5 Hot Landscaping Trends to Follow in 2018

It’s happening. 2017 is winding down and 2018 is sure to be here soon. While many assume the winter weather means no landscaping news, that’s simply not true. At Huston Contracting, we truly believe you can improve your lawn at all times – no matter the season.

As such, we wanted to put together a list of all of us with green thumbs. If you’re looking to head into 2018 with a much improved landscape, then you’re in the right place.

Hot Landscaping Trends in 2018

At Huston Contracting, we know Olathe landscaping like the back of our hand. So here are a few unique trends we’ve seen in the area:

  • Adding Technology

From advanced Olathe outdoor kitchens to unique fire features, adding technology to landscaping is a trend that’s growing like crazy. And the craziest part? There’s no end in sight for the growth.

One easy way to add technology to your landscape? Try adding an automated fire pit or fireplace to your outdoor living areas. These unique pieces spark up with the press of a button and look stunning.

  • Lights Galore

Christmas lights aren’t the only type of lighting that can brighten up a landscape, especially in the cooler months. No, you can also incorporate a variety of lighting options into your home’s landscape.

One fun way to add lights to your landscape is to illuminate a walking path. Just add lights every 1-3 yards along the path. Use an autotimer to ensure the lights always turn on when it’s dark and you’re all set.

  • All Natural Everything

Natural materials that mimic the look of real stone or real wood have become all the rage. Why? Because these materials look amazing without any of the added hassle of taking care of the wood or stone.

As these materials are less susceptible to degrading or looking worn down, many homeowners have found the materials last significantly longer than their “real” counterparts.

  • Stained Concrete Patios

Many homeowners have been investing in stained concrete patios for their outdoor living spaces. The unique colorways and long-lasting design that concrete offers ensures an outdoor kitchen or living room looks ideal for years.

  • Drainage Solutions

Many homeowners have suffered from flooding or water pooling on their properties. As such, drainage solutions have become popular.

While each home is different, the experts at Huston Contracting have found simple solutions tend to offer huge benefits for many homeowners. Drains, re-routing, and irrigation systems have all proven beneficial.

The Landscaping You Want & Need!

No matter what landscaping trends you’re into, the professional landscapers at Huston Contracting are here to help. As Olathe landscapers, we’ve helped thousands of families create the landscape of their dreams.

We can’t wait to help you do the same. Get in touch today!

Going Green! 5 Ways to Conserve Energy Through Landscaping

Going green has become popular in nearly every industry. We’re all trying to be environmentally-friendly these days, and that’s a great thing. However, most industries have to make huge changes to help the environment while improving their operations.

With Olathe landscaping, things are a little different. See, by changing your landscape just a little bit, you can also help the environment. There’s tons of ways to do this. Why? Because your landscape is the environment.

A tweak here and a change there can mean hundreds in savings for homeowners. Plus, the environment wins, too. A true win-win situation!

5 Ways to Conserve Energy Through Landscaping

So without further ado, let’s dive into the five ways you can conserve energy with your Olathe landscaping:

  • Shade Over Everything

The easiest way to save money on your landscaping is to shade your home. When the sun beats down on your home, things heat up inside. In the summer months, this means your home continually gets hotter and hotter. A hotter home always equates to higher A/C bills.

By using leafy trees to shade your home, you can drastically lower your utility bills in the warmer summer months. At Huston Contracting, we believe this is the best way to go green. Add some large trees to your property.

  • Wild Wind

In the winter months, the cold wind actually does more damage to the inside temperature of your house than just the cold. As such, you’ll want to insulate your home from the wind as much as possible.

How do you do that? Simple, add some evergreen trees and shrubs around the sides of your home. These plants will take the brute force of the cold winds and keep your home as warm as can be. This will lower heating bills.

  • Landscape Design

One costly concern for landscapers around the world is water. In Olathe, there are many months that our lawns need water. As such, many Olathe residents spend hundreds of dollars a year watering their lawns.

There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s certainly not a “green” principle. Luckily, there’s a simple solution. By working with a landscape design professional, you can incorporate drainage solutions and irrigation systems into your landscape.

By adding these two things to your landscape, you’ll be able to significantly lower your water bills in the hot months. We believe this is one of the more efficient ways for Olathe landscapers to truly go green.

Go Green Today!

If you’re looking to increase efficiency within your home through landscaping, get in touch today. At Huston Contracting, we have dozens of ways for specific homeowners to lower energy bills through their landscape.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Using an Olathe Landscaping Company to Keep Your Lawn Lovely All-Year

Every lawn is different, but grass is grass. As an Olathe landscaping company, we know there are a number of factors that make a difference in how your grass looks. Does your lawn get enough sun? Is there some shade? How does water flow throughout your lard on a rainy day?

The questions could go on and on. The important thing to understand is that your lawn, every lawn, needs fed. If you don’t feed your lawn correctly, it will look horrific.

Diving Into Properly Feeding Your Lawn

Being an Olathe landscaping company has given us great insight into how to feed a lawn and what works best for each season. If you want to keep you lawn looking healthy, you’ll need to feed it well.

