There is nothing quite like the look of natural stone. It projects a sense of stability and permanence.  Part of this stems from the fact that many very old buildings around the world were constructed using different stones and rocks. As we know, some of these buildings (Great Pyramids of Egypt) and public works (Great Wall of China) are thousands of years old. The stones or rocks used are often in good shape, only the mortar that was sometimes used needs periodic repair.

Natural Stone

Natural stone used in residential construction can be very expensive to install. The cost to quarry the rock, package it and ship it to the construction site all contribute to the cost. Because many natural stones are heavy, the shipping costs can actually cost more than the stone itself. Once on the job site, the stone must often be extensively trimmed to fit aesthetically into a wall. This adds to the labor cost. Using natural stone also requires a foundation beneath the stone to support the weight. Steel lintels or archway forms need to be used to span over openings. The entire process is labor intensive. As you might imagine, this also adds to the cost of installing the stone.

The Alternative Product

About 30 years ago, someone figured out that you could get around the problem of heavy natural stone by using high quality, light weight concrete. This is how Cultured Stone® was created.

The first attempts at producing this product created durable materials, however, they were not very realistic. Necessity, being the mother of invention, spawned experimentation with different forms and colorization processes. In short order, realistic artificial stones were being mass produced.

The idea caught on, as evidenced by the numerous regional manufacturers that still persist to this day. There are many artificial stone manufacturers.

You can choose the natural look of stone, but in the long run and the short run you will be better off with a clean professionally built manufactured wall.

So whatever you choose, be sure to have it professionally built. A wall should last a lifetime. beware of the imposters and hire a professional.

Cory Longo

Now is the time to spruce up your backyard.

Three reasons to spruce up the back yard:

1. You will love it. Sit and enjoy the outdoors.
2. Entertain your family and friends
3. Add value to your home.

Here are some ideas.

From the time of the wizard of Oz, walkways were meant to bring us to the Emerald city. In this case your home or office.

Do not overlook the importance of your walkway as the first impression of your property.

At Shoreline, we take the time to design with you just that right look and first impression.

Walkways, can come in concrete, stone, or your classic paver. Pick the one that is right for you and call your landscape professional at Shoreline landscape for a quote.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO THATCH?

By summer’s end, does your lawn green on top, but brown underneath? When you mow it, does it look dead and scalped? Your lawn may have too much thatch.

Thatch is a layer of living and dead grass stems and roots. It is the natural consequence of a healthy lawn,. For best results, dethatch your lawn about every one to two years, in March or April or in the early fall.

Regular dethatching forces buds to grow near the base of the grass stems, preventing the grass plants from being dead underneath and only green on top. Thatching frees new grass shoots to grow in thick and lush.

The easiest, most economical way to dethatch is to rent a dethatcher. Two types are available - the flail-type and the solid knife-type.

The old-fashioned, elbow-grease method to dethatch is to use a thatching rake.

Once you have rented your dethatcher, set the blades high enough so they are about 1/8- to 1/4-inch above the ground when placed on a hard surface such as a sidewalk.

“You don’t want to destroy your lawn in the process of dethatching,” .

Dethatching should not pulverize the soil surfaces. Adjust the blades to about a quarter-inch above a concrete surface. Make between one to five passes through your lawn, until most thatch is removed.

After dethatching, fertilize the lawn with a nitrogen fertilizer to stimulate regrowth.

Homeowners who dethatch their lawns every one to two years will end up with about one to three pick-up loads of thatch from an average-size lawn.

“Thatch is only a problem when homeowners wait too long to dethatch, “Dethatching regularly is just a little more work than mowing a lawn. But if you wait for too many years, removing thatch becomes a long, agonizing process. It needn’t be.”

The thatch can be composted or used for mulch if it is herbicide-free. If you have used a weed killer or “weed and feed” treatment in the month before dethatching, then do not use the removed thatch to make compost or mulch.

Never use clippings or thatch debris for mulch or compost if you have used a weed killer containing clopyralid. Even after composting, clopyralid remains active and can injure your ornamental plants.

If you do not want to spend all your free time raking, call your landscape professioal at shoreline Landscape. We have all the tools to do your thatching job.

At Shoreline landscape we offer a fertilization plan for everyone. Let us know how we can help. we use several different products.

Here is what Scott’s says about when to fertilize.

