Featured Project: The Ultimate Family Pool
Who doesn’t love a pool? Our clients came to us looking for an epic swimming pool where the family could cool off together! A waterslide, basketball hoop, hot tub, and natural stonework make this project truly one-of-a-kind! Check out these images to see how this project was conceived from start to finish! The perimeter of the pool is measured and framed with wood and rebar. Then the excavator gets to work doing what it does best! Rebar is used to frame out the pool and plumbing and electrical components are put in place. Here’s a view of the pool from the deck; it’s been shaped using concrete. Also, large stones have been brought in and meticulously arranged to create a stunning natural feature. Tiles, vinyl liner, and coping really help the pool come together! This shot from the pool deck shows off the natural stone and the built-in basketball hoop. Even parents won’t be able to resist trying the waterslide! Incorporating landscaping into the pool deck was an important part of the project. They asked, we delivered! With all of the features they were hoping for, this family pool is sure to entertain for generations to come! If you’d like to discuss your dream project, feel free to fill out our contact form or give Sal’s Nursery & Landscaping a call at (215) 699-9080.
4 New Year’s Resolutions for a Happy, Healthy 2016!
This is the year: More family time, more exercise, more fun, and less stress! When it comes to improving your home and lifestyle this year, it’s important to get an early start. Now is the time to plan your dream project before it gets pushed off for another year. 1. The Family Pool Nothing brings your family and friends together like a beautiful swimming pool. Plus squeezing in a few laps in the morning before the party starts is a great way to get in shape this year! Can you imagine your family in any of these incredible pools? 2. Get Outside! One goal on everyone’s list this year is to put down the smart phone and get outside! In this increasingly tech-dependent age, outdoor time is precious. Make the most of it by creating a tranquil space for you to enjoy. These outdoor kitchens and lounges could transform the way you entertain this new year! 3. Add Some Color Everybody’s looking to add a little extra flavor into their lives and homes. Make 2016 the year when your yard becomes a creative expression of you! Get inspired by this gorgeous masonry and landscaping work! 4. Less Stress Stress is one thing we could all use a little less of this year. Your home should be a sanctuary away from your 9-5 and your never ending to-do list. Remember to take some time off this year to decompress and enjoy your space. Make this the year that you follow through and create the yard of your dreams!
Happy Halloween from Sal’s Nursery!
We’ve put together some fun facts about pumpkins to get you into the Halloween spirit! Have a fun and spooky weekend everyone!
Advantages of Tree Spading
They say the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, but the best time to relocate a tree is right now! October through April are the perfect months for tree spade projects. There are many benefits of relocating a mature tree over planting a new one. We’ve collected a few of our favorites here. Privacy Large trees serve as beautiful, natural barriers that provide your yard with instant privacy. Does your pool or deck feel exposed to neighbors? Consider using a tree spade to reorganize new or existing trees and transform your yard into a private sanctuary. Preserve Legacy Trees When an older tree has grown too large for it’s environment, cutting it down is not the only option. Trees with history and character can be safely relocated with a tree spade to a more suitable location that will better serve their needs. Trees as a Design Element Soften the architectural lines of your home and transition the eye from the roofline to the soil by incorporating trees into your home design. Bringing in a unique tree can give your home a more sophisticated feel and add synergy with the rest of your landscaping. Also, large trees are perfect for blocking those inevitable, unsightly views that are out of your control. Tree spading can help you replace the view you can’t stand with a natural, colorful backdrop for your yard. Trees with Function Arrange trees strategically to create natural shade by the pool or provide a screening or a ceiling over an outdoor space. You can also use larger trees to shade your home and reduce summer cooling cost. As an added benefit, large trees will also protect your home from winter winds and therefor reduce winter heating cost as well. Save Time and Effort Finally, tree spading saves labor, planting time, and years of maintenance of a juvenile tree. Your neighborhood and landscape are constantly changing; a tree spade may provide the edge your yard needs to keep up!
Fun Fall Facts
We thought we’d have a little fun with the start of a new season and share some facts we found interesting about the wonderful season of fall in this infographic! Enjoy!
