a word from the Fathers, II
Time for a few seasonal tips from our designers!
Holiday Lighting
“The holiday season has come and gone with the speed of Santa’s sleigh. Before we knew it, the sounds of carols and familiar smell of Christmas trees that permeated the air have left our homes. With the exit of the holiday season brings that familiar chore of taking down the Christmas lights. When you installed them you where filled with anticipation and probably didn’t mind the cold weather or rain. Now is a different story, the rain and cold are still here and your fingers are going to get cold and numb along with the rest of you.To save yourself the time, hassle, and pain of hanging, removing, and storing your lights think of Father Nature Tacoma as the holidays approach in 2010. We are now offering this service to existing clients and would be happy to give you an estimate for seasonal lighting on your home and landscape. We are going to offer the new environmentally-friendly energy efficient LED lights and the standard incandescent lights. Both will be high quality lights that last for multiple seasons. Once again think of Father Nature Tacoma for your holiday lighting needs.” - Chris Scheer, Father Nature of Tacoma
Winter Clean-up
With Spring around the corner, it is a great time to prepare early for the growing season. An important part of maintaining the health and beauty of your gardens is winter clean-up. Certain fungi and plant pathogens can overwinter in leaf litter, old pine straw, and mulch. There are a few things that can be done to help keep these nuisances from returning: Prune off dead or rotten limbs from trees and shrubs, cut back any dormant perennial foliage, and remove old leaves and pin straw/mulch from bed areas. Other applications, like copper sulfate, can also be used to help protect plant tissue. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Happy gardening! - Andrew Robinson, Father Nature of Mobile Bay
Ponds
Have a pond? Need some help? In all parts of the states, we have experienced some extremely cold temperatures this year. Keeping the water flowing in ponds and streams definitely helps keep ice from forming. Small pond heaters is an option to stop ice formation. My favorite solution for keeping ice at bay is aerators. Aerators not only keep the water moving, preventing ice build up, but also provide oxygen necessary for healthy fish and aids in the decomposition of organics at the bottom of your pond. If the duration of temperatures under freezing last for extended periods of time, and water begins the leave the cavity of your pond or stream because of ice build up, remove your pump and drain your filter to prevent them from freezing and needing replacement in the Spring. Stay posted for other helpful pond tips in the Spring newsletter! – Andrew McCurry, Father Nature of Birmingham
Design Importance
In general, design shows intent and gives purpose. Designed landscapes have the ability to accomplish numerous objectives. Outside of adding value to your property, designed landscapes have the ability to save you money in the long run. Whether it is a single installation or a multi-phased installation, we can help you save by making it a seamless transition from project to project. This helps you avoid addressing your landscape issues more than necessary. A design also helps to create a sense of place and extend livable areas to the outdoors. For more information, check out my latest post, titled “Remodeling your Landscape.” - Marguerite Logan, Father Nature of Birmingham
