May 17, 2023 3:38 pm
Published by Steve Dana
One of the unfortunate challenges that will always be a part of landscape architecture is maintenance. How lovely would it be if we could just set it and forget it, right? But nature will have its way … if you don’t put effort into managing your commercial landscape, you’ll find yourself saddled with an unruly, expensive-to-fix, unattractive—even dangerous—environment. How do you avoid that? Well, hiring an attentive maintenance team is the best solution. Still, it always pays to have some knowledge surrounding your landscape’s maintenance needs. So today, we’re talking about the number-one way to keep your landscape architecture thriving: effective weed management. Here are our top tips! #1 Consider Where Weed Management Comes In The very first thing to do is to think about your landscape’s architecture. Do you have large expanses of grass or many smaller planting beds? Or, as with many designs, a little bit of both? This is the primary factor that will determine how you approach weed management in your landscape. Why? Because herbicide can be effective in both areas, but planting beds allow you to employ other options, too. Here’s what we mean by that … #2 Remember the Benefits of Mulch When you […]
April 10, 2023 1:48 pm
Published by Steve Dana
When we think about successful landscape architecture, many qualities are top of mind. From flower arrangements that will remain beautiful throughout the year, to the seating areas that make an environment welcoming to people, to the irrigation that will help it stay safe and eco-friendly, a variety of concerns must be addressed. But one factor that sometimes gets overlooked, particularly in commercial projects like those we specialize in, is structure. By that we mean the pergolas, arbors, trellises, colonnades, and more that can act as extensions of a building and provide a dynamic addition to an otherwise plant life-centric design. Not only do they create that added visual depth, but outdoor structures often inspire people to spend more time in a landscape. Take, for example, a lush garden on your commercial property. Despite the winding paths you’ve incorporated, visitors might not know how much of it is intended for their use. They may be wary of the potential for an unspoken “look don’t touch” rule. However, if you install a pergola with picnic benches and a grill beneath it, the extent to which they are invited to enjoy your landscape architecture becomes clearer. That said, pergolas are certainly not the […]
March 14, 2023 5:53 pm
Published by Steve Dana
To some, grass is grass. But any landscape expert knows that there are quite a few options with different pros and cons for grass cover. Everything from how much shade a location gets to the levels of humidity in a certain climate to the wildlife traversing it—and more—can influence the choice you should make. In the context of commercial landscaping, the expected foot traffic should also play a huge role in this decision. So, today we’re going to share a bit of our own expertise … here are five types of grass you could consider for your commercial landscape. #1 St. Augustine Grass We’re starting with this out of the types of grass because of its beauty! St. Augustine, a warm-season turf grass, also can tolerate a bit more shade than some types of turf, which makes it a popular choice for partly shaded lawns. However, it can be a little more maintenance than some other types, as it can be susceptible to disease and pest pressures. But in the South, that doesn’t tend to be a problem! It also doesn’t necessarily do great with intense foot traffic. But for a patch of grass within a more visual landscape feature, […]
July 18, 2022 4:35 pm
Published by Steve Dana
There are many goals for an ideal landscape. First, you certainly want it to be aesthetically pleasing. Second, you need to ensure it is enjoyable for people to use, or at the very least, safe for them to navigate. Next, you may want to design it to be easy to maintain. You could also craft a landscape that makes the best use of natural resources like water. But lastly, and often overlooked, you should design a landscape that can better combat air pollution. Altogether, it’s a tall order. That’s why we have become experts at executing just such ideal landscape architecture for our clients here at Jerry Pate Design. But today, we’re going to break it down and help you to explore the final of those goals. Here is how landscape architecture can better combat air pollution. You Can Combat Air Pollution by Being Thoughtful About Plant and Tree Selection Mother Nature herself can’t always decide precisely which plants and trees will go where. One wishes she could, because certain plant varieties can have an immense impact on clearing air pollution. You can help by doing this for her! Plants and trees purify the air by both removing pollutants and […]
May 9, 2022 2:30 pm
Published by Steve Dana
Here in the South, we’ve got a beautiful climate. With a mostly mild take on each season, we get just a touch of the quarterly shifts without the more extreme conditions. But that also means that choosing flowers for this landscape demands an understanding of what does well in an environment that maintains more warmth and humidity year-round than others. After all, no one likes a wilted flower. There are always the mainstays, like azaleas and camellias. But let’s talk about five flowers hardy enough for the South about which you might not already know! #1 The Obedient Plant This flowering plant’s appeal is in its name! For starters, it’s perennial, meaning it returns to bloom for multiple growing seasons. Win! But this plant is also native to the Southern United States and that becomes obvious when you see how happily it grows. Give it the space it enjoys (about 18 inches between two seeds), and it will prove pretty low-maintenance. #2 Black-Eyed Susan Cheery and happy to bake in the sunshine of summer, black-eyed susans are a key component in any low-maintenance garden. As flowers hardy enough for the South go, this brilliant little burst of color might […]