Hug The Earth

Hug The Earth

We all need a hug every now and then. What better time is there to show the earth a little love than today, Earth Day. Here are ten ways you can show our rock how much you care:

·         Feed wildlife - Many plants have berries and nuts that provide food for our furry and feathered friends.

·         Install a rain barrel - Collect and use water off of your roof to water your plants. It is free!

·         Maintain a health lawn - Turf grass not only looks nice, it puts out a lot of oxygen and filters pollutants before they get to the water table.

·         Create a home for wildlife - Many plants also provide shelter for animals.

·         Use native plants - Plants that grow naturally in our climate are more resistant to harmful insects and diseases so less pesticides will be used to care for them.

·         Plant a vegetable garden - Not only will you get fresh vegetables for your family (and a big feeling of satisfaction), no fuel will be used to truck your vegetables to the store.

·         Keep cool - A shade tree put in the correct place in your yard can shade your home in the summer and let sun in to warm it in the winter.

·         Recycle yard waste - Don't pick up your grass clippings, it is free fertilizer for your lawn. Leaves, when composted, turn into wonderful leafmold for next year's garden.

·         Clean water - A rain garden helps clean the water coming out of your gutters before it goes into the ground.

·         Get outside - Nothing says you care like spending time with a loved one. Go for a hike or a picnic. Enjoy, and hug, our earth. It is the only one we have.   

Make Your Patio Awesome

Make Your Patio Awesome

A patio is a patio right? Not exactly. We view patios as an extension of your home, your outdoor family room, so to speak. A family room is not a family room right? It is your family room and you have probably gone to great lengths to make it special. Why not do the same with your patio?

Here are a few ways to make your patio awesome:

Add a seat wall - This sounds simple enough, and it is. A seat wall around part of your patio not only provides extra seating capacity, but also creates a boundary to your patio, making it feel cozier and more private. Another benefit to a seat wall is that when other families come over, the children naturally migrate to sit on the seat wall leaving the parents to enjoy the meal even more.   

Light it up - Lighting can greatly enhance any patio room and extend its usefulness into the night. With today's technology, LED lights can also save energy and reduce the need to change light bulbs. An automatic timer makes the whole system care free.

Let there be fire! - What is better than sitting around a campfire in the comfort of your backyard. A fire pit can really make a good evening a great evening. Choose from wood burning or gas, just save us a s'more.

There is no reason in the world to settle for boring. With these options, your patio can be awesome! 

See more of our patios at Our Portfolio.

25 Years And Counting

25 Years And Counting

Wow. Who'd a thunk it? Twenty-five years have flown by in a whisper. In twenty-five years we have had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful people and had the opportunity to create and care for so many beautiful gardens.

Yesterday we celebrated by donating and dedicating a new Children's Garden at the Hospice Caring Cottage in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Hospice Caring has been helping terminally ill adults, children and their families by providing practical and emotional support when they need it the most. It has been an honor to partner with Hospice Caring for many, many years and to be able to create this garden for them.

The garden has a stone labyrinth, shrubs that will bloom throughout the year, and evergreens to create a sense of privacy. A butterfly house, bird house, moon gate and statue of a turtle will be added later. The garden was dedicated to the memory of David and Helen Allentuck, Bruce Allentuck's grandparents.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Legget and City of Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz presented the company with a proclamation honoring the company's twenty-five years and dedication of the garden. Lastly, our team gathered for very proud company photographs.

A company does not make it twenty-five years without a ton of support from a lot of people. Thank you to our fabulous customers, staff and partners for helping us get to this milestone.

Winter Gets One Last Laugh

Winter Gets One Last Laugh

Surprise! A last minute snow storm is bearing down on our area just when we were getting ready for spring. We have been fielding a lot of calls in the last few days, all wanting to know; "Will the late snow harm my plants?"

The answer, probably not. This may not be the definitive answer you were hoping for so let's dig a little deeper (pun intended).

The temperatures are still fairly mild so we should not expect any cold damage to the plants. In fact, the snow may actually help insulate tender flower buds and shallow root systems.

The snow will actually bring a benefit to our gardens...water. Although we are not in a drought situation this year, the added precipitation will end up being mostly a good thing.

The one thing we do need to be concerned with is the weight the snow may put on shrubs and trees. This weight could break limbs. If it is a heavy snow and you are concerned, simply take a broom and gently brush the snow off of the plants periodically.

Do not forget about our furry and feathered friends. A blanket of snow can prevent them from getting to their food. Be kind and put out some seeds for them.

Enjoy this, hopefully, last taste of winter. Spring is coming...we promise.

Experience Our Patios

Experience Our...Patios!

Patios bring friends and family together. Watch this video for ideas and then give us a call to get started on yours!

More Harbingers Of Spring

More Harbingers of Spring We know spring is just around the corner when we spot these two plants, both of which were spotted by our staff this week!    Witch Hazel - This beautiful shrub blooms yellow to red before leaves appear. A versatile plant that thrives in full sun to partial shade.       Crocus - This small bulb sure can add a splash of color to any garden. Yellows, purples and whites will bring a cheerfulness to your day!

Here Comes Spring!

Here Comes Spring!

Over the next few weeks you will see landscape truck after landscape truck carrying mulch, including of course, Allentuck Landscaping Co. trucks. Besides that fact that mulch makes our gardens look nice and is sort of a harbinger of spring, did you ever wonder why we put mulch down? What are the benefits? We have the answers:

·         Reduce surface evaporation from the soil

·         Improve water penetration and air movement

·         Moderate soil temperature fluctuations

·         Protect shallow-root plants from freeze damage and frost-heave

·         Discourage weed growth

·         Improve soil structure and nutrient availability as they decompose

The next question that you probably have on your mind is; "Must mulch be put down in the spring?" Great question. I am glad you asked. The truth is, mulch can be put down any time of the year. The fact that most mulch is installed in the spring has more to do with aesthetics than horticultural benefits. Of course, just making our gardens look great is good reason enough.