Hamptons Garden Archives - Hamptons Mouthpiece

Hamptons Home: Choosing the perfect fire feature for your backyard

Hamptons Home: Choosing the perfect fire feature for your backyard. The alluring fire pit is desired by just about everyone. A perfect addition to any home.

The allure of fire from either a fireplace or fire pit can consume any outdoor enthusiast endlessly for hours. It’s the idea of knowing that an outdoor fireplace will keep you warm in the colder months/evenings is something that is appealing to some of us, which is why this would be a good edition to any back garden.
The warmth, light, and sound of snap crackle amongst dancing flames can set a romantic mood soothing for conversation via an outdoor fireplace or gangbusters amongst party goers surrounding a fire pit. Both fireplaces and fire pits give off beneficial differences. Choosing the right fire feature for your own use in your own backyard may be an arm wrestle between the male and teenage image of a bonfire versus bonding through the night in front a fireplace with your loved one. Using an informative site such as modernethanolfireplaces.com/blogs/news/how-does-an-ethanol-fireplace-work may even help you decide on which type of fireplace is right for you.

Understanding these differences will help develop the theme, location, and commitment to building just the right outdoor living space. Choosing a designer who can build anything you desire is a blessing to the all-inclusive thought process. A designer will also be able to tell you what other features would look great in your backyard, whether it’s outdoor pergolas or fancy garden furniture. Besides money invested, it’s how your time spent outdoors will be invested. In our last handful of the grande outdoor kitchen and outdoor living designs, we built both fireplaces and fire pits in different locales on the property for completely different reasons pertaining to the likes, desires and must-haves of all the participating family members. Later we will cover fireplaces but today the fire feature chosen to anchor this luxury marble patio setting complete with outdoor kitchen island was a remote gas fired fire pit. “marble topped fire pit is the hit of the party. Clean and instant fire mesmerizes the crowd during all seasons all evening long.

This stone and marble-topped fire pit is the hit of the party. Clean and instant fire mesmerizes the crowd during all seasons all evening long.

Now you’ve chosen the type of fire feature you look forward to. You need to understand the special requirements for safety, aesthetics, and comfort.
Fire pits surrounding by sitting walls create extra sitting space as well as a windbreak defending the fire. Here we show the building of this tremendous stone and marble gas fire pit adorned to match the rest of the stone outdoor kitchen and marble patio.

OUTDOOR LIVING FABULOUSLY DESIGNER
Outdoor Living Fabulously designer and masterful Outdoor kitchen builder with over 12 Outdoor kitchens featured nationally in publications such as Signature Kitchen & Bath, Hearth & Home magazine and hardcover book BEST SIGNATURE OUTDOOR KITCHENS. Recipient of Award-winning outdoor lighting honors through AOLP. Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals.. Go to Outdoor Kitchen Designer outdoor Kitchens www.OutdoorlivingCt.com -main site www.NightLightingDesigner.com– outdoor lighting portfolio.

Michael is president and founder of THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN STORE-

For more ideas on enjoying your outdoor space, read 45 Best Front Yard Landscaping Ideas. https://happydiyhome.com/front-yard-landscaping/

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5 Very Easy Landscaping Tips For Homeowners

5 Very Easy Landscaping Tips For Homeowners…If you are a small or medium sized home owner when the time comes to sell your home one of the things that plays a big role in the price you get is a good looking curb. A good curb will in fact help to invite buyers that said landscaping efforts do not pay as much as interior upgrades. But because many home owners have already spent thousands of dollars on their interior already, they may want to aim to improve the exterior of their home and make it a lot more appealing, after all the first impression is always had from the outside by potential buyers. The good news is if you have already had some landscaping done by a really good professional a few months or a year back you don’t need to spend a whole lot. However, if your home’s exterior has not had any edits made to it recently, it may be time to get yourself some professional landscaping Greensboro so that your property is always looking as sparkling as possible. If it is a large scale project, it would be a risky move to try and do it yourself. However, if you do feel that you would have what it takes to play a role in the project then you should ensure that you have the required tools. You might even need Kato excavators. Once it is complete you can focus on taking care of your yard! Below are a few very easy tips that any homeowner can follow through to ensure a great looking curb or yard.

Make it a point to remove debris daily

You never want your yard to look as if it takes a lot of work to maintain or clear up. So, one of the easiest things you can do to maintain the look and feel of your previous landscaping efforts is to rake the grass, clear all the pine needles and broken branches and leaves. When you have a yard which is full of leaves it just shows that the new owners will need to work a lot to clean it up and can for some be a huge deal breaker.

Everything should be trimmed to give the so called just planted look

All your bushes and trees should be trimmed neatly. This just has to be done once in two months but will help to give everything a fresh look or groomed appearance. Trim the shrubs and make sure to wash the branches and leaves of your trees if it hasn’t rained for a while to make everything look clean. Plus trimming branches and shrubs is important because it allows for much natural light to enter into the window which may be blocked by extended branches. If you don’t want to trim them yourself in case you do it wrong, you can visit websites like https://www.lawncare.net/ to see how they can help you with keeping that maintenance going.

