Author: mdlandscaper

Healthy Irrigation Systems in Gaithersburg MD

If you’ve invested in an irrigation system at your Gaithersburg MD home, you want to keep it healthy. Failing to do so will have consequences. Expensive consequences.

Ignoring the health of your irrigation system puts you at risk for losing the entire system, the loss of landscaping, and flooding that could do great deal of damage to your home. Here are areas where irrigation systems in Gaithersburg MD could malfunction:

  • Piping – could be broken, clogged, or (depending on age) corroding
  • Pumps – running continually, not running, or running for a while, then shutting off before the watering program is complete
  • Heads – could be clogged by dirt, grass clippings, thatch, or damaged by lawn maintenance tools (mower, weed-whacker, etc.). Also, sprinkler heads may need to be repositioned to best serve your landscaping needs.
  • System components – valves, wiring, the sprinkler control box

The bottom line is this: lots of things could go wrong with irrigation systems in Gaithersburg MD, and it’s important to ensure that your sprinkler system is in top condition when you need it.

For more information on keeping irrigation systems healthy in Gaithersburg MD, please the experts at East Coast Landscape Design. These qualified professionals understand hydraulic pressure, sprinkler system layout, soil concerns, and the watering requirements of your home’s landscape. They can assess and repair old irrigations systems, and if needed, design and install irrigation systems in Gaithersburg MD.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Bethesda MD, irrigation systems

Hedges Add Privacy and Beauty to Landscape Design in Bethesda MD

While fences can provide instant privacy to your yard, hedges add privacy and beauty to your landscape design in Bethesda MD. Here are some types of easy growing shrubs that work well in hedges for our gardening zones (6B, 7A).

  • Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
  • Columnar juniper (Juniperus scopulorum’Skyrocket’)
  • Columnar white pine (Pinus strobus’Fastigiata’)
  • English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
  • Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
  • Yew (Taxus x media)

For additional height, plant your hedge shrubs on berms (small hills or mounds). If you already have a fence, a hedge of shrubs can soften the look of the fence and give additional depth to your landscaping. To keep your shrubs looking their best, time their pruning (which is different depending on which shrub you choose) and make sure the bottom of the shrub is wider than the top.

For more information on hedges for your landscape design in Bethesda MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has been Bethesda MD’s leading licensed landscape contractor; we’ve created many landscape designs that include hedges for privacy and beauty for homes in Bethesda MD. Please contact us today.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Bethesda MD, landscape design, Uncategorized

Landscaping in Bethesda MD: Frost Cracks in Trees

During and after a long harsh winter – extreme temps, ice, and snow – you may see what’s known as “frost cracks” in the trees in the landscaping at your Bethesda MD home.

Frost cracks happen when water in the cells of the tree trunk freezes and moves out of the cells, causing the wood to shrink. Tension forms between the frozen and unfrozen layers of wood, which causes the wood to separate, causing a crack. The crack can form suddenly – you may even hear a loud cracking sound. When temperatures warm, the wood absorbs moisture and the crack closes. Frost cracks can reopen and enlarge in subsequent winters and may extend to the center of the tree. Damage is most often seen on the south and west sides of the tree, where the sun is strongest.

The following species are more likely to develop frost cracks: apple, beech, crabapple, elm, goldenrain tree, horse chestnut, linden, London plane, maple, oak, walnut, and willow.

Frost cracks may be somewhat avoided with proper pruning of your landscaping in Bethesda MD. Some tree trunks can be wrapped for the winter, which will need to be removed when the weather warms up. A tree can also be protected by planting evergreen shrubs around the trunk. Shrubs can insulate the trunk from extremes in temperatures and shield it from direct afternoon sunlight.

Frost cracks can’t be fixed; however, they should be kept clean to prevent infection, and be left open. A healthy tree will try to heal itself, and may form a callus along the crack.

