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Federal Point Development

We just finished up a project for one of our contractors, Federal Point Development, redoing the front of a Reston townhome. Many of the properties there are surrounded by mature trees that make them feel nestled into the woods. The original landscaping had gotten tired and overgrown and the clients were looking for a way to make the entrance more useful and more inviting.

We removed an old tree stump and most of the original plantings to make way for a charming and functional drainage solution with a variety of plants to add interest and beauty.

This lot was only 20' x 25' or so. It is more important to use space well and thoughtfully than to have a lot of it. A well-designed space can add value to your property and provide you with a beautiful respite from the day to day noise.

Start with function. What do you need space to do? Is it your primary entrance? Do you regularly sit outside? Do you have pets who use the space? This client wanted a space to enjoy both as an entrance and as a welcoming area to share a cup of tea with a friend. The extra widening of the walk allows for a bench or set of chairs for visitors to enjoy the flora.
Use a variety of heights and textures to create depth. Layering is especially important in a small space to provide a sense of depth. In a small space, layer up and down as well as front to back. Plant ground-hugging plants around slightly taller plants that are at the base of yet larger plants/trees. The variety of heights and textures draws the eye up as well as across.
Incorporate different mulches. Break up a solid patch of mulch with stone waterways or paths to give a sense of different areas within the small space.
Plan for multi-season color. Use bulbs and annuals to have shots of color that do not compete for space at the same time. Bulbs like daffodils and tulips will come and go in the spring before the summer annuals can be put in.
Be in harmony with the neighbors. Eccentricity is frowned upon in most communities. If the space you are working with is the front of your home, as in this case, consider the impact of your design on your neighbors and the community. This home happened to be surrounded by other properties that had been evolving over the years into garden yards. Most of the homes had maximized their small footprints by removing the lawn and replacing it with appropriate plantings and patios. This design was in harmony with its neighbors and added value to the property because of it.

If you have a space that needs a creative renovation, contact us today.

Are you a commercial property manager or owner looking to improve the value of your property with creative solutions? Contact us today to discuss how Rivas Design & Landscaping can add value to your property.

Proper Care

Your plants are newly installed and have nothing to keep them from shifting around: no roots to hold them firmly upright. Though installation is always done properly, outside factors such as wind, kids, pets and wildlife can cause damage or displacement of the plant. These culprits can rub up against, step on or urinate upon the traumatized plants and be a major cause of death or disfigurement.

Try to ensure that the plantings receive the least amount of disturbance within the first few weeks following the installation. As they get established they will still need to be checked for damage from insects, critters and acts of God.

As I tell those clients who want a maintenance free landscape, go plastic so I tell you: plan on it. If you want to preserve the integrity of the plants and your investment you need to anticipate an annual/bi-annual mulching and cleanup at a minimum.

Usually through the growing season you will find it necessary to perform (either yourself or your chosen professional) regular weekly or bi-weekly weeding. The weeds deplete the soil, sap water from the plant and sometimes actually crowd out the desirable plant. It is important to stay on top of the invaders before they become a problem.

August Checklist

The hot temperatures of August can turn even the hardiest of gardens into a wasteland. This is the time to make sure you are continuing watering and other garden maintenance. However, watering can be a Catch 22: you don't want to drown your garden, yet you don't want it to go through a drought either. So keep these tips as a Rule of (Green) Thumb:

Watering Tips

Slightly moist soil is your best bet. If the ground is saturated, the plants will rot at the roots. Not enough water will cause desiccation. In the heat of summer, especially, keep an eye on the plants. The curling and drooping of branches and leaves is an urgent indicator: Water!
Watering in the morning or in the evening ensures that the most amount of moisture is reaching the plant and not just evaporating.
Check your sprinklers for adequate water supply. Dry or wilting plants indicate water stress.
Water more frequently the plants in pots. Potted plants tend to dry out much faster than those in the ground.
Clean beds of debris to prevent critters nesting.
Deadhead your perennials and annuals.
Ensure adequate mulch coverage to retain moisture.
Check for water flow and sitting water around the house.
Schedule your Fall Project Consultation!

Download our Summer Checklist!

Front Entrance Renovation

This project took on a space that was needing some attention. The client already had the wall in place, the original plantings had just been lost over time. They wanted to elevate the front entrances to be warm and inviting for all who came to visit or pass by.

We are always trying to create new ways to add value to our clients. Something we have added to our project process is providing better notes, better concepts, and better communication so we can ensure that our clients are happy with the ideas and understand what they are signing up for. It enables us to work out the issues ahead of time as well as to effectively communicate with our crews.

Growing for Pollinators

Gardening: The Original Self-Help Movement

"If you have a garden and a library, then you have everything you need." -Cicero

I admit I am an avid reader of all things, and a consumer of endless self-improvement books, business books, and the like. They come in all shapes and sizes, differing perspectives, some faith-based, others not so much; some are applicable, others not so much. Each one has played its part in my journey and, if worthy of repeat visits, has a place on my bookshelf.

In the past few years, I have taken to become a "gardener", not just a landscaper. During one of my many "rescue attempt" sessions (i.e I didn't weed anything for a week and now I have to spend hours trying to undo my laziness) It dawned on me that if one were to spend more time gardening and less time "planning to succeed", all the lessons contained in a collection of personal improvement courses (including the number one self-help book, the Bible) could be grasped.

