Why You Need To Know Your Stuff

You may not be interested in getting a degree in Horticulture, which is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants, but, if you are planning a new landscape design, knowing some key landscaping terms will take you a long way when you begin your journey. While there are literally thousands of different landscaping terms, most are used by the degreed horticulturist or the landscape professional when it comes to all the little details and nuances of landscape design, installation, and maintenance. There are some key terms, however, that will assist you when engaging these professionals to clearly explain either what you are looking to accomplish or what might be causing issues in your yard.

There are also many new and exciting trends in Central Florida Landscaping both urban and rural. Knowing some of the terms associated with these may help you decide on a brand-new landscape design that can be a unique adventure.
Rather than the standard, boring alphabetical list like your grade school dictionary, we have broken these down into categories. We will begin our list with some general terms, some legal considerations and then get into the plants. We hope you keep this list handy when you get ready to embark on either a new landscape design, an addition to your current yard or to understand landscape maintenance. This list will serve you well in finding the right information and understanding your Central Florida Landscaper when they start talking the lingo!

Let’s start with the most important, Landscaping! The definition of Landscaping for our purposes is all of the visible features of an area of land. Most of us think it’s our plants but this term actually includes both natural and artificial elements such as pots, yard art or water features.

• Hardscape – this is the non-living, man-made stuff in your yard. Hardscape includes pathways, patios, retaining walls, etc.
• Softscape – This is the natural stuff. Plants, trees, soil, etc.
• Ground Cover – Ground Cover is pretty obvious. This is anything that covers the ground or soil. This may include low growing plants, mulch, wood chips, stone, or gravel.
• Underplanting – Underplanting is when smaller plants are placed around the base of larger plants. This will allow you to add more variety and levels to your landscape design without taking up more space in your yard. This is particularly nice if you have a small yard.
• Landscaping Fabric – Also known as weed fabric, this is a roll of fabric textile material used to place over soil to help prevent or inhibit weed growth.
• Grade – The grade of your yard or land is the degree of slope. This is an important factor in landscape design for proper drainage.
• Soil Test – Pretty obvious again here, but an important first step for landscape design. A soil test checks the nutrients and pH of your soil so you can be sure to pick the right plants and know exactly what type of fertilizers you might need.

• Drainage – This is the rate at which water will pass through soil. Compacted soil or the grade of your landscape can affect this.
• Aeration – This is a way to create holes or slits in compacted soil to improve water and oxygen absorption. Water and oxygen are vital to the survival of your plants and you may need to use this practice if you have areas of compacted soil before planting.
• Compost – While most people have heard of composting, it is a great way to reduce the amount of natural waste taken to landfills. Compost is a type of soil that is created from decomposing organic material. This can be yard or food waste.
• Xeriscaping – This odd-looking word is pretty popular here in Central Florida Landscaping. It refers to landscape design that is aimed specifically at reducing or eliminating the need for the use of supplemental water for irrigating. This is done by using Florida Friendly plants that are drought resistant and designing the space ahead of time with water conservation as a priority.
• Urban Farming – Urban Farming is becoming a big trend and is a good way to connect with your community. This concept is based on dedicating a portion of your yard for growing food. Many of you might be familiar with the news story about a couple in College Park that were some of the first to do this. While not everyone likes the idea, it is becoming more and more common in larger cities. Urban Farming can also include livestock and many cities are now addressing regulations to allow residents within city limits to own chickens, goats and other farm animals.

These terms are related to the City or County rules and regulations for Landscaping. These are important to research and know before you begin your landscape design.

• Building Codes – You will need to know the building codes in your area for any structures that you might want to build in your yard.
• Building Permits – Permits are needed to prove that you have met all the requirements of your local municipality. Building Permits usually require you to submit blueprints or plans to be approved before you begin your project and some will require certain inspections throughout construction.
• Easement – An easement is the strip of land between the sidewalk and curb, and may be other areas of your property that allows municipalities to maintain utilities, signage, etc necessary for public service and safety.
• Set Back – This is an important one for Landscape Designers. A Set Back is the distance that your City or County requires from the street and from property lines for the placing of structures, trees and plants. For example, in some cities, you must leave a 7’ set back from the street before placing a fence around your yard.

