North Potomac MD – East Coast Landscape Design

Landscaping Companies in North Potomac Maryland: The Best Conduct Wintertime Landscape Assessments

The best landscaping companies in North Potomac Maryland conduct wintertime landscape assessments. Click here to schedule your wintertime landscape assessment.

After much of your landscaping has died off in the winter – or is hibernating – the bones of the landscaping and hardscaping are easier to see. A thorough wintertime landscaping assessment can show homeowners:

Where there are spaces to fill in your wintertime landscaping – such as more evergreens needs to provide privacy or shield the home from wind, etc.
How your hardscaping (arbors, trellises, decks, patios, walkways, and driveways) is faring through the winter, and what changes should be made in the spring.
What tree damage needs to be taken care now, or what can wait until later.
Where new landscaping should be planted, or old landscaping should be moved in the spring.

For more information about a wintertime landscape assessment, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. East Coast Landscape Design is head and shoulders above other landscaping companies in North Potomac, Maryland. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed beautiful landscape and hardscape projects around North Potomac MD and surrounding communities.

December 15, 2014mdlandscaperlandscaping companies, North Potomac MD

Patios in North Potomac MD: Pros and Cons of Natural Gas Fire Pits

Natural gas fire pits are becoming a popular choice for patios in North Potomac MD – and for good reason. When done well, natural gas fire pits are beautiful, convenient, and safe – and can be turned on with a key or a flip of a switch.
Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if a natural gas fireplace is the right good choice for you.
Pros:

Lights easily
No smoke
No sparks or embers
No ash to clean up
Provides ambiance
No hauling wood
No ash to clean up

Cons:

Requires a gas line to be run to the pit (which is more complicated for an existing patio)
Not ideal for cooking or roasting
Provides less warmth as wood
No homey fire scent
Fire rings may clog

For more information on natural gas fire pits for patios in North Potomac MD, please contact the experts at East Coast Landscape Design. The East Coast Landscape Design team has over a quarter century of experience in the design, installation, and care of patios in North Potomac MD.

April 30, 2014mdlandscaperNorth Potomac MD, patios

Using Your North Potomac MD Patio During the Winter

When you think of the patio at your North Potomac Maryland home, you probably never consider the potential for storage space it holds. Often homeowners across the Potomac MD area consider a patio as a flat surface used for sitting or entertaining but that underutilize the patio’s capabilities.

The temperature may be colder than you’d like, but the wind is actually the problem in this situation. The elimination of wind is key to making your winter patio visits as pleasant as possible. Install shades or blinds around your patio to block the winds from entering your Potomac MD patio. A natural material such as wood or bamboo blocks the wind and works with the exterior of your home in a complementary way.

Consider what you and your guests will be seated on when choosing chairs. Materials like metal or plastic fare well in the elements of winter, but they lack basic comfort. Choose patio furniture with a padded, waterproof seat for extra softness and warmth. The material will absorb and retain your body heat giving you warmth.

Be sure your patio is well-lit in the winter months to avoid slip-and-fall accidents in the snow or on the ice. Rather than hanging a single light above the patio, consider installing smaller lights throughout the area to create warmth in the environment.

Find a heat source for your winter patio. Whether you invest in a small wood-burning stove to place in the center of your patio, or would rather invest in a permanent heat source, you do not have to be cold when you enjoy the outdoors. Some Maryland homeowners opt for a masonry built fireplace to add a permanent elegance to the patio.

For more information on how you can design your patio for winter use in Potomac MD contact the professional patio contractors at East Coast Landscape Design.

November 30, 2013mdlandscaperNorth Potomac MD, patio

Driveway Design Tips for North Potomac, MD Winters

In considering a driveway design for your North Potomac, MD home, most homeowners tend to think about how the driveway will look during the spring and summer. However, the best driveway design compensates for North Potomac, MD winters – and snow and ice removal.

Here are some ways great driveway design can save money and time on winter maintenance:

A wide driveway is easiest for a snow plow to navigate, and will save you money every year on snow management.
Leave a place to put the snow – either on the sides of the driveway, or a large area off the end of the driveway.
Keep landscaping highly visible, well back from the driveway and in highly visible for your snow maintenance folks.
Driveway should have an even surface, so as not to catch and be damaged by snow-removal equipment.
Avoid lighting or gates right next to the driveway where they could be damaged by a plow.

For more information on driveway design for homes in North Potomac, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. Accurate engineering and planning are essential for any well-constructed driveway, and at East Coast Landscape Design, we have skilled, trained engineers to assist in the design of your North Potomac, MD driveway.

September 16, 2013mdlandscaperdriveway design, North Potomac MD