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Landscaping Considerations When You Have a Pool

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Pools are a great water feature for any Long Beach, CA home. They’re an excellent way for kids and adults to have fun during the hot summer days. 

Though if you plan on doing work on your landscape, you must consider your pool before starting work.

Today we’ll review a few items to keep in mind when landscaping when you own a pool.

Safety

Above all else, you must prioritize safety when you have a pool. This includes during landscaping work, when selecting plants, and after completion. Before starting work, your pool should be emptied and sectioned off for safety. Only allow people who are working on the pool to have access to it. 

When selecting plants for your landscape, aim for non-toxic plants and plants without thorns. As many people can get scratched or hurt while in their swimsuits.

Once work is complete, be sure to have highly visible signs of any “pool rules” and, if possible, add a barrier so people can’t accidentally fall into it.

Pick Proper Plants 

As previously stated, you want to avoid prickly or toxic plants to keep you and your guests unharmed. Still, you should do adequate research before buying plants for their looks. Many plants and trees can produce unique flowers and even fruit. However, these can cause severe damage to the mechanisms of a pool. Excess debris from plants can clog up filters and burn out motors. Instead of dealing with an abundance of cleaning and maintenance to keep your pool running correctly, take a few minutes to find trees and plants that are better suited to be planted near a pool. 

Shade

Although this may seem counterproductive to the vision of a fun poolside summer day, providing a few hours of natural shade can be beneficial. Position trees or canopies to provide shade to protect from the sun’s rays. This can give you or your guests additional comfort when relaxing by the pool. The shade can also help prevent excessive water evaporation, meaning you’ll need to fill the pool less often and keep the balance of chemicals for longer.

Privacy

Many people aren’t comfortable with the feeling that a neighbor can watch as they sunbathe, swim laps in your pool, or have a get-together with friends and family. While in the comfort of your backyard, you’ll want some privacy. Some trees and hedges can provide a natural barrier between neighbors and your pool. Trees like the Italian Cypress are ideal for Southern California weather and grow thick and tall. While Boxwood trees produce a dense and compact leaf structure, their slow-growing nature makes them perfect for privacy hedges.

Pool Maintenance

Pools need to be maintained regularly. Consider where the pool’s filters, motors, and electronics will be located when working on your landscape. Make a plan to allow for easy access to the pool equipment.

Be sure to speak with your landscape designer to ensure adequate space for people to do regular maintenance.

How would you feel with a designed yard to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

A man mowing a lawn

Summer Tips to Keep Your Landscaping Fresh in Long Beach

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As we say goodbye to spring and welcome summer, we should remember that your landscape’s needs must be adjusted. While you can still use our spring tips in early summer, like reseeding and fertilizing, they may not be as efficient as in spring. Summer brings with it more daylight as well as more heat. While this is great for plants, the lack of rain means you must be more vigilant about small changes in your Long Beach property. 

Like every season, your landscape will require different care. Today we’ll go over four summer tips to keep your landscaping looking fresh!

Mulching

If you haven’t already, apply a mulch layer around your plants and flower beds. While it’s best to apply mulch during the spring, mulch is incredibly important year-round. Summer mulch can help your soil retain moisture, which can be essential for allowing non-native plants and vegetable gardens to survive Southern California’s heat waves. During said heat waves, mulch helps to regulate soil temperature, which can otherwise cook the roots of some plants. There are many different types of mulch. An organic compost or wood chip mulch works best for Long Beach, CA.

Adjust Watering

As previously stated, summer can be arid and hot in Long Beach. If you’ve installed a native landscape, this shouldn’t be an issue, as these plants are resilient to summer heat. However, other plants, including flowers and vegetables, require you to adjust the watering times and quantities. Programmable and smart irrigation controllers can help to make this job simple. In many cases, you can change the settings on your phone. 

For best results, watering should be done in the morning before 9 a.m. allowing your grass and soil to absorb as much water as it needs before evaporating under the summer sun. While Long Beach may not be dealing with a severe water shortage, you should try only to use water when needed. If there is a particularly bad dry spell, you should try to water deeply at least twice a week.

Weeding

Many plants like to grow during the summer, whether wanted or not. After the spring rains, many unwanted seeds grow wherever they’ve landed. Weeds can grow on many different soils, from healthy and rich to poor and dry. Because they don’t need much water, they regularly outgrow your plants in your landscape. Weeds can be difficult to manage as they can continue to grow if you don’t eliminate them at the root. 

