275 results for author: Mike Jones
Winter interest
When we think about planning a landscape, our thoughts tend to go first to how the landscape will look in spring and summer, and perhaps fall. But with some planning, there is no reason that your landscape can’t look fantastic in the winter as well! While many of your plantings sleep, here are some elements that can shine in your winter landscape. Evergreen trees and shrubs are the obvious choice for a winter landscape, and it is important to make sure evergreens are well represented and balanced through a site. Many deciduous shrubs and trees have beautiful berries that can last well into or even through winter. Specimen trees or large ...
Salt and safety this winter.
Snow and ice can make sidewalk and drives hard to negotiate, salt can be an easy answer. Salt can be harmful to plants and the soil on your property as well as the environment down stream (both figuratively and literally). Think about what to use, amount and type of material you are using.
Sand (torpedo), crushed limestone (TB) and kitty litter can work well on there own.
Rock salt (sodium chloride) only is effective down to about 20 degrees, mixing with any of the above is a good way to reduce the salt being used.
Potassium chloride and Calcium chloride are used for colder temperatures but also can be mixed with sand to reduce the amount ...
Seasons Greeting from Hawks
It's the holiday season, and many of you have gift exchanges, cookie baking, and general merriment scheduled for the days ahead. Landscaping may be the last thing on your mind.
Is there a special someone on your gift list that might benefit from a new patio or lawn service?
Consider a Hawks gift certificate to make your gift giving complete!Trim-A-Tree and Fantastic Forest!
December 1-29 - Milwaukee County Zoo - U.S. Bank Gathering Place'Tis the season for Trim-A-Tree and the Fantastic Forest - two events we are proud to support! For the 19th year in a row, Hawks has been a major sponsor of the Zoo's Fantastic Forest through our ...
Oak Wilt Plan Ahead
Oak wilt is a deadly disease that mostly attacks trees in the Red Oak family. White Oaks can be damaged by this disease but, often they will recover. This disease however, usually kills trees in the Red Oak family. It’s caused by a fungus that affects the vascular tissue of the tree. It clogs up the xylem of the tree and causes rapid decline, often leading to death. It’s spread by beetles that feed on infected trees and then fly to an uneffected tree and feed there. It also spreads from tree to tree by root grafting. Early warning signs are wilting of the canopy in the top of the tree, this wilting rapidly moves throughout the entire canopy. ...
What is a Landscape Architect?
Landscape Architects are professionals that design a variety of outdoor spaces such as residential landscapes, commercial landscapes, parks, botanical gardens and campuses . Landscape Architects typically have a college degree with extensive coursework in Botany, Geography, Horticulture, Hydrology, Soil Science, and Master Planning. In addition to a degree, one must train for two years under a Licensed Landscape Architect and pass a series of exams. Landscape architects work in tandem with architects, city planners and civil engineers to construct outdoor environments that serve several functions that range from residential, recreational to storm ...
New Patio; bringing indoors to the outdoors
A new outdoor living space, columns, seat walls, firepit and plenty of paved space for eating, sitting and having fun.
Advantages to using permeable paving
Permeable pavers are an effective means to manage surface water on your hardscapes. This paving system allows water to drain through joints between the pavers which are typically filled with fine gravel chips. The water then drains down into a open stone layer below, and is adsorbed by the subsoil or runs off through draintile. They come in a range of shapes, colors and sizes. This is a great way to reduce surface run off from patios and walks. There is a bit of maintenance involved.
Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting has come a long way in recent years. Propelled by super-efficient LED lamps (for both new and existing systems). The big advantages of LED fixtures is the lights ability to take a variation in voltage cause by length of the line and the longevity of the LED lamp. The first LEDs were blue in color and rather expensive, both of those things have changed. Transformers have become more sophisticated with timers that adjust not only for daylight savings but, also to longer and shorter days. Lights that are build into retaining walls, columns and steps can add definition to to those features as well as make it safer.
Some ...
Winter plant protection tool box
Winter can be hard on plant material particularly if we have used some plants that are on the edge as far as cold hardiness. It is useful to have some tools or techniques to help those plants thrive.
Late fall watering: It is important to water all evergreens, this get them fully hydrated and gives them a reserve. This is important because once the soil is frozen no more water can get to the roots and winter sun and wind pulls moisture out of the plant.
Mulching (Shredded bark) : Keeps the soil around the plant more evenly moist, reduces heat and cold temperature fluctuation and promotes micro-organism in the soil.
Pruning:Some plants ...