Rejuvenation Pruning Shrubs - Editorial by Kevin Hollatz, Horticulturist of GardenHike.com

Should I Rejuvenate My Shrubs? Do I Dare?

Rejuvenation or hard pruning is a process where you remove at least half of a plant’s growth or more. Sometimes even 100%! But why rejuvenate?

Over time, shrubs can get overgrown (leggy) and often start accumulating a lot of dead growth. Since shrubs are usually multi-stemmed, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to maneuver your tools inwards and remove the dead canes. Rejuvenation solves this problem by removing the whole lot.

Read More
Ecological Landscaping

Harnessing Ecological Principles in Landscape Design: Understanding Ecosystems & Assessing Site Conditions 

In the context of landscape design, ecosystems refer to interconnected communities of living organisms and their physical environment. These environments are usually within a defined geographic area. These ecosystems encompass a wide range of elements, including plants, animals, soil, water, and climate. These elements have the tendency to interact with one another in complex ways.

Read More
Integrating Permaculture Into Your Life and Home Landscape - Permaculture Garden Design

Integrating Permaculture Into Your Life (and home landscape design)

For permaculture enthusiasts, the word Permaculture carries so much significance that sometimes it seems to be lost on people with less time and bandwidth to understand what some may term as a lofty aspiration. We have all heard before that to make a difference in the world, we must first change ourselves. As many practical takeaways as there are in permaculture, that may be the key one. We all start with our own individual unit. To have a beautiful, productive, self-sustaining, and eco-friendly homestead (don’t be shy of the term), we must check in with our life – is integrity lacking in our self-care, relationships, finances, our aspirations for meeting a higher need? When we check this… then the home and garden making tends to become an effortless thing, that brings abundance and balance in all aspects of life.

Read More
Landscaping on a Budget

Luxury Landscaping on a Budget: My Top Strategies for Planning Beautiful Outdoor Spaces (you can actually afford)

Do you see the picture above? Can you imagine yourself inviting your best friends over for a Saturday of R & R, drinking a few cocktails as you all catch up from your busy lives? Or, imagine this – reading your favorite book from the porch as your family plays with the dog out in the yard?

Many homeowners just like you want the same thing. A welcoming retreat that you look forward to enjoying and where you want to spend some quality “me” time.

Read More
Backyard Lawn Ideas

59 Backyard Lawn Ideas for a Landscape You’ll Love

Just moved into a new home and looking for ways to revamp the backyard space? Or maybe you’ve been living in your home for years and just need some new ideas for now to transform your outdoor area? Whether you have a large budget or a tiny one, there are plenty of things you can do to make your backyard more beautiful. Keep scrolling to discover my list of 59 backyard lawn ideas for a landscape you’ll absolutely love!

Read More
How to Remove Grass to Start a Garden

How to Remove Grass to Start a Garden (without weeds)

Maintaining a modest lawn not only takes physical effort, but it also uses up lots of your resources. You need to water and mow your lawn regularly to maintain its lush green color and prevent weeds from growing. You also may need to re-seed and apply fertilizers to ensure that the turf grass continues to flourish. But why do all this hard work when you can allocate that space to growing a beautiful garden instead? You’ll need to remove the grass and replace it with flowers or herbs to start your garden.

In this article, I’ll tell you how to remove grass to start a garden the right way. We’ll cover how to remove the grass to prevent weeds from overtaking your new garden bed and help it thrive.

Read More
Lawn Alternatives

Grass Lawn Alternatives: Eco-Friendly Landscape Options

Having a grass lawn is not as eco-friendly as you might think. Yes, it’s still green space, but it doesn’t actually support wildlife and the required maintenance can take a toll. There are several alternatives to grass lawns that are more eco-friendly and usually lower maintenance. Replacing grass lawn space with one of these popular lawn alternatives is a great way to be kinder to the environment and enjoy your property in a different way.

Read More
Wildflower Lawn

Why a Wildflower Lawn Might be a Great Choice for You

Having a lush and uniformly green lawn is the ultimate goal for many folks. After all, having a gorgeous lawn has often been associated with being a status symbol, particularly in North America. A perfectly manicured lawn was historically something that only people with time and resources could achieve. While it is much more attainable now with modern products, some people are still more interested in keeping their property low maintenance. Others are aiming for a more environmentally friendly alternative. Wildflower lawns are the perfect solution for if either describes you.

Read More