It’s Prime Curb Appeal Season! Ottawa is a city full of natural beauty. From the outskirts to the city centre, you’re guaranteed to find green spaces and gardens full of colour around almost every corner. Now that summer is in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about your own curb appeal. It doesn’t […]
As is with the turn of every season, the arrival of fall marks new beginnings for many. School starts for kids of all ages, parents are returning to work, summer vacations have ended, and a drop in temperature has many homeowners beginning to think about what needs to be done before old man winter coats […]
Spring Cleaning 101: Tips On Getting Your Home Ready For Sale Contrary to years prior, 2018 has presented us with a rather mild, wet March. As such, we’ve barely approached the standard season for “April showers” and have already received enough rain and wet weather to rid most of the snow! The month, however is still young; and, as unpredictable as Mother Nature can be when it comes to delivering cold weather and long winters, we think it’s safe to assume that Jack frost might just bite a time or two more. This said, if you’re in the market to
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If you are considering landscape paving, this excellent Houzz.com post by landscape architect Falon Mihalic includes guides to 10 of the most popular materials. Focused on cost, climate, maintenance and functional application, the guides explain the pros and cons of cast-in-place concrete, the cheapest option, pre-cast concrete, gravel, limestone, brick, slate, tile, bluestone, granite, and travertine. Mihalic also notes that many of the materials can be reused and suggests where the cost and/or environmentally conscious consumer can find them. To read more click here. Source: Blog
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Shrubs bestow privacy, a sense of enclosure and a splash of colour during winter. In this houzz.com post, Brian Barth gives hope to discouraged homeowners who are tired of watching the local deer population feast on their shrubs. Needle-bearing shrubs like the juniper will survive deer grazing, but they can lack artistic appeal. Barth identifies 8 other options that have at least one redeeming aesthetic trait besides being evergreen. Heath and heather are an unusual group of low shrubs with colorful flowers and needle-like leaves that change colour as the weather gets cold. Doghobble spreads as it
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Home owners may be surprised to discover that fall is the most important season for lawn maintenance. But, as we learn in this houselogic.com post by Lisa Kaplan Gordon, it is much more important than spring. Aeration allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach roots, and gives seeds room to sprout. Turf roots grow best in fall and winter when the soil temperature is cooler, so fall seeding ensures optimal growth. Fertilize in late fall with phosphorous or nitrogen rich (10% – 15%) product. Finally, mulching, rather than raking and removing the leaves is preferred because the shredded leaves will
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