outdoor-living-space-olathe
By Lisa Allen Tips and Tricks • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

How to Prepare Your Olathe Outdoor Living Space for Winter

While some outdoor living spaces can be used almost year-round, like an enclosed porch, others need a little extra care as temperatures move from warm to cold. Taking preventive measures now, before the temperatures drop, can save your outdoor living space from unnecessary damage during our cold weather months.

outdoor-living-space-olathePrepare Your Outdoor Living Space for Winter Weather

Your winter preparation checklist will vary depending on which elements you have in your lawn and landscape. Keep reading for tips that pertain to our most popular outdoor living spaces:

Outdoor Fire Elements 

Outdoor fire elements like fire pits and fireplaces are examples of outdoor improvements that you can continue to use even when temperatures make being outdoors difficult. Provided you’ve stocked plenty of firewood and you bundle up to protect yourself from the elements, you can cozy up with friends and family around a fire unless temperatures are severe.

You’ll want to be sure that you keep the area free of debris ( this is a good tip for year-round maintenance) and that you’ve pruned any foliage that encroaches on the area in which you’ll build a fire. 

Outdoor Water Elements

Outdoor water elements like koi ponds and fountains should be winterized. Be sure to clean the area and make sure it’s free of debris. Drain all pumps, heaters, filters, and other pieces of equipment to prevent cracking or breakage. You should also cover water elements to keep unwanted visitors away and to inhibit mold or algae growth. 

Walkways and Stone Work

If you’ve had pavers installed or have created any kind of walkway, you’ll want to ensure that the area is safe even during the coldest of winters. To start, make sure the area is clean. Remove any debris, including fallen leaves or dead foliage. Reseal the area if necessary (or hire a professional to do so). 

Outdoor Lighting Elements

Even if you’re not using your outdoor space as much during cold weather, you’ll still want to make sure that you have proper lighting and that it continues to work well. Before it gets so cold that you don’t enjoy working outdoors, check all outdoor lighting elements and change bulbs where necessary. You might consider switching to high-efficiency options, especially if you use the lighting element year-round.

Outdoor Patio Furniture

Outdoor furniture is built to withstand all weather conditions, but it’s still important to take precautions to help it last as long as possible. Cover furniture with weather-resistant coverings, especially anything soft like cushions or chair pads. Another important thing to do is to check wood and other natural elements. Painting with a waterproof sealer can help keep wear and tear at bay.

Curious about the other projects we’ve really enjoyed lately? Visit us on Facebook or take a look at our website. And, as always, we’re here to help with whatever project you have in mind. 

Landscaping Projects to Do Now So You Can Enjoy Fall
By Lisa Allen Landscape • Renovation • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Landscaping Projects to Do Now So You Can Enjoy Fall

Landscaping Projects to Do Now So You Can Enjoy Fall

Sure, summer is great. We love the longer days, the backyard gatherings, time at the pool. But if you’re looking forward to cooler temperatures and want to be sure you can still spend time outdoors even after the weather cools, there are landscaping projects you can consider now that might just make this next Fall your best Fall. 

Landscaping Projects to Do Now So You Can Enjoy FallStart With a Small Landscaping Change

If you just want to adjust for the season but you’re not ready to make a huge investment with your landscaping, you might consider planting a cooler weather garden. 

Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale grow well in cooler temperatures. So do brassicas like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Other crops to consider include beans, radishes, turnips, and carrots. 

If you’d rather plant flowers, Fall is the perfect time for mums, pansies, asters, and dianthus. You can also create gorgeous container gardens with flowering kale, crotons, and fountain grass. 

Dream Big and Tackle Big Landscaping Projects

If you’re ready for a bigger project, think about installing a fire feature before the weather turns cold. Not only is a fireplace a focal point, but it provides a place for family and friends to gather long after the weather turns cooler. 

Outdoor fireplaces in Olathe can be built from a variety of materials including stone and can be either gas or wood fired. Like other architectural elements of a landscaped yard, your fireplace can look however you want it to: it can be round or rectangular, built in a fire-pit fashion or a wall. It can look rustic or sleek. 

An outdoor kitchen is another example of a larger project that will enable you to continue spending time outdoors even once the weather turns cooler. By installing an outdoor oven or cooktop as well as seating and prep space, you can extend the usable space of your home and take advantage of the beautiful Fall weather. 

Other projects you might consider are those that also add additional living space to your outdoor space. These options include a patio, covered deck, screened-in porch, or pergola. Adding one of these features will serve you year-round, not just in the Fall. A covered space will offer respite from the sun during these waning summer months. And a screened-in porch can offer additional space almost year-round, except for the most brutal winter months. 

Get Help with Your Olathe Backyard Fireplace

Part of planning your perfect outdoor space is understanding the seasons in Olathe and the surrounding Kansas City area. Our landscape architects know how to best leverage our seasons to create outdoor spaces that are both beautiful and functional. We’d love the opportunity to review your goals and help you create a plan to achieve them.

By Lisa Allen Landscape • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle Them

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle Them

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle ThemThe high temperatures of summer bring unique challenges to lawns and landscaping in the Olathe and general Johnson County area. How do you know if you’re doing everything you can to ensure that your yard and your outdoor spaces are healthy and look as good as possible?

