When you look into your sweeping backyard, the deck of your condo, or perhaps your small in-town lot, do you see an oasis of calm and beauty, or crabgrass and a rickety lawn chair? Read on to see how three local nurseries can help transform a lackluster outdoor space into an inviting extension of your home and self – no matter what your style.
Cheryl Cravino is a Certified Master Gardener with over 20 years of design experience. “We offer a consultation that includes digitally enhanced photos of your garden,” she says. “We come to your home, evaluate the soil, the sunlight and begin the design. Then we digitally enhance photos so you can see what the mature
garden will look like.”
Cravino’s specialty is the shade garden. “There’s a misconception that a shade garden has to be woodsy and dark, but there are flowering shade gardens, too. I combine textures, shapes and colors to create beautiful spaces. My favorite shade plant is the hosta, but there are many perennials like black snake root, bleeding hearts, hueceras and jack-in-the-pulpits that are wonderful in the shade.” Add an Adirondack chair and a book, and you have a heavenly escape from a scorching summer afternoon.
As New Englanders, we’re all drawn to the water. But if beachfront property isn’t in your budget, a water garden can bring serenity to your backyard. Jim Olds is the water garden designer at Landscapers Depot. “You can create a pond in a large rural space or a waterfall on a tiny urban deck. Anyone can find a way to bring the peaceful sound of water into their space.”
The key to a thriving water garden is balance. Plants balance a pool ecologically by oxygenating and shading it. The right combination of plants can ensure a thriving, self-sustaining system without chemicals. The staff at Landscapers Depot can help determine your needs. Whether you want fish or simply plants, they will design and install almost anything you can envision.
If space is a commodity, consider a pond-less waterfall. With only a pump and either purchased materials or beach stones you find on walks, you can create a soothing mini-waterfall.
Spend a few minutes with Nick Di Benedetto and he will give you a dozen ideas to improve your yard and home. With 20 years of landscape experience, he is quick to notice trends in the industry. “We build extensions of your home,” he says. ND Landscape, Inc. can build anything from a rustic stacked wall or stone fireplace to a fully developed outdoor living room or kitchen. Combine their incredible masonry with lush landscaping and garden design, and you have the “environment of timeless beauty” Di Benedetto strives to create. “People used to go to a summer cottage or take an extravagant family vacation. In today’s economy I see people taking that money and investing it in their home, their outdoor living space. It is a real gift to family and friends. It draws people together. Instead of packing up and heading out, they are creating a family retreat – a community in their own backyard.”
Three Garden Landscapes to Fit Any Valley Home
When you look into your sweeping backyard, the deck of your condo, or perhaps your small in-town lot, do you see an oasis of calm and beauty, or crabgrass and a rickety lawn chair? Read on to see how three local nurseries can help transform a lackluster outdoor space into an inviting extension of your home and self – no matter what your style.
Roger’s Spring Hill Garden Center - Ward Hill, MA
www.RogersSpringHill.com
Cheryl Cravino is a Certified Master Gardener with over 20 years of design experience. “We offer a consultation that includes digitally enhanced photos of your garden,” she says. “We come to your home, evaluate the soil, the sunlight and begin the design. Then we digitally enhance photos so you can see what the mature
garden will look like.”
Cravino’s specialty is the shade garden. “There’s a misconception that a shade garden has to be woodsy and dark, but there are flowering shade gardens, too. I combine textures, shapes and colors to create beautiful spaces. My favorite shade plant is the hosta, but there are many perennials like black snake root, bleeding hearts, hueceras and jack-in-the-pulpits that are wonderful in the shade.” Add an Adirondack chair and a book, and you have a heavenly escape from a scorching summer afternoon.
Landscapers Depot – Kingston, NH
www.LandscapersDepot.com
As New Englanders, we’re all drawn to the water. But if beachfront property isn’t in your budget, a water garden can bring serenity to your backyard. Jim Olds is the water garden designer at Landscapers Depot. “You can create a pond in a large rural space or a waterfall on a tiny urban deck. Anyone can find a way to bring the peaceful sound of water into their space.”
The key to a thriving water garden is balance. Plants balance a pool ecologically by oxygenating and shading it. The right combination of plants can ensure a thriving, self-sustaining system without chemicals. The staff at Landscapers Depot can help determine your needs. Whether you want fish or simply plants, they will design and install almost anything you can envision.
If space is a commodity, consider a pond-less waterfall. With only a pump and either purchased materials or beach stones you find on walks, you can create a soothing mini-waterfall.
ND Landscape, Inc. – Georgetown, MA
www.NDLandscape.com
Spend a few minutes with Nick Di Benedetto and he will give you a dozen ideas to improve your yard and home. With 20 years of landscape experience, he is quick to notice trends in the industry. “We build extensions of your home,” he says. ND Landscape, Inc. can build anything from a rustic stacked wall or stone fireplace to a fully developed outdoor living room or kitchen. Combine their incredible masonry with lush landscaping and garden design, and you have the “environment of timeless beauty” Di Benedetto strives to create. “People used to go to a summer cottage or take an extravagant family vacation. In today’s economy I see people taking that money and investing it in their home, their outdoor living space. It is a real gift to family and friends. It draws people together. Instead of packing up and heading out, they are creating a family retreat – a community in their own backyard.”