonials, and insurance.

Florida living is close to nature and the outdoors; it is usually an active lifestyle of beach, golf, and swimming.  Palm Coast landscaping companies are full service landscape design, maintenance, and installation organizations.  As your Florida landscape designer, we will create an outdoor space that invites entertaining and enjoyment with water features, hardscaping design, outdoor lighting, and a green lawn.

Ready to take your landscaping to the highest level of style, beauty, and growth?  Do you need consulting on the best plants and trees for your particular landscaping project?  Is your existing lawn not up to par? 

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