Tulsa Landscaping - The Latest Design Rules to Follow

Before you set out to renovate your landscape, keep in mind these helpful landscaping guidelines to ensure your outdoor living space looks its best.

Landscaping Do’s 

First and foremost, do carefully create a landscape design plan before you begin, even if you won’t be able to finish every aspect of the design for quite a while. While you may not need to plan out every plant you’ll include, you do need to plan where hardscapes and various groups of plants and trees will go.

Do use plants that are native to your area, that grow well together naturally, and that match the architecture or style of your home and outdoor environment. Native plants will be more resistant to disease and often require less watering. Group plants with similar watering or sunlight requirements together to make maintenance easier. 

 

Do use interesting pavers or stone to add texture and color when building your walkway instead of just concrete. 

Do consider how your family will want to use your landscape in the years to come. Do you kids like to play ball in the yard? If your family has a dog, consider how your dog will interact or be affected by the various plants or landscape designs. 

Do consider and plan for how trees and plants will mature over time. Research how big trees, shrubs, and plants will grow when they are fully mature. Will they block out sunlight or be too close to your house when they are full-grown? 

Do plant to add variety and interest all year round. Plan out which trees and plants will bloom at different times during the year and plant these so that when one group stops flowering, you’ll still have color and interest in your landscape. When choosing flowering plants, pick mostly perennials instead of annuals so that you don’t have to buy them again next year. 

Do make it easy for guests to find your front door. Sometimes homeowners may want to make several paths or walkways through their yard, but make sure visitors can easily navigate and clearly see where they should go.

Do make sure to think about proportions in your landscape. You’ll want to keep all the landscape elements in proportion, not only with your home, but also with each other so that the elements don’t seem haphazardly placed. 

Landscaping Don’ts 

Don’t plant trees too close to your house, or plant shrubs or other plants too close to walkways. Research how large the tree or plant will grow when it’s mature so that it doesn’t overtake your home, interfere with the foundation, prevent you from easily passing by on your walkway, or make your home look smaller than it is.

Don’t forget about the maintenance required for each plant or shrub. Consider whether you will have time to regularly trim shrubs and trees. This is especially true with ivy growing on your house. Will you be able to keep the ivy pruned so that it doesn’t overtake your home?

Don’t try to plant too many varieties. While you need enough variety to create interest throughout the year, too many varieties of plants will take out the “design” look of your landscape and make it look disorganized. A simple landscape design with just a few varieties and even a main color theme can create a modern look and feel. 

Don’t get caught up in using a landscaping fad, especially for hardscapes. There may be bold new color or design trends in hardscape materials, but especially with these permanent features of your landscape, you’ll want to use materials that won’t soon become outdated. 

While you can use these few guidelines to create a great landscape design with interest and balance, having a landscape design professional help will take much of the stress and work out of the project.

The Tulsa landscape designers at Oklahoma Landscape can design the best plan for your landscape using these and many other landscape design techniques to create an engaging outdoor space. Let us help you build the perfect landscape and outdoor environment for your particular home and lifestyle.

Winter Home Security Tips from Tulsa Landscapers

Fewer daylight hours during winter can mean an increased security risk for your home and family. What can you do to stay safe this winter?

Make sure your home is well-lit. Landscape lighting not only allows you to utilize your outdoor living space more but can also help to deter thieves. Outdoor lighting for walkways and paths also help to keep guests safer as they walk up to your home after dark. Outdoor lighting systems connected to motion sensors and surveillance systems can also help to keep your home more secure at night. Lights and various electronics inside your home can be set on timers so that your home looks occupied throughout the day.

Keep your landscape well-maintained. Burglars often look for signs that homeowners are away, so keeping your landscape maintained, even when you’re away on vacation perhaps with help from a Tulsa landscape maintenance company, can help make sure your home looks occupied.  Also, make sure any trees or shrubs near your home do not become overgrown, providing a good place for burglars to hide or block visibility to your front door. Shrubs that have thorns planted next to the home act as a great deterrent for thieves.

