By ddmg Landscape • • 0 Comments

What is Olathe Landscaping?

You already know what consists of an Olathe landscaping by definition. Landscaping is making or maintaining improvements to a property’s grounds in practical or aesthetically pleasing ways.

Anything and everything on your property that is not part of the home itself is part of the landscape. To break things down even further, anything you can see outside your window that is part of your property is also part of your home’s landscaping.

Different Landscaping Features

As an Olathe landscaper, you know that your grounds can have numerous features. No two landscapes are the same. It’s impossible. No two lawns grow at quite the same speed. But there’s more to it than that.

Each home offers a landscape that has a number of different features. Here are just a few of the features you’ll find in Olathe landscapes:

  • Lawns
  • Shrubs
  • Planting beds
  • Flowering trees
  • Fences
  • Walkways
  • Foundation plants
  • Water gardens

…And so much more!

With such an array of different features, it should come as no surprise that every ground and landscape is completely different. While humans control nature to create a stunning landscape, nature can only be controlled so much. That’s the beauty of Olathe landscaping.

Avoiding Olathe Landscape Mistakes

With landscaping being such an individual endeavor, there’s no way to do it wrong. Your yard is who you are. Your Olathe landscape is a part of your personality.

However, there are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid. For example:

  • Only Considering Your Tastes

If you plan to live in a home forever, then you should only worry about your personal landscaping tastes. Get crazy with it. Do whatever you feel like. However, most of us live in homes that we will one-day list on the market. If that’s the position you’re in, then don’t forget to consider potential buyers and place curb appeal at the top of your list.

  • Don’t Remove Trees

While you may find that big tree in the middle of your landscape to be an eyesore, you don’t want to remove it. If you do, you’ll be hindering curb appeal and resale value significantly. Mature trees help sell houses. You should think twice before you ever cut one down on your property.

  • Don’t Always Do It Yourself

As Olathe landscapers, we see it all too often. You take on a big project, like an Olathe retaining wall installation, only to realize that your skill set isn’t exactly there yet. Then we get a call asking for help. While we are certainly happy to oblige, we try to warn people of the perils of doing too much yourself.

Ideal Olathe Landscapers For You

If you’re thrilled that spring has sprung and ready to get a grip on your Olathe landscaping, get in touch. Here at Huston Contracting, we’re here to help your lawn look its best. No matter what your landscaping needs are, we guarantee honest and dependable work.

By ddmg Landscape • News • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

5 Olathe Landscaping Trends to Pay Attention to in 2017

Winter is here, but it’s about to be long gone. We may have a few more snows here and there, but the frost will be an afterthought in a month or two. Soon the sun will shine down, and spring will be here. I don’t know about you, but that excites me. When spring has sprung, it’s time for landscaping fun.

Now, you already know your landscaping and gardening efforts should have been taken care of before you the first frost hit in the winter. Preparation is essential, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. Nope! It’s time to talk about some Olathe landscaping trends in 2017.

Olathe Landscaping Trends to Pay Attention to in 2017

It’s time to talk about what all the “cool” gardeners are going to be doing this year. It’s time to talk about what will be in your garden in 2017. Here are five landscaping trends to pay attention to:

  • Your Home is Your Garden

Times have changed. Back in the day, only old cooks used to keep a ton of plants in their house. Indoor gardens just weren’t that cool. Nowadays, it’s completely different. Many of the popular landscaping mechanisms call for your outdoor garden to seamlessly flow into the inside of your home. Having a lot of plants inside your home is definitely popular in 2017.

  • Edible Landscapes

One trend for the coming year is incorporating edible trees and plants into your whole landscape – not just in the garden. These blended views not only look great, but they taste awesome, too. Try adding a few fruit trees throughout your landscape to start.

  • Quality is Key

While price is always important, Olathe landscaping is like a lot of things: you get what you pay for. Using higher quality stones, mulches, and materials will always pay off down the road. You don’t want to undertake a massive landscaping project with low-quality materials that break down after five years. That’s just a waste of time and money.

  • Water Features

While water features have never gone out of style, there seems to be a spike in their popularity these days. Water features are being added to Olathe landscaping more than ever, but nowadays these features are becoming a focal point of the lawn – not an add-on. Fountains, streams, waterfalls, fish ponds, and more are all exceptionally popular, especially as spring rolls in.

  • Outdoor Living Spaces

This one shouldn’t surprise anyone. We’ve been talking about the popularity of outdoor kitchens for awhile now. Outdoor living is excellent, and each year, more families are coming around to the idea of incorporating living areas into their Olathe landscaping. We’ve yet to meet a family that didn’t love spending time in their new outside space once completed!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • Landscape • Management • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

5 Olathe Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid this Winter

Life is seasonal. In the spring, you invest a lot of time into your yard. This ensures some green grasses and lush landscaping as the winter months turn to warmth.

Over the summer months, you make sure to water your lawn often. This offers an extension to the green, lush landscaping that comes from a properly manicured lawn in the springtime.

In the fall, you’re probably fond of coasting when it comes to lawn care. And the winter? Snow is going to cover it all up anyway. So you throw a few Christmas lights around the house once all the leaves are raked and you call it a day.

Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid this Winter

If you know anything about winter landscaping, you know that ignoring your grass during the holidays isn’t the best idea. With this in mind, here are five Olathe landscaping mistakes to avoid this winter:

  • Keep Watering Your Plants

Sure, some plants die off during the winter months. But not all do! Shrubs, fruit trees, and hedges all need watering during the winter months. Don’t delay watering your plants in the winter, especially when the temperatures are fairly tolerable. You can save more plants during the winter than you’d ever think – with a little water.