Once a crack occurs, another crack will probably form in the same area of the tree. You can help prevent a reoccurrence by wrapping the trunk of the tree in tree wrap for the winter. (You’ll want to remove the wrap as soon as temperatures warm in late winter or spring. Leaving the wrap on too long provides a secure hiding place for insects and disease organisms.)

For more information about frost cracks and your landscaping in Bethesda MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. East Coast Landscape Design is head and shoulders above other landscaping companies in Bethesda MD. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed beautiful landscape and hardscape projects around Bethesda MD and surrounding communities.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Bethesda MD, landscaping

Retaining Walls: Practical Beauty for Your Silver Spring MD Landscape

Retaining walls can be beautiful – and help solve a myriad of landscaping issues at your Silver Spring MD home.

In the simplest of terms, retaining walls hold back earth; retaining wall design, expert engineering, and materials can add a practical beauty to your Silver Spring MD landscape.

A severe backyard slope can be made into a useful area for play, gardening, and entertaining, with the addition of a stone retaining wall or walls that cut into the slope.

Retaining walls can also be used to battle flooding from a neighbor’s yard – or from another part of your yard. Retaining walls can be used to make way for an expanded driveway, or just to add interest to a flat area of your lawn. A series of low retaining walls make useful terraces for growing flowers and vegetables.

For more information on retaining walls in Silver Spring MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design, the Washington D.C. area’s leading licensed landscape design company. Located in Montgomery County, Maryland since 1979, the company has designed and installed retaining walls and other landscape projects, including patios, outdoor kitchens, and driveways in Silver Spring MD.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories retaining walls, Silver Spring MD

Latest Trends in Landscape Design in Silver Spring MD

Thinking about a new landscape design for your Silver Spring MD home? Here are some of the latest trends for you to consider:

  • Your landscape design in Silver Spring MD should be a positive reflection of you and your health. This means incorporating plants that resonate with you, and enhance your mental and physical health. Think about how tastes, smells, textures, colors, and health benefits of plants affect you and your family.
  • Your landscape design can be both beautiful and good for the environment. For instance, you can have attractive native species plants that will thrive in specific areas around your Silver Spring MD home and conserve water. There are also organic methods for managing weeds, grass clippings, leaves, and feeding plants that will also benefit the environment.
  • Your landscape design should enhance your lifestyle and enjoyment of your Silver Spring MD home. A delightful path through wildflowers with a place to sit and read, a beautiful wood deck with planters full of herbs and edible flowers for dining, and outdoor mood lighting can really enhance the enjoyment of your Silver Spring MD home.

For more information on the latest trends in landscape design, and how they can benefit you and your Silver Spring MD home, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has been Silver Spring MD’s leading licensed landscape contractor, and has designed and installed landscapes that both enhance our clients’ lifestyles and the beauty of their homes.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscape design, Silver Spring MD

Landscape Contractor Silver Spring MD: Top 5 New Year’s Landscaping Resolutions

Most New Year’s resolutions involve improving one’s appearance – but how about the appearance of your home? According to landscape contractor, East Coast Landscape Design, here are the Top 5 best resolutions that Silver Spring MD homeowners should keep, if they want to improve the appearance of their homes. (Click here to set up an estimate.)

  1. I will add interest to my home’s landscape, through intentional design.
  2. I will give attention to both landscaping and hardscaping (driveways, patios, arbors, decks, etc.)
  3. I will add a water feature, such as a fountain, water garden, or pond.
  4. I will have any needed tree limb removal work completed before big summer storms hit.
  5. I will conserve water, and save money and my landscaping through proper irrigation.

