Hartford Farm House – Gold Award for Excellence in Landscape Design & Construction

We’re spotlighting another one of our Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association’s  gold award winning projects!

This project is sits approximate to a uniquely preserved 1850’s farmhouse for a highly tasteful client. The project criteria: “remove everything, start over,” “we don’t want a straight walkway,” “you must salvage the original brick columns,” “we want to recycle our perennials,” “we want to re-use our lighting fixtures,” “we want the layered look” where you feel like you’re moving from area to area with some feeling of separation between spaces…The largest challenge here was to make significant upgrades while retaining that “old world” look of a farmhouse in the country. 

The existing pavers were removed and sent up north to be re-purposed. While excavating that hardscape, we discovered the garage foundation was still intact and needed to be removed. We abandoned existing hardscape areas and converted those spaces into planting beds, and vise-versa. Many tons of concrete were hauled out and hundreds of square feet of bluestone and moved in. Larger spaded trees were installed for an immediate effect and larger shrubs were planted and existing perennials divided and re-planted as requested. Also, the existing high voltage landscape lighting fixtures were converted into low voltage L.E.D. fixtures.

As you can see from the before and after photos below, the transformation was dramatic and we were glad to be able to deliver all of the clients’ “must-haves.”

Before

After

Watering Tips

Our water trucks are being kept busy in this dry, hot weather. We are providing many clients with seasonal watering services for our annual installations and temporary watering for new plantings.

Keeping plants and lawns well hydrated is critical for their health and longevity. Here are a few “hot” tips to ensure you can keep your garden beds, containers, and lawns well-tended during these hotter weeks we are experiencing:

Lawn Watering

A lawn irrigation system relieves you of the ongoing burden of watering regularly. If that’s not an option, be sure to follow a pattern of less frequent, but deeper watering. We always advise clients to water early in the day. If you water during the hottest part of the day, you risk not only evaporation but droplets can reflect the sun and cause additional browning of your lawn. If your lawn is newly installed, keep an extra close eye on it to be sure you are keeping it well hydrated.

Pro Tip: Leave your grass a little longer than usual to shade the roots!

Plant Watering

Again, a bed irrigation system is an ideal solution to keeping your plantings watered properly. If taking care of it by hand, be aware that plants with smaller root systems (annuals & perennials) are going to dry out much more quickly and are at more risk.  Annuals often need watering every day in high heat.

With a little effort and the right approach, you can help your lawn and garden beds thrive, even during a Wisconsin hot, dry spell. And don’t worry! Although it’s not attractive, a well-established lawn can turn brown and go dormant during short, dry periods and will grow again once the weather changes.

If you would like to learn more about American Landscape’s watering services, get in touch today!