Hardy Herb Perennials for your Landscape Design in Bethesda MD

Looking to add perennial herbs to your landscape design in Bethesda MD? The following herbs can serve one or more purposes; they can be an aromatic, used for food presentation or cooking (culinary), and/or useful in landscaping.

Aromatic
Lavender, English (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender, Grosso (Lavandula ‘Grosso’)
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Mint (multiple)
Sage, Clary (Salvia sclarea)
Thyme (multiple)

Culinary
Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Lavender, English (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender, Grosso (Lavandula ‘Grosso’)
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
Mint (multiple)
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Parsley (Petroselinum)
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Tarragon – French (Artemisia dracunculus)
Thyme (multiple)

Landscape
Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Thyme (multiple)

Need help with incorporating herbs into your landscape design in Bethesda MD? You’ll want to contact the experts at East Coast Landscape Design. East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed beautiful landscape and hardscape projects around Bethesda MD and surrounding communities for over 30 years.

Recommended by Landscapers in Silver Spring MD: Groundcovers for Dry Shady Areas

Your landscapers in SIlver Spring MD, East Coast Landscape Design, have some recommendations for groundcovers for those dry shady areas of your yard.

  • Snow on the Mountain or Bishop’s Weed: mall white flowers appear late May-June above the low variegated foliage. Variegated Aegopodium spreads rapidly through the summer under high limbed trees, in the rock garden, and in a range of difficult areas.

  • Barrenwort: semi-evergreen heart-shaped leaves that are tinged red-bronze on the edges. It is the best groundcover for dry shade needing a good loamy soil. Great for planting among trees in a woodland setting.

  • ‘Sulphureum’ Barrenwort:  lots of small deep yellow star-shaped flowers in April;  heart-shaped leaves on wiry stems are bronze when young, then mature to green. Massed in the foreground of a shady bed or as edging, this drought tolerant perennial can’t be beat.

  • ‘Monroe White’ Lilyturf Liriope grows best in acid soil in partial to full shade, which protects it from sun damage in both summer and winter. It is both heat tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases, handles dry shade, and is evergreen in quality.

Requirements for establishing and keeping the groundcovers we’ve listed above healthy:

  • Plant your groundcovers in the appropriate soil.

  • Leave room for growth when placing groundcovers

  • Divide plants and move to another location when they are near to over-growing their space.

  • Keep planting areas at an even level, or else plants in the lower-lying areas will get too much moisture.

  • Ensure good drainage, since the shade-loving ground covers we’ve listed above either really love dry soil, or are drought tolerant.

    Want to learn more about making the most of dry shady areas of your yard from expert landscapers in Silver Spring, MD? Please contact the award-winning landscapers serving Silver Spring MD, East Coast Landscape Design.

How Important is Mulch to Your Landscaping in Bethesda MD?

Mulch is much more that just something that’s used on your yard for “looks.” Putting down the right mulch is important to the overall health of your landscaping.

Here are 5 ways mulch is beneficial to your landscaping in Bethesda MD:Mulch slows weed growth.

  1. Mulch slows water evaporation, reducing water loss from the soil.
  2. Mulch protects plant roots from temperature extremes and sudden temperature fluctuations.
  3. Organic types of mulch improve the soil quality as they decompose.
  4. Mulch ads color and texture to your landscape design.

So which mulch is the right mulch for your landscaping?
The answer depends on the needs of your landscaping, and can change based on those needs. For instance, what you mulch you use in one area of your yard, may not be the best choice for other areas of your yard.

For instance, areas in your landscaping that need soil improvement could do with an aged (partially decomposed) organic mulch. If you don’t need soil improvement, and just want to control weeds, then a fresh organic mulch will do.

Rocks, stones or gravel mulch can shore up low-lying areas in your landscaping that can get washed out during hard rain. Landscapers will also use stones or gravel to create French drains to help prevent flooding in your yard. (Note: rocks, stones, or gravel can get and keep heat easily, so don’t use them around tender plants or those with shallow roots.)

For more information about the most appropriate mulches for 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.

 

Hardy Shrubs Important to Landscape Design in Rockville MD

Hardy shrubs are an important addition to landscape design for your Rockville MD home.