All of these resolutions are attainable with the help of your landscape contractor in Silver Spring MD, East Coast Landscape Design. A good way to get started is to contact East Coast Landscape Design for an estimate on your landscape design. The experts at East Coast Landscape Design will work with you to ensure that your new landscaping and hardscaping adds beauty, function, and value to your home.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscape contractor, Silver Spring MD

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.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscaping companies, North Potomac MD

The Effects of Frozen Irrigation Systems in Gaithersburg MD

In our area, pipes can freeze during the winter, and that includes irrigations systems in Gaithersburg MD. Homeowners who fail to have their irrigation systems winterized can expect the following effects of frozen irrigation systems in Gaithersburg MD:

  • Cracked or burst pipes: if any water is left in your irrigation system, it will freeze and cause cracked or burst pipes. Replacing cracked or burst pipes is the most costly of all irrigation system repairs.
  • Broken or missing sprinkler parts: if any water is left in a sprinkler, the head can pop off or break and the supply tube and sprinkler body can crack as well. Any missing or broken parts will need to be replaced before you turn on your irrigation system in the spring.
  • Broken manifolds: as the heart of your sprinkler system, the manifold is the main pipe that has several valves to control the flow of water. If water freezes in the manifold, the pipe and valves can crack. Replacing the manifold – or parts of the manifold – takes a lot of time and labor.

For more information on frozen irrigation systems in Gaithersburg, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed irrigation systems and other landscape projects. Please contact East Coast Landscape Design today for a consultation on irrigation systems in Gaithersburg, MD.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Gaithersburg MD, irrigation systems

Landscaping in Silver Spring MD: Evergreen Care in Winter

In winter weather, evergreens need special landscaping care in Silver Spring MD. You may think that summer time is the only time that you really need to think about watering. But winter can also cause desiccation of your evergreens.

Even though the temps are cold, evergreen plants continue to lose water by transpiration. They lose the most water during periods of strong winds and on bright, sunny days. Just like people can still get sunburned in the winter, the brighter the sun, the higher the rate of water loss in your evergreen leaves. When water leaves the plant foliage faster than the roots can replace the moisture, desiccation occurs. Roots have rough time absorbing water when the soil is cold or frozen.

Here’s how you can protect your evergreens during winter:

  • Add a 3-inch layer of mulch around evergreens to reduce water loss and help maintain uniform soil moisture and temperatures around roots.
  • Water plants several hours before a freeze can provide some protection. Well-watered soil will absorb more heat than dry soil, and will re-radiate the heat during the night.
  • Cover plants with burlap, sheets, plastic, or blankets. Don’t let the covering tough the plants, and be sure the covering goes all the way to the ground.
  • Place a light bulb placed under the cover for additional heat; however, remove the covering during the day, or too much heat will build up, and new foliage could emerge. (To prevent fire, clear all dry brush and needles away first.)

For more information on landscaping in Silver Spring MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has been Silver Spring, MD’s leading licensed landscape contractor, and has the knowledge and experience to help your landscaping in Silver Spring MD survive and thrive.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscaping, Silver Spring MD

Outdoor Lighting in Silver Spring MD: Ways to Prevent Fire

If you have outdoor lighting at your Silver Spring MD home, you should understand that there are some ways to prevent those lights from causing a fire around your home.

For example, it’s important to make sure that mulch, leaves, or other yard debris don’t cover up the landscape fixtures. If you use a landscape service, it’s important to make the landscapers aware of the location of every single light. (Some homeowners find that it’s helpful to provide landscapers with a map with the lights clearly marked.)

Another way to prevent fire is to make sure well lights have a lens cover – preferably a tempered glass lens cover. The tempered glass will prevent the outside of the lens from becoming hot enough to cause a fire, and it prevents debris from getting down into the well light catching fire.

If you have an older outdoor lighting system at your Silver Spring MD home, a transition from quartz halogen to LED will greatly reduce the likelihood of fire, because heat does not readily build up. (However, you should still make sure that your lighting fixtures remain free of leaves, mulch and yard debris.)

For more information on outdoor lighting in Silver Spring MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. A properly installed low-voltage landscape lighting system also increases can prevent fires, and enhance the security, safety, and market value of your home.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories outdoor lighing, Silver Spring MD