Finding the Right Landscaping Company
Hiring a good landscaper will make completing your landscape a much simpler process. If you create goals and properly layout your plans for your landscaping you will be able to get specific pricing. Here are some tips on how to hire a landscaper the right way.
1. What do you really want or need?
Some landscapes are beautiful as they are, but the owners sometimes just want to add new appeal to their homes so they opt to have a landscape job done. Be sure that you have already identified what you want in the landscape design. This should be in your preparatory plan before you even speak to a professional contractor. Once you have your plans you can present them to the contractor to see if everything will work and is possible. The blog on paramountlawns.com is a great place to start for your landscaping ideas.
2. Set a firm budget.
Next you should prepare your budget. Will your dream garden be feasible? Is it practical or do you need to make some adjustments or compromises? The best thing is that you know what you want and you are able to identify alternatives if your budget fails to accommodate your vision. With the plans and budget in place things tend to be easier when negotiating with the contractor. The landscaper will ensure that this project will meet your budget and assure that it will look closely to what you are expecting. Be sure to get accurate measurements so that materials do not accidentally go over budget. Some contractors like to give you the best price in the estimate, but find out later that they can’t provide all the material at the quote given. Which brings us to the next step, get references!
3. Get references.
Know the landscape companies that you are contacting and negotiate with them. Gauge their level of experience and the quality work by asking for photos or tours of their previous projects. You should also ask for references and their professional affiliations. Make sure the company is a legitimate company and that everything is written down. Without written proof of the agreed upon services it is difficult to prove if you are not happy in the end.
Summary
It all boils down to good planning and documentation. If you have a solid plan and ask the right questions you will end up with an exceptional landscape. In the Sacramento California valley, Paramount Properties is the premiere landscaping company. Visit the website for more information and for services.
Add Style to Your Pergola
Pergolas are a shady, garden structure whose beginnings date back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, and were common features in early Renaissance gardens throughout Europe. Their primary purpose was to provide shade on walkways, terraces, or pools. The earlier versions were often constructed from stone pillars with wooden cross-beams with a lattice roof. It was common to see ivy, grapevines, or other climbing plants winding around the wood, and filling the open spaces between the lattice. Today they are often constructed from pressure-treated wood or cedar. The many varieties of maintenance-free lumber products are also widely used. They give the look of wood, but never need painting, resist rot, peeling, and fading, and are available in a variety of colors.
A pergola makes a striking accent to any landscaping theme; not only are they eye-catching, but functional as well. Depending on their size, pergolas often become an extension of the main home, and may be used for entertaining, dining, or as a getaway or quiet oasis for reading or enjoying morning coffee.
Ideas for Pergolas:
1. The most common version is a simple post construction with wood cross-pieces or lattice for the roof, and used to cover a deck or patio. It can be painted or stained, and accented with lighting, plants, and other accessories.
2. Install your pergola along the entire length of the house, similar to an awning. It can extend out farther at different points to create interest and seating areas underneath.
3. Use it to cover a hot tub.
4. Place in a random area of the yard to create a shady spot to escape from the afternoon sun. Add a nice little bench, and plant climbing roses or other scented vines nearby. Cover it with tin or shingles, to create extra coverage.
5. Create road appeal by placing your pergola over a front porch in place of a standard roof. Paint or stain it the same color as your shutters or house trim. It won’t entirely keep out the rain, but it will provide a certain amount of shelter, and create an impressive entrance.
6. Instead of the standard lattice look on the roof, use strips of bamboo placed side by side. It creates additional shade and gives the structure a twig furniture look.
7. Your pergola is the perfect place let those showy vines grow wild; creating a thick natural canopy. Vines that work well include Hops, Wisteria, Jade, Grapes, Morning Glory, Cypress, and many varieties of climbing roses. It’s also a great place to grow vegetables such as peas or Scarlett Runner Beans.
8. Give your pergola some style by adding architectural accents such as a curved top, cylindrical wooden column supports, or design a top that flows with the roof lines of your house.
9. Dress up the open sides with outdoor fabric curtains, bamboo shades, or a manicured Boxwood hedge.
10. Use your pergola to create a garden filled with your favorite shade-loving plants. You may want to try Hostas, Bleeding Hearts, Yellow Corydalis, Bigroot Geranium, Monkshood or Lungwort.
11. Give your pergola a rustic look by using rough logs and unstained beams. Weave willow or alder twigs in the roof and display your twig furniture below.
12. A pergola is the perfect place for that hanging swing, chair or hammock. Add a small table, a cool drink, a good book, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a lazy afternoon.
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