Ornamental trees are grown for their flowers, foliage, attractive bark or fruits. Ornamental trees are usually woody perennial plants having distinct trunk and crown at the top.
Ornamental or landscape trees are often planted to improve the aesthetics of your property or to improve environmental conditions such as shading a sunny area, providing a wind-break, etc. Because trees are long-term investments, it is important to select trees that are suitable to the climate, soil type, site, and light/wind conditions of the planting location. Initial placement, planting method, and ongoing care can all influence the health and longevity of the tree.
“Ornamental trees add an interesting focal point to any landscaping.
One common focal point is an ornamental or flowering tree. These focal point trees are typically smaller than standard shade trees and boasting annual flowers or colorful leaves that draw the eye and brighten the landscape.
Most ornamental trees grow only to about 25 feet so they provide little shade. Their main purpose is to add color and accent. There are many beautiful ornamental trees that are very hardy in Northern Illinois: flowering crabapple, flowering dogwood, tri-colored beeches and Canadian red cherry, flowering plum, flowering pear, hawthorne and magnolias to name a few.”
Tree Selection
Choose the species of tree to be planted according to the available space. Larger trees are often more expensive and you may be able to plant smaller. Seedling trees have the greatest success when replanted and grown in containers for at least one year. One-gallon trees are successful in protected areas such as private yards. Five-gallon trees and larger should be planted in public areas where there is potential for dogs, cats, and kids to damage smaller trees.
Select trees that are known to perform well in your local area. Consider the elevation, water requirements, tolerance for alkaline soil, cold hardiness, etc.
Consider planting both evergreen and deciduous trees for year-round eye appeal. Many damaging insects are specific to one tree species. Planting a variety of species will help ensure minimal impact to your landscape.
Some of the more well known species are as follows:-
Star Magnolia
Japanese Tree Lilac
Eastern Redbud
Jack Dwarf Flowering Pear
Cornus Mas
Kousa Dogwood
Crabapple
Japanese Maple
And if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous here are a few of the more unusual deciduous ornamental trees that will make you the envy of your neighbors:-
Japanese Stewartia
Persian Parrotia
Katsura Tree
It’s always a good idea to chat to folks like Fiore or The Tree Farm who will be able to help you decide on the right trees for the area that you have in mind.
We have removed swimming pools for some clients who have made use of our landscaping services where ornamental trees have been one of the solutions we proposed to make best use of the resulting space.
We have offices in both the Chicago and Denver areas. Contact us to help you with your ornamental tree requirements which as mentioned in the article may differ depending on your location.
If you already have chickens in the garden or are thinking about getting some, here are some points to consider.
Advantages of Chickens in the Garden
Chickens in the garden make wonderful tillers – By scratching and eating practically all vegetation, chickens make great tillers. Not only do they turn cover crops and clear new garden ground of any sod, they add chicken manure fertilizer directly to the garden soil as they till.
Chickens Create Compost – they are a great nitrogen source for a compost pile. Cleaning out the chicken coop will provide nutrient-rich manure and bedding material that you can compost to supplement the soil in your garden.
As automatic fertilizers – The chickens nitrogen levels in manure isn’t just great for compost, it’s the key ingredient to fertilizing our gardens. Based on the eight pounds one chicken will poop in a month, the average chicken will extract about a quarter pound a day!
Chickens Are Great Pest Control – Chickens eat large numbers of beetles, assorted bugs, slugs, grubs, and many other pests. Even a small flock of healthy chickens will serve as pest control to reduce the levels of detrimental insect pests. This variety in their diet also makes fresh eggs better
As mulch spreaders – Chickens can level a pile of leaves in under a day.
As garbage disposals – Instead of throwing all the table left overs into the trash feed it to your chickens. Chickens are omnivores, like us, and will eat practically everything we can and more!
As orchard sanitizers – One chicken can debug an entire fruit tree within an hour, breaking the life cycle of pests and disease. With some strategic timing, chickens can significantly boost orchard production!
Some Cautionary Advice
And now for some cautionary advice from Justin Rhodes of Abundant Permaculture to stop the chickens destroying your whole garden.
