Outdoor Fire Pit Rockville MD

An outdoor fire pit in Rockville, MD, gives your home curb appeal. That’s important in a competitive marketplace when you’re trying to sell your home. It takes something special to get buyers out of the car when they’re out driving by potential properties. A well designed and built fire pit creates so much interest that they want to come in and check it out.

Homebuyers love a fire pit because it:

  • Lasts for years
  • Requires very little maintenance
  • Is perfect for entertaining
  • Becomes a focal point for the landscape design

A fire pit can be built in a variety of looks and with a wide range of materials. That means you can get one installed at a price you can afford. The team at East Coast Landscape Design has years of experience with many types of outdoor projects. The fire pit is one of the most popular. When you work with the pros at East Coast, they will listen to your preferences, take note of your budget and guide you through the process of choosing the right material.

You can build an outdoor fire pit in Rockville, MD, that is round, square or any other shape. It can be right on the ground or above the ground. Do you want a wood burning fire pit, or a gas-powered model? Choose the size, the color and the location.

What all fire pits have in common is how cozy they are and the great way they get people talking to each other. Your guests will be naturally drawn to the fire. Put benches and chairs around and pretty soon the entire gang will be around the fire, relaxing on a warm summer night.

You can turn your teens and their friends loose to cook their own food using the fire pit. Skewer hot dogs and kabobs and have them cook their dinner. Be sure to remember the marshmallows. You can also have the adults you entertain cook their own food. Just add a grill to the fire pit, add steaks and vegetables, and you have a wonderful summer cookout.

Fire pits can be used throughout the year. There’s nothing better than hot mulled cider around a fire on a cold winter day. It’s the perfect spot to warm up on crisp autumn or spring afternoons. And every summer night is made even better when there’s a warm fire to cozy up to.

To ensure that your outdoor fire pit in Rockville, MD, is durable, strong and beautiful, have the team at East Coast Landscape Design plan it with you. Their craftspeople will build a long lasting fire pit that enhances the look of your home’s exterior and blends in easily with the outdoor environment.

Call East Coast Landscape Design today for a quote for an outdoor fire pit in Rockville, MD.

Landscape Design Rockville, MD

In Rockville, MD, the right landscape design makes a yard more attractive and more functional. It can increase the usable area and make it easier for members of the family to share the yard.

Making It Accessible

Adding a retaining wall or a pathway in a yard can help a homeowner get more use out of the property. Some areas are overgrown, rocky or hilly—which makes them difficult to use. With professional landscape design in Rockville, MD, those areas can be graded, planted and cleared out. This gives family members space for a vegetable garden, private spot for relaxing or space for kids to play.

An experienced designer sees the property as a whole. While most homeowners create small spots of color here and there, the designer develops a comprehensive plan for the entire yard. If owners love to socialize, he makes sure there is plenty of space for quiet conversations, outdoor meals and birthday parties.

The designer understands how to use plants and hardscapes like retaining walls, patios and walkways to make a yard more functional. He divides it into zones of use, based on the needs of children and adults.

Making It Beautiful

With her artistic eye, the designer knows how to create a beautiful plan for the entire property. She knows her plants backward and forward, so she can recommend the right flowers, shrubs and trees for year-round color and easy maintenance.

The yard and home all become part of the same design. They fit together seamlessly into a harmonious whole that pleases the eye.

Making It Valuable

A property that has professional landscape design in Rockville, MD, is valuable because it has curb appeal. This means that it grabs the eye of prospective homebuyers as they drive by. In a crowded marketplace, it’s the home that stands out in the crowd that gets sold quickly and for the highest price.

For most homeowners, the house and property are their biggest investment. It makes sense to spend money on a service that adds so much value to the worth of that investment.

Work with Experts

East Coast Landscape Design has been serving the local community for over three decades. In that time, they have earned a reputation for attention to detail, listening closely to the needs of clients and quality craftsmanship.

East Coast treats every client as a partner in the entire design process. At every step of the way, the homeowner is included, from the types of plants close to the fence to the selection of stone for the walkway.

East Coast handles a range of outdoor projects, including:

  • Landscape design
  • Retaining walls, erosion control and drainage solutions
  • Outdoor kitchens and lighting
  • Walkways, patios and driveways

For an estimate for landscape design in Rockville, MD, call the professionals at East Coast Landscape Design today.

Fire Pits Rockville MD

Fire pits are popular with residents in Rockville, MD. Adding one to an outdoor living space can create a warm and inviting atmosphere, while also providing a place for family and friends to gather. Fire pits can vary in size and design, and the skilled team at East Coast Landscape Design is ready to help. Since 1979, East Coast Landscape Design has been creating and installing fire pits for their customers in Rockville, MD. They understand that adding a fire pit to an outdoor living space is a big decision, which is why they have put together this list of their clients most frequently asked questions.