There are at least 3 things you will want some hardy shrubs to do for your landscaping: provide visual depth, seasonal interest, and increased visits from wildlife (butterflies, birds, and other small animals)

You’ll want to stay away from high maintenance shrubs, and look for shrubs which are low maintenance, hardy for our zone, and can provide color and interest for 3- 4 seasons of the year.

Two Spring Starters
The Red Chokeberry is an easy to grow gorgeous shrub that attracts early butterflies and pollinators to the nectar of the white to light pink flower clusters that appear along the branches. The flowers are followed in late summer by abundant clusters of red berries that last through the fall and well into winter (these berries can be made into jams and jellies.) The glossy dark green leaves turn a brilliant red in fall.

The ‘Midwinter Fire’ Dogwood also has fragrant tiny white flowers appear in late spring that will attract butterflies. These flowers transform into clusters of dark purple berries in summer that are very attractive to birds. By the fall, there’s a golden foliage followed by branches and stems that start out yellow at the base of the plant and gradually turn bright orange, then to crimson red towards the tip of the plant.

An Early to Mid-Summer Starter
The Bottlebrush Buckeye is a great shade area shrub, and it blooms from early to mid-summer. This shrub white flowers with pink filaments that attract the attention of hummingbirds and butterflies. The   leaves change from bronze to dark green to shades of yellow in fall. 

A Midsummer Starter
The Smooth Hydrangea thrives in shady areas, and produces large pom-poms (up to 12 inches across). Blooming from midsummer to early fall, the pom-poms start out lime-green, change to cream, then to a brilliant white for weeks, then back to pale green in late summer before switching to a tan shade in fall. The pom-poms look great in dried flower arrangements.

For more information on including these and other gorgeous shrubs in the landscape design for your Rockville MD home, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed landscapes in Rockville MD and the rest of suburban Maryland that enhance our clients’ lifestyles and the beauty of their homes.

Dark Colors Trending in Landscape Design for Silver Spring MD Homes

Dark colors are trending because they bring drama and eye-catching contrast to landscape design in Silver Spring MD.

Painting or staining fences, decks, pergolas, gazebos, lattice screens or home walls dark, neutral colors has an amazing effect on your landscape design. The dark colors

absorb the light, allowing plants in the foreground to reflect and radiate light. Plus, dark colors make anything brightly colored – flowers, plants, bushes, or furniture – “pop” against the darker colors.

If your yard seems like a “sea of green,” darker colors will also enable the eye to better see the differences in the green hues of plants and shrubs. Plumes that might otherwise be missed, along with the textures of leaves, will stand out in sharp contrast to the flat, dark colors.

Those dark colors sound a little scary to you? Dip your toes into this trend by adding black, charcoal gray, or dark brown window or balcony boxes. Add colorful plants to those boxes, and you’ll see the gorgeous contrast we’ve been talking about.

For more information on the latest trends in landscape design for your Silver Spring MD home, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has designed and installed landscapes in Silver Spring MD that enhance our clients’ lifestyles and the beauty of their homes.

Plan Your Low Maintenance Maryland Landscape

A lot of people have taken an interest in landscaping, and many have learned that they enjoy working in the yard. Others have also discovered that they hate working in the yard. Just because you don’t like working in the yard does not mean you cannot have a great looking landscape.

Planning the best landscape for your home will take into consideration the amount of maintenance that can be provided. Doing some of the maintenance work yourself may save some money, but there is a time cost involved.

Hiring someone to do all the maintenance on a high maintenance landscape design can be expensive. Finding the perfect balance is what an experienced landscape designer does.

The landscape designer can help you make choices of plants and shrubs that look great and fit the maintenance you want to offer. Maybe you have allergies and want a yard that will require fewer mowings or has less tree pollen. Be sure to discuss this with the landscape designer.

If you need to talk with an experienced landscape designer to see what is possible, be sure to call the Maryland landscape design experts at East Coast Landscape Design.

Where To Start When Landscaping Your Maryland Home

If you are just starting with the landscaping at your Maryland home, be sure examine the older trees on your property to ensure they are safe and are not in danger of falling down. If you are unsure of the condition of your trees, you may want to contact us here at East Coast Landscape Design, so that can you ensure the safety of the property.

