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Posts Tagged ‘decorative rock’
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Decorative rocks and boulders add a unique element to almost any kind of landscape design. Possessing a natural, structural beauty and appeal, rocks and boulders can serve many purposes. They can offer function by providing form and usefulness in a landscape. They offer simple, but striking aesthetic options by adding form, color, texture, angles, symmetry, focus, and dimensional beauty. For those minimalists, rocks and boulders are a great option for non-fussy designs and the need for the least amount of maintenance. Landscaping rocks in Utah provide endless possibilities for design.
Function
Rocks can be expertly organized to make retaining walls. A Utah retaining wall is useful for a variety of spaces, whether to provide a type of boundary around a given area, to encircle a patio, to help stabilize a slope, or to create garden terraces.
Rocks and stones can form steps and pathways of diverse design. Flanked by boulders, rock steps and pathways are a remarkable alternative to wood, cement, and other materials.
Water structures work wonderfully with rocks and boulders, which can help to create the shoreline for a pond or create the overhanging and ledges for a Utah waterfall.
Properly chosen boulders can be used as stone “benches,” or to occupy spaces that are otherwise too empty and bare. They can also be used to enliven and add dimension to monotonous areas.
Gravel rock can add design or cover an area. Gravel is quite versatile. It can be molded to any shape easily, can be reshaped easily, and can be moved easily. Gravel can be carefully selected as a mulch in the garden, and is particularly suited to arid plants.
Small rocks offer “softer” alternative to larger rocks, and can be uniquely picked to meet your tastes. Gravel can be the only cover in non-garden areas of your yard, or they can be placed in specific sections of your yard. They can provide the footing of a walkway.
Aesthetics
Rock gardens are a special way to create beauty in your landscape. Traditionally inspired by the intricate creativity of Zen monks, a Zen rock garden can introduce an element of peace, calm, and meditation to a special corner of your yard. Using a variety of shapes, textures and colors, you can create just the right effect.
Natural combinations in nature, rocks can be used complementarily with plants and in gardens. There is a very organic and aesthetic appeal given by the strong and hard presence of a rock next to the more delicate and feathery reaches of plant leaves and flowers. Aside from providing structure, helping to create soil pockets or retainers, rocks and boulders can be strewn amongst the flora in your Utah yard in a way that creates proper balance.
Specially placed boulders, particularly of a very commanding size and command, direct immediate attention. When balanced with the right elements, a single boulder can have a very direct impact on the beauty of a design.
Low Maintenance
Rocks and boulders have the ability to help you create a truly special environment of any mood, all with the promise of low maintenance. Rocks do not require feeding, pruning, weeding, or any usual garden maintenance.
When landscaping in Utah, many design options abound with rocks and boulders! All States Landscaping has the expertise to help you with a great selection of rocks. You can choose the color, shape, size, and texture you desire. Go ahead and have fun!
Tags: decorative rock, landscapes in Salt Lake City, Utah Landscaping
Posted in Salt Lake City Landscaping | No Comments »
Friday, July 8th, 2011
Landscaping a front yard is one of the most important projects a homeowner will undertake. The suitable arrangement of borders, plants, trees and other objects can be a challenging endeavor. Most homeowners want to complete this task as successfully as possible, as the front yard is the part of the home most visible to friends, neighbors and anyone entering the dwelling. Those who want to create an attractive front Utah landscape for their home may wish to consider the following:
Planning a Landscape
The first consideration to which thought must be given when creating a SLC landscaping plan is how the selected landscape will harmonize with the home’s exterior. Textures, colors and materials are all important in this respect. For instance, if one has a brick home, he or she may wish to line pathways and flower beds with bricks. If the home features shutters, one should purchase shrub pots or lawn ornaments in the same color so that a uniform pattern is achieved.
Choosing Shrubs and Plants
When adding trees and Utah shrubs it is essential to remember that they will continue to grow over the years. Therefore, such items should be selected based on their expected size when they are full grown, rather than their size when purchased. Small shrubs and bushes should be placed four to six feet from the front of the home to ensure they will receive adequate sunlight each day. Fragrant trees and plants are an ideal option for front yards, especially those that feature attractive scents such as lavender, honeysuckle or rose bushes.
