Grass, Plants and Trees.

When it comes to planting grass, plants and trees, there are some guidelines and information that you should be aware of. We work with only the most trusted nurseries, arborists and turf specialists. Anything that is planted in your yard should be planted for beauty, enjoyment, ease of maintenance, and long plant life. Our goal when suggesting and selecting plant life is to ensure that the right kind of plant life and turf is installed correctly the first time in your landscaping project.

We warranty our plant life for three (3) years. Most other professional landscaping companies will only extend a one-year warranty. We are so confident in the plant material providers and quality of plant life we use that we can offer the 3-year extended warranty with every project!

Using Sod for Lawns

With sod you can literally go from dirt to lawn in one day. Commercial growers select the best grass mixes and varieties for your area, cultivate and harvest them by slicing them into rolls, then deliver them by truck. We look for four (4) things when purchasing sod: freshness, soil type, thickness, and weed content. Sod, like any crop, is perishable. Your contractor will check to see whether your local sod supplier harvests and stores sod, or harvests and delivers to order the same day. Expect commercially grown sod to run 35 cents a square foot and up.

Sod must be watered more frequently during the first few weeks, at least once a day, and more often in dry climates. Rolling the sod is necessary during the first few days to remove any gaps between the sod and the soil underneath. Avoid foot traffic until the sod is well established. Mowing should be avoided for the first week or so. Until the sod is well established, plan to mow to a height at least 50 percent taller than you will later want. If you want three-inch grass, you will want to initially mow it to 4.5 inches.

Searching for Plant Material

Our professional landscape designers can suggest appropriate plant material for your project. And you probably will have some ideas of what you like as well. By working together, we can give your landscaping a strong balance of plant life that will last through all four seasons in the Carolinas.

Proper plant selection is one the most important "secrets" in successful landscaping. Plants and colors are the "flavors" that bring your garden to life. They're also elements that can be used with purpose such as screening, shade, erosion control, dividing, focal points, noise control, etc. So choosing the right plants for the right place and purpose is what we do to keep your landscaping professional looking, working, and manageable.

We use general planting guidelines when suggesting plants for your landscaping:

• Height and width are figured by the mature size a plant will reach in both upward and outward directions.
  
  
• Form is the shape of the plant and how it will occupy and accent space. Form and shape are considered as columnar, round, vase, weeping, oval, creeping, etc.
  
  
• Texture is the fineness or roughness of plants. It can also be categorized in terms of leaf thickness and shade(light or dark) of plants. As a rule, plants with finer textures should be used in greater numbers than plants with coarse textures.
  
  
• Seasonal interest and color are figured by the special features a plant has at different times of the year. Foliage, fruit, flowers, winter color, changing colors, etc.
  

Secondary considerations for selecting landscaping plants include:

• Insect and disease resistance
  
  
• Sun or shade
  
  
• Moisture tolerance
  
  
• Drought resistance
  
  
• Soil type

Selecting and Planting Trees

We put a great deal of thought into deciding what type of trees will work well in your landscaping project. Do you want color, shade, privacy or a long term memory? These are questions that should be asked during the design process. Here are some popular trees for their best times of each season:

• Spring - Magnolia and apple trees
  
  
• Summer - Dogwoods and Japanese Maple trees
  
  
• Autumn - Various types of Maple trees
  
  
• Winter - Birch trees, Blue Spruce and Holly trees

Shade trees include Elms, Maples, Oaks and White Ash.