1. Are there any safety issues homeowners should be aware of concerning a fire pit?
East Coast Landscape Design cares about their customers, and before they leave a job site they will make sure their clients know how to safely use their fire pit. This includes not burning soft woods in fire pits located on Rockville, MD properties, and refraining from wearing loose fitting or flammable clothing near an open flame. East Coast Landscape Design also wants to stress that pets and small children should always be kept at least three feet away from a fire pit when it is being used. These are only a few of the safety tips East Coast Landscape Designs will ensure that their clients are fully aware of.

2. Where should a fire pit be placed on the property?
Fire pits should be placed on Rockville, MD properties at least 10 feet away from any building. It should also be constructed away from fences and property lines. Some counties require this by law, while others simply suggest it as a safety recommendation. The fire pit should also be placed away from low hanging branches and eaves. The talented designers at East Coast Landscape Design will help homeowners to find the perfect location for their new fire pit.

3. What type of fuel can fire pits use?
East Coast Landscape Design is proud to be able to offer their customers the choice of gas or wood burning fire pits. They are also capable of designing and installing a dual fuel fire pit. This allows their clients to find the perfect fire pit to fit their lifestyle and budget.

4. Is it necessary for the landscaping company to be licensed and insured?
The contractor should be licensed and fully insured anytime work is being done on the property. East Coast Landscape Design is proud to be the premier licensed landscaping company in the Washington D.C. metro area, and their contractors are fully insured. This gives their clients added assurance that they have contacted the best.

Rockville MD Fire Pit Essentials

Summer is near and a fire pit is something that a lot of us can use. An outside fire pit can be utilized on cool nights and make your yard a bit more special for your guests and for yourself as you enjoy your garden and outdoor space.

There are a lot of various firepit alternatives today – ceramics, metal, stone, brick, even concrete – and there are even some unique designers that deal with fire pits.

An outdoor fire pit is one of the best methods to take pleasure in a lovely summer night. From wood fire pit, that you might keep in mind using at you moms and dads or perhaps grandparents house, to the gas fire pit most people use today, it appears that fire pit selection has actually never ever been so vast, this is the time to think about integrating a fire pit into your backyard and begin taking pleasure in the benefits of this open fire.

A lot of fire pits have mesh siding that allows for spectators to see into the pit, and for heat to leave. This is a big advantage on cold nights where you may need a little bit of additional heat to stay comfy.

A fire pit may be all you require in order to significantly improve your yard. Plan a celebration around your outside fire pit this summer season, and reveal to everyone how fun one can be.

Contact East Coast today to discuss your fire pit options and how to integrate one into your Rockville MD landscaping.

Landscape Design in Rockville, MD: Small Yards

Landscape design for small yards in Rockville, MD can be challenging – but the outcome can be amazing.

You may think that small yards are meant to be plain and “open” in order to seem bigger. But here’s the thing – your yard can seem so much bigger if your landscape design is well-planned and makes the most of your small Rockville, MD yard.

Building Up, Not Out
Great small yard landscape design includes horizontal and vertical features. For instance, you can:

  • Use your fencing and home as colorful backdrops for your landscaping
  • Hang plants on the fence, shepherd’s hooks, or a lattice panel
  • Add a water feature – such as a water wall – which takes up little horizontal space, but adds a lot of drama to your small yard’s landscape design.
  • Build a pergola – which is a fantastic design feature for a small space. Adding lights and climbing plants to the pergola can add romantic charm and a feeling of a “get away” to the landscape design of your small yard in Rockville, MD.
  • Integrate raised beds for your plants, and use colors that pop
  • Add a tall focal point to your small yard design – such as a tree or bamboo
  • Install a floating deck in the farthest part of the yard; add a winding pathway to enhance the feeling of a destination

Enhance your Space with Color
Cool colors (like blues and greens) actually make a small space look larger. Therefore, if you would like your yard to feel and look larger, choose the colors that make it look that way.

Plants like silver king and evergreens can give your yard a feeling of largeness. Blue spruce and Alberta pine are good examples of plants that add a decorative touch while helping your property look bigger. In fact, Alberta pines are rather small trees, so they do not take up very much space while at the same time conferring a feeling of maximum space.

Layering in various shades of greens will also give an appearance of depth and richness to the landscape design for your small yard in Rockville, MD.

For more information about landscape design for your small yard in Rockville, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has actually been Rockville, MD’s leading certified landscape specialist.