Allow the chickens in the garden a half hour to an hour before they go to their coop. They’ll go in for a little bit and naturally leave around dusk to go home.
Supervised visits. If you have a small garden and/or small flock you could do supervised visits for short periods of times. That means you stand there and protect your goodies.
If you have a small garden, you could actually protect your individual plants with chicken wire or something similar. That way your chickens can have access all the time and would even help you with the weeds.
Notes:
– Chickens want the garden bugs more than they want the garden produce. The key here, is only giving them enough time to get the bugs. If you leave them in too long they get all the bugs and start for the veggies.
– This is not something you have to do everyday. I’d say it’s better to do this weekly, or as needed.
-Young plants and young gardens are especially vulnerable to chickens. It’s also possible that the young plants haven’t yet attracted the bugs. Be extra careful when letting chickens near the young plants.
Haven’t got the space right now? If you live in the Chicago or Denver areas consider giving us a call for some free advice how we can help you make the required space. This could be by removing a swimming pool or by using our landscape design services.
With a well planned perennial design your garden is filled with hardy perennials that come back each year needing little more than the occasional tidying up.
As part of the design one would mix course texture, fine texture, columnar and spreading shaped varieties. Add to this a few flowering plants that look great in bloom and when they start looking a bit shabby afterwards they will be complimented by the others during their period of good form, texture and foliage color.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when considering a perennial design.
Have a plan
Match your perennial design with the style of your home
Scale in proportion to your house
What kind of colors do you like
Location, location, location put the right plant in the right place
“The New Perennial movement in naturalistic planting design continues to creep, climb, bloom, and seed its way around the civilized world all the way from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe to Canada, the U.S., South America, China, New Zealand, and beyond.
In every pocket, there’s a growing convergence of design, ecology, and architecture along with a deepening sense of what is possible and why it matters more than ever before (i.e. the lopsided battle to restore quality of life for all species on the home planet.)
The core mantra of the movement remains the same: to plan, design, grow and sustain plant-driven garden environments for a multi-layered, year-round spectacle that feeds our souls, reconnects us to the natural world, and nurtures biodiversity all in one.”
Although we use the word new above, perennial design actually started way back in the 1800’s by William Robinson who was an Irish practical gardener. He advocated more natural and less formal-looking plantings of hardy perennials, shrubs, and climbers. Modern gardening practices first introduced by William Robinson include: using alpine plants in rock gardens; dense plantings of perennials and ground covers that expose no bare soil, use of hardy perennials and native plants and large plantings of perennials in natural-looking surrounds.
Sound too much too tackle yourself? Make use of our extensive landscape architecture knowledge to assist you with the planning and implementation of your ideal garden.
With locations in both Chicago and Denver we are always ready to hear from you.
To answer that we first need to take a look at what retaining walls are in general.
A retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it. There are many types of materials that can be used to create retaining walls. Materials include concrete blocks, poured concrete, treated timbers, rocks or boulders. Some are easy to use, others have a shorter life span, but all can retain soil. Some are simply utilitarian while others can improve on aesthetics as well. By building a natural stone retaining wall, you can at the same time support sloping land and beautify your landscape as well.
Some of the most common landscaping walls you see today are created with natural stone. Natural stone is such a popular choice due to its natural and elegant appearance. Although it is more expensive than some other wall options, the beauty of it may be worthwhile to those who are set on creating an inviting outdoor living space.
Depending on the natural stone materials that you choose to use, the stones could be small, they could be flat, they could be thick and they could even be boulder size and come in different colors. The best materials for a natural stone retaining wall will depend on the type of retaining wall that you want to build, the amount of space you have to build it and the type of architecture of the home itself. See some examples from Benson Stone Company and some additional material choices at High Plains Stone.
Natural stones are more expensive, and can be more labor intensive to set correctly. They are best used for shorter and narrower sections of retaining walls to maximize stability. Similar to its concrete counterpart, natural stone retaining walls need proper drainage capabilities to ensure its structural stability over time.
While it’s possible to tackle this as a DIY project, there are many important factors that need to be considered. These include material selection, height of the wall, foundation, back fill,and leveling to name but a few. Unless you have some experience it’s best left to hardscape professionals to do the job properly.
