Drainage may not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning your landscape improvements, yet it is critical for a stunning landscape. With an average of 53.7″ of rainfall yearly in the mid-south, that water needs to go somewhere. Ideally, your property has quick-draining soil with perfect slopes, so standing water isn’t a problem, but since we live in a mostly flat area, that’s likely not the case at your home.
Modern landscapes are better than they have ever been before! Homeowners are savvier now and understand that to increase the value of their homes, enhance their curb appeal, and create an outdoor oasis, it is always good to know what is trending each year in landscaping. Certain garden features become outdated, and better ones are produced year after year. As we prepare for spring blooms in 2023, here are some top landscaping trends to follow to achieve your best garden yet.
It is finally our favorite time of the year. The weather is warming up, which means that we begin planting flower beds and gardens all over the mid-south at Rich-Way Landscape. At Rich-Way Landscape, we thrive on creating beautiful outdoor spaces for residential and commercial properties. However, we know that many people love to get their hands dirty and plant their own gardens and flower beds.
Spring is in the air in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s an exciting time of year as all the nurseries are starting to put out flowers and plants, and we are starting to see some trees blooming. We love our trees in Memphis, and they love us back by cleaning the air, providing shade in the heat, and helping our lawns look nice. Some of these trees even provide color during dreary winter months. But did you know certain trees thrive in the southeast, specifically Tennessee? According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Map. There are a variety of trees that grow well in Tennessee. Here is a list of trees and evergreens that thrive in our Memphis climate.
At Rich-Way Landscape, we are proud to be one of Memphis’ only landscape service companies to have someone with a PhD in Horticulture on staff. We also have many employees who have earned the title Certified Landscape Professional by the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, now known as PLANET. We are very proud of every member of our staff. However, on occasion, we have had clients curious to understand how our horticulturist helps with our design process. Our horticulturist’s knowledge combined with our landscape professional’s knowledge has been of great use to us as we design some of the most beautiful landscapes in the city, even winning awards for our designs. Yet, for those interested, here is more information on what our horticulturist does for the team.
Typically, when we think of beautiful landscapes, we picture various floral or foliage-lined pathways or lush green grass with patches of floral arrangements. We also usually imagine feeling warm with the sun shining bright. It isn’t often you imagine gorgeous landscapes in the winter. Yet many states in the US only have a few months where they receive optimal sunshine to produce a colorful garden of flowers. What do these states do instead to bring their landscape to life?
Have you ever wondered or even worried about what is happening to your beautiful trees during the winter months? Especially if you have just planted new trees, it can be exceptionally worrisome that they cannot make it through winter. Do you worry your trees could freeze up, similar to unprotected water pipes? Or what if it gets below freezing? Does this cause our trees to die automatically? According to a study by Purdue University, if you have laid mulch around your trees in the shape of a volcano, the below-ground parts of the tree will be insulated. Also, soil and even snow keep the root systems insulated. The part of the tree you need to worry about during winter is the above-ground parts.
The best way to keep freezing temperatures from killing your trees, plants, and shrubs this winter is by using mulch. The mulch will even help them bloom better during spring. Many landscape experts, such as Rich-Way Landscape, already know the benefits of mulch for regulating soil temperature and moisture.
There is a joke in Memphis that we rarely get to experience a fall season, just a second summer, and then it’s winter. Still, the season officially changed to fall on September 1st, and luckily, we do get to see the beautiful fall colors even if the cool weather of fall sometimes takes a minute to catch up.
Believe it or not, some people do not realize the importance of planting their new flowers, plants, shrubs, or even trees in the correct place in their yard. Recently, a friend of Rich-Way Landscape talked about how when she was young and had just purchased her first house, she was so excited to start working on her flowerbed. She admitted that she was a bit naïve when she shopped, putting out tons of mulch and picking out an assortment of beautiful flowers and plants, never checking the tag to see if they should be planted in direct sunlight or shade.