When to Fertilize Lawns
The most important thing you can do for your lawn is to feed it. A well–fed lawn is healthier, which means it has a better root system to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, foot traffic and other stresses. While feeding your lawn once a year will improve its condition, feeding it four times a year will make it even healthier. If you put your lawn on the regular feeding schedule outlined below, it will look lush and green, and your neighbors will turn green with envy.

Early spring (February - April)
Lawns wake up hungry in the spring. Feeding your lawn in the spring strengthens roots and gets it off to a good start before the heavy growing season. If you see crabgrass, apply a combination fertilizer with a pre–emergent to control it, such as Scotts® Turf Builder® with Halts® Crabgrass Control.

Late spring (April - June)
Spring is lunch time for lawns. Your grass is busy and using up stored energy. That’s why you want to supply the lawn with a feeding designed for this time of year. Unfortunately, broadleaf weeds are actively growing, too. Hit them and feed your lawn with a combination of fertilizer with broadleaf weed control (a “weed–and–feed”).

Summer (June - August)
Summer is tough on grass. Heat, drought, foot traffic, and insects stress it out. Feeding your lawn in the summer protects and strengthens it against these problems. Lawns in warm-season grass areas should be fed over the summer months as they grow steadily from spring to fall. If you see insects in your grass, use a feeding product that also contains insect control, such as Scotts® Turf Builder® with SummerGuard®.

Fall (September - November)
Fall brings back ideal conditions for your lawn. Cool nights, ample rainfall and morning dew are just about as good as it gets for grass. Now the lawn is ready to grow again, and is looking for the nutrients it needs to recover from summer damage. Some experts will say this is the single most important lawn feeding of the year. Apply your final feeding right before the winter months, when grass is prepping for a winter nap. This will strengthen roots and increase nitrogen storage for an early spring green up and a healthier lawn next year.
When you are ready for a healthier and greener lawn, give your landscape professional a call at Shoreline Landscape.

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU
TAKE THE RIGHT PRECAUTIONS:

The right amount of water will make your plants vibrant and healthy, but it’s not just how much you’re watering that counts. The way water moves through your soil–its drainage–is every bit as critical for your lawn and garden’s success. If water moves too slowly, your landscaping turns into a fungus-prone swamp. Too quickly and your plants are parched even if you’re watering and watering and watering. So how do you get drainage conditions in your yard just right? Here are the two most important steps.

The Right Grade for Your Lawn and Garden
Steep slopes, low spots, or a yard that slopes toward your home rather than away from it are all landscaping mistakes that can cause drainage issues. If possible, distribute soil to minimize steep slopes. If you can’t, consider alternatives to lawns on severe grades–retaining walls, rocks, or groundcovers that stabilize the soil are all good options. Fill in low spots with soil. By properly grading your yard–a slope of at least one inch per foot, away from the house–you’ll protect not just your landscaping but also your home. For small soil shifting jobs, a wheelbarrow, a shovel, and some determination are all you need. For big soil moving jobs, rent equipment or hire a crew.

Great Soil Consistency for Great Landscaping
Soil that’s too sandy acts like a sieve. If it’s too clay-heavy, it grabs water and doesn’t let go. Loamy dirt is best for your lawn and garden. You may want to bring in soil if yours is truly inappropriate, or you can improve its condition by adding organic material like compost, grass clippings, and even sawdust. Either way, the better your soil consistency, the more effective the drainage for your lawn and garden–and the prettier your landscaping will look.

Solving a drainage problem isn’t always easy–you may have to remove big parts of your lawn and garden in order to access the soil–but in the end you will have made your yard healthier and your home safer from water damage.

Yesterday’s fence is today’s walls. More now than ever, people are using walls to seperate their property from their neighbor, or to outine their planting areas, or even to make a dramatic entrance to their home or business.

Walls can come in several different styles. Stone, man made materials, or concrete. They all offer their own unique features and there is an application for all types of material.

This is a project that you might not want to take on by yourself. For a quote on your project, call your landscape professional at Shoreline landscape. Let us help you with your selection and show you jobs that we have done in the past.

Turn your ordinary landscape into something dramatic.

RETAINING WALLS

BORDERS

PROPERTY LINES

LANDSCAPE ACCENTS

The best time to start a new lawn is in the spring or early fall, when days are cool and
moist and weeds are less of a threat. Seeding in early fall often provides the best results
because it gives the lawn time to become well established before heavy frosts hit.