Make sure all your doors and windows are locked. Many of us like to open our windows or patio doors this time of year when it starts getting cooler outside. When opening these windows or doors, be sure to place dowel rods or locking pins in the tracks to prevent someone from easily opening them further. And lock your front door, even if you’re just in the backyard or will just be away momentarily.

Always be mindful of your surroundings. With shorter daylight hours, many residents may not return home until after dark. Thus, it’s good to always pay attention to what is going on around you as you walk to your car or home and not be distracted by looking down at a cell phone. With school in session again, many teens may walk home from school or be out late with after school activities. Remind teenagers to always walk with a group if possible in well-lit areas and on well-known streets, avoiding short-cuts in alleys, etc. Make sure they know how important it is to have a safety routine when they get home, immediately locking the door and calling to check-in if they’re home alone.

Make sure valuables are out of sight. Can a burglar easily see your big screen television in your living room? Although large windows or glass doors are elegant and a nice home design, these easy-to-see-through home elements can attract the wrong crowd if they’re not covered. Thus, it’s good to walk around the outside of your home and make sure expensive items are not visible from outside.

Don’t tell burglars you’re not home. That may seem obvious, but often residents can unknowingly tell burglars they’re not home by announcing their vacation plans on social media sites and changing their message on their answering message to include their vacation plans. Burglars can also see many of these sites, and then one simple status update can let them know your home will be unoccupied for a week. Also, although it may seem convenient if you’re expecting someone and in a hurry, don’t leave notes on your door when you’re not at home.

Keep in mind these security tips to keep your family safe this season. And for help with your landscape design or outdoor lighting, call us today at 918.296.9679.  Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your Tulsa landscape maintenance or landscape lighting needs.

Beautify Your Tulsa Landscape With Plants That Add Color In The Fall

Fall is in the air and soon leaves will change colors and the cool fall breeze will brush through the Tulsa landscape. People love the fall season for the display of colors that can be seen across all of Oklahoma, but especially here in Green Country. For an even more colorful fall season, many homeowners plant shrubs, trees, and perennials that are known for their amazing colors in the fall.

The Virginia Sweetspire is a showcase-worthy shrub with great ornamental fall colors. Growing in either shade or sun, the Virginia Sweetspire will display little white flowers in the summer, and then its green leaves will turn to a bright red, yellow, orange, or even rich burgundy color during fall.

A tough deciduous shrub that affords an outstanding display of fall color with orange-red fall foliage is the Chokeberry. This shrub thrives in open sunlight but can tolerate partial shade as well. The Amur Maple offers nice red color during the fall and can act either as shrub or a small tree depending on how it’s managed. Also, different varieties of Sumac provide stunning displays of fall color with yellow, scarlet, orange and foliage. These Sumacs are hardy shrubs that thrive in full sun and shouldn’t be confused with their poison sumac cousin.

Naturally, Maple trees will add a nice display of color to your Tulsa landscape this fall. From the widespread Red Maple to the Japanese Maple, these trees are known for their crimson colors and elegant, unique shapes. The Autumn Purple Ash tree is another fall favorite with reddish-purple leaves that change earlier in the season than other trees. Dogwoods afford great color during any season with white and pink flowers in the spring and purplish-red leaves in the fall.

Sedums are a vibrant perennial for fall color as are Helenium, Fall Crocus, Asters and the brilliant Colchicum. These are all wonderful perennials that bloom in the fall and can bring a boost of color to your garden late in the season. For a little contrast, the Russian Sage is a perennial that has a collection of purple-blue flowers from mid-summer to fall.

Beautify your Tulsa landscape this fall with some of these brilliant late season trees and shrubs.

For more ideas on how to add a splash of amazing color to your fall landscape, contact the Tulsa landscape design specialists at Oklahoma Landscape. We can create a unique color palate for your Tulsa home and garden and create brilliant interest in your landscape throughout the year.

Updating Your Tulsa Landscape Design - Increasing Curb Appeal

Is your Tulsa landscape looking somewhat uninspiring? It’s important to maintain and make improvements to our homes, but what about our landscapes? Actually, outdated or poor landscape design can make your home look dated as well. On the other hand, elegant Tulsa landscape design can be a cost effective way to raise the value of your home and add curb appeal.

