Summer Makeovers, Part II

We're back with Part II of our Upper East Side Summer Makeover installment!

After demolishing the tired old terrace to make room for it's new look, our carpenters went to work. They built a new fence for privacy and sanded and stained the planters to make them look brand-new:

 

 With the basics complete, our designers carefully chose plants to accent the size and complement the shape of the terrace, and our gardeners set to work on the final installation:

Et Voila! this beautiful terrace was finished on July 3, just in time for an Independence day party!!

And on the 7th Day, We Rested.

....But before that, we created this masterpiece!

One cold Winter's day down in the Financial District, we happened upon a bare canvas begging for a touch of our artistry.

After months of drawings, planning, and drafting, we began to work. First our expert carpenters came in and created a body. After that, our gardeners followed with a splash of color and personality....

Et Voila! We have created life.

More Makeovers

We're all the way up on the Upper West Side today for another Summer makeover-this time at the front of a historical landmark building.

The owners of this building are renovating it's foundation, and with that comes the need to renovate the planters that flank its entrance.

First, we had to spend about a week completely digging out the entire box. This was no easy feat, and came with a LOT of surprises that had been buried deep in the ground over the past century.

Next, we had to lay down rocks and gravel to prepare for the substrate to be completed:

Now, with all the dirty work out of the way, the area is once again ready for a brand new spectacular front garden!

Latin Lessons: Part 3

This week we ventured into full-size tree planting!

We had the pleasure of trying to figure out how to fit a 20 foot tree into a 14 foot truck when we chose the lovely "Honey Locust", Latin name Gleditsia triacanthos, for our client's new tree pit.

With some expert knot tying and beautiful flexibility shown by our precious Gleditsia, we were able to get everyone unharmed to the site!

 

Gleditsia triacanthos are native to North America, and can often reach heights of up to 100 feet tall. These trees bloom flowers in late spring, and fruit pods in early Autumn. Don't eat them though, they're toxic!

Fun fact: Not just any tree can grow in Brooklyn, or Manhattan for that matter. There is a very small and specific list of which trees are allowed to be planted on New York City sidewalks.

Gardening Isn't Just for Pansies; Part II

Remember our post about patios back on May 1st?

 We were in Brooklyn delivering bluestone for a client's custom-cut diamond pattern blue-stone patio.

(here's a reminder)

 Well, over the past three weeks our carpenters labored intensely, and our client now has a new, beautiful patio for us both to show off!!

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for more "after" pictures to follow up our earlier blogs from May. In the meantime, happy gardening!

Summer Makeovers

Summer is almost here! While everyone sweats out the last few weeks of Spring at the gym to prepare for the next two months at the beach, we've been giving a few special gardens some makeovers of their own to make sure they too are bikini and BBQ ready.

The below terrace on the Upper East Side came to us a few weeks ago in dire need of some shaping up for Summer:

While our designers set to work on dreaming up a more streamlined, modern and colorful style for the space, we began to demolish what was left of the old planters, trees, and ivy to create room for a fresh new look:

Now that the area is clean, we've got a blank canvas on which to paint the finishing touches this terrace needs for a Summer of fun in the sun!

Stay tuned for the final product....

Mountain Laurels and More Latin

Last week we had the pleasure of working with one of the most beautiful flowering plants on the east coast of the United States; the Mountain Laurel. Known in the flower world by it's Latin nomenclature of "Kalmia Latifolia", this bush is native to US Northeast.

The Kalmia Latifolia is a part of the blueberry bush family, latin name "Ericaceae". It is also sometimes referred to as a "Spoonwood", because the flowers were once used by Native Americans to make their spoons.

The flowers on these plants come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, but generally always have some pink in them. They' truly are a majestic plant, and being able to plant and care for them is a privilege!