Aspen Creek Landscaping Offers 3 Ways to Simplify Your Landscaping

This quote is a great way to start off National Simplify your Life Week.

When we think of simplifying things, often we tend to omit our landscaping, but that is a great place to simplify because caring for your yard can truly be a chore the more complex you go.

Here are 3 ways to simplify your landscaping:

1. Reduce lawn and yard maintenance. Depending on how much property you have mowing the lawn alone can take up most of your time. Plant ground covers, shrubs and perennials, and the remaining lawn will be simpler and faster to mow and maintain - especially if corners are eliminated (continuous, rounded swaths save you time when mowing). 
   
2. Complete the incomplete. Many times the thought of starting a new project is much more exciting than actually finishing something that was started weeks (or months) ago. Before you dig in to something new, take stock of any incomplete projects in your yard and finish them up. The satisfaction that comes from this, can be enough at the end of the day to satisfy those urges to move on to other bright shiny object.
   
3. Don't do it! That's right - we said "Don't do it." Sometimes it's easier to just have someone come in once or twice a month to take care of the heavy lifting for you so you can take time off to enjoy more of the things you love to do, like take a trip out of town for the weekend, or spend time with the family, or go see a movie. 

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or someone who needs VIP treatment - or someone in between - we're here for you. At Aspen Creek Landscaping, we have professional designers available to work on any project you have in mind. From simply providing design ideas, consultations, and conceptual drawings, to drafting fully detailed architectural plans, we are able to work within your timeline and budget. Contact us today (503) 625-6888 www.AspenCreekLandscaping.com

Aspen Creek Landscaping's Top 20 List of July Adventures

Crater Lake National Park in Southern Oregon
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With July being National Anti-Boredom Month, Aspen Creek Landscaping thought we could offer up some suggestions on how to tackle boredom and add some adventure into July.

There are so many fun things to do right in our own backyard here in the Pacific Northwest, so we hope that some of these Top 20 ideas inspire you to get out there and enjoy it.

1. Oregon Coast via Lewis & Clark Bridge
2. Salmon Fishing on the Columbia River in Rainier
3. Oregon Coast Aquarium (Newport)
4. Camping under the stars
5. Golfing
6. Silver Falls State Park (Silverton)
7. Sea Lion Caves
8. Crater Lake
9. Bonneville Lock and Dam (Interstate 84)
10. Oregon Coast Light Houses
11. Oregon Wine Makers
12. Covered Bridges
13. Thunderegg Searching
14. Bird Watching in the Klamath Basin
15. Ancient Fossils
16. Oregon Trail Treking
17. Oregon State Parks
18. Hot Springs
19. National Forests & Wilderness Areas
20. Oregon Caves National Monument

From all of us at Aspen Creek Landscaping to you -- have a fun adventure this summer and be sure to tell us all about it on our Facebook page when you get back: https://www.facebook.com/AspenCreekLndscpng

Did we miss something? Comment below to add your own top Oregon adventure spots.

Are you ever stumped for landscaping ideas? Here are a few to get you started

There are many different factors that go into choosing a landscaping design. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to look at their yard and feel overwhelmed.

Instead of looking at the state of the place and thinking, I don’t know how to landscape, the thought that should be running through your mind is that you have a blank canvas to work with. Woohoo!

You have to be able to see beyond the weeds and overgrown grass and see what may lie beneath. It’s not like you have to do it all on your own either – you can contact a landscaper in, oh I don’t know… Aspen Creek Landscaping in Sherwood maybe? or look at garden designs online to get some ideas of what you can do with that space.

The difficult part is going to be clearing out the backyard space by weeding and mowing, but once that is done you can really get down to the fun part of making your new garden come to life.

When you look at designs and other gardens online, you will quickly discover that the landscaping ideas backyard is virtually limitless. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Open Space: You can go with a space that is open yet alive with a million different colors that burst forth from the plants and flowers that you out in there.

Build a deck or patio to fill too much open space: You could have a great deck or patio that is perfect for barbecuing and having friends over for some fun.

Create a sanctuary: You could also have a tranquil spot away from it all, where water features hum a liquid song that will put you in your happy place. That may be taking it a little too far, but you get the idea that you can do whatever suits your style.

It’s one thing to know exactly what you want, but quite another to have the tools and imagination to put it all together.

It really is worth your while to go and visit a garden center to get a good idea of what sort of items are actually available for your backyard space. There is nothing like seeing that actual pieces to get the imagination going and that can help you start to see where things will fit in your garden and how the finished article will look.