Add a bit of color each year

Most people overlook the effect that a bit of color can have on the surroundings of their home i.e. their landscape. Even though the landscapers may have planted a number of plants when you hired them a while back your landscape needs fresh colors every year, and this means adding a few new pots. Around 15 to 20 of these pots is all you will need and are fairly inexpensive, just buy any easy growing blooming plants. Just keep simple and steer clear from buying plants that look overly complicated to handle. Plants like pansies and impatiens is all you will need depending on what season you’re buying. The person at the nursery should be able to point out a few seasonal plants which are blooming. You can also try alternating colors. You can choose the long blooming types too so that your efforts will last the whole season.

Top off your flower beds

Part of your landscaping effort should be to refresh all of your flower beds with clean mulch and then re-edge them for a very clean look. This is the classic way to enhance the appeal of your curb not to mention the fact that it will make it difficult for weeds to grow. So, you don’t have to worry about weeds at the very least. If you are living in an area which is known to be invaded by termites then you will want to push the wood mulch away from your home. Some other choices of mulch include pine needles, bark, pea gravel and torn hardwood mulch. It may also be worth considering getting a termite control Los Angeles firm, or one similar, to examine your termite problem so you no longer have to worry about them invading your mulch.

Make your grass green

One of the things that will really boost your landscaping efforts is to have green grass according to Posh Services which is one of the leading landscaping experts in Australia. If your grass looks dull and dry or you see brown patches you need to act right away. The best and quickest fix is to use turf paint. The results are immediate and they last extremely long not to mention affordable. These are commonly used on golf courses in order to maintain a perfect green throughout the year. You can add luster and color without damaging your grass.

Featured images:

License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microsoft_RedWest_Landscaping.JPG
License: Creative Commons image source

Mark is one of the leading DIY gardening experts in Australia. A botanist by profession he found that landscaping was his calling. However, after mastering the art of landscaping and using his creative skills around the company he decided to also help regular home owners. He does this via a series of blog posts and books.

Popular Hamptons Plant will be limited this Season 2013

Popular Hamptons Plant will be limited this Season 2013....Greetings Hamptons Mouthpiece readers spring is buzzing in the Hamptons and the Daffodils, Cherry Blossoms and Tulips will be blooming soon. The trees will be budding and those who suffer with allergies to pollen will be living in pure hell. I love this time of the year minus the swollen eyes, tearing, stuffy nose and headaches all due to the pollen from the trees . The Burst of color is so beautiful and I can’t wait to see the Acelas in bloom.

You should of course remember to replace your air filters inside, you can order them online (for example: FilterBuy AFB Silver MERV 8 16x25x1 Pleated AC Furnace Air Filter, (Pack of 4 Filters), 100% produced in the USA.) It’s essential you do this regularly, not only to reduce power consumption, but to increase your snuffling quality of life. Additionally, you can check out this video I found on YouTube for a natural treatment to avoid the runny nose, puffy eyes and pollen allergy this season…I cannot wait to try it out…It’s just lemon and honey…2 of my favorite ingredients..

Popular Hamptons Plant will be limited this Season 2013…Earlier in March 2013 I had an opportunity to speak with Phil & Diane Bucking the owners at the Sag Harbor Garden center and we spoke about what was the big news about plants this year. Phil told me that most green houses in Long Island will not be growing a Hamptons favorite plant the traditional Impatiens this year or for a couple of years, because the downy mildew disease a fungus-like algae has infected many of the greenhouses in Long Island. The downy mildew affecting Impatiens plants is called Plasmopara obducens. It spreads rapidly, under the right conditions, and once infected, there is no cure. The Downy mildew disease is caused by oomycetes or water molds. It is a disease that can stay in the soil for 3 years, even if you plant fresh ones every year because the soil is infected. This however only affects the traditional Impatiens and the Double Impatiens. You may still be able to find some traditional Impatiens but they will be limited this year at least at NY Garden centers.

The New Guinea Impatiens and the SunPatiens are safe. The New Guinea Impatiens are a little more needy than the traditional Impatiens they need more water and less sun. Ahhhh I have a horrible green thumb and that is why I love the traditional Impatiens because they require no love, just some water periodically.

According to an e-Grow Alert by Nora Catlin, Floriculture Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, the following types of Impatiens are susceptible to downy mildew.

All Impatiens walleriana, including the double and mini types. These are the most common bedding Impatiens sold in garden centers. (I. walleriana hybrids, like the Fusion® series are less prone, but still susceptible)
Balsam Impatiens / Garden Balsam (I. balsamina) These are taller plants than common Impatiens, with elongated, pointed leaves.
Jewel Weed (I. capensis) and Yellow Jewel Weed (I. pallida). Generally considered weeds, but if they are in the area, they can spread the disease to your landscape Impatiens.

Impatiens Not Affected

Himalayan balsam a wild and sometimes invasive species that can reach heights of 6 – 10 ft. (2 – 3 m), is tolerant of the disease, but can act as a host.
New Guinea Impatiens and its hybrids, like SunPatiens®, have so far shown resistance.

Hamptons Mouthpiece Readers there you have it…traditional Impatiens are very popular here in the Hamptons, but due to this nasty fungus you may have to seek other alternatives to replacing your favorite plant, the New Guinea Impatiens, SunPatiens, Pogonia’s are beautiful alternatives and will give you that shock of color to replace the traditional or double Impatiens plant this year.