  • Rakes On Rakes On Rakes

Nobody likes raking. It’s important to continually rake leaves during the cold months. This will allow your lawn to “breathe” at all times. Plus, fungus and mold that can grow on leaves when it snows won’t make its way to your lawn.

  • No Weed Killer

You should NEVER use pesticides and weed killers in the colder months. The grass already has enough struggles in the cold months. You don’t need to add an external one by continually spraying weed killer. It’s important to stop pesticide use once the temperature gets below 55 degrees.

  • Too Much Manicuring

It’s common for homeowners to focus on their landscape too much as the months turn cold. One of the biggest Olathe landscaping mistakes we see is lawns being cut too short. If you cut your lawn too short once it gets colder, you’ll run the risk of doing extensive damage if snow or sleet arrives. 

  • Find the Right Fertilizer

While you won’t want to manicure your landscape too much as the freeze comes in, you do need to pay a little attention to your lawn. Doing one final fertilizer run in the fall will ensure your grass is green come spring. Just make sure to avoid granular fertilizer during the colder months, as it takes too long to dissolve in cold temperatures.

By ddmg Do It Yourself • General Information • Landscape • Tips and Tricks • • 1 Comment

Too Much Snow? Your Olathe Landscape Company Shows You How to Handle It

Winter is here. Whether you love it or hate it, the season of snow is almost upon us. This means snow removal will be needed sooner rather than later. When there’s snow in tow, you may need the help of your favorite Olathe landscape company to help you or show you the way.

Maybe you need professional snow removal services. Maybe you need some tips when you want to do it yourself. Whatever you need, we’re here to help. At Huston Contracting, we offer:

  • Professional snow removal
  • Salting services
  • Sidewalk shoveling
  • Sidewalk de-icing services

…And more!

We strive to make your winter wonderland livable after a big snowfall. We also understand that many just want to get rid of the snow on their driveway after a storm. Many times it will only be an inch or two and you just want to make it go away and get on with your day.

Snow Clean Up Tips & Tricks From Your Olathe Landscape Company

Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure you efficiently clean up your driveway and sidewalk area when a small snow occurs:

  • Be SAFE

First and foremost – be safe! There’s no reason to run around injuring yourself by trying to clean a foot of snow off your driveway, especially if physical fitness isn’t your forte. A large amount of snow gets heavy, and you can hurt yourself trying to move it with just a shovel.

  • Move Snow Once

There’s no reason to shovel snow twice or three times. Don’t move snow into piles in the driveway and then into smaller piles off the driveway. Immediately move the snow off of your driveway. This will allow you to avoid overworking yourself. Just don’t do it – don’t move snow twice.

  • Invest in a Good Shovel

If you’re going to shovel snow, then you need to get a great shovel. You can cut your snow shoveling time and workload if you get the proper shovel. Head over to your local hardware store and have an expert help pick out the perfect shovel for your needs.

  • Never Shovel Into the Wind

If you want to make snow shoveling harder than it already is, then try to shovel snow into the wind. You’ll end up doing double or triple the amount of work. Instead, work with the wind. Start on the side of the driveway the wind is coming from and let the breeze work for you – not against you.

By ddmg Design • Landscape • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

6 Quick Tips to Ensure You’re Working with the Perfect Landscape Architect

When you’re ready to renovate the landscape of your property – questions, concerns, and confusion tend to arise. Thoughts of doing it yourself loom, but can seem daunting. The work may seem doable, but the design – you probably didn’t go to school for that. Luckily, this is where a landscape architect comes into play. Large landscaping projects require detailed design. Often, this design requires professional help. This is especially true when city building codes and neighborhood homeowner’s associations come into play.

So here are six quick tips to ensure you find and work with the perfect landscape architect:

Gather Ideas

Before you contact any Olathe landscapers, it’s a good idea to wrap your head around the type of project you want to get done. Put some ideas together and formulate a rough image of what you want to see done. Discussing the design can be difficult when things stay too vague.

Budget Properly

As you formulate ideas, it’s crucial to pay attention to budgetary concerns. You will want to come up with a rough estimate of how much you want to spend on your project.

Ask Around

Get in touch with anyone you know who has paid for Olathe landscaping services in the past. See if you can round up a few referrals. Don’t be afraid to knock on some doors and ask your neighbors if you love their landscaping.

Perfect Projects

When deciding to do it yourself or hire, the primary concern should be the project. Obviously, no reasonable person is installing a swimming pool alone, but even smaller projects can turn tough without a great design. The type of Olathe landscaping company you’ll want to work with may differ depending on the scope of your project.

Consulting is Important

Even if you’re a flowerbed beautician – designing a whole landscape takes a lot more effort and artistic flair than gardening. Hiring an Olathe landscape architect can help you create the ideal master plan for your property and this step can help save you thousands in costly mistakes.

Handle the Little Stuff

If money is an issue, then make a commitment to handle the small stuff like mulching, flower beds, lawn care, and more by yourself. These little items can add up when doing a full-blown landscaping overhaul.

Olathe Landscape Architects

If you have an Olathe landscaping project you’re thinking about, we’d love to hear from you. Here at Huston Contracting, Inc., we take pride in offering premier landscaping services in the Johnson County area. We look forward to helping you create the property of your dreams. Get in touch today for a consultation.