How can you renovate your Tulsa landscape and thus update your home as well?

First, make sure your shrubs, trees, and plants are not taking over your home. Over time, plants and shrubs can grow until they are no longer in proper proportion to your home or cover your windows. Trimming and pruning these can help prevent them from overtaking your home and property.

You can also relocate a shrub to another part of your landscape to give the landscape a slightly different look – sort of like adding or moving a piece of furniture in your home. Adding new variations of flowers and plants in an assortment of different colors and textures can liven up your landscape. Especially around the front door, updating containers and adding new flowers to them can really spruce up the look of your home.

Adding interesting Tulsa hardscapes is another way to bring subtle charm to your outdoor space. A flagstone pathway creates an inviting way to lead guests through your garden. Walkways can be designed using an assortment of hardscape materials that can highlight the architectural design of your home. These pathways create a visual way to connect your landscape with your home and stylishly guide visitors to your home’s entrance. 

You can also use hardscapes to edge flowerbeds to create a more modern and sleek design in your landscape. Retaining walls are another hardscape that can really give your home a sophisticated design feel by effectively separating portions of your landscape into more practical spaces while also shielding your landscape from erosion, all while using materials that come in a variety of decorative styles and colors.

Adding or updating water features like fountains or waterfalls can provide an interesting focal point for your outdoor space.

If you want to really modernize your landscape, building an outdoor kitchen or fireplace with a nearby outdoor seating – ‘living room’ – area will significantly increase the value of your home and transform your landscape. Today, these areas can have all the conveniences of home in a contemporary Tulsa outdoor environment. Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, and fire pits create the perfect spot for entertaining friends and relaxing with family just about all year round.

From little improvements in flowers, containers, and landscaping to more extensive Tulsa landscape design additions, there’s an almost endless variety of ways to update the look of your landscape while also increasing the value of your home and neighborhood.

Commercial Landscape Design in Tulsa - Increase Productivity and Relieve Stress

We've probably all taken a walk through a  relaxing city park or left our cubicle to sit outside next to trees and plants that provide a refreshing break on a hectic workday. These are all part of Tulsa commercial landscape design that artistically blends nature and greenery into the architecture of commercial properties.
Why is commercial landscape design in Tulsa important? Being around nature is vital for our mental and physical health. Studies that were published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology noted that “being outside in nature for just 20 minutes in a day was enough to significantly boost vitality levels.” Thus, incorporating landscape design into a commercial campus or office park can help to increase productivity in employees.

“The quality of a person’s physical surroundings has a real and profound impact on their attitude and performance as well as their enjoyment of a place,” the American Society of Landscape Architects said regarding the PepsiCo World Headquarters commercial landscape design project. In this project landscape architects created a sustainable, quality environment with accessibility to nature, formal landscapes as well as sculptures. “The quality environment created at PepsiCo resulted in lower turnover, less absenteeism, shorter lunch hours and greater productivity,” the article noted.

This improved outlook and increased energy in relation to being in nature can also translate to clients. Many retail environments and corporate office parks have brought thoughtful landscape design to their Tulsa commercial properties to create a more welcoming atmosphere for customers. Well-manicured and beautifully-captivating commercial properties provide a curb appeal that greatly enhances the image of a company and can attract more business.

Many cities are incorporating more landscape design and water conservation into their streetscapes, giving a more natural, sustainable appeal to their city and creating a more enjoyable place for residents and customers. Students can learn more studying outside on a beautifully-manicured college campus. Tenants are attracted more to apartment communities with nature parks and stylish greenery areas.

All of these commercial spaces are benefiting from landscape design. Commercial lawn maintenance also relieves stress from Tulsa businesses. Landscape design and lawn maintenance can be one less thing a property manager has to worry about with professional landscape design for his or her company. Not only increasing the curb appeal and beauty of the property, commercial landscape design in Tulsa can also increase productivity and even sales by creating a more positive, refreshing environment for everyone.

Functional Landscape Design in Tulsa - Transforming your Backyard into a Work of Art

Landscape designers in Tulsa transform traditional backyards in cohesive outdoor living spaces. What does that mean and why is it needed? Landscape designers create a theme for properties using plants and hardscapes to tell a story or set a tone for the landscape. This landscape theme makes the landscape more functional, more practical for everyday use.

