Over the years, we at Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping have seen shrubs come, and shrubs go. Our favorites are hardy, last through whatever weather Mother Nature dishes out, and look great. Any of these shrubs would make a great addition to your landscape.
Different Shrubs for Different Reasons
Some of these shrubs are evergreen and give interest all year long. Others on this list have colorful flowers, while some have leaves that turn colors in the fall. They come in many shapes, sizes, textures, and growth habits, giving them their unique personality and purpose in the landscape. All of the shrubs on this list are easy to care for once they are established and fairly low maintenance for your typical homeowner.
Boxwoods
Boxwoods are a staple in the landscaping industry and are the number one selling plant for landscapes. Originally from Europe and Asia, many varieties of these shrubs are available. They are all evergreen and grow into a dense, thick shrubs. Our favorite varieties are Green Velvet and Graham Blandy. Both are very hardy, especially when established. The first winter is the most challenging, so make sure they are watered correctly. As a bonus, they are deer resistant.
Green Velvet
Green velvet boxwoods are low, round shrubs great for small hedges. The dark green leaves hold their color all year. In the spring, light green foliage and white flowers make an appearance. These naturally rounded shrubs can be pruned into any shape you want.
Graham Blandy
Graham Blandy boxwoods are tall, skinny-shaped evergreen shrubs that are great for flanking entryways or for screening air conditioners and meters. They are a wonderful accent shrub in the landscape to create some height in tight spaces.
Fine Line Buckthorn
Fine Line Buckthorn is a great woody shrub for entryways and screening meters or air conditioners or even summer privacy around the pool. It is deciduous, so it will lose its leaves in the fall. However, buckthorns have a light, airy texture and are a little bit softer than boxwood. They are also less maintenance than tall boxwoods. The leaves become yellow in the fall before dropping off for the winter.
Spirea
These super hardy shrubs are great to bring interest to a spot in your landscape. They are rounded and have very nice flowers. Spirea is deciduous, so they will lose their leaves in the fall. Their flowers attract bees and butterflies. Our two favorite varieties are gold swan and gold flame.
Gold Swan
This spirea is a dense, compact shrub that can be trimmed back aggressively. In the spring, we trim it into round bowling balls, which hold their shape all year. Gold Swan has clusters of white flowers in the spring.
Gold Flame
The leaves of gold flame spirea start out bronze tipped in the spring. They turn yellow-green and then turn red in the fall. Clusters of red flowers appear in the summer. Gold flame is a super hardy shrub.
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bush is a deciduous shrub with long, narrow sage green leaves and lots of flowers. The colorful, cone-shaped flowers bloom in the summer and attract hummingbirds and butterflies in swarms. Butterfly bushes come in many colors, from pinks and purples to dark purple. Our favorite variety is Miss Molly.
Miss Molly
The Miss Molly variety is the closest to red of any butterfly bush. Miss Molly is a fun summer shrub that looks good in any landscape.
Crape Myrtle
Crape myrtles come in various heights, from low dwarf varieties up to even small trees in our climate. In the south, they can grow even bigger, as you see in the image above. In the KC area, they tend to stay under 8’-10’ because of our colder climate. We have been substituting crape myrtles for roses in our landscapes because roses are having some challenges with pests and diseases. Crape myrtles leaf out in late May or June and have bright flowers in pinks, purples, and reds. They shed their thin gray bark, which adds texture and interest to your landscape. Crape myrtles often have multiple trunks. Do not give up on your crape myrtle plants in early spring, as they often don’t come out until late. Water them deep in the fall and protect them in the winter, and they will be a hardy show stopper in your garden.
Ninebark
Ninebark has a nice, rounded form with small white flowers that appear in clusters in the late spring. After the flowers, red capsules appear, which turn brown in the fall and stay all winter. Ninebarks have green leaves with red highlights. The leaves turn yellow in the fall. The bark of the ninebark peels off, showing layers of bark that are reddish to light brown, increasing the shrub’s interest. Our favorite varieties are amber jubilee and coppertina.
Amber Jubilee
The leaves are red to purple when they grow in the spring. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow, orange, purple, or red before falling off for the winter. The flowers are white with yellow centers. Amber Jubilee was named to honor Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.