Once the safety concerns are taken care of the next item to consider is the overall design of the landscape and what use you want out of it. Want grassy areas to entertain guests? You will need a grass that can stand lots of foot traffic. Want an outdoor kitchen, or an area free from the pesky insects? This is what needs to be addressed during the initial planning stages.

If the project seems overwhelming to you, landscaping can be done in stages. The planning of the project is even more important when done in stages. You don’t want to put new grass in, and then need to drive a heavy truck across the new grass to deliver a load of stone for an outdoor kitchen and patio.

If you need help with the planning of your new landscape in Maryland, contact the landscape design experts at East Coast Landscape Design, we can help you get the yard of your dreams.

Make A Great First Impression With Your Maryland Landscaping

Many people put most of their landscaping efforts into their front yard. A front yard is noticed by more people, and it gives people their first impression of both the home, and the home’s owners.

A well-designed front yard landscape will not only showcase your home, it can also enhance the physical appearance of your home. Depending on the design and choice of plants, landscaping can be either high or low maintenance.

If you would like lots of color, but want as little maintenance work as possible, consider wildflowers for your yard or garden. You can purchase wildflower seeds at home improvement stores then scatter them over a large area or where planting other items might be difficult. This strategy results in many different colors and types of beautiful flowers. Additionally, you can turn them into delightful bouquets.

Your choice of which grass to use is dependent on the climate. In Maryland, some areas are very shady, some are very sunny. Also, some areas seem to collect water and be damp most of the time, while other areas are quite dry. Be sure to choose the right grass for the conditions at your property.

Want some help deciding which plants or what grass to use at your property? Contact the Maryland Landscaping experts at East Coast Landscape Design, we can help you plan the best landscaping for your home.

Maryland Commercial Landscaping: Make A Great First Impression With Your Business Appearance

Landscaping is an art form that requires a balance of artistic flair and technical know-how to do well. The canvas is the area around your business. Knowing what plants complement each other – not only with color but also bloom times and environmental needs. The way your business looks is the first impression you can make on your clients – be sure to make the best impression possible.

Here are some tips for you to consider when planning your businesses’ landscaping

Plant companion plants. These plants naturally work together to help each other repel pests and diseases. This can help you to have a healthier garden without the use of pesticides.

Use balance, not symmetry. A balanced distribution of plants creates a focal point, but the landscaping should never be symmetrical. For example, a large tree to the left of the garden can be balanced by two smaller trees to the right. This creates a much more desirable effect in the garden, whereas a symmetrical look appears completely unnatural.

Using peat moss is an excellent way to ensure your plants survive. This allows you to give nutrients to your plants that they potentially lack. Peat moss, when used as mulch, contrasts beautifully against the foliage of your plants.

Unsure if you want to chance the look of your business? Contact the landscaping experts at East Coast Landscape Design. We know Maryland’s climate, we know the plants that work best here in Maryland, and we are experts in helping you design the perfect look for your Maryland Commercial Landscaping.

Heated Patios in Gaithersburg MD

Heated patios – who wouldn’t want them in Gaithersburg MD?

  • Heated patios are used more often, and some homeowners even use their heated patios year round.  
  • Heated patios are safer than non-heated in Gaithersburg MD; no snow or ice to slip and fall, and no back pain from shoveling. 
  • Heated patios are eco-friendly; they don’t need salt or other de-icers, which hurt the environment (including our Chesapeake Bay).

How are patios heated in Gaithersburg MD? 

  • Electric cables or mats are installed underneath patios to warm up the surface of the patios. These plug into a junction box, and often can be controlled remotely. 

  • Hydronic heating – a much more involved process – uses copper tubing or cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) with a liquid treated with antifreeze to warm the driveway or walkway. A boiler, circulating pump, and manifold are required to run hydronic heating.

Can existing patios be heated?

  • Yes – in some situations, electric cables can be laid in grooves of existing slabs or pavers. 
  • No – homeowners in Gaithersburg MD usually wait until they are installing new patios to include radiant heating systems. 


For more information on heated patios in Gaithersburg MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. The experienced professionals at East Coast Landscape Design work with homeowners to design dream patios that can be used year-round Gaithersburg MD.