Landscape Design: Rockville MD Garden Fountain

Your Rockville MD backyard is a pleasant place. But no oasis is ever complete without a water fountain. Fountains can add beauty and serenity to your Rockville MD landscape design. The sound of the water will offer you much relaxation after a hard days work.

Kinds Of Water Fountains

There are a lot of different garden fountains. You can get them in all kinds of sizes, for instance, you have wall fountains that are installed on the wall and mostly used in small gardens or on patios. You have pond fountains that are used mostly in a bigger garden, but there are pond fountains specially built for smaller gardens.

The materials used to make garden fountains are: stone, ceramic, wood, copper, concrete, and I have also seen some beautiful old bronze garden fountains. The best materials for a Rockville MD landscape fountain would be either concrete or ceramic, those materials are low maintenance and have a long durability.

Garden fountains with sculpted carvings can add to the beauty and serenity of your backyard. Choosing the right kind of garden fountain is an important decision. You need to think of a few things like:

  • your budget
  • where in the landscape design to place the fountain
  • where will the fountain get water and electricity from

Fountain Maintenance

There are some things that you need to think about when maintaining your garden fountain.

  1. When you have a water fountain in the landscape design, you need to make sure that you clean it on a regular basis
  2. You should use an algae treatment that is safe for the environment

If you plan and design your Rockville MD with a fountain, you will find there if no better way to relax – in your own backyard – than listening to your own relaxing, sparkling, landscape fountain. Contact the professionals at East Coast today to discuss your options for a Rockville MD landscape fountain of your very own.

Designing Your Rockville MD Rose Garden

The use of landscape roses can make the exterior of any Rockville MD house more graceful, fragrant and inviting. Selecting the right varieties to compliment and accent the home’s style, and your vision, will contribute to the success of your Rockville MD landscape design and rose garden design.

Finding the perfect roses for your rose garden is not hard at all because of all the diverse varieties of roses. The real problem lies in choosing the right ones for your landscape needs and the landscape design you wish to attain.

Roses come in a number of classes. Each class holds characteristics that make them a great choice for use as landscape ornamental flowers. If you’d like to have roses growing up and over a trellis or archway or cascading from window boxes, the tall growing tea roses are a perfect choice. Tea roses are known for their wild growing blooms and all who walk under the archway enjoy a beautiful display of roses.

If a trellis is not available and you’re looking to accent a wall, then choose a true climbing rose. The beauty of a true climbing rose allows you train the plant into many different looks and effects. In essence, you can train it any way you want it to grow.

The Floribunda rose is an excellent landscape design choice when a vibrant splash of background color for your landscape is desired. The popular Floribunda rose varieties give all this color in the landscape with their large and breathtaking blooms.

The versatile rose can also be used as a ground cover or planted in front of other plants to give color and accent. Roses can also be used as stand-alone plant and trained into a small tree or planted as hedges. Rugosa roses are a good choice for this. The goal or impact of the rose is not the varieties or ways it can be grown but the colors they offer in the gardening palette.

What gardeners want are healthy rose plants that deliver impact in many sizes, styles, textures, colors and shapes. When considering your design for your rose garden choose the complimentary colors for your surrounding landscape.

A simple arrangement of pink roses delivers the perfect compliment to a stone or marble entranceway or drive. White tea roses offer a striking contrast against a dark red brick home. Roses come in so many colors it should be easy to find colors which compliment and enhance any decorating or landscape design you come up with. Designing your rose garden will be exciting. Incorporate your own color favorites and mix styles and textures for an interesting appeal.

Roses do well in a variety of temperature zones and climates so make sure you choose the varieties suitable to the area in which you live. This translates into fewer maintenance issues, reduced use of pesticides and less disease issues – promoting overall a healthier rose garden.

If you want to incorporate a rose garden into your Rockville MD Landscape design, contact the landscape professionals at East Coast Landscape Design.

Outdoor Kitchens: Great Additions to Rockville, MD Homes

As more homeowners are entertaining their families and friends outdoors on decks and patios, some are thinking about if they want to add outdoor kitchens to their Rockville, MD houses.