If you live in the Denver or Chicago areas and have recently had your pool removed , had some excavating work done or any other reason why you may want a retaining wall then contact us about your natural stone retaining wall options.
The Ambrigio L400 Elite caught our attention here at MackLand, LLC.
The Italians aren’t only famous for their sports cars, motorcycles, clothing, food etc. They have also used their flair for design and attention to detail in the field of robotic mowers.
In our previous robotic lawn mower articles we discussed what features to look for when choosing one and more specifically about the Italian made Ambrogio range of robotic mowers. The Ambrogio L400 Elite now takes things to a whole new level.
We provide many services including landscape architecture, irrigation etc. but most often our swimming pool removal services are the catalyst for implementing many of these robotic lawn mowers. Customers have their swimming pools removed for a variety of reasons and then need to make a decision what to do with the resulting space. Besides garden trains, car lifts and other interesting uses of the space the most common request after a pool removal job we are asked to do is to turn the resulting space into a luscious lawn. These clients need to start thinking about how to maintain this new expanse of lawn. Enter the Ambrogio L400 Elite.
While lesser models need to make use of a perimeter wire to ensure that the mower does not head off to the neighbors, the Ambrogio L400 Elite makes use of very accurate differential GPS technology allowing the robot to cover large areas without the need for a perimeter wire. These advanced cutting and navigation systems guarantee inch level cutting precision, memorizing and avoiding the areas that have already been mowed.
A map can be defined at the time of installation that allows the robot to mow in straight lines, reducing the mowing time to the minimum possible.
All of these features making the Ambrogio L400 Elite the world’s only robotic lawnmower that can covers areas up to 7.5 acres.
With such great features and huge coverage ability, the care and maintenance of very large areas, such as airfields, golf courses, football fields and parks becomes easy with the Ambrogio L400 Elite.
Read more about this clever robotic mower here and if you live in the greater Chicago or Denver areas talk to us about including an estimate for the implementation of an Ambrogio L400 Elite when we supply you with our estimate for other work.
Just when you thought you have seen it all, along comes the car lift.
Having your swimming pool removed is one big decision, deciding what to do with the resulting space is another. We have previously spoken about how we have put that space to good use. These projects included smart irrigation, xeriscaping and robotic mowers. Just imagine if budget was no object and you asked us to convert that hole in the ground into a car lift. Well, imagine no further. Take a look here at this clever technology developed in Europe.
What is a car lift?
Car lifts are alternative solutions to the conventional access ramp of a garage.
A car lift is installed where, for space reasons, a ramp can not be built or to maximize the space that would be lost by creating a ramp. This results in a greater number of parking spaces.
Choosing a car lift may also be for aesthetic reasons. The lift becomes an alternative solution to the ramp that combines functionality and aesthetics while keeping and dedicating all the outdoor space to gardens or courtyards. The result is an invisible car lift, with a covering roof resembling the rest of the garden/courtyard.
What about safety?
Safety regulations require that the user, when on the platform, holds down the button for the entire duration of the lift’s journey if the compartment is not completely enclosed, i.e. without cabin doors. Lifting platforms for people also fall under the same regulation and are operated with a dead-switch mode when they have no cabin doors.
From the outside of the platform, the car lift movement can be automatic, by pressing a button.
For platforms with railings (or positioned in fully enclosed compartments) it is possible to call the lift from outside by pressing the button from the floor panel or by using a remote control.
The car lift system has perimeter photocells to prevent the risk of crushing anything in its path.
Other safety photocells are installed on board the platform to prevent the risk of shearing and to signal the correct positioning of the car.
A series of safety measures are also present such as a surface camera, color display and on-board LCD touch-screen that allow to control the system area during all stages of movement.
What happens if there is a power failure?
In the event of a power failure the included uninterruptible power supply will kick in allowing the lift to descend and the doors to open even in the absence of electricity.
Systems with people on board are also equipped with an acoustic alarm and telephone (like with conventional elevators for people). The telephone allows the user to contact the operations center to alert technicians who will be able to identify the system from the telephone number.
It is also possible to install a generator which would also supply the required power to keep the lift operational in the event of a power failure.