The first step in feeding your lawn properly is ensuring it has a better root system. Better roots help combat numerous variables your lawn faces, like:

  • Foot traffic
  • Mowing
  • Heat
  • Cold
  • Drought

…And much more!

Now before we dive in too deep, it’s important to note that how you feed your lawn will be determined by the season and weather. You can’t treat your lawn the same in the spring and winter – then expect your grass to stay lush and lovely.

If you follow the ideas and scheduling below, you’ll be able to feed your lawn just like your favorite Olathe landscaping company would. If you’re ready to keep your neighbors green with envy and your lawn green as ever, follow our tips below:

Start of Spring

In Late February through April, you’ll want to start feeding your lawn regularly. This will help to strengthen the roots after a long winter. If you had crabgrass the prior year, look into a lawn food that has crabgrass control. You should start laying down lawn food around the time it needs its first mowing.

 Late Spring to Early Summer

Your lawn needs a lot of food until late June, early July. So make sure you stick to a regular lawn feeding schedule during these months. If you fed your lawn properly at the start of spring, you should start seeing some green – a lot of green! Just remember to keep feeding and not admire your newly lush lawn too much.

Summer

Late June, July, and August are too hot! Every Olathe landscaping company will tell you to keep your grass hydrated during these months. Keep feeding your lawn during this time, as well. Summer is hard on your lawn, and you need to keep up the care to ensure strong roots and stunning color. Make sure to feed your lawn one last time right before fall rolls around.

Fall and Winter

Your grass is basically hibernating once the first frost hits. Your work is done in the spring and summer when lawn care is considered.

The Best Olathe Landscaping Company

If you’re looking to keep your lawn as lush as possible all year, then Huston Contracting is your one-stop-shop to a guaranteed great lawn. Get in touch today to learn more about our offerings and how we can help you.

 

Kind words from our latest Landscape Project!

Our one point of contact was great to work with and constantly communicated with us via phone, text, and email. We had a dedicated Landscape Architect that made our ideas better and was open to suggestions in a few areas.

The project stayed on track and was rushed a few days to help get it done before all our family came in town. It included a few subcontractors and all of them mirrored the personality of the Huston folks and were great to work with. The crews always kept us in the loop with what would happen next, when it would happen, and cleaned up after every day of work.

“You guys are awesome! Thank you for living out your life’s purpose with our family!”

– Ables Family

Safety Tips for Safe Trips!

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Preparing Your Car

  • Make sure your car has enough antifreeze.
  • Make sure your vehicles fluids are all set.
  • Keep your vehicles gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line from freezing.
  • Make sure to warm your car up before you take off.

On the Move

  • Make sure to remove all the snow from windows, mirrors, and lights.
  • Make sure to always wear your seatbelt.
  • Make sure all your tires are properly inflated.
  • Make sure to accelerate and decelerate slowly.
  • When driving, don’t power up hills too quickly.
  • Allow more time in the morning for traveling.
  • Reduce your speed when driving in winter weather.
  • When driving your vehicle in the winter, leave room for a longer brake distances.
  • Be aware of your surroundings and others on the road, as well as salt trucks and snow plows.

Landscape Project Overland Park KS

Job location:

  • Overland Park, Kansas

What was being asked of Huston Contracting?

  • Build a retainer wall
  • Basketball court
  • Drainage
  • Sod
  • Irrigation
  • Lower grade 3.5 feet

How did we meet the clients’ needs?
Throughout the project, we made sure to include the clients’ ideas and preferences in the big picture while recreating a new backyard for them including a new basketball court and a level lawn for all outdoor activities.

What was difficult about this landscape project?
Upon completing the court, there were various drainage issues that needed addressed. We were able to solve the water problem by installing a French drain to keep water from pooling up in the newly sodded backyard.

Testimonial:
“Anthony and the entire Huston team impressed us from day one and throughout our project which required a substantial backyard dig, grading, 120′ long retaining wall, drainage system, and basketball court. Anthony was the only landscape architect with whom we met during the bidding process who truly listened to our needs and understood what we were trying to achieve. He and the entire Huston team were always quick to respond to our questions and proactively provide updates on progress. They set a very high bar for excellent customer service. We even switched our lawn maintenance servicer to Huston after the project was complete, because we had such a positive experience working with them. We trust that whatever our landscaping needs are, Huston will provide excellent results and service along the way.”

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The Benefits of Landscaping

Economically:

  • Increases the resale value of your home
  • Makes your home more attractive
  • Reduces how long your home is on the market
  • Reduces heating and cooling of your home
  • Reduces crime rates
  • Creates positive perceptions for areas
  • Large landscape plants can actually act as natural sound barriers for unpleasant neighborhood sounds of traffic, pets, lawnmowers and other noises

Health Reasons:

  • Creates a healthier home
  • Reduces stress level
  • Helps your family have an active lifestyle
  • Provides privacy
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Trees, shrubs, turfs, and groundcovers trap and filter dust and other pollutants out of rainwater
  • Plants improve air quality

Social Reasons:

  • Attractive environment for relaxing and entertaining
  • Vibrant scenery