Increasing the Value of your Home-A freebie for my followers

I thought I would share this colour sketch I drew for a client last week.  I don't have much time to go out and consult these days.  That usually picks up again in the fall for me.  Designing in CAD is what's been asked by clients lately.  I love both parts of my job!

 Landscaping your property can increase the value of your house by as much as 15%!  Realtors take note- and download this sketch to give to your clients!  It's a quick way to increase their return on investment.

A little while back Janice Wells  (The Weekend Telegram) talked about Landscapers and Designers in her column.  She mentioned that a reader was apalled that she had to pay for someone to by and look at her property.

There are two types of services being offered here and perhaps we as an industry are not explaining ourselves very well.  One service is free because the company visiting the property is really only there to estimate an installation job for you.  They don't give too much advice.

The other service being offered by our industry is consulting.  There is a fee because that's a big bulk of their business- giving advice, quickly sketching plans handing out materials list and plant ideas.  A lot of these services are given to clients who don't need an estimate or a contractor. They want to do it themselves.  Just looking for a little third party advice.

When you call a company- let them know what you are looking for and ask if that is a serivce they provide.

Print off this little sketch.  Even if your house layout is not exactly like this, the plan is quite adaptable.  Email me if you would like the plant list that goes along with the sketch at jeannette@daisydesign.ca

Have wonderful day- It looks like the sun is back!!

Front Yard Sketch

Spruce Hedging

What a crazy week I had last week. So many wonderful projects happening here in Newfoundland. I love everyone's enthusiasm for beautifying their property!

During my consultations, two clients had similar issues where I provided the same solution:  Spruce Hedging.

This image I got from a Real Estate website and the listing is no longer there to give credit.  The trees provide a loose foreground to the many angles and features of the house.  Make no mistake however! There is work involved to make it look like this.  Annual pruning invites dense, thick growth.

Another spruce hedging from fasttrees Click on the image and it will give you some additional care instructions. 

I think in a post a few years ago I mentioned my non-preference for the wooden fence.  It's not that I don't like wood, it's just that it's over used! 

I would love to see more of these in Newfoundland.  You will never need to paint our stain a spruce hedge!

The Best Spring Ever! Hydrangeas...?

There can't be anyone in Newfoundland right now who is NOT thankful for the wonderful spring we are having. In the landscaping industry, we are a full month ahead and most of all of our plants are as well.

I've been visiting many of your beautiful gardens on the Northeast Avalon and one shrub doesn't seem to as ahead as one might think it should be: the Hydrangea.

The first picture is a Nikko Blue Hydrangea ( very common in Newfoundland the non-woody macrophylla). A few weeks ago, I pruned it lightly and the leaves are slowly coming out. This shrub is very sheltered and in full sun. If your blue hydrangea is more exposed, it may not be out as far as this one. Don't worry! It will come along. I personally think we didn't have enough snowfall for them this year.

The second photo is a panicle hydrangea Limelight. Another common woody hydrangea you may be familiar with is the Pee Gee. These are even slower to come along- and I have a whole hedge of these! I immediately called my colleagues Mark Bowering and Sean Kennedy over at Bowering Gardens and they say "whatever you do, don't prune it back too hard because it won't bloom!" So I haven't. But I'm anxious. I keep reminding myself that this is only May. This is Newfoundland.

I'm so grateful to see green leaves and feel the warm sun on my skin. I think I'll go make some compost tea to give my hydrangeas an extra boost.

Bowering Gardens win big at LandscapeNL Awards of Excellence

LandscapeNL's Provincial Awards of Excellence were held on March 22, 2012.  Bowering Gardens won big with the top prize in Residential Construction- Designed by DAISY DESIGN! Congratulations to Mark and all of his crew. Well done!! Visit their site at www.boweringgardens.com

 

Daffodil Place Therapeutic Gardens Gets support from Lilies for Lillie Campaign

Gord Delaney, founder of Lilies for Lillie has joined the fundraising campaign for the Healing Gardens to be constructed at Daffodil Place.  I am really excited that they are helping out!  The funds raised by his campaign will go directly towards the 65 foot gazing pond; the focal point of the gardens.  As a bonus surprise, I have just specified water lilies for the pond (shhh it's a surprise!)

Here's an exerpt from their website:

In 2003, I started Lilies for Lillie in memory of my mother Lillie as when she passed away of leukemia at the age of 53, I promised to continue her legacy of helping others. Lilies for Lillie is doing just that as over the past 8 years, the campaign has raised $300,000 for respective charities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. This could have never been accomplished without continued support of the corporate community and the giving communities of this province.   ...read more here