How does the car lift handle low temperatures?
The hydraulic control unit of the car lift is equipped with a heating probe to keep the system oil warm avoiding the risk of freezing.
In countries with frequent snowfall, it is advisable to install heating pads similar to those used in heated driveways under the roof paving to prevent snow from accumulating.
It is also possible to use special oils suitable for particularly low temperatures. In addition, by setting the automatic return to the ground floor, the amount of oil present in the pipes is reduced, so that the heating probe is more effective.
What about rain?
Rain is prevented from flooding the underground structure by making use of gutters than run around the perimeter of the covering roof.
In the four corners of the roof there are guttering has drains to channel water into the sewer system.
In the bottom of the pit, however, there must be a well with a safety electric pump as backup.
Is it possible to use the space above the lift to park another car?
It is possible to use the roof of the system for both parking and for the transit of another car. The car lift standard roof can support up to 5500 lbs.
For safety reasons, it is not possible to lift the second parked car while parked on the roof.
What materials can be used to cover the roof?
It is possible to pave the roof in any material to contribute to making it totally invisible and obtaining a prestigious finish. The car lift roof can be covered to blend in with the surrounding landscape architecture.
The materials most often used are grass, marble, teak and stone.
So once escrow has closed on that mansion of your dreams and you’re trying to work out where to park your weekend sports car, consider installing a car lift to keep that beauty protected and secure while still being able to enjoy your uncluttered garden.
In our previous article titled ROBOTIC MOWER – WHICH ONE FOR MY LAWN? we spoke about the features of robotic mowers in general, here we focus more on the Ambrogio Robot series and how they not only meet but exceed these features.
The current Ambrogio Robot series is split into 3 major groups the GREEN Line, the PRO Line and the recently announced NEXT Line.
Ambrogio Robot GREEN Line
THINK SAFE & GREEN
The Ambrogio Robot GREEN Line was designed to allow you to benefit from all the advantages offered by Ambrogio’s simple and innovative technology. The four models ensure excellent cut and nutrition of the turf, resulting in a greener, lusher, healthier lawn in a completely eco-friendly way.
SIMPLE & ECO-FRIENDLY
Respects the environment, very quiet. The set-up menus are simple and intuitive.
SMALL, COMPACT & SAFE
Designed for small to medium sized properties, it moves with extreme agility and is completely safe.
Ambrogio Robot PRO Line
The Ambrogio Robot PRO Line series of lawnmowers is designed for those who want a professional and excellent product. The ten Pro Line models all have brushless motors, powerful lithium-ion batteries and advanced cutting systems to meet the needs of homeowners who want to keep their lawn in pristine condition, all year round.
AUTONOMOUS &EFFICIENT
Ambrogio does not need to work continuously during the day and night when used on average-sized properties. Powerful batteries and careful programming allow Ambrogio to stay in the recharging base all night and part of the day (or vice versa, according to the needs of the owner).
HIGH PERFORMANCE & MAXIMUM PRECISION
Ambrogio easily handles the most difficult slopes, up to 29° for the L85 Elite model. The stainless steel blades ensure precise cutting on any type of grassy surface.
SMART & USER-FRIENDLY
Ambrogio’s rain sensor signals the robot to return to the charging station in case of rain. Ambrogio’s flexible programming options are easy to set-up.
Proline “i”
As an upgrade to the PRO Line there are also the Ambrogio Robot i series elite models. They add the following extra features.
LATEST GENERATION MOTHERBOARD
The processors are faster and can process more data at higher rates, with less power consumption.
ZCS CONNECT *
This new ZCS-labeled device allows you to connect and interact with the robot anytime and anywhere (with your own smartphone or tablet). By using the Remote Ambrogio App, it is possible to setup the robot time-profiles, verify its location (geolocalization), isolate and/or work in specific areas of the yard (Go Away), monitor the status of the robot and receive alerts if it is removed from the yard (Geo fence alarm, an evolved anti-theft system). Thanks to the Go Home and Work Now functions, it is possible to force the robot to return to the recharging station or to work in the yard.
* Free traffic data for two years. Renewable on expiration.