Prepare Your Yard for Fall
Believe it or not, Halloween candy has hit the shelves, which means that fall weather is right around the corner. With all the time and hard work you’ve put into your lawn this summer, now is the time to prepare and protect it from the coming winter chill. This fall to-do list will help you keep your lawn healthy this season and give you a major head start next spring. Just Keep Mowing As the weather starts to cool, many folks pack up the lawn mower, lock it in the shed and throw away the key until next spring. However, this is a critical time for your grass to gather and store nutrients for the winter and maintaining your lawn through the fall means happy, healthy grass come spring! We recommend that you cut your grass a bit shorter than you may have been doing over the summer (about 2” tall) which not only makes it appear greener for longer, but also helps prevent it from becoming matted under heavy leaves and snow. Similarly, if there’s one time of year when it’s especially important to fertilize and aerate your lawn, it’s right now! If you hold off fertilizing the yard until spring, you’ll be waiting for a period while the grass is absorbing nutrients. Whereas grass fertilized in fall will hold on to the nutrients through the winter and you’ll be paid back in spades in April when your lawn springs back to life! Weed Removal Right now, weeds are stealing water and nutrients from your plants in order to survive the cold winter. Fortunately, their thirst makes them extremely vulnerable to herbicides. Using weed removal chemicals this fall will save you loads of trouble when the snow melts and it’s time to enjoy the yard with family. Keep the Water Flowing Just because it’s not 90° anymore doesn’t mean your plants aren’t still thirsty. Failing to get enough water this season could lead to damaged roots and winter burn when the ground freezes and plants have to rely on the water they’ve stored. Move Potted Plants In When it comes to more delicate plants, you’ll want to keep a close eye on local weather reports; even one frost can spell doom for many herbs and tropical plants. For the very best results, you’ll want to relocate potted plants to a spot indoors that mimics their outdoor environment as closely as possible. If your plants’ conditions (temperature, light, etc) change drastically, expect to lose some leaves. These should grow back as the plant becomes acclimated to its new environment. Bulbs, Bulbs, Bulbs! Looking for an easy autumn win? Planting some bulbs will bring a splash of color to your lawn next spring. About 6 weeks before the ground freezes, when the temperature is hovering around 40-50°F at night, you’ll know it’s time to plant your bulbs. They require very minimal maintenance and are a favorite among beginners and pros alike. Seasonal Flair And of course, don’t forget to pick up a few pumpkins or decorative squash to add that pinch of autumn spirit to your lawn!
Enjoying Your Outdoor Space This Fall
School may have started again and the days may be starting to get a little shorter but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your beautiful yard and fall evenings! We want to make sure everyone enjoys their outdoor spaces they work so hard on for as long as they can throughout the year – and Fall is no exception! Keep reading below to get some ideas on how enjoying your outdoor space this fall is certainly something not to miss out on! Keep Warm Grab a cup of hot chocolate and take a seat next to an outdoor fireplace for the perfect way to stay warm when the nights start to get a bit more chilly. Having a source of heat in your outdoor space will certainly help in enjoying your outdoor space for longer this fall. Have a Snack There may not be as many barbecues or cook outs happening in the fall but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy a snack outside! Set up a fire pit and grab some s’more supplies and have a backyard camp fire! Relax Under the Stars You may have had to close your pool down but there’s always the option to leave your outdoor spa or above ground hot tub open. Relaxing in your heated spa underneath a beautiful star-filled sky is the perfect way to relax in your outdoor space this fall. Get Cozy It’s not time to take in the outdoor furniture just yet! Pick up some outdoor pillows (they’ll be good to leave outside even when the mornings start to product some dew) and keep a stack of blankets near by that you can grab to get cozy and cuddle up next to a fire pit, fire place, or maybe just outside on the grass. Mood Lighting Take advantage of the sun setting earlier and get creative with lighting your outdoor space this fall. String up some lights around the deck, place some candles around for a nice glow, or install some outdoor recessed lighting with a dimmer – it will surely create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Enjoy Football Season We all know that one of the main events of the fall is football season! It’s one thing to invite friends over and gather around the TV, but why not bring the action outside! Set up a Sunday fun day bar with all your favorite snacks and drinks and gather around an outdoor entertainment set-up to watch the big game! Get Festive! It’s one thing to decorate the inside of your house with new table center pieces and linens, but why not incorporate that in your outside space this fall as well! Get a festive center piece with some warm oranges and reds to decorate your table with and as we get closer to halloween maybe even sprinkle a few jack-o-lantern’s around!
Stay Cool In Your Yard
We may be getting towards the end of summer but there’s plenty of hot days left and we want to make sure you make the best of those days! We know it’s hard to enjoy the outdoors sometimes when it’s super hot and all you want to do is find air conditioning and get inside out of the sun. We’re here to share some ideas you can incorporate into your own yard so you can still enjoy your beautiful outdoor space and those summer days while still staying cool and comfortable. Pool: One of the more obvious options, but having a pool at your disposal during those hot days is one of the most refreshing things! It doesn’t have to be a large pool, it could be as simple as a wading pond or a small spa (without the heat turned on). Misters: Incorporating misters into existing structure within your yard is an excellent way to incorporate relief from the heat in an un-intruding way. There’s so many different kinds on the market, but consider getting ones that you can hide within a pergola or covered porch. Tree Shade: Landscaping isn’t just similar to make your yard look pretty, it can also be extremely functional. There are plenty of types of trees out there that you could plant that would provide shade whether it be for the whole yard or just enough for a relaxing hammock spot. Covered Patio: Having an outdoor patio with a cover is a great way to enjoy the beautiful weather but without being in direct sunlight. Having a portion of your patio covered while leaving the other half exposed is a great way to leave your options open depending on the weather. Outdoor Fans: Fans aren’t just for use indoors, but can be a great addition to an outdoor patio. They can really help create a breeze on those incredibly still days, and can also be a great visual aesthetic to add to your space as well! Water Features: Maybe you don’t want to add a full pool to your yard, but incorporating small fountains or ponds can be a nice way to incorporate refreshing water into your that would allow you to just splash yourself for the perfect cool down. Use lighter materials: Darker colors are known to absorb heat and make the area warmer than it already is, so when choosing materials to use around the pool, on your patio, or around your house think about choosing light materials to help keep the are cool. Stay hydrated: Don’t forget how important it is to stay hydrated and enjoy a refreshing drink when you’re outside in warm weather. Incorporating a simple wet bar (or a full bar if you would prefer) into your outdoor space is the perfect way to have make sure you have quick and easy access to quenching your thirst throughout the day. Interested in learning more about how you can incorporate any of these things into your yard? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us, we’d love to talk to you!