These homeowners are pretty smart – and here’s why that’s a good idea:

  • Outdoor kitchens are something different
  • Outdoor kitchens have the same high-quality appliances that indoor kitchens have; imagine cooking, then loading and running your outside dishwasher – no mess to clean up inside
  • Outdoor kitchens are seen as a luxury upgrade when homeowners sell; homeowners are finding that they can enjoy their outdoor kitchens while they own them, then re-coop the costs when they sell their homes.
  • Outdoor kitchens keep homes cooler in the summer,  and can reduce electric bills
  • Outdoor kitchens can be constructed so they take up little space, but provide maximum benefits
  • Outdoor kitchens expand dining and entertainment possibilities, allowing family and friends to be involved in those activities
  • Outdoor kitchens allow the hosts to stay engaged with their family or visitors – cooks are not stranded in the kitchen
  • Outdoor kitchens allow for your outside space to be used most – if not all – year round.

For more details about outdoor kitchens in Rockville, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. We specialize in custom design and precision construction of outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, and fire pits, with patios and stonework that have come to characterize East Coast Landscape Design artistry. We pride ourselves in attention to detail in the quality and precision craftsmanship we provide, adding not only beauty but immeasurable value to your home.

Landscape Design in Rockville, MD: Five Trees that Bring Curb Appeal

If the landscape design at your Rockville, MD home looks ho-hum, here are five trees that can enhance curb appeal. (All the trees we’ve recommended here grow well within our USDA zone.)

  1. The Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria): A smaller tree (height 10-15 ft., spread 12 ft.) that works well with others in groupings, hedges, or windbreaks. Adds interesting textures and add a punch of color in small spaces. In summer, they sport wispy, pink bloom clusters; in fall, the foliage turns yellow, orange, and red. The rest of the year leaves are purple, gold, or green. This tree is heat and drought tolerant, and do well in a wide range of soils.
  2. The Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana): A medium-sized tree (height 20-30 ft., spread 25 ft.), tolerant of most soil and temperature conditions. This tree puts on a show in March, with beautiful, fragrant white and purple flowers.
  1. The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum): A large focal-point tree (height 60-75 ft.,
    spread: 40-50 ft.) that is a great replacement for ash or elm trees. Provides great shade, and gorgeous gold and red fall foliage. This tree does well with most soil and temperature conditions. Don’t plant near a road or drive which will be treated with salt.
  2. The Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis): A larger ornamental tree (height 40-50 ft., spread 25-40 ft.) happiest when it has moist and well-draining soil, planted in full or partial sun. Delicate, beautiful flowers make this a stand out tree, which really attracts attention when it’s planted in groups.
  3. The Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens): This majestic evergreen tree attracts birds, and provides shelter for small animals year round. This tree does well wherever they are planted, provided that they have enough room to spread out (height 50-75 ft., spread 10-20 ft.).

For more information on landscape design and curb appeal in Rockville, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. Our landscape design experts can create lasting beauty and value for you Rockville, MD home.

Information About Flagstone Patios in Rockville, MD

You’ve probably heard about flagstone patios if you live in or around Rockville, MD. When done well, flagstone patios are beautiful and last a long time.

What is Flagstone?
Flagstone is a sedimentary rock composed of feldspar and quartz. It is a layered quarried stone, held together by silica. It is harder than sandstone – and that’s important in our climate of heat and hard freezes.

Flagstone comes in many gorgeous colors: blues, browns, tans, grays and reds. Some homeowners choose to mix colors, some go with one color, with slight variations (darker or lighter). Homeowners should choose a color or colors most complementary to their homes.

Things to keep in mind when you are choosing the flagstone for your patio:

  • Pick a flagstone that comes in as many shapes, sizes and thicknesses as possible.
  • Glittery flagstone can lose this sparkle under wear and tear.
  • Brightly colored stone may prove softer than more uniform muted tones.
  • Stone which is quarried nearest to your site will cost less to ship.

Flagstones can be in their “natural” form, or cut into geometric shapes (i.e., squares or rectangles) to be used in patterns. The shape of the flagstones in dependent on your patio design. Here are some ways flagstone can be quarried or cut:

  • Ledgestone: Relatively flat strips of stone for stacking.
  • Milled: Flagstone cut to an edge on one or more sides.
  • Mosaic: Patterns made up of random pieces.
  • Pavers: Cut flagstone into square or rectangular units.
  • Steppers: Flat stones used as pathway step stones.
  • Sawn Bed Veneer: Stone cut to a certain depth with natural surface on one side.
  • Slabs: Large flat pieces of stone with irregular outlines.
  • Snapped Veneer: Stone snapped to provide flat surfaces on both sides.
  • Thin Veneer: Flagstone cut to lay on concrete slab.
  • Treads: Stone machined to suit step treads or risers.
  • Tumbled: Processed to soften edges.

For more information on flagstone patios in Rockville, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. The East Coast Landscape Design team has over a quarter century of experience in the design, installation, and care of practical and beautiful flagstone patios, walkways, and driveways in Rockville, MD.