The Bradford Pear has been one of my favorite flowering landscape trees forever, and I’ve planted at least a dozen between the two homes I’ve owned. They’re simply beautiful in the spring, summer and fall – having a distinctive look for each season. And while nothing is without its flaws, the Bradford Pear always comes immediately to my mind when considering ornamental trees for any landscape design. Flowering Landscaping Trees at the Jersey Shore It’s quite common to see varieties … Continue reading
I love the look of black mulch and I’ve used it for years to enhance all of my landscaping beds, but it’s frankly becoming a bit too much maintenance. And a bit too expensive. I’ve come to realize, I now have to try to find the perfect ground cover that can slowly take over certain well-contained large landscape areas on my property – and I’m frankly struggling with the decision. Slightly Addicted to Landscaping Admittedly, I may have gone a … Continue reading
This is a one-day project that’s simple in concept, but really added a lot of character to an Arborvitae line in the front of my house and also set us up to add softer flower bed plantings as well. What I love about landscaping projects is that they’re hard work, they’re outside – and they allow one to balance precision with creativity. In other words, you get a good work out, you have fun bringing garden ideas you’ve envisioned to … Continue reading
My dining room is about to undergo a massive renovation. But before I get started with my grand plans, I have to repair the ceiling from some damage that occurred a couple of years prior while working on the bathroom above. Damaged sheetrock is going to have to be patched, primed and repainted. Ceiling Repair: Completely My Fault… Drywall (also known as gypsum board, wallboard or plasterboard) is, in essence, a panel made from gypsum plaster sandwiched between two sheets … Continue reading
We installed our swimming pool a little over two years ago, and going through the research alone was a tremendous effort. There are so many items to consider regarding the design and construction; it’s frankly a little overwhelming. And if you’re going through the same research right now (for above ground pools or an in ground pool), one of the key choices you’re going to be faced with is that of a pool chlorinator. Pool Chlorine “Back in the Day” … Continue reading
Spring is upon us in New Jersey (the Garden State), and signs of life are already beginning to stir outside. I’ve planted many trees over the years, and while everyone has their own techniques, I find there are a few basic rules & principles that always seem to apply… The Best Season for Tree Planting & Negotiating Plant in the spring or fall — But if you have a choice, shoot for the fall. Intense heat is absolutely terrible for … Continue reading
The creation of a beautiful landscape or deck design for your home is an imperative first step toward the ultimate realization. It’s crucial to develop designs that reflect your personality, your style and that meet both your short and long-term objectives. Are you considering a landscape design for a swimming pool area? Do you want to create a backyard deck design for big parties or small family gatherings? Should you use wood or a composite material (like Trex) for the decking? What would your existing deck look … Continue reading
One of the things I think really makes a home look beautiful is trim work. It’s all about personal taste, of course – but I find the classic looks (rosettes, fluted casings, shadow boxes) always seem to carry a certain elegance, and when you have kids running around the house you absolutely have to temper this with low-maintenance design considerations as well. This project took a few weeks, but realistically the time required was about 5-7 hours each weekend for … Continue reading
My bedroom door had been getting more and more difficult to close. It reached the point where in order to get the thing to latch – I had to pull up on it by the door knob really hard every single time. How hard? So hard that I became the only person in the house capable of doing it! And so I realized, maybe it was time to suck it up and actually fix it… Possible Reasons Your Door Won’t … Continue reading
Some of the best money I’ve ever spent has been on our backyard trampoline – the kids love it, they get exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and we’ve all had a lot of laughs with it. I won’t even pretend I don’t jump on it myself, though I do try to make sure none of the neighbors can see when I do. There are always concerns with trampoline safety, of course, and when we bought ours we wouldn’t even consider … Continue reading