TOUCH DISPLAY
The interactive and intuitive touch display allows interacting with the graphic interface of the operating system by simply touching the screen with your fingers, without having to use
physical keys.
GSM & BLUETOOTH
The communication technology that allows updating the software and driving the robot in close proximity.
The Ambrogio Robot NEXT Line
This newly released 4.0 range takes the Ambrosio Robot features even a step further.
4.0 Basic
The 4.0 Basic model is ideal for those who want a simple and reliable robot that adapts to changes. Its flexible, yet solid and secure structure enables the installation of three different types of Power Units, which allows it to convert from a robot small- to medium sized yards (with Power Unit Light up to 1/5 acre or with Power Unit Medium up to 1/3 acre to a solution that covers up to ½ acre (with PowerUnit Premium) with extreme precision. The brushless motors, rubber wheels and soft bumper complete the profile of an innovative robot that meets the most varied needs. Equipped with Bluetooth receiver, it can be controlled independently by a dedicated App. The new design also allows greater autonomy: the body designed around the blade provides quick and safe self-cleaning. The Basic 4.0 is the only customisable robotic lawnmower that changes with your yard!
4.0 Elite
The Elite model combines the features of flexibility and modularity with 4.0 technological innovation.
It comes with a ZCS Connect device that allows the safe connection of the robot anytime and anywhere, by means of GPS, Bluetooth and GSM technology.
With a simple touch, the robot can be stopped and started and areas can be excluded. The Geofence Alarm allows the system to alert the user when the robot is taken from the yard. In this way, you will always be informed on the movements of your Ambrogio 4.0., with its evolved anti-theft system.
It can be combined with the Medium, Premium and ExtraPremium Power Units going from ½ acre up to 3/4 acre coverage.
The Extra Premium kit permits equipping the robot with the inductive recharge. Ambrogio only has to touch the station, which is now smaller and less bulky, to recharge itself.
Inductive recharge avoids regular cleaning of the contacts. The adjustment of the blade height, now motorized, is also easy to operate, thus facilitating the use of your robot.
ZCS technology is more user-friendly and interactive for easier maintenance of your lawn in a completely autonomous manner. Always, anywhere, anytime… super smart Ambrogio!
Ambrogio Next Line
What is ZSC?
With the ZCS CONNECT MODULE* the future is here and now!
The new ZCS labeled devices allows connection and interaction with the robot anytime and anywhere (with your own smartphone or tablet). By using the Remote App Ambrogio, it is possible to set-up the robot time-profiles, verify its location (geo-localization), isolate and/or work on specific areas of the yard (Go Away), monitor the status of the robot and receive alerts if it is taken out of the yard (Geofence alarm, an evolved anti-theft system). Thanks to the Go Home and Work Now functions, it is possible to force the robot to return to the recharging station and to work in the yard.
These Ambrosio Robot Robotic lawn mowers are the latest in unattended mowing solutions. Compare the different models here.
Having your pool removed and the resulting space professionally landscaped could leave you with a wonderful stretch of lawn. With these great products from Ambrogio there’s no need to worry about how to keep it looking trim and neat.
Contact us and we will facilitate installation as part of our landscape architecture services in both the Denver and greater Chicago areas.
Garden trains? What has this got to do with landscaping? Read further.
That pool in the yard has been an eyesore for many years and you have eventually decided to have it professionally removed. The question is what to do with all of that newly generated real estate and how to keep the kids entertained. As members of the American Society of Landscape Architects many of our customers contract us to stay on site to design their landscapes after the pool removal is complete.
Specifying a design possible of incorporating garden trains is something that we have been asked to do in the past.
We are able to provide the landscaping and retaining walls and design and plan out the layout. In other instances we can work with someone who already has a plan in mind. In an existing garden we could build the natural stone retaining walls and excavate and provide power. Some hobbyists may want to handle some of the finer details, others would want us to provide a complete turnkey package.