Now to the good stuff, Plants!

• Annual – An Annual is a flowering plant that grows to maturity and blooms in one season and will need to be replanted each year.
• Perennial – A Perennial is a flowering plant that will bloom each year if cared for properly and will not need replanting.
• Barrier Plant – A Barrier plant is on that is not very friendly. They will have thorns or other parts that deter people and animals. They can help keep out criminals and prevent stray dogs from digging up your nice landscaping.
• Self-Seeding – A Self-Seeding Plant will drop its own seeds and will continue to spread. This is okay for a large area that you might want to fill in but will be the wrong fit for a small bed or limited growing area. Check before planting as you don’t want these to take over your other plants and flowers.
• Deciduous – This term refers to trees and shrubs. Deciduous means that it is a plant that loses its leaves in the winter. These trees are good for creating shade in the summer and allowing the sun to warm your home in winter when it is without leaves.
• Evergreen – Just like it sounds, these plants are ever green. They keep their leaves and stay green all year.
• Monoecious – As “mono” would indicate, these plants can reproduce by themselves without any pollination to produce flowers or fruit.
• Dioecious – Just the opposite of “mono”, Dioecious plants are either male or female and require pollination with an opposite sex plant in order to flower or produce fruit.

The last two terms are important if you want to plant fruit trees and be sure to get fruit produced. Growing fruit trees is extremely popular here in Central Florida Landscaping.

We have all, at times, been green with envy as we pass by homes with a lush, green, manicured yard accented by beautiful landscaping and flowers. While admiring the greener grass of neighboring homes, we are not likely to think through all the time, money and likely frustration that may be behind that gorgeous landscaping. There are some things to think about long before you head out to your local Orlando Landscaper to pick out your favorite plants. Let’s take a look at some of these so you can be well prepared and educated before beginning your Florida Landscape design.

Get To Know Zone 9 And Your Little Piece Of It!

While North Florida can always expect winter freezes and has a variety of soil types, South Florida is much more tropical, almost never freezes and the soil becomes very rocky or swampy. Here in Central Florida, we are a climate anomaly of sorts, we are between the two, a climate transition zone. We are a little tropical and temperate. Sometimes too hot and sometimes too cold. This creates a unique challenge in our landscaping selections. It is important to learn about the weather patterns and what types of plants will grow in our region.

Along with this general climate information that is vital on knowing what will thrive, you also need to do an analysis of your yard. Walk it. A lot. The more you do, the more you will notice any issues that may come up in your design. You may find some drainage issues that will need to be addressed before installing landscaping. You may also find that you need to consider removing some existing trees or plants to make your design all that it can be. It is a big mistake to try and incorporate some overgrown or unsightly elements, don’t be afraid to pull them out. You will avoid fighting them down the road and your design will come together much easier. You may also find some dangerous plants that will need to be removed.

Lastly on this note, you will want to take a soil sample (or samples depending on the size of your property you wish to landscape) to a local garden center or educational facility for testing. Any test should identify your soil’s pH and nutrient levels so that you can know if your soil is acidic or alkaline and what types of nutrients will need to be added to make your landscape flourish. Many homes in Central Florida are built on old orange grove land and can be very acidic. This is always nice to know before getting started.

Design Design Design!

Take your time with your landscape design. You will have to live with it and it will not be super easy to change if you don’t like what you end up with. Formal designs are by far the most expensive. Symmetry or unique patterns are extremely difficult to maintain with growing structures such as plants. Keep in mind some key things like creating focal points, covering up any equipment or ugly areas around your house, selecting the right size plants for each area, incorporation of pathways, decks, patios or containers within these areas, and creating movement and adding curves to add interest and life to your landscape. There are many professional Orlando Landscapers that can create a beautiful design for you. There are also some fun DIY options as well. Check out this Florida-friendly Interactive Yard! A great tool provided by Floridayards.org.