Border Decoration
Border decoration is a small detail that can have a big impact on a front yard. For instance, if the homeowner has opted for several flower beds, setting them off with decorative landscaping stone is an excellent idea. This will also ensure that the individual flowerbeds will not blend together visually, making the landscape look too wild. Flowerbed borders should be placed where the lawn and flowerbeds meet, and colored; plain or textured stones can be used to design the border. This tip not only works to create an aesthetically appealing landscape, but it helps to prevent grass from growing into the flowerbeds.
The Use of Statues
A well-placed statue can enhance the overall appearance of a home and create the perfect finishing touch for one’s front landscape. When selecting such an object, the homeowner must again take the home’s overall decor into consideration in order to choose the appropriate statue. The figure selected will largely be a matter of taste, but as long as a suitable size is chosen, a statue can be a lovely addition to any home.
There are many of ideas from which a homeowner can choose when creating a front landscape for his or her home. Although some work is required to plan the ideal front landscape, most homeowners will find that such a project was well worth their time when they see the results of their efforts.
Compliments of Erik, representative of Douglas Elliman, NYC Real Estate.
Tags: decorative rock, Utah Landscaping
Posted in Salt Lake City Landscaping | No Comments »
Friday, April 15th, 2011
Enhance your corporate image with the right landscape design
Your business’ corporate image is important. It is how your customers see you. You would want to build your status in your customers’ eyes – not just with the product you provide, your after sales service, but also your office space. Your office is one of the areas where your customers “encounter” your business. You would want to ensure that the image you present to your clients and shareholders denote professionalism, progressiveness, a commitment to excellence and trustworthiness.
If your surroundings and office look shoddy and haphazard, how can you expect customers to entrust you with their money? If your business is dependent on foot traffic, having striking surroundings can draw customers into your business area.
Thus, you should also ensure that your office – both the interiors and the exteriors look their best. One way to do this is to get a professional to do your commercial landscaping. For those who are located in Utah, there are Utah landscaping companies that can provide you with great landscaping designs and maintenance services. Contact the best landscaping firm in Utah – All States Landscaping.
Here are some landscaping ideas, which will work will for an office that is located in the big city:
- Signature Shrubs. You can actually use trimmed hedges to depict your company logo or spell your business name. That’s one way to attract the eyes of your customers and shareholders. If it’s possible, you can even choose shrubs that are similar to your company’s colors. Otherwise, you can opt for vivid colors such as brilliant greens, yellows or reds. You can also combine bright and dark colors where the dark-colored Utah shrubs can serve as the backdrop. You can also use shrubs as border accents – this can make your exteriors look more professional and up-to-date.
When you are making your signature shrub, you can also surround that shrub with plants formed in an oval or circle. These shapes tend to draw in the eye towards the center. This will highlight your “logo shrub”.
- Wise use of foliage. If you have an office that’s in a one-story building, you can surround the building with decorative trees, tall palms and other attractive foliage to give your office a more private feel. The foliage can also serve to shield your windows from prying eyes.
- Decorate with water. You can also put a fountain in front of your office building or in the lobby. Water, in some cultures, is linked to good fortune. A fountain is also soothing. You can further spruce up the fountain by adding some foliage and gravel.
- Cobblestone paths, patios and seating areas. If you have extra space outside, you can also create a private haven with the use of a landscaped stone patio and shrubs. Your customers can use this space while waiting for their orders. You can even serve coffee or tea to help set the mood and show your customers how much you care about their needs. When creating a patio, make sure that there is a drainage system. Add outdoor furniture that reflect your corporate image – wicker, chrome or molded plastic for a more modern look, wrought iron seating for a more traditional feel, or plain wooden benches for simplicity. Benches can also serve as waiting areas or resting areas.
- Entrance considerations. You should ensure that your entrance is accessible, even for the handicapped. Aside from the access ramp, you should do away with obstacles that may cause slips and falls. You can adorn your entrance with brick, chrome or another kind of metal or any high-quality sustainable material.