While you can buy weed-killing chemicals, the safest way is to remove them by hand. Best to do this before the sun is out in full force. Do your best to remove the weed altogether, roots and all. Try to relax when removing weeds. Some people find that weeding can calm their minds and enjoy the process. Naturally, this doesn’t occur to everyone. Try to eliminate the weeds before they flower or go to seed. A single plant can spread its seed through your entire landscape if left alone.

Pest Control

Similarly to weeds, many insects and pests are active in the summer. Like weeds, eliminating the pests early on is critical to ensuring they don’t damage your landscape plants or flowers. In southern California, some of the most common problems that can damage your yard 

include:

  • Ants
  • Mosquitoes
  • Mice/Rats
  • Wasps
  • Beetles
  • Aphids

While ants can benefit your landscape by aerating the soil and helping decompose waste, some ant species can be problematic. Carpenter ants make nests in decaying wood which can damage outdoor furniture, decks, and even your home. When any species of ant enters your home, you have to worry about them swarming around anything they can eat. Beetles and aphids can do a number on vegetable gardens. And if not taken care of can soon destroy the plants you’re growing. Mice and rats like to eat whatever they can find, and if you have a healthy garden, they can see it as a buffet. Wasps and mosquitoes don’t necessarily damage the landscape but can be incredibly irritating during outdoor gatherings.

You can take many precautions to minimize the number of pests you have to deal with, such as laying traps, using chemicals, and making it difficult for pests to breed. However, sometimes you may need professional help.

How would you feel with a designed yard to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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Your Homes Architecture and Your Landscaping Selection

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When you design your ideal landscape many times for the best results, you need to consider the property’s architecture. For many, they first think about their favorite plants and trees, and they disregard if they’ll look good on the property. While it’s ok to choose your favorite plants, you may have to consider changing the architecture of your property to make sure your plants look home on your property.

Today we’ll review some of the critical components you should consider about your home’s architecture when selecting your landscape design.

Lines Matter

Your home’s architectural lines must be considered to produce a desirable result. While we’re not saying to rebuild your home to match your landscape design, we are saying to view your home’s lines to accent your landscape design. As an example, if your home has many straight lines. Straight lines give a sense of order and symmetry but can also be considered stiff and boring. You can either select long straight plants to maintain balance and order, or you can choose lightweight plants to soften the edges of the lines by adding texture and movement. Lines can also be used to produce a  more naturalistic effect. As we know, in nature, lines are rarely straight, and by adding wandering lines and plants with organic bends, you can create a design that contrasts the straight lines and unnatural angles of your home to tone down the appearance.

Lines in the landscape design are not just limited to plants and homes. You can incorporate this design scheme into the rest of the landscape. Pathways, planters, and other hardscapes can amplify the concept you choose based on the theme of your landscape design.

Materials and texture

While not necessary to match the materials exactly from home to landscape, you should always keep it in mind when designing your landscape. The material you choose can make a massive difference in your landscape. Common materials include wood, bricks, and stone. You may also need to keep in mind any outdoor furniture as well.  Like all other design choices, keeping similarities from the home to the landscape can make the property feel whole. For example, if your home uses red brick walls, consider using more red brick on garden beds or walkways. 

Textures are more challenging to incorporate but not impossible. The surface can stay the same in a home, but in a landscape, textures can change depending on the weather and season. Ideally, you want to match a similar consistency of the house to the plants you have selected. For example, a smooth white finish on the home can look great with peace lilies, although they bloom more often during late spring or early summer.

Colors and Lighting

Color can tie together a landscape to the home in many different ways. The hardscape’s color should complement the home and vice-versa. Try to avoid contrasting colors, as they can create unpleasant scenes. Colors combinations like greens and oranges or purples and yellows, although they stand out, don’t look good to the eyes. Something many people fail to consider is lighting. While you have natural light during the day, it can create shadows that change how some colors are viewed. At night, the moon’s natural light can change the shade of some dyes. If you decide to use outdoor lighting for the evenings, you must understand that artificial light has its shades of colors. For example, daylight bulbs, typically labeled “daylight” or 50,000k, will mimic the color of light produced by the sun and can be jarring to look at, at night. Softer colors, such as 35,000k or 40,000k, produce a warmer light, often called yellow. This can be easier on the eyes but can change how other colors are perceived.

How would you feel with a designed yard to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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The Proportion of Plants vs. The Scale of Your Home

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When designing your ideal landscape, it’s easy for many to simply go for plants they like without understanding how they may look once on the property. Many plants can look out of place when placed next to your home. Understanding the proportion of plants compared to your home’s scale is an essential element in making optimal design choices.

Today we’ll discuss how the scale of your home and the proportion of the selected plants can affect the final design of your landscape.

