Autumn Renovations: Small Changes, BIG Impact

Fall is for planting, which makes now a great time to enhance your property with strategic land-scape designs by Plantique.

Shorter days, cooler temps and leaves everywhere are changing color--autumn is here! Since landscaping can add significant value to your home, why not take advantage of the ideal planting conditions this fall, even if that means just a few basic yard renova-tions. Installed properly and strategically, even small changes can reap huge results in both aesthetic impact and outdoor space usefulness.

We’d like to point out a few simple landscape additions or changes that can help you get the most out of outdoor investments. These are all great projects that you can get started on right now:

  • Remove some overgrown, or worn-out looking planting materials and replace them with new, vibrant and lower maintenance species from Plantique’s 16-acre nursery
  • Have professional shrub and tree trimming, especially for foundation plantings
  • Add a focal point bed with ornamental plants
  • Incorporate shade trees or structures into existing landscaping
  • Install a custom mailbox or front entry enhancing planting bed to improve curb appeal
  • Have professional deep root fertilization done for your older trees and shrubs
  • Plant two to three substantial-sized trees or specimen trees
  • Add landscaping beds around your patios, decks and other hardscapes
  • Add a border to existing walkways or driveways with pavers for a custom look
  • Plant a backyard or side yard tree and shrub border or a front yard island for privacy
  • Add planting beds that attract birds and butterflies
  • Install privacy fencing or tree or shrub screen.
  • Add a custom designed, professionally installed perennial garden
  • Do basic refurbishment (edge, mulch & weed) on your front planting beds
  • Install a rain garden to manage water runoff in an eco-friendly way
  • Install basic low-voltage outdoor lighting
  • Plant seasonal bulbs for a spring/summer flower show

Whatever your landscape plans are, we are ready to assist you. Plantique’s office is open 12 months a year, so feel free to contact us any time at 610-395-6940 or inform [at] plantique [dot] com. Of course, you can always long on to www.plantique.com to check us out, as well.
(Please note, our winter hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, starting January 2nd)

What’s With All This “Fall is for planting” Stuff?
Autumn is a great time to plant trees and shrubs because the cooler conditions slow down above-ground activity, allowing these plants to focus on establishing a good root system in their new location. And don’t forget that by planting many bulbs, tubers and rhizomes now, you can enjoy a great floral show in the spring and summer of daffodils, tulips, crocuses and all the other wonderful flowering bulbs that, by planting now, you can enjoy in spring and summer.

Fall is also for landscape renovations
Not only is autumn a great time to install trees and shrubs, it’s also a great time to get on your plans on our schedule. Our region often benefits from a long, mild fall, often allow-ing us to refurbish and install landscapes almost into winter. If your project does not get completed before the first hard frost, it will be higher up on the 2010 schedule than if you waited until February or March.

We Offer Many Ways to Maintain Your Landscape Investment
In addition to our Express Mulch Blowing Service and All-Inclusive Residential Pack-ages, Plantique recently launched a full Residential Maintenance Program, which offers customized plans to fit each homeowner’s individual needs. Our Maintenance staff truly understands the connection between proper landscape maintenance and optimum home real estate value, which can take the guesswork and toil out of yard work. We can also install landscape-related enhancements designed to compliment mature properties, in-cluding refurbishment design-and-build projects. Give us a call today at 610-395-6940 to find out more, or inform [at] plantique [dot] com (e-mail us).

FALL PLANTING TIP:  Pick the proper plants
“Good landscaping design should take into account all four seasons,” says Plantique design teammember Rebecca Conrad. Functional plantings, such as wind-blocking trees and privacy-creating shrubs are simple additions that provide a big impact. You can breathe new life into your landscaping by installing plants that are known for their fall foliage, provide winter interest or that attract cold weather birds.

Seasonal Specials: Perfect Trees for Fall Planting
by Jake McFarland | Plantique’s horticulturist since 1994

Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce, 'R.H. Montgomery' or 'Globosa'
(Picea pungens ‘R.H. Montgomery’ or ‘Globosa’)
Both varieties of this dense evergreen start out globe-shaped and have distinctive silver-blue needles. ‘R.H. Montgomery’ eventually matures to a stout, pyramidal form, while ‘Globosa’ stays more spherical. They are both slow growing: After the first 10 years they generally reach only about three feet or so in both height and width. We have a beautiful selection of both 24-30 inch and 30-36 inch of these spruces ready for you. (Full sun)


PHOTO CREDIT: kcddsTM/Flicker

‘October Glory’ Red Maple
(Acer rubrum 'October Glory')

This maple is prized for it’s brilliant red autumn foliage that is among the last maples to change color in the fall. It has attractive red flowers appear in early spring before the foliage emerges. It’s a wonderful shade tree that can reach a height of 50 feet and grows densely. We have large 2.5-to-3-inch caliper trees in stock. (Full sun to part sun)


PHOTO CREDIT: Missouri Botanical Garden’s PlantFinder

Zelkova, ‘Village Green’
(Zelkova serrata ‘Village Green’)
This deciduous vase-shaped tree is an Asian replacement for the disease-troubled American elm. It makes an excellent street or shade tree, and is generally tolerant of drought and clay soil conditions. When matured, it can reach heights of 50 feet or more, with it’s elegant out-reaching branches extending over 30 feet wide. Its oblong leaves turn a rusty red color in autumn and the attractive exfoliating bark provides plenty of eye-level interest. We currently have 3.5-inch caliper and larger trees in stock. (Full sun)