Coppertina
Coppertina has copper orange leaves with soft pink flowers. This shrub makes a dramatic specimen or an excellent hedge. Coppertina is drought resistant after it is established. This is a good shrub for problematic areas in the landscape.
Summers are becoming increasingly hot and that is hard on our plants. This article discusses some ways you can increase your plant’s chances of survival by the way you water them.
Three Ways to Water
There are three ways to water your plants during the summer. Watering is best done between 5 a.m. -10:00 a.m. This allows the leaves of the plant to dry before nightfall, decreasing problems with diseases on your plant.
Hand Watering
Watering by hand with a hose is the best way to water your plants in the summer. You can direct the water right to the root zone of the plant. Watering by hand three times a week during the hot weather is the best way to keep your plants alive. Plants in containers need to be watered once a day. However, if you have a large landscape, watering by hand can be time-consuming.
Drip Irrigation
If you don’t have time to water your plants by hand, installing drip irrigation is the next best thing. The water goes directly to the roots of each plant. There are no splashes to wet the leaves or splash soil on them. You can put your drip irrigation on a timer and forget about it. One problem is that the emitters can get clogged. Since drip irrigation is typically covered with mulch, you may not realize there is a problem until your plants start to wilt, turn yellow or brown, or die.
Pop-Up Sprinklers
Pop-up sprinklers do not clog and may be better if you do not have time to monitor your irrigation system on a regular basis. Pop-up sprinklers do lose some of the water they put out to evaporation. They also get the foliage wet, increasing the possibility that a fungal disease can attack your plant. Watering in the morning so the foliage dries before nightfall will help stop fungal diseases from moving in.
Conserving Water
One only has to look at states to the South and West of us to see what happens when the water runs out. Conserving water not only saves you money but also makes sure you have the water you need in the future.
Irrigation Audits
Irrigation audits are usually done in the spring when your system is set up to run after being drained all winter. However, they can be performed any time the system is in use. There are three parts to an irrigation audit.
Site Inspection –walk your landscape and notice any sunken heads, heads that have been damaged by lawn equipment, or have become misaligned. Replace the bad sprinkler heads and realign them to avoid hardscape areas.
Performance Testing –Run the sprinkler system briefly by zone and mark all the sprinklers. Take small containers and scatter them so that each sprinkler in zone 1 has a container in the area that the sprinkler serves. Run the sprinkler zone 1 for ten minutes. Measure the amount of water each sprinkler put into the containers. If there are sprinkler heads that do not produce the amount of water they should replace them. Repeat for every zone in your landscape.
Irrigation Scheduling –Now that you know how much water your sprinklers put out by zone, you can schedule your sprinkler system for only the length of time those sprinklers need to water the plants in that zone.
Mulch
Putting down at least three inches of mulch around your plants will help them survive the summer. The mulch helps keep the soil cooler. Mulch also absorbs water and gradually releases it, giving your plants the water they need slowly, so it doesn’t just run off or evaporate. Mulch also controls weeds, which steal water, nutrients, and light from your plants.
Native Plants
Native plants evolved to survive in this climate. All plants need to be watered frequently when getting established. However, after the plants get established, the native ones do not need supplemental irrigation for all but the driest years. There are many beautiful annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees you can choose from.
We Can Help
Watering a landscape can be time-consuming. Auditing your irrigation system can also be time-consuming and frustrating if you have to replace several sprinkler heads and figure out the optimal time to water in each zone.
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can help you water properly and keep your plants alive this summer. We install both pop-up sprinklers and drip irrigation and can configure them to give just the right amount of water for each plant. We also do irrigation audits on existing systems to keep them delivering water to your landscape, and not your sidewalk. If you are interested in what we can do to water your plants properly and keep them alive this summer, just schedule a consultation today.
Summertime is here and swimming pools are one of the best ways to keep the family together and off their devices during the summer months. It is also a great way to entertain guests. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can design and install the perfect pool for your needs. We designed and installed the landscape above and we can build just the thing for you.