Instead of allowing plants and grass to grow haphazardly, landscape designers in Tulsa such as Oklahoma Landscape can use the natural elements of a property to enhance not only the landscape but also the home itself, increasing property value and curb appeal. Plants, trees, and shrubs are set in strategic places to lower energy costs, provide shade, reduce irrigation needs, and prevent erosion. The variety of plants and foliage in the landscape and their color can provide serenity and relaxation for a home or business owner. Color therapy can be used in a landscape to evoke certain emotions and enhance the outdoor experience. Gardens can provide the needed relief after a stressful workday to balance emotions and promote well-being. Landscape designers are adept at creating these luxury gardens that invigorate the senses.

Landscape design combines an effective use of plants, or softscapes, with hardscapes or the inanimate features of a landscape such as those made of stone, concrete, wood, or brick. Used in the right combination, these elements provide visual structure, dimension, and character to a landscape, while also adding to the theme or tone of the property. A functional outdoor kitchen in Tulsa with granite countertops provides an ideal entertaining spot for a landscape. An elegant outdoor fireplace offers a romantic focal point to the landscape design. Oklahoma Landscape’s design architects use realistic 3D modeling to show how the finished project will look before landscape development or construction even begins.

And, of course, fundamental to landscape design is good design, planning, and implementation. Tulsa landscape designers know that to create a landscape that is not only visually engaging but also practical to the homeowner’s lifestyle, landscapers must analyze the needs of the homeowner and the landscape itself, and then carefully plan a landscape arrangement to fit those needs. This carefully thought-out design allows for the optimal use of the property and most pleasing visual appearance, creating the most serene environment.

Good landscape design is everything for your Tulsa property. It makes your home or business and their adjoining property a cohesive design element in the community, creating a living work of art for your Tulsa neighborhood. The needs of you as a property owner are of prime importance. If a landscape design is not practical to the home or business owner, then it won’t be used to the full. But if the landscape design creates a compelling theme for your home or business, then you’ll be sure to ‘find yourself outside.’

Water Features Add Character to Tulsa Outdoor Living Spaces

Decorative water features bring character and life to your Tulsa outdoor environment. These elements create an area of added serenity and beauty for your outdoor living space. In a survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, decorative water elements were predicted to be in high demand for home landscapes. There are a variety of different decorative water features that can be added to an outdoor space.

Some of the more familiar ornamental water features include fountains, ponds, and streams. Fountains add an interesting focal point to your landscape. Fountains can be built in ponds and with streams of water spraying from them. There are also wall fountains that can be attached to buildings or other garden structures that bring a soothing sound of trickling water to the outdoor living space. Fountains can be created using a variety of materials like stone, concrete, marble, and tile as well as in an array of colors. They can have lights attached to them to produce a romantic nighttime glow and bring out the subtle beauty of flowing water.

Waterfalls and grottos bring life to a custom swimming pool and landscape. These features that can be made to resemble natural caves offer culture and depth to a landscape, especially a pool, creating a focal point for the body of water.

Waterfalls can also be built in connection with ponds and streams. Imagine listening to a cascading waterfall in your outdoor space, reading a book by the koi pond and stream. Waterfalls not only create an amazingly soothing atmosphere for your outdoor environment, but they are also a practical addition for your decorative pond. In keeping water moving, these elements help to keep the pond’s water clean, free from algae, and help to add needed oxygen to the water for plants and fish to thrive. Designing a waterfall can be very tricky in deciding how high the waterfall should be in relation to the surrounding elements. The landscape design experts at Oklahoma Landscape can help design the perfect waterfall and decorative water features for your Tulsa outdoor space.
Water runnels are a linear channel that carries water through the landscape. These can help retain rainwater and move it through the landscape in an aesthetically engaging and practical way.

Other water features include splash pools and water bubblers, as well as ornamental pools. These all have their own unique features that can bring creativity and flare to your outdoor environment, as well as add value to your home and property.

Visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com for more ideas on ornamental water features and complete Tulsa outdoor environments.