When considering garden trains the kinds of aspects that we would need to take into consideration include the following:
Consider How Much Yard You Want To Leave in Lawn
Consider where your focus Points Should Be
Know Your Trees and Know Your Shade
Consider the Yard’s Slope
Consider Privacy
Consider Water Runoff
Decide HOW Your Focus Points Should Interrelate
Balance Your Features
Provide Vertical Interest
Plan Access to Features
Plan Routes Among Features
Use Lines to Draw Attention
Vary Textures to Draw Attention
Now that we have your interest piqued, where does one start with garden trains?
One of the most important aspects is the type of rail and track. This is one area where you must not skimp as this must last a long time under varying weather conditions.
Rail is usually made from either Brass; Aluminium; Stainless Steel or Nickel Silver. All these metals have their advantages and disadvantages but overall brass seems to have the edge. All of these can be mixed on your layout apart from aluminium which can apparently react adversely to other metals.
By far the most common sectional track is made from heavy solid brass rail mounted on injection molded imitation wood-textured sleeper strips usually made from UPVC plastic with UV protection against the effects of the sun’s rays. Even longer lengths of flexible track trend to use multiple short sections of webbed sleepers.
Then there is decision about locomotives, rolling stock, figures, power etc. etc.
Bottom line? If you reside in the greater Chicago or Denver areas, already have your own garden train design or need a turnkey job done all you need to do is contact us and we’ll get right back to you.
We received an inquiry from our Colorado office from a prospect looking for a reputable Denver pool removal company. Removing a swimming pool is quite a big undertaking and clients like to do their due diligence before selecting a contractor. While chatting with this prospect these are some of the questions that they had.
Do you have any examples of other Denver pool removal jobs?
We have been in the Denver pool removal business for many years. We have removed many pools from the areas within a 15 mile radius of Denver, and have many satisfied customers. Take a look at just a few of these here.
We have continually refined our processes in order to do the job as quickly and efficiently as possibly. Long gone are the days of the wrecking ball. We are able to minimize collateral damage by using new and improved low impact techniques. Our main tool to achieve this is the compact excavator. We also make sure to do inspections long before we start to ensure that everything runs without a hitch. Additionally we are a complete turnkey solution company with ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) certifications allowing us to not only manage your Denver pool removal but also to leave you with a beautifully landscaped garden afterwards.
How environmentally conscious are you?
Where possible all the concrete associated with the pool removal is completely demolished and processed into 8” fracture concrete gravel similar to PGE and used as fill in the resultant hole. Because we process the concrete associated with the pool into fill material, also called our low impact method, it reduces heavy truck loads of concrete out and then heavy truck loads of fill back in reducing trauma to your property and public roads.
We continually keep abreast of the latest OSHA requirements to ensure a safe working environment for both our employees and for our customers.
As you can see there is a lot to consider before choosing your Denver pool removal contractor. Get the facts, make an informed decision and be happy with the outcome.
Still not sure? Contact us for a free consultation.
We recently had a client who was looking for a reputable Chicago pool removal company. They were quite thorough in their approach and did a lot of research. Here are some of the questions that they asked us along with our responses.
Do you have any examples of other Chicago pool removal jobs?
We have been in the Chicago pool removal business for many years, have removed 100’s of pools and have many satisfied customers. Take a look at just a few of these here.
We have continually refined our processes in order to do the job as quickly and efficiently as possibly. Long gone are the days of the wrecking ball. We are able to minimize collateral damage by using new and improved low impact techniques. Our main tool to achieve this is the compact excavator. We also set up the Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators (JULIE) inspection long before we start to ensure that everything runs without a hitch. Additionally we are a complete turnkey solution company with ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) certifications allowing us to not only manage your Chicago pool removal but also to leave you with a beautifully landscaped garden afterwards.
How environmentally conscious are you?
Where possible all the concrete associated with the pool removal is completely demolished and processed into 8” fracture concrete gravel similar to PGE and used as fill in the resultant hole. Because we process the concrete associated with the pool into fill material, also called our low impact method, it reduces heavy truck loads of concrete out and then heavy truck loads of fill back in reducing trauma to your property and public roads.
We continually keep abreast of the latest OSHA requirements to ensure a safe working environment for both our employees and for our customers.
As you can see there is a lot to consider before choosing your Chicago pool removal contractor. Get the facts, make an informed decision and be happy with the outcome.
Still not sure? Contact us for a free consultation.