Pool Contractors Versus Landscape Designers
Most pool contractors build nice pools. However, the contractors are not great at integrating the pool into the outdoor landscape. Architectural landscape designers look at things like traffic flow and how people will use the pool when entertaining. You want the deck to have plenty of room for the chairs, lounge chairs, umbrellas, and other amenities you need to enjoy not just the pool, but the area around it. You also want the traffic flow between the pool and any other outdoor living areas such as a kitchen or gazebo to work well. We built the above pool with plenty of room for deck chairs around it.
Construction Clean-Up
Pool contractors often leave damage to the landscape after the pool is constructed. Any large construction project will damage the lawn, sprinkler system, and other things in the way. However, these should all be restored after the pool is installed. In our experience, pool contractors are not good at leaving the rest of the landscape the way it was before they built the pool.
Because we install sprinkler systems, lawns, landscape beds, and the like, we can leave your landscape in good shape when we leave. In fact, we take great pride in doing just that.
Privacy And Fences
Pools have to have a fence around them for safety. A fence also helps maintain your privacy when you are walking around in your swimsuit. We can design a fence that will do both in style. We can install the fence with materials that fit in your landscape and fit your budget.
Choosing Pool Materials
When you think of pool materials, do you remember the white concrete around the public pool? Fortunately, we can help you choose materials that fit your budget but also blend in with your landscape. You can choose from a number of materials for your deck. For example, if you have a stone patio, we can install a stone deck around the pool to complement it. We did just that for the pool above.
Provide Sun And Shade Near The Pool
Not everyone will want to sun around the pool. It is important to plan areas of shade where those people can take refuge. Cabanas make nice structures with shade and a view of the pool. We can work with you to strike just the right mixture of sun and shade for your needs.
Install Plants To Soften The Hardscape
Pools by their nature involve a lot of hardscapes. This hardscape can be rather overwhelming in the landscape. To soften the hardscape, planters full of plants along with in-ground landscape beds can soften the hard edges of the deck. The landscape bed we built around the pool above does just that.
Lighting For Safety And Enjoyment
Pool parties often last into the night during hot weather. You do not want someone to fall in because they could not see where the deck ends and the pool begins. You can light a pool very subtly or very dramatically. As you can see from the picture above, lights from within the pool can make it appear to glow from within. We can help you work through the best lighting options for your situation.
Audio Systems
Outdoor audio systems really enhance the enjoyment of a pool. We can install the audio system when we are building the pool. You can control the audio from outside on your smart phone. We can even put in zones so the adults can listen to one radio station or DVD and the kids can listen to another station or DVD at the same time.
Book Your Pool Consultation Now
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can design and install a pool you and your family will enjoy. If you are thinking of building a pool, schedule a consultation and we will walk you through the design process. Our Blue Crew will then install your pool just as you want it.
Outdoor lighting is crucial to enjoying your outdoor living space after dark. Whether it is spotlighting a centerpiece or keeping a guest from walking into the pool, lighting makes it possible to enjoy your landscape late into the night. While we have discussed outdoor lighting 101 in the past, technology is constantly improving. Read on for the latest in outdoor lighting innovations.
Recessed Lighting
Hidden lighting fixtures under caps of walls can accentuate these features in your landscape without unsightly wires and fixtures. Lighting just appears after dark. Using these lights can add depth and texture to your landscape especially when the wall is made with natural stone.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting isn’t new, but technology continues to improve in this area. You can do more with your lighting from your smart phone instead of having to change things at a control box. This allows you to easily vary the lighting depending on the weather, what you are doing outside, and what parts of your landscape you want to accent that day. You can use Wi Fi or Bluetooth technology to do this. Wi Fi costs a bit more but reaches farther. Some systems can set scenes for special events and others can control each light individually.
Lowering Your Carbon Footprint
LED lights continue to improve. They convert 95 percent of their energy into light, as opposed to 5 percent with other bulbs. As LED technology improves, LED lights are using less of toxic substances like mercury, making them even more environmentally friendly. You can know get LED lights in a variety of colors, too, making them fun as well as functional.
Simulating Moonlight
Moonlight is cool and inviting. New lights can simulate that light in your landscape. Lights are mounted at least twenty feet in the air. Lights mounted in trees can be made to shine down through the branches like dappled moonlight. To really simulate moonlight effectively, you will need glare guards. Sometimes a blue lens can also give the moonlight effect.