Everyone wants that lush, beautifully landscaped yard. We hope we’ve helped you to change that shade of green on your face when you pass other yards and get started on creating your own gorgeous landscape design that will make others envious.

We are very lucky to live here in Central Florida where the weather is nice a large part of the year. This means that we can spend more time outdoors than most. Adding Landscape Lighting to your home can bring a multitude of benefits for relatively low cost, with an initial investment into a system, you can maintain a wonderful aesthetic to the exterior of your home that will rival the stars after sunset and create a wonderful environment surrounding your home for years to come. If you are considering Landscape Lighting for your Orlando area home, consider the following benefits.

Show Your Stuff

We take great pride in keeping our homes looking good inside and outside. Why shouldn’t we enjoy the view in our yard at night too? Landscape Lighting can create a dramatic transformational effect to the exterior of your home. Depending on design and placement of lighting, you can create a stylish standout in your neighborhood. You can highlight the architecture of your home and special outdoor areas or create focal points of gardens or allow your favorite statues to draw the eye. Landscape Lighting can offer the presence of a well-cared for, warm, and loving home. There are many aspects of design and placement that should be well thought out when considering landscape lighting and planning your design. Uplighting, accent lighting, down light and even moon lighting are all options that can create different experiences. Be sure to do your research and consider using a local Orlando landscape company. Most are happy to provide a consultation.

Extend Your Space

As we said before, we are very lucky to live in a sunny environment. You can literally double the size of your space and enjoy your outdoor living areas equally as indoors for a large part of the year. With well-placed Landscape Lighting, you can create an outdoor dining areas for family gatherings or fun cookouts, a nice sitting garden for an intimate glass of wine or a beautiful deck for gathering and entertaining guests. Adding landscape lighting can create a new dimension to your home and a warm and inviting way to enjoy your outdoor space long after dark.

Safety and Security – Not the Same

Safety
Outdoor lighting can enhance safety in a variety of ways. It can light walkways to lead to safe navigation for guests, it can illuminate darker areas of your yard for nighttime use, it can help to light seating areas around decks, pools, and patios where you may be getting up and down. You can minimize risks of slips and falls and tripping over objects in the dark.

Security

For security purposes, landscape lighting can deter potential criminals by eliminating dark spots and shadows when placed appropriately. Especially with shrubs and larger plants, the more lights the better. Height variety in your landscaping and different options of lighting will lead to an optimum combination in creating a beautiful yet secure outdoor space and perimeter to your home. Motion detection and spotlights to certain areas to enhance the security of your landscape lighting. A good lighting design also sends a message to passersby that you are present and active in lighting and maintaining the outdoor areas of your home. It usually extends to others around you when there is a sense of care and maintenance. Your neighbors know if you are looking out for your property, you’ll look out for them as well and likely reciprocate.

Show Me the Money – Adds Value to Your Home

When someone is ready to buy a home, they look for small details and one important one is lighting. Landscape lighting in place and functional can be a big selling point. This is something that creates a nice environment immediately with no money or labor when moving into a new home. When scheduling open house showings, consider hours that continue after dark. Landscape lighting will impress potential buyers and show the additional outdoor enjoyment after dark. For a relatively small investment, lighting can be a big return when selling your home.

Does it Make Sense?

Since the internet has taken over more and more of our lives and with the introduction of Pinterest, Etsy and other sites, the DO-IT-YOURSELF desire has risen in more and more people. Understandably, there is pride and accomplishment in a job well done. Landscaping is no exception. There is a feeling of sculpting nature to your own design when your yard looks great! Sometimes though, things may be better left to the experts. Let’s look at how to hire a landscaper and why it makes sense, or not?