- Plantings. You can adorn the exteriors with plantings such as evergreen shrubs and flowering shrubs. These are easy to maintain and will require fewer watering. Perennials need more effort in terms of maintenance work but these are long lasting and provide bursts of color to your area. You can also opt for exotic plants for a modern or contemporary look. You can also make a flower bed using planters, especially if your area is surrounded by asphalt.
- Plants within the office. Plants breathe new life into the office. It is a highly affordable decoration for our office. When choosing indoor plants, you should make sure that these are low-maintenance plants that will look nice no matter the season.
- Hardscaping. Office landscaping does not only involve plants, but also hardscaping such as the putting up of retaining walls. All States Landscaping can provide you with Utah retaining wall services, to stabilize sloping landscapes and add more beauty to the landscaping.
When choosing your outdoor plants, make sure that they are not only decorative but also durable. Remember that they will be exposed to heat, cold, pedestrian traffic and smoke coming from cars.
All States Landscaping for Landscaping and Maintenance
If your office is in the Utah area, All States Landscaping can provide you with excellent designs for your office, as well as maintenance services to ensure that your plants are at their best at all times. All States Landscaping is your premier source for stone and rock landscaping in Utah, Utah shrubs and waterfalls. They can also provide cleaning up services, trimming and pruning of the shrubs and plantings, as well as cultivating of the bedding areas.
Tags: decorative rock, ladscaping design, retaining walls, Utah Landscaping
Posted in Utah Landscaping | No Comments »
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Utah landscaping can be as simple as a new shrubbery or something as complicated as a water feature with an overlooking gazebo. Before adding anything in terms of landscaping, a game plan is needed, what you would like to do and what it will look like. There are several reasons for this, the first allows you to get your ideas out and down on paper which is critical to being able to review them, adjust them and decide what materials you will need. The next is that you will have a drawing of what you want your yard to look like and whether or not it will work. For example, if you have a 4200sqft home on .48 of an acre, putting a gazebo and Utah waterfall in your back yard will more than likely not work. The yard will be too small and the landscape with look forced in and ill fitting. The third, and in my opinion the most important reason, is that once you get your ideas down on paper, you might look at your idea and decide that your house might look better with a simple Utah retaining wall, pavers and a colorful selection of plants.
As complicated as landscaping can become, it can also be very simple. The trick is knowing what will work in the space you have and not overcrowd the view. This is where professional landscaping companies such as All States Landscaping come into play. There are a variety of different options for landscaping such as:
- Retaining walls: a retaining wall in the past was used to prevent soil erosion along the sides of creeks and rivers. Later it was used by Dept. of Transportation to help stop erosion along the sides of roads. Today retaining walls are an important part of landscape design. These walls allow homeowners with a steep sloped yard to reclaim lost space by building and supporting terraces. A retaining wall can be used to frame in a water feature or to encircle trees to create a space to plant flowers. The options and uses of retaining walls are only limited by two things, physics and imagination.
- Gazebos & decks: both the gazebo and deck require the space to be properly implemented. However, structures can truly bring together a landscape design when properly used. A large yard with a gazebo set back from the house that overlooks a medium sized water feature offers you a place to go, relax and recharge from the daily grind. Additionally properly designed features such as decks and gazebos should blend in with the design of the home and compliment the overall property.
- Decorative rocks: how decorative rocks are used is very much dependent upon the landscape design. Not all designs require colored stones for accent or used as walkways. You may opt to use a low rise retaining wall in order to place plants along your walk and the use of larger decorative rocks may be more appropriate to your design.
- Water features: perhaps the most involved of all landscape features. Water features are built in regards to their environment, what works best in the size that it is going to be in. A small Koi pond with a simple waterfall may work better than a large pond with multiple waterfalls. Additionally if you live in a drought prone area or have water restrictions you would want to avoid water features and maybe focus more on regional design options such as drought resistant plants.