Another good idea is to take pictures of the kinds of pieces that you like and take them to a professional landscaper. Chances are they will have done more than one garden that incorporates the styles that you like. They will be able to assess your space and see how each of the elements that you like will fit into place to give your garden a perfect look. 

Your idea of style and the landscapers experience can make for the perfect combination that can turn that overgrown space into a thing of beauty.

Come visit Aspen Creek Landscaping today for free ideas – we have a great garden center and some already landscaped spaces to help get the idea juices flowing. We’re conveniently located just outside Portland – between Sherwood and Newberg on Highway 99 at 25470 SW Gimm Lane, Sherwood, OR.

How a beautifully landscaped backyard adds value to your property

There is a ton of work that goes into making the interior of your home look presentable, but many folks often forget that their outdoor areas are just as important. It’s easy to get the priorities mixed up, especially when the majority of your time is spent inside, but a beautifully landscaped backyard not only becomes an extension of the interior, but also adds value to the property in general.

It’s fair to say that most of us don’t know how to landscape, and it’s altogether too easy to look at the blank canvas that is your backyard and be totally lost for ideas.

The good news is that there are plenty of professional backyard landscaping companies that will be more than happy to help (ahem… like Aspen Creek Landscaping…), but you need to have at least a basic idea of what you want from that space. 

For example, a backyard that is going to be used for entertaining will end up looking a lot different from one that is designed to be a place where you can go and relax with a good book and a glass of wine. 

Once you have decided what you would like the theme of your backyard to be, you then have to look at your budget so that you know exactly what you can get for your money. It would be great to have a pool with flowing waterfalls, but if you only have a limited budget, you might be looking at a nice water feature instead.

The next decision that you will have to make is how much effort you want to put into maintaining your backyard once all the landscaping has been done. A wide selection of colorful flowers and plants may be easy on the eye, but it also means that you are going to have to make sure that they are tended to regularly. The same rules apply if you decide to go with a pool, as you are likely to have the added expense of weekly maintenance if you don’t have time to take care of it yourself.

Sometimes the best landscaping ideas for the backyard are those that incorporate a few different elements that reflect your different moods. You can create a great patio area that has a built-in kitchen of some sort for entertaining, while also having an area that has colorful flowers to add a splash of beauty to the barbecue. It’s always nice to incorporate a water feature with a small seating area where you can go to relax and unwind after a hard day.

Your backyard truly is an extension of the style that you have incorporated into the interior of your home. Carrying that all the way through from the front door to the backyard fence will create a living space that will truly reflect your own personal style, and the best way to achieve that is with a professional landscaper who can quickly turn your ideas into reality, creating the backyard space that matches your minds eye.

Contact Aspen Creek Landscaping today for a free consultation. Either visit our website at: http://www.aspencreeklandscaping.com/ or call us at 503-625-6888. We’re conveniently located just outside Portland – between Sherwood and Newberg on Highway 99.

Your Lawn: Love it or Lose It?

Leaves of the Thornless Honey Locust (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s been a soggy spring so far, no surprise for us Oregonians, and your lawn may be worse for wear thanks to the incessant rain.

It’s hard to believe that in just a few months many of us will be scrambling to keep the grass from baking in the summer heat. If you’re lucky enough to have an irrigation system, you’ll hope that it’s still functioning properly. 

If you don’t, you’ll spend time moving the sprinkler, wishing you had an irrigation system. Or some may decide to let the grass go brown and dry out, especially if vacation beckons.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we love our lawns, but let’s face it, the upkeep of watering, mowing, and fertilizing during the spring and summer months can become a drag. Are you ready to set yourself up for a carefree sunny season? Now’s the time to give your yard a fresh facelift. Start your own spring awakening and ditch the lawn. 

Here are five alternatives:

1. Build some raised beds. Raised beds and planter boxes are wonderful for growing edibles and adding bold splashes of color. For vegetables and flowers to thrive, fill 4 by 8 foot raised beds with a well-draining potting soil or mix. Mushroom compost works well, too.
2. Add some hardscape. Incorporating walkways and paths with gravel, stone, or pavers enhances any yard and makes yard maintainance easier. Either as a focal point or connector, paths and walkways add function and aesthetics. If you have a large space, consider constructing a courtyard or patio to extend your outdoor living space.
3. Plant for impact. Find some attractive ceramic, oversized containers and plant 2-3 varieties for a dramatic and sculptural affect. For example, Echeveria subrigada ‘Fire and Ice’, Aeonium arborescens ‘Tip Top’, and Sedum rupestre ‘Blue Spruce’ make a brilliant trifecta of texture and color. Arrange containers as focal points in your yard.
4. Choose shapely trees. Trees soften, offer shade, and add contrast to hardscape. Those with open, airy canopies create dappled shape. Good varieties for the cooler Northwest climate include Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), paperbark maple (Acer griseum), or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin).
5. Eat your borders. Line a garden path by using herbs and veggies as ornamentals. Garden “artists” can even pick a color scheme! Love purple hues? Go for Japanese eggplant, ‘Purpurascens’ sage, artichokes (their unharvested buds open into violet flowers), and ‘Purple Ruffles’ basil. Others edibles to include are mint, beans, and peppers.