Knowledge is Power

By far, the largest reason behind learning how to hire a landscaper is that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. While there is a lot of DIY information out there, it would take literally years of research to harness the knowledge of someone that has years of experience in their field. Not to mention that there are multiple opinions and a multitude of differing advice given on subjects online. Just imagine, would you cut your own hair, fix your own water leak or attempt to rewire your house? Some may be brave enough, but for the vast majority of us, we call in an expert. Your lawn is no different.

A professional landscaper will have technical knowledge on things such as drainage, pitch, what plants work together, what type of landscaping works best with individual lifestyles. They know watering recommendations and which fertilizers to use and how often, and will also tell you if your dreams of a lush, tropical front yard in Minnesota just isn’t in the cards and give you alternatives to create an equally stunning result.

Save Time

Other reason to hire a landscaper includes saving time. While some people like to do yard work and get a great sense of accomplishment from it, most do not have the available free time to commit to maintaining a beautiful landscape. Unless you are only mowing and edging, landscaping takes commitment and constant maintenance to ensure landscape success. After all, these are living, growing plants.

Access to Products & Equipment

There is also the access to better products and when needed equipment. Landscapers can sometimes actually save the consumer money because they can buy products in bulk, usually already own any necessary equipment. While you might think that a landscaper is an unnecessary expense and not worth the money, their knowledge and access to products can save you from a landscape disaster and having to start all over or that yearly DIY landscape project that ends up costing a fortune after renting equipment, buying plants and products and the hours and hours of time you didn’t realize that go into planning and design before the first shovel hits the ground.

One last point here. Did you know that a beautifully landscaped yard can actually yield up to 150% return on investment? By increasing curb appeal, a good landscape design can increase your home’s value and make it easier to sell down the road. Definitely a great reason to invest in hiring a landscaper for your home that could pay off for you later.

How to Hire a Landscaper

There are lots and lots of landscaping companies in Orlando. How do you pick one that is right for you? First of all, DO YOUR RESEARCH! While plumbers and electricians are required to have a license and maintain continuing education, anyone with a truck and a lawn mower can claim to be a landscaper.

It is always best to hire a local landscaper that can give you advice when needed that is pertinent to your climate and specific area. There are different landscaping needs within the same city and even neighborhood. Their knowledge usually far outweighs the employee at the big chain stores working in the garden department.

Do your online research and look at reviews, but better yet, contact the landscaper themselves with some questions. You will be able to tell if someone has vast knowledge from years of experience or is stuttering around your questions and not giving you straight answers. Any good landscaping company should be able to come to your home and review your project or maintenance needs and give you a detailed estimate or contract IN WRITING.

Ask for references that you can pick up a phone and call. We all like to stay anonymous behind our computers at times, but trusting someone that is going to be around your home on a regular basis is a big deal. It is worth picking up a phone and asking other clients about the job that was done, what they could have done better, ease of contact, did the phone calls get returned? Ask about the conduct of employees, cleanliness, and maintenance of vehicles and equipment, etc.

Also, ask the landscaper if they are licensed and insured and ask for hard copies. You can ask for a certificate of insurance indicating your specific address. This will give you peace of mind should an accident happen, and they sometimes do, on your property and take away the fear of having someone working around your house. Any professional landscaper will be happy to provide these things, as their reputation is a priority to them.

Be sure to follow these guidelines when considering landscaping companies in Orlando. Here at Roedell’s, we pride ourselves on our experience and reputation and would be happy to assist with any landscaping needs you might have. Just request a free consultation. We are proud to maintain our “customer first” service attitude.

Using landscape rock is a growing trend in landscape design and an especially good one for Florida Landscaping. Florida’s heat and daily rains are a breeding ground for weeds. Rock beds are easier to keep weeds away, easier to maintain than mulch and they look great for years. Creating rock gardens are also a great way to beautify and enhance those areas that grass just won’t grow or are a great solution dealing with areas that tend to pool storm water. Using rocks in your landscape can really add diversity and interest to your landscape with all the variety of colors and textures you can get them in. However, there’s more than meets the eye when choosing the right type of rocks for your project.

