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LANDSCAPING NEWS AND IDEAS FROM THE VAN ZELST TEAM.
These days, as many people are thinking less about their landscapes, the Van Zelst team is busy ramping up for next year. After all, more time to plan allows us—and our clients—time to consider a wider range of possibilities. At the same time, our maintenance and technical crews are in winterizing mode. They're thinking about how to prepare plants and trees to remain healthy through the winter.
Untangling the holiday lights.
As the evenings begin earlier every day, it's time to think about decorating for the holidays. Many people have a love-hate relationship with this—they love a beautifully trimmed home, but hate putting the lights and greenery up, then taking them down. That's why many families turn to Van Zelst in the winter months. Our professional crews hang and remove lights carefully, to protect trees, shrubs, hardscape and your home. Call us today to find out how we can make your holidays even happier.
Gardening for the four seasons.
In northern Illinois, landscapes are often planned around our blink-of-an-eye spring and swift summer. But attention must be paid to the year-round view, if you're to truly enjoy the results.
Once colorful summer blooms have faded, the planning skills of Van Zelst landscape designers really emerge. As we move into fall, fiery leaves take center stage, and intricate ornamental grasses dry to create textural, earthy interest. In the coming winter months, decks, water features, ornaments and, of course, conifers become more important. Arbors and boulder gardens step to the forefront. And deciduous trees chosen for their delicate limb structures and interesting shapes catch and hold snow like natural sculpture.
Trees and shrubs selected for their ability to attract birds can bring life into the landscape, even after grasses and perennials have gone dormant. The result is a cheery postcard scene on what could otherwise be the shortest, grayest days of the year.
Innovations in brick and stone.
When people think of landscape architecture, they too often focus on "landscape" and forget about the "architecture." But the architectural hardscape—brick and stone, ornaments and structures—is an integral part of the overall design. It can have a remarkable impact on the finished product.
At Van Zelst, we encourage our clients to consider hardscape as part of your landscape plan, instead of something to be added down the road. When plants and hardscape features are designed to work hand-in-hand, they create the balance needed for a perfect finished product.
Like any other part of the landscape design process, masonry and stonework require a mix of art and engineering. How will a pathway flow from house to herb garden? Will the patio be used for lounging, entertaining or both? How can we integrate a stone retaining wall into an informal wildflower garden? What will make a brick paver driveway harmonize with an existing brick house, without looking as if it were installed yesterday?
These questions (and many others) are asked at the beginning of any project, to help determine the scope of the site's hardscape elements. After all, a new landscape installation or remodel is the perfect time to add a fully- equipped outdoor kitchen, swimming pool or relaxing fountain. And the time to start mulling those ideas over is now—when there's time to look at a variety of options and be prepared for installation when the weather breaks next spring.
No matter what direction you decide to go, Van Zelst's award-winning design team and expert stone masons will bring it all together beautifully.
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For answers to all your landscaping questions,
or to work with Van Zelst to create the perfect
environment for your family, drop us an
e-mail or give us a call at 847.623.3580.
All the best,
Dave Van Zelst
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© 2010 Van Zelst, Inc. All rights reserved. Our photographs are reproduced with the permission of Linda Oyama Bryan.
Van Zelst, Inc., 39400 N. Highway 41, Wadsworth, IL 60083
847-623-3580 | www.vanzelst.com
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