Higher End Visible Fixtures
Light fixtures should, generally speaking, not call attention to themselves. However, there are some light fixtures in plain sight that are hard to ignore. Spend the extra money to get high end light fixtures for porch lights, lamp posts, and path lights and other obvious fixtures.
Lighting From Below
Under lighting is softer and can provide visual interest as well as light. Lights along the underside of your outdoor kitchen counters can allow you to see what you are doing while adding visual appeal. Underlighting benches and stone walls can add visual interest as well.
Using Task Lighting Differently
Outdoor kitchens have employed task lighting for years. The new trend is to use task lighting throughout the outdoor landscape, not just in the kitchen. You can add bright lights to a basketball or tennis court to improve safety. Ambient light in the dining room or a warm glow that is bright enough to read by are additional ideas.
Lighting Water From Within
At Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping, we have been using lights inside water features for years. More and more people are discovering the special visual appeal of doing this. Lights from within water features can add an otherworldly appeal to improve any water feature.
Dark Sky Friendly Lighting
As much as we want to light up our outdoor living spaces, light pollution can block the stars and cause other problems. Wildlife can be confused by bright lights during the night and lose their way while migrating. Baby turtles who hatch on beaches with lots of lights can’t find the ocean. For both these reasons, many cities are passing laws about how much light can be used at night. Lights need guards to direct the lights and make sure the light does not escape the outdoor living area.
String Lighting
String lighting, also called fairy lights or café lights, are strung together and hung in trees, over patios, and along the edges of outdoor rooms. They add light but also add a bit of whimsy to the landscape. Some of these lights are strung permanently, but some are put out just for special occasions.
We Can Help
At Royal Creations Architectual Landscaping, we can help you stay on top of lighting trends for your outdoor living spaces. We will be happy to discuss innovative ways to brighten your landscape with you. Just schedule a consultation to go over new ways to light your outdoor living space.
“Look at, my new outdoor living space. Isn’t it nice? Now I get to furnish it!”
Just like a house needs furniture, artwork, and decorations to feel like a home, your new outdoor living space needs those things to be truly enjoyable. Buying quality outdoor furnishings to outfit your new space is important. You didn’t spend all that money on the outdoor living space to furnish it with cheap, tacky stuff.
Why Furnish
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping employees are outdoor living specialists, and we create amazing outdoor spaces and rooms for families to enjoy for many, many years. No matter how significant the transformation that we make with the elements and details that we include, it is never quite finished until it is furnished and staged.
The furnishings make the space useful and make it feel lived in. The staging adds all the little details that really give off the WOW FACTOR. From rugs to candles, place settings, ornaments, planter pots, cafe lights, and all the other items that make a space feel like home.
Use Outdoor Products
It is tempting to buy the same things you would use in a house for your outdoor living space. That is a mistake. Even though the furnishings may be under a roof, temperature changes, blowing rain, windborne pollen and dust, and other features of the outdoors are hard on things. Purchase furnishings specifically made for the outdoors; you will be happy in the long run.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few common mistakes people make in furnishing their outdoor living space.
Measure Twice
Make sure you measure the space correctly. An easy trick is to use a piece of graph paper that is the size of your space or a scaled drawing provided by your landscape designer. You can then cut out the furniture you want out of another piece of graph paper to match the scale of the space. Place the furniture you want on the first piece of graph paper and make sure it all fits and make sure there is plenty of room for people to move in and around the space.
Choosing Only on Appearance
While appearance is important, you need to look at how practical each piece of furniture is. How comfortable is it? Can you use it for multiple things?
Choosing the Wrong Material
Outdoor furniture and accessories come in materials from wicker, wood, and metal to outdoor fabric. Each has pros and cons. Consider these clearly before buying anything.
Buying Cheap Products
Don’t buy something because it is cheap. Cheap products will break down or look bad much more quickly than quality furnishings. You spent a lot of money on your outdoor living space. Invest in good-quality furnishings that compliment your space. If you don’t invest in something quality you could end up paying a lot more in replacing pieces over and over again through the years.
Buying on Impulse
Big purchases need to be planned so that they fit with the other furnishings and the space. Often impulse purchases on furniture can be low quality and not long-lasting. When decorating a space, however, and including the small details of candles, place settings, and outdoor artwork, you can feel freer to buy what you like in the store or online and figure out how to make it work the best once it arrives.
