Tag Archives: landscaping in Denver

Don’t Forget the Trees!

It is very possible to achieve a gorgeous landscape that will retain its beauty even during drought conditions. But it’s easy to get caught up in the appearance of flowers, grass, shrubs, and other plants during dry conditions that we forget an equally important part of the equation… trees.

Trees offer a number of benefits to homeowners in addition to enhancing the aesthetic of a landscape.

The average tree absorbs about 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a one-acre forest can produce four tons of oxygen, which is enough to support the needs of eighteen humans for a year.
Trees can boost the property value of landscaped homes by 5 to 20% more than non-landscaped homes. They also increase in value as they grow.
Properly planted trees can also help conserve energy. The Arbor Day Foundation shares that “large deciduous trees planted on the east, west, and northwest sides of your home create soothing shade from the hot summer sun and reduce summer air conditioning costs by up to 35%.’

With those benefits in mind, it’s important that you include some basic tree care in your regular lawn and garden maintenance. The Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado recently shared some great tips in its weekly newsletter. First, be sure to keep trees pruned properly. That will help protect your trees (and their surroundings) from wind and storm damage.

Also, be on the lookout for signs of disease or bug infestations. A change in leaf color or the appearance of a tree’s bark could be signaling a serious problem. Quick action will not only preserve the health of your trees, but protect your investment, too.

It’s also important to make sure your trees are receiving the right amount of hydration, especially in drought conditions like we are currently experiencing here in Denver. A dehydrated tree usually has brittle limbs that will snap easily in a storm and it will also be more likely to incur an insect problem or disease.

Don’t neglect the trees in your landscape.

How do you care for the trees in your Colorado landscape to ensure they are healthy and happy?

Lifescape Associates is here to help you with your landscaping needs. Contact us today at 303-381-3810 for more information on our landscape design and maintenance services.

Maximize the Potential of the Corners of Your Yard

You may be familiar with the Pete Seeger classic, written by Malvina Reynolds, which goes like this…“Little boxes, on the hillside. Little boxes made of ticky-tacky…and they all look just the same…”

If Colorado landscape designers don’t think outside those proverbial “little boxes,” you can end up with a boring or awkward landscape, which resembles a postage stamp, rather than an inspired endeavor.

The corners can be the trickiest areas to landscape but with a little insight into some “tricks of the trade,” you can maximize the potential of the corners in your yard(s).

Use sculptures or garden art. Rather than an afterthought, sculpture and/or garden art can serve as a corner focal point. You can then add to the corner landscaping design, using plants and shrubs with shapes, heights, and seasonal color that will enhance the garden art.

Image from Lifescape Associates

Create a comfortable seating area. When you or your guests are able to sit in one corner, you have a panoramic view of the entire landscape. You can build a corner bench-nook, or add a table and chairs. Use decorative outdoor furniture pads for added visual appeal.

outdoor seating area by Lifescape Associates

Image from Lifescape Associates

Build an outdoor fireplace. There is nothing that keeps the nighttime social atmosphere inspired like an outdoor fireplace. It is a great addition to any yard and is the perfect use of a corner. Plus, it adds an additional seating area for daytime as well.

outdoor fireplace by Lifescape Associates

Image from Lifescape Associates

If you’re ready to transform your ticky-tacky landscape corners, contact Lifescapes. We are Colorado landscape designers who excel at thinking outside the box.

Lifescape Staff on their way to being licensed Landscape Architects

Lifescape Associates wanted to share some great news with you today. As you may remember reading in a previous post, designers Dan DeGrush and Tonya Glassmeyer were getting ready to apply for their Landscape Architecture license. Well Dan and Tanya passed the first two of four exams necessary to attain their license. So they are half way there!

The Landscape Architecture Registry Exam (L.A.R.E.) tests on all facets of Landscape Architecture. Since Colorado has a practice and title act, this means you can’t technically call yourself a ‘Landscape Architect’ without being licensed. The Landscape Architect needs to be licensed in their respective states for practice just as lawyers and doctors do.

Lifescape is looking forward to adding two new Landscape Architects to the design staff in Dan and Tonya, as well as assisting its clients as industry leaders in the Colorado and Front Range landscape design and construction industry.

National Landscape Architecture Month

April is a special month in the landscaping industry because it is National Landscape Architecture Month. This is the perfect time to take a close look at your local community and admire all of its parks, gardens, residential developments and more. All of these things could not take shape, if it was not for landscape architecture. It ultimately takes careful planning, designing, land use management and applying sustainable design practices to create your community and other communities around the nation.

Landscape architecture is the unique meeting of environment and art. It is a profession that combines both creativity and science. Many people think of landscaping on a small scale because they do not realize that landscape architects shape the world we live in starting from the root. The beginning of our communities and the growth of our communities start by planting a seed.

To learn more about National Landscape Architecture Month, visit www.asla.org.

The Perfect Spot in your Landscape

When it comes to your outdoor environment, you need to be able to feel relaxed. If your back or front yard does not consist of at least one meditation or serene spot, you could be missing out on having valuable peace of mind outside. Think of it like this, your home is your sanctuary.

It is just as important to have a relaxing space on the outside of your home as it is on the inside. Especially now that Spring is here and Summer is not too far off.

Your quality of life outside your home can be greatly enhanced by special spots within your landscape that you can go to for relaxation, meditation or just a moment to yourself to enjoy nature.

Do you have a serene spot in your landscape where you can listen to the sound of trickling water, feel the gentle breeze or watch the sunset and sunrise? Contact a designer at Lifescape if you are interested in finding out how you can have the perfect spot in your Denver or Boulder area landscape.