Whatever your landscape dreams and goals may be, Aspen Creek Landscaping is here to help. We’d love to hear your ideas! Give us a call or come visit us soon: (503) 625-6888

Got a case of spring fever? Give it to your yard!

By March, our drizzly gray days start to wear on even the heartiest Oregonians and the hardiest of yards. It’s time to pull on the old boots or tennies, inhale the rain-rinsed air, and do some yard work. Here are some tasks to take care of this month:

• Renovate your lawn. March’s mild weather, lengthening days, spring rains, and fertilizer make grass grow quickly, so now’s the time to spruce up your existing lawn or start new turf.
• Take care of weeds. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s good exercise and the weeds extract easily thanks to March’s damp soil. It’s not too late to mulch, either. Spread a layer of newspaper on your weediest patch, then wet it down with a garden hose. 

• Plant some pansies. These popular annuals offer a burst of cheer with their brightly colored petals and stand up well to cool weather. They’re easy to plant and affordable. Look for Mammoth pansies - their extra large, vibrant petals add pizazz and their beefy stems support the flowers in rain and wind.
• Sow summer veggies inside. Start cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, pumpkins, squash, and tomatoes in flats or tiny pots.  Not a gardener? Hey, just pick one “crop” to experiment with this year, buy your packet of seeds, and see how easy it is. Plant outside after the last frost, usually in early to mid May.

• Stop slugs in their tracks. There are multiple methods: Use a shovel to remove these pests; surround your beds with copper wire and then bait with iron phosphate. Or try this method: cut an empty 2 liter plastic bottle in half. Put the slug bait tray inside the bottom half (lay it down sideways, not upright.) Then position the top half in reverse. The slugs will crawl in the wide opening, eat the bait, and then stay trapped, unable to escape through the small neck of the bottle.

If tackling these spring yard projects inspires you to do more, don’t hesitate to give  Aspen Creek Landscaping a call, connect with us on Facebook, visit our website, or stop in. We offer a full range of services and helpful professionals to meet all your yard and landscaping needs.

Outdoor Landscaping Lighting for Safety and Security

Lighting is often overlooked by people when they are thinking about their landscaping needs. While lighting finishes off a nice landscape and allows you to enjoy your outdoor living space after the sun has gone down, it has many two other key benefits beyond that.

Namely: Safety and security.

At our Sherwood, Oregon based landscaping company, we are always educating our customers that landscape lighting plays an important part in accenting pathways, stairs, or any other potential hazards within your yard.

With smartly placed landscape lighting, you can avoid tripping on pathways, stairs and decks at night as you navigate safely around your property while enjoying its the beauty at the same time.

Although lighting cannot prevent crime, statistics show that a well lit home is much more likely to deter potential criminals. You can provide safety and security to your loved ones with landscape lighting.

Lighting professionals agree that a well-lit landscape can increase the safety and security of your home by eliminating accidents and vandalism. Low-voltage landscape lighting is easy and safe to install, is safe for kids and pets, and it consumes less power than line voltage lighting.

What Should You Light?

Take a walk around your property during the day, evening and night and make a quick sketch of the property, existing buildings, and any power sources and note down the following:

• Areas that can cause trips and falls in the dark.
• Areas where you want to deter unwanted persons or animals at night.
• A part of your home or landscaping that you would like to highlight or dramatize.
• Outdoor “rooms” that would be used for entertainment in the evening or late at night.
• Existing lighting (patios, porches, street, doors, garage).

Style and Design Considerations

Take a drive around at night viewing both commercial and residential properties. Notice how different lighting techniques can create different moods use light to highlight the building and landscaping.

Add any styles or lighting techniques that catch your eye to your sketch.

Conclusion

While many homeowners opt to go the DIY route, working with a professional landscaper can help you reduce shadowing when downlighting, use fixtures with proper shielding to reduce glare and fixture visibility, and prevent other common challenges that can pop up.

If you're looking for landscape lighting design ideas, give us a call today at 503.625.6888 or visit our website: http://aspencreeklandscaping.com/

Do you have lighting in your garden or on your property? How have you found it useful? Like, Comment, or Share below to let us know!