Each one of these items changes the Utah yard significantly and fills a space differently. Additionally landscape features will also change the overall feel of a property so it is important that the design fits the property. As mentioned earlier companies such as All States Landscaping, which provides landscaping to the Salt Lake City, UT area works with clients in the selection of features, design of the landscape plan and implementation of the design. It is important to make sure you have a qualified and reputable business doing significant work such as landscaping your property. You want your choice of companies to have experience, an excellent track record and above all a substantial portfolio of the work they have done.
For 26 years All States Landscaping has been providing the Salt Lake City and surrounding areas of Utah quality landscaping services. With services in landscape design, implementation and maintenance All States Landscaping is able to provide you with your landscaping needs. As a member of Utah Nursery and Landscaping Association (UNLA), Utah Apartment Association (UAA) and awarded the Select Contractor standing through Rain Bird for meeting the industry’s highest standards for quality, standards and experience, All States Landscaping is ready to answer your Salt Lake City landscaping questions or to begin working with you today!
Contact us today at 800.840.7336 or visit our site for a free estimate!
Tags: decorative rock, retaining walls, Utah Landscaping, utah water features
Posted in Utah Landscaping | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
All States Landscaping is one of Salt Lake City’s best landscaping companies. Since 1985, All States has been providing quality landscaping services in Salt Lake City, Utah to both commercial and residential clients. Landscaping can make or break a business or home, if the landscaping is poorly done, not only will it not last, it also reflects poorly on the home or business.
All States Landscaping has an excellent 26 year track record with recognition and membership in the following organizations:
- Rain Bird: All States Landscaping has earned the title of Select Contractor with Rain Bird, meeting the industry’s highest standards for quality, standards and experience.
- UAA: Utah Apartment Association promotes professionalism, education, career development, and proactive legislative efforts and All States Landscaping is a proud member.
- UNLA Utah Green: Utah Nursery and Landscaping Association.
Landscaping your property is not a light decision. Not only is it a time consuming project, it is also a large financial investment in either your home or business and it ought to be done right the first time. Before starting any landscaping project it is important to consider two main issues:
Size of the project: whether you are doing a small project to add on to an existing larger landscape design or doing a new large scale landscaping project, it is important to keep size in mind. Not only the size of the project but also the size of the area you are working with. Trying to fit a water feature, gazebo and small garden in your backyard won’t work if you have a small backyard. Likewise, if you are doing a larger landscaping design but you have stretched the design over a much larger area, your landscaping can become visually lost and not present itself as a comprehensive design.
Difficulty of the project: a smaller project may be a do it yourself type of project, it is important to plan out your project and consider any potential issues that might arise. However much larger projects can contain complicated installations such as Utah retaining walls, water features and decks may require a landscaping service.
With the variety of landscaping that you can have done to your property, it is important to choose a company with a comprehensive list of services and an excellent track record of customer service and quality work. All States Landscaping provides excellent customer service and a wide range of landscaping for Utah clients to choose from, below are several examples of the services provided.
- Decks & Gazebos: All States Landscaping builds custom outdoor structures that blend in with the landscaping and home. From gazebo’s, decks, shade arbor, pergolas or even a multi-level structure with an outdoor kitchen and all of the indoor amenities.
- Water Features: ponds, waterfalls and more complicated features, water features can both compliment a landscape or completely overwhelm it. Water features must be designed with the amount of space kept in mind and during the design process issues of prominence, size (full size or small) and whether or not you want to be able to hear the water feature running.
- Retaining walls: last but certainly not least is the retaining wall. In the past the retaining wall was used to hold back soil from erosion. Now, they are integral parts of landscaping, helping to reclaim landscaping space in yards with steeply sloped sections as well as creating paths with planted sections. There are several different types of retaining walls and the usage of them depends on the landscaping design, state of the land and what ultimately is the end result.
These are but three of the services that are provided by All States Landscaping. In addition to those mentioned above there is also putting greens, pavers & decorative rocks, decorative concrete, and most importantly maintenance service for each of these. For more information on Salt Lake City best landscaping opportunities, contact All States Landscaping at 800.840.7336 (toll free) for more information on the premier Salt Lack City landscaping company.
Tags: decorative rock, pavers, retaining walls, Utah Landscaping
Posted in Utah Landscaping | No Comments »
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