The Perfect Path
When you think about the outside of your house you probably think about the grass, the shrubs, the trees, the flowers, the furniture, maybe even a pool – but there is one piece that is so important to your outdoor space that could easily get overlooked. Your paths and walkways. They’re what leads your guests to your front door, your cars into your driveway, connects a patio to a pool, and are an overall integral piece to tying the design of your yard together. We want to help you think about your pathways as more than just a functional piece of your yard, but something that can be just as beautiful as the rest. Therefore, we’ve gathered some ideas to show just how different pathways can be and provide a little design inspiration! Characterizing a path with various paver size and placements: A similar path to the previous example, however texture and color are introduced by outlining the same type of pavers with a brick border: Integrating various shapes and textures: Accenting the pathway with other features such as a pergola or a cover: Having one material lead into the other material can create a great effect for an entry: Building a path in an untraditional shape with various materials can really make a nice statement in your space: You don’t always have to have a path lead to the front of the house, place the path wherever you want to lead people to – such as from the driveway into the back of the yard: Using natural materials can create a path that blends in with the yard and have it accented with other landscaping features – such as boulders: Using the same material but laying it in different patterns and areas creates a great visual effect: This path uses materials to blend in with the surrounding retainer wall and the steps are a great option on steeper sloped yards:
Outdoor Family Fun
We all know in the back of our minds that as everyone starts to wrap up summer vacations and get ready to go back to school that summer may be starting to wind down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the remaining weeks! We spend a lot of time creating beautiful outdoor spaces for our clients and we want to make sure you get to spend time enjoying them with your family, especially during these beautiful summer days! Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite family activities to do outdoors to give you some fun ideas! 1. Backyard Camping Grab a tent, some marshmallows, a flashlight and head on out to the backyard for a night under the stars! Setting up your own camp site right in your backyard gives you the comfort of home while being able to enjoy some outdoor family fun! If you have a fire pit in your backyard this is the perfect situation to gather around the campfire to fire up some s’mores and share your favorite stories about the summer. 2. Family Field Day It’s always fun to have a little healthy family competition, especially when enjoying the beautiful outdoors! Invite some friends and family over, break into teams and kick off the day with your own version of an opening games ceremony. Once the ceremony ends have the teams participate in group games you can easily set up in your yard such as tug of war, relay races, obstacle courses, and maybe even a kickball game! At the end of all the games tally up the score and see who comes out on top (but certainly feel free to give all participants recognition for their participation). 3. Cocktail Hour Outdoor family fun can also include some fun exclusive time for the adults in the family as well. Invite your friends over for a swanky cocktail hour by setting up an outdoor bar and offering up your favorite mixed drinks or appetizers. You could even theme the party to have matching decor, drinks, food, and attire. Your friends and family will love a night out and you get to show off your amazing outdoor space! 4. Pool Party No summer is ever complete without a good old fashioned pool party! Invite the family, friends, and friends of friends over to enjoy some wholesome outdoor family fun and a chance to cool off! There’s plenty of time for free swim, but also try setting up some organized games like volleyball, swim races, and jumping-in-the-pool contests – or just site back and relax while the kids run around the pool and you can enjoy the wonderful pool side lounge chairs! 5. Movie Under the Stars Drive-in theaters used to be such a fun experience but unfortunately there aren’t quite as many around as there used to be – so it’s time to bring the experience to you! You can either rent a big screen and projector or just grab projector, some speakers and hang a sheet up for an instant movie screen. All your guests can lay out some blankets and chairs on the lawn, grab some candy from a home made concession stand, and enjoy a classic summer blockbuster. You could even make it a double feature to appeal to a variety of ages and interests! We hope these outdoor family fun activities give you a few more ideas for the last weeks of the season where you can really get outside and enjoy your outdoor living space during the beautiful summer weather!