Outdoor Furniture
Choose furniture that can be used for more than one purpose. For example, an ottoman can be used as a seat or writing surface if needed. You can find coffee tables with storage to put cushions and rugs into when they are not needed.
Some materials for outdoor furniture develop a weathered look or patina, while others stay looking like new. Here are some of the materials available.
Metal
Metal furniture is not damaged by the sun. However, it can get hot and burn an unwary person. Aluminum furniture is light, so strong winds can blow it over. Metal coated with a powder finish is the most durable option. Rust spots can form, but usually where water pools, rather than occasional dampness. You can sand the rust spots out and repaint the metal.
Wicker
Wicker is a popular option. It, too, is light and can be blown over. Wicker used to be made of willow branches, bamboo, rattan, or reeds. Now, wicker is almost always made of resin. Buy high-density polyethylene wicker, not PVC. It will last longer and feel nicer. Wicker degrades in the sun. Clean-up is easy with a little soapy water and a cloth.
Wood
Wood is an elegant material for furniture. Teak is rot-resistant and will last a long time. Wood develops a weathered patina as it ages unless it is regularly oiled. It will need to be cleaned annually before the season ends.
Plastic
Plastic is an economical choice but degrades in the sun and doesn’t last as long as the other choices. It is generally lightweight and will blow over in the wind. Expect to wash it frequently. Plastic chairs can be stackable and good for those occasions when you have a large gathering and need a little extra seating, but not for everyday use.
Fabric Choices for Furniture
While the furniture frame is important, the cushions or fabric covering the frame are what makes the furniture comfortable. Use outdoor grade fabric that has been treated to repel water. This also makes it harder for mold and mildew to grow on the fabric. Consider storing any cushions when not in use. This will make them last longer.
When choosing colors for your fabric, remember that any fabric will fade in the sunlight. Dark colors like black, navy, and dark brown fade the fastest, followed by bright, vibrant colors. Using furniture covers designed for outdoor furniture can keep fabrics bright longer.
Outdoor Art
You would not leave all your walls bare inside. Don’t do it outside, either. There are lots of available types of outdoor art. Metal, wood, and plastic are weather resistant and can be cut into wall hangings. You can also get paintings that are printed on metal, wood, or plastic. Waterproof canvas art can hang outside, as well. Most outdoor paintings are made with acrylic paints. As with fabric, the colors on painted or printed art will eventually fade. If you have paintings or printings outside, you will need to bring them inside during winter.
Accessories
You are not quite finished furnishing your outdoor living space yet. Now you need to stage it, so it really pops. Outdoor rugs can soften a room. If used in contrasting colors to the furniture, the rugs will help finish the room.
If you look at your interiors, consider using similar elements outdoors. Accent pieces such as vases, lamps, and other things will finish the room. Choose heavy items that will not get blown over by the wind. Wood, metal, and ceramic pieces will be more weather resistant and last longer.
Care Off-Season
Winter is hard on outdoor furniture. You may want to store your furniture in the garage, inside, or in another place out of the weather when winter comes. If you leave it outdoors, you will need to cover it. Even covered, the cold can make it brittle, especially plastic and wicker.
Places to Shop
Not everyone carries quality outdoor furniture. Here are some good places to consider buying from.
Wayfair
Wayfair is an internet-only company, but they have a nice selection of outdoor furnishings and decor. They have free shipping over $35 and have a thirty-day return window. They also have frequent sales so you can stretch your budget. Learn more at https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/cat/outdoor-c32334.html
Yardbird
Yardbird has a new store in Overland Park that has eco-friendly, quality outdoor furniture that will last. You can learn more about them at https://yardbird.com/.
Outer
Outer is another newer resource for high-end quality furniture. This is an online shopping experience that walks you through every step of finding the perfect set for your space. You can learn more at https://liveouter.com/
Outdoor living spaces need quality outdoor furnishings to make them enjoyable. Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping does our best to design and install the right outdoor living space for your needs. You get to enjoy them for years and years to come. Buy the best furnishings you can to enhance your outdoor living space.
If you want an outdoor living space, or to add a feature to your existing outdoor living area, schedule a consult with us today.