Tulsa Lawn Care Tips - How Much Do You Cut When Mowing?

Landscaping, lawn care, gardening...many Tulsa homeowners may enjoy these outdoor hobbies, but to others, one aspect of outdoor work has been merely a chore - mowing the lawn. It was a chore we maybe grew up doing that stole our Saturday afternoons. But to have a beautiful, green, lush lawn, we have to take care of it, and an important part of lawn care is mowing. And maybe, just maybe, many don't like mowing because they haven't seen the fruits of the labors, so to speak. They haven't seen the added benefits of properly mowing not just to cut the grass, but to help it thrive.

 

That's why although mowing your lawn can seem basic, questions often surface regarding this traditional lawn care practice.

 

At what height should you mow your lawn to help it stay green and beautiful? Actually, while different varieties of grass prefer different heights, it’s generally safe and better for the grass to cut only the top third when you mow. Why is this? Root systems grow deeper with taller grass because it allows for more shade, so the soil doesn’t dry out as fast, especially in the heat of summer. A healthier root system will help the grass to be stronger and more resistant to weeds and drought.

 

Grass that is cut at the right height actually can decrease weeds too by blocking out sunlight for weeds to grow.  Experts say that lawns should be mowed higher in the summer and slightly lower in the fall and toward winter when there is more rain.

 

Proper mowing helps grasses to thrive because it cuts off the damaged or oldest parts of the blade, encouraging grass to grow thicker, which, in turn, also helps to prevent weeds. Mowing your lawn at a taller height instead of scalping it will help it to stay green, lush, and healthy, ultimately making it easier to maintain, and giving you more free time on the weekend to enjoy your Tulsa home.

 

For lawn care and maintenance help, visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com/index.php/lawnmaintenance/residential.

How to Hire the Right Tulsa Lawn Care Company

Hiring a professional Tulsa lawn care specialist or landscaper can seem like a daunting task, but asking just a few questions and doing a little research can help you get the perfect outdoor environment. A landscaper’s experience, proof of credentials, awards received, offering complete landscaping services, and having diversity in landscaping skills are all good indications that you have hired the right company.

When lawn care professionals have extensive experience, they can be flexible if any issues do arise. If unexpected dilemmas occur, maybe because of the topography of the landscape, weather, or a change in the project itself, the experienced landscaper can quickly adapt to these issues to save you time and money. With a proactive-approach, the lawn care specialists can possibly even foresee these issues and solve them before they happen. Larger projects, like outdoor environments, should especially be handled by a seasoned lawn care and landscaping professional. More than just basic mowing, these larger projects require a deeper skill set and good planning and foresight to effectively budget materials and time. Experience can be one of the best teachers, so hire a landscaping professional who has been “taught” the ropes of landscaping through a wide array of projects.

Choosing a professional lawn care expert or landscaper with diverse landscape design skills or one who offers a variety of landscaping services may be your best choice when hiring a landscaper. Hiring multiple contractors, one for your lawn care, another to build your outdoor fireplace, may prove to be quite a hassle. Having one landscaping company to handle all of your outdoor needs, from basic lawn mowing and maintenance to complex outdoor environment projects can lessen the confusion of workers on your property, making your home more secure. A landscaping company offering a variety of services also allows projects to run more smoothly with one team of professionals all on the same page with your project, thus saving you time and money.

Next, a seasoned landscaper should be able to give his client adequate proof of his credentials, even having their achievements showcased in local publications or having received awards. You can ask the landscaping company if they have a licensed Landscape Architects on staff and available to work on your project.  Make sure the landscaping company has a good Better Business Bureau rating.  They should be licensed and insured to work on your particular project.  Many licensed landscape design/build specialists are also members of local Home Builders Associations and other organizations that also assure you they are active members of their community and care deeply about the quality of their work. These credentials, as well as their community reputation, may give you a good indication that they will indeed build you a durable, long-lasting outdoor environment.

Obtaining the perfect lawn and landscape can be easier and far less stressful with the right landscaping company. To ensure you get the most professional service, choose landscapers with experience, expertise, and a diverse set of skills.