Many people want to know how to start a new lawn. My first suggestion is to start by calling a landscape professional. But if you want to go it on your own, here is what I suggest.
First, you need to decide whether you want to go with seed, or sod. They both have their advantages in the short term and the long term. Sod will be instantly gratifying, but could hit your pocketbook a little harder. Seed may take more care, but in the long term it might be your best bet, especially if you are on a budget.

Here is how:

Remove the old lawn and/or weeds, if any exist. One way to accomplish this is by digging them out with a flat-bladed shovel (make sure you get the roots). Another method is to apply an herbicide, then rent a sod-cutter to remove roots and all. Before proceeding further, have your soil pH tested. Most lawn grasses prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. If the test reveals that you need to adjust the pH, do so in conjunction with Step #2.
Break up the compacted soil with a tiller. Tillers (also called rototillers) can be rented from your local rental center.
Spread a starter fertilizer over the now-loosened soil. This type of fertilizer is high in phosphorus, the middle number in the NPK sequence on a fertilizer bag.
Also spread a soil conditioner over the soil. “Soil conditioner” is often what it’s called at the store, but if you have a good supply of compost at home, it will serve just as well as a soil amendment.
Again using the tiller, till the starter fertilizer and soil conditioner (or equivalent) into the soil. I know this seems like a lot of work, but good soil preparation is one key in seeding lawns successfully.
Now rake the soil to begin to level it out, removing any rocks and debris that you find. To avoid problems with excess water-runoff, make sure that any site grading you do allows water to flow away from your house.
This step requires a roller. Rollers, like tillers, can be rented from your local rental center. Fill the roller’s drum with water, then use the roller to finish leveling the soil. Water the soil lightly.
For this step you’ll need a seed spreader. Following the recommended seeding rate, spread 1/4 of the seed over the entire lawn area. Then repeat times, each time using 1/4 of the seed. However, each of the 4 times you distribute a load of seed, push the spreader in a different direction, to encourage even dispersal.
Rake lightly, so as to cover the seed with a thin layer of soil.
For this step you’ll use the roller again. But first you’ll empty out the water from the drum, because you want it lighter this time. Now roll the lawn surface.
You’re done seeding the lawn, but you’re not done working! The seeds must be watered properly, in order to germinate. Use just a fine spray, as you don’t want to create a flood! The soil should be kept evenly moist, which may mean several waterings per day (depending on the weather).
After the grass blades sprout, you’ll still need to water a couple of times per day. If you know your schedule won’t permit this, now’s the time to look into automatic irrigation systems, before starting a new lawn.

So now you know how. If you need help call you landscape professional at Shoreline Landscape.

In the United states every year people die of heart attacks shoveling snow,or getting limbs injured in snow throwers. Don’t let this be you. Hire a snow plow professional
Contact us today @ shoreline landscape.

If you insist on shoveling, let me offer you these tips:

A snowstorm is a real pain in the neck for people shoveling snow, it could also be a pain in the back, shoulder and wrist, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
o help shovelers reduce their injury risk, the 24,500-member Academy issued the following Prevent Injuries America! snow safety guidelines:
-Shovel early and often. Newly fallen snow is lighter than heavily-packed or partially-melted snow. Before you begin shoveling, warm-up your muscles for 10 minutes with light exercise.
-Push the snow instead of lifting it. Keep the shovel close to your body. Space your hands on the shovel. It increases your leverage.
-If you must lift the snow, lift it properly. Squat with your legs apart, knees bent and back straight. Lift with your legs. Do not bend at the waist. Scoop small amounts of snow into the shovel and walk to where you want to dump it. Holding a shovelful of snow with your arms outstretched puts too much weight on your spine. Never remove deep snow all at once; do it piecemeal. Shovel and inch or two; then take another inch off. Rest, and repeat if necessary.
-Do not throw the snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that stresses your back.
-See what you are shoveling. Do not let a hat or scarf block your vision. Watch out for ice patches and uneven surfaces. Avoid falls by wearing shoes/boots that have slip-resistant soles.
-Use a shovel that feels comfortable for your height and strength. Avoid a shovel that is too heavy or too long.
-Pace yourself. Shoveling snow is an aerobic activity, comparable to weightlifting. Take frequent breaks and replenish fluids to prevent dehydration, which affects muscles.
-Check with your doctor. If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, talk with your doctor before shoveling. If necessary, hire someone to remove the snow.