For example, think how easy it would be to understand the concept, " You reap what you sow" when you plant a carrot seed and, VOILA! a carrot grows. Not a turnip or a clump of lettuce, a carrot. Try planting a cucumber seed with the hope that it will become a sunflower. What disappointment! It is a mere cucumber. Yet, every day, we go about planting seeds, some good and some bad, and we lament that they have not become what we expected. If we plant the seed of order and contentment, that is what we receive. If we plant the seed of gossip, resentment, the contention that is what we receive in return.

It could also be said that if you fail to sow, you will have nothing to reap. I am a planner. I plan everything out as best I can beforehand to avoid as much pain as possible. It's what makes me a good landscape designer but not the greatest gardener. In order to be a great gardener, some planning is in order, but the most important thing you can do to be a successful gardener is to PLANT SOMETHING SO YOU CAN GROW SOMETHING! Thinking about it, charting it out, buying organic and non-GMO seeds, preparing the soil to perfection are all great and necessary. However, if you never actually plant the seed, it will all be for naught.

So if you really want to make the self-improvement journey, set your highlighted book aside for the spring and get out there and:

Grow something and in the process, grow yourself.

Late Spring Frost

This spring has definitely been different, so it should be no surprise that we would have a late Spring frost. Some hardy plants can handle light frosts, others can handle the dips below freezing. Few, however, can remain intact when the temps drop much below 32 degrees.

I recommend covering young plants as best you can, and if you have potted plants, bring them inside, or even under a covered patio or garage.

Here are some materials you could use to cover:

Old sheets, drop cloths, tarps, burlap, or newspapers.
Cardboard boxes, open them on one end, turn them upside down and place them over your flowers. Tape any cracks to keep out the cold air.
Empty pots, buckets, milk jugs with the top cut off, or other containers made of wood, plastic or clay to cover your plants (just be sure they’re tall enough to fit over plants without crushing them.
Pre-made row covers (from a gardening store)

Remember:

Place covers over your plants before the temperatures hit freezing. If you’re using plastic covers, wait until twilight to avoid the sun cooking your plants through the plastic.
If your cover is lightweight enough to blow away in the wind, weigh it down with rocks or bricks.
Remove cardboard or fabric covers as soon as the weather warms up.
Remove plastic covers as soon as the sun rises.

No Water Required

With summer fast approaching with its scorching heat, irrigation will become the foremost thought of most gardeners. For those of you on a private well, be cheered to know that your plants should respond well to your watering attempts. Us city dwellers on city water have to deal with chemicals and lack of good stuff to keep our green friends happy.

I find that rainwater produces the lushest and most abundant onset of new growth. Watch your plants after a good soaking and you can almost hear them singing! Well-water comes in a pretty close second. And although this city water perks things up, the plants seem to unfurl almost reluctantly.

If the area you live in is particularly hot and dry, (or you allow it to become that way frequently) try sempervivums and sedums (AKA Hens n Chicks). With the new green roof phenomena re-circulating, the sedums are becoming the new garden darling. They are hardy, don't require a lot of water, and are near impossible to kill (for those of you "black thumb gardeners" out there!).

So grab a mix of these guys to keep your water bill low and your green thumb intact.

What not to prune in March

I find this time of year to be one where it is easy to get pruner-happy. While most things can survive a poorly timed pruning, there are a few that will make you skip a year of beauty if you cut at the wrong time.

What can be cut now?

old perennial growth
dry branches and leaves
old grass growth
some fruit trees, vines--depending on whether they bloom on year-old wood
old flower heads

What to avoid cutting now?

Rhododendrons and azaleas: the buds were set in the fall and should only be pruned immediately after they bloom
Forsythia -- wait until done blooming
Hydrangea macrophylla (mop head hydrangea) -- except to remove old flowers. Wait until new growth comes on before pruning out dead

If in doubt, wait.

Has Spring Already Sprung?

This has got to be one of the most unusual winters i have seen in a while. Barely an inch of snow made an appearance this season and already the plants are preparing for their big debut . . . in February! As of the last week of February I have found that I have a peach in the fullest of bloom, dill regenerating from last year's fallen seeds and dozens of daffodils and iris' trying to poke through the compacted mulch.

I know in Michigan, my home state, there has been a fear of the short and out-of-the-ordinary cold season. It could result in a reduced or damaged crop this year. But no need to blame global warming. This is just the way things go--cyclical and changing and unaffected by any great human theories.

According to the Richmond International Airport's records, we have been in a cycle of warmest and coldest winters for the entire century. 1889/1890 saw an average temp of 49.8 degrees, while Jan of 1940 saw the coldest temps at -12 degrees. 2011/12 has seen what seems to be high averages in the low 40's but surprisingly only captures the 5th warmest winter on record.

So instead of surmising on the cause of this pleasant gift of early spring, enjoy the signs of hope in anticipation of warmer times to come.

Read all the news about our company

Federal Point Development

Small Yard, Big Impact

Tips for enhancing a small space

Proper Care

Water

Protection

Maintenance

August Checklist

Watering Tips

Front Entrance Renovation

Looking to renovate or re-imagine your home outside?

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