We’re going to tackle a few of the biggest challenges you might encounter during these long summer days, along with a few suggestions of how to approach them. Remember, however, that even though there are lots of ways to DIY your lawn and landscape jobs, consulting with a professional is often the easiest and most cost effective way of making sure your space looks and performs exactly how you’d like.

Summer Landscaping Challenge #1: Unsightly Plants and Weeds

It never fails: you take great pains to plant the perfect flower bed or you work with your landscape architect to create a gorgeous water feature or outdoor environment, and everything is gorgeous. But then, they appear. Weeds! Nuisance plants, like ivy or thistle!

This happens so often in the summer months because the conditions are just right: you’ve prepped your soil. You are watering (or it’s raining) and applying the right fertilizers. Just as those conditions make for gorgeous plants that you want, they also make hospitable conditions for weeds and plants you didn’t intend to include in your outdoor space.

While it’s not possible to prevent all weeds and invasive plants from trying to lay claim to your lawn or landscape, it is possible to keep them to a minimum. This requires frequent weeding, which can be most enjoyable earlier or later in the day. Try to weed by the root, meaning pull the entire plant from the soil when possible. If you just weed-whack them flush with the ground, you’re leaving the root system intact, which means they’ll continue to grow.

Be sure, too, to properly dispose of those unwanted weeds and plants after you’ve pulled them. Bag them and either put out for pickup or take them to a compost facility. If you pull them and let them linger on your lawn or in your garden, they just might decide to stay!

Summer Landscaping Challenge #2: Getting the Moisture Levels Right

Summer can be fickle. Sometimes it’s too dry and you have to worry about dry soil and burnt plants. Other times, you have to worry about too much moisture, which can lead to unsightly mushroom growth and other issues.

One way to mitigate this issue is to install automatic irrigation systems that will water your lawn when it’s dry. Another factor to consider is proper drainage. Working with a landscape architect firm to create these systems before extreme weather hits is best; but it’s never the wrong time to start.

Summer Landscaping Challenge #3: Not Wanting to Be Outdoors

It’s okay to admit that sometimes it’s just too hot to spend much time outside. Whether that means that you’re not up for pulling weeds or mowing the lawn, or that you want to grill dinner but can’t stand to stand in the sun for that long, there are ways we can help.

One way is to hire us to do your maintenance so you don’t have to. This is a time when you really can have it all: a gorgeous lawn, no matter the season, without having to do the work to get it.

Another way is to let us help you create a space that feels good, even when it’s hot. Think of adding a swimming pool if you have the room or a koi pond or water feature if you prefer. You might also consider a covered deck or patio, so you can sit outside but still be in the shade. The truth is, we love working with clients to find creative yet practical ways to make their outdoor spaces perfect for them. We’d love to do the same for you!

By Lisa Allen Design • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Extend the Seasonal Use of Your Outdoor Living Space by Adding an Outdoor Fireplace

outdoor fireplace olathe

Extend the Seasonal Use of Your Outdoor Living Space by Adding an Outdoor Fireplace

It’s happening: the mornings are a bit cooler. Evenings, too. As our Olathe temperatures drop below the sweltering point of high summer, it becomes easier to think about the seasons to come.

But those seasons also bring colder temperatures, which means less time spent outdoors. Sure, autumn can be cozy during the day; but when night falls and the sun is no longer warming our outdoor spaces, even fall nights can be uncomfortably chilly.

One way to keep using your outdoor space, even when colder temperatures set in, is by adding an outdoor fireplace.

Types of Outdoor Fireplaces

To say that outdoor fireplaces come in different shapes and sizes is to say that Pumpkin Spice Lattes are a simple coffee drink. There is no “typical” outdoor fireplace. An outdoor fireplace can be a simple fire pit or fire bowl; a fire table or fire column; a chiminea or a pizza oven. It could also be a simple patio heater or an elaborate fire and water feature.

The point is this: no matter your budget, your design aesthetic, or how often you might use an outdoor fireplace, there is one that fits your needs.

What to Consider When Deciding on an Outdoor Fireplace

Like other landscape decisions, installing an outdoor fireplace requires thought and planning. How often you’ll use it is a good place to start. Also consider what you’ll use it for: do you simply want a spot to gather with friends and family? If so, a fire pit that can be used whenever the temperature warrants might be the perfect choice. You can even toast a marshmallow or two or make s’mores over the flame of a fire bowl.

But if you want to cook outdoors, you’ll need something better suited to that purpose. Or, if you want a show-stopping, breathtaking, architectural attraction as part of your landscape design, you’ll need more than a simple fire pit.

Of course, the more elaborate the fireplace, the more you’ll need to budget. And remember to think of the space you have available, too; some spaces will only accommodate a small fireplace while others can handle something larger.

The Advantages of Outdoor Fireplaces

It’s easy to see how cozy an outdoor fireplace can make your space. By adding a fire element to your outdoor landscape, you can extend the length of time you’re happy while outdoors. Because you can add warmth to a colder evening, you might venture outside more often in the cooler autumn and even winter months.

Other advantages might not be so immediately apparent, but they’re nonetheless important. You’ll not only be creating an ambiance that makes entertaining more fun, but you can also increase the value of your home.

Regardless of which outdoor fireplace is best for you, we’re adept at helping homeowners create outdoor spaces they enjoy year-round. Give us a call and let us show you how beautiful your outdoor space can be.