Let’s look at the main types of landscape rocks and the considerations:

Pea Gravel

Pea Gravel is small rocks that are often referred to as pebbles. They generally have a smooth edge and come multi-colored. They are essentially the small fragments of rocks that rivers have plummeted into small pieces and polished up naturally.

Pea Gravel works well as a mulch replacement medium, especially in small areas. The natural tones make them a perfect color base to accent just about any decorative plants or even large stone focal points in your design. They also are perfect for large areas of ground cover, not to mention they are also easy on bare feet! However, when using small pebbles keep in mind you’ll want to use solid edging. Without edging, pea gravel has a tendency to spread and get into the lawn or on concrete surfaces like driveways and side walks. Without good edging, you’ll spend time sweeping or pushing the pebbles back into place.

River Rock

River rock is like the big brother to pea gravel. It too is generally smooth but is larger in size. They also have more distinction in color overall. You can buy river rock in different colors: white, black, brown or a mixture. Sometimes they even have a marble like look.

River rock is a great replacement for mulch in larger, more visible beds. Although smooth, the size varies enough that they are not so great on the feet. However, the colors can be used to really accent areas. River rock can not only set-off decorative plants but also compliment your house and the overall look and feel of your landscape design. River rock is one of the most popular landscape rock used by landscape designers because of its versatility color. It works great as accent borders, along fences and walls or around a fountain or a large feature boulder. One tip though is river rock can be very heavy to work with. I would look for a supplier that can deliver and make sure you have a solid wheelbarrow.

Chipped Rock

Chipped rock is about the same size as river rock but it is actually larger rocks chipped down to this size. They don’t have smooth edges or have a polished look like river rock but chipped rock adds great texture to your landscape. Although you can choose from a variety of colors, it is usually sold in one color.

The most popular color for chip rock is white. You see it used a lot in Florida landscapes. The white color makes it a great base to set of flowery, colorful plants. It also works great in beds up close to the house or in pool areas. Just remember these rocks have some sharp edges so edging is important to keep them in place. Chipped Rock also makes for a great bed for low maintenance potted gardens, which works great for entryways like your front porch.

Lava Rock

It’s called lava rock because it is actually lava from volcanoes, just broken down into smaller pieces. It comes in a variety of sizes but doesn’t have smooth edges. Lava rock is red and bold, making it great for accents. Lava rock is a great color tool when breaking up the typical green Florida landscape providing excitement and dimension to your landscape design.

Typically you wouldn’t use lava rock to replace mulch around trees and shrubs but for larger areas. In specifically design spaces or along the front of the house. In the southwest desert areas of the country, it’s used a lot as a base to create entire yards because grass doesn’t grow. If you ever go to Las Vegas or Phoenix you will see a lot of yards based around lava rock.

Flagstone

Unlike the other type of rocks we have mentioned so far, flagstone is not a replacement for mulch. It comes in much larger pieces of flat stone. It typically is available in a gray or brownish earth tone color.

Often you will see it used as stepping stone to build a pathway. Flagstone makes a great replacement to concrete sidewalks and attractive to use for well-traveled pathways through your yard so the grass doesn’t get worn out. It’s easy to install and maintain. You can even run a lawnmower right over them. They also work great for walkways through larger rock beds made of the smaller river rock or pea gravel. Flagstone also provides for beautiful, natural look small steps for those inclined areas of your yard. Flagstone also makes a beautiful natural looking retaining wall, but you will have to choose the right flagstone to use for that purpose and be able to cut or place the right pieces to make it work. I would recommend looking for a professional landscaper to help you build a flagstone retaining wall.

Boulders

When we say “landscape rock” here we mean a big one! Boulders make for great anchor or center focal pieces for your Florida landscape design. Instead of a tree or large shrub under your living room window –  use a boulder! They are interesting and obviously pretty easy to maintain. You can easily design a rock garden or an array of plants around them. They come in all sorts of sizes and colors. They are also great to use for the corner of your pool enclosure. Of course, boulders are huge and heavy and not easy to move around, so you will have to use a bit of vision when selecting a boulder.