Consider the Buildings

You’ll need to consider more than the size of the home when designing your landscape. Single-story houses, multiple-story houses, homes with attached vs. detached garages, and even the type of roof of the buildings must be considered when selecting plants for your landscape design.

While the most notable aspect of a building is its size, one-story, two-story, etc., you should also consider the building’s colors, the type of roof used, and the overall size of the outer walls. If repainting the exterior is within the budget, you can better match the species of plants you use to give your property a sense of balance and unity.

Tree Selection

When selecting trees for your landscape design, you’ll want to aim for shorter trees if you have a single-story home. The Western Redbud is a reasonably fast-growing tree that grows approximately 12-20 feet high, making it an excellent option for smaller homes. Acacia aneura can get as tall as 35-50 feet tall.

Tree Location

Although many homes would look amazing with a lovely tree next to them, you need to ensure the location you choose to plant those trees is appropriate. After all, nature can grow however it wishes, and roots can cause issues if a tree is planted too close to the main property. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to plant most trees between 10 and 20 away from your foundation. This isn’t the only placement you need to keep in mind. When planting any tree, do your best to avoid any plumbing. Sprinklers and sewage plumbing are run underground and can easily be damaged by tree roots. If it’s needed to plant near these pipes, you may need to use a growth barrier. These can be made of metal or wood, preventing roots from damaging your sewage pipes. Alternatively, you could select trees and shrubs without invasive root systems.

Outdoor Lighting

Some outdoor lighting will remain the same, such as path and accent lighting. Lighting can be cast differently on two-story homes than on single-story homes. Spotlights can be used to accent features, but their shadows can make them vanish. A two-story home can add additional lights and angles that would be difficult to show with single-story houses. 

Living Walls

A Living wall is a popular design feature for many homeowners. The reason is it’s a feature that can be used effectively in single-story and multiple-story homes. They can help reduce the ambient temperature.

How would you feel with a designed yard to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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What is Landscape Design?

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When re-imagining your landscape, you want to have a plan. After all, your landscape will grow and change as the years go by. This is where landscape design comes in. 

But what exactly is landscape design?

In short, landscape design is similar to architectural design for homes and buildings. Join me as we go over the seven elements of landscape design and how including them in your design can result in a stunning landscape you’ll enjoy for years.

Scale

When designing a landscape, scale refers to the relative sizes and distances of the plants and other features. While water features such as fountains, ponds, and pools remain the same size. Plants, on the other hand, will grow with time. How a plant grows in the garden can significantly affect how the items around it look. For example, a small bed of flowers can make a neighboring tree look much larger. Remember the growth rate of some plants and trees and their location.

Unity

In landscape design, unity is the overall design theme. Giving your landscape a sense of consistency and unity. Having too many different kinds of plants can make your landscape design seem cluttered or messy. This goes for different features and hardscapes too. As an example, if your landscape theme is meant to be modern, a rustic-style patio furniture set will look out of place.

Balance

Balance in landscaping is the idea of even distribution throughout your design. Balance can have a different outcome for every person. However, it’s typically achieved with some form of symmetry or asymmetry using the rule of thirds. Symmetrical designs are more straightforward, and both sides of a landscape should mirror each other. The rule of thirds in landscape design is similar to photography. Choose a point of view, and separate the design into different sections using rows and columns to form an imaginary grid. Typically important design aspects will take up more space.

Simplicity

Following the less is more concept, simplicity aims to remove elements that either don’t improve the design or impact it meaningfully. All items in the design should be looked over to establish what is needed for the design to resemble a clean, uncluttered, and defined theme.

Variety

Although you want to keep things simple, you’ll still want a variety of elements in your landscape design. Growing odd numbers of the same or similar plants can create mass in your landscape design. Combining different textures, colors, and shapes gives you an interesting landscape while staying within your theme.

Emphasis

In landscaping, emphasis refers to that point of focus—the location or element to which the observer’s eyes are drawn to when first looking at an environment. In the front yard, this can be the main entrance or the porch itself. While in the back, it can be some artwork, a water feature such as a fountain, pond, or hero plant.

Sequence 

In landscape design, sequences refer to how elements of the design shift and change. You can gradually change one component to another using different plant sizes, textures, and lines. This smooth transition appeals to the eyes and feels like a natural progression. One large tree between two flower beds will usually look out of place.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

a person holding an irrigation controller

Choosing an Irrigation Controller; Which One is Right for You?

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Watering your landscape is crucial to keeping your plants healthy, green, and thriving. Ideally, you want to provide the perfect amount of water to each area of your landscape without going over and wasting a single drop. Many irrigation systems have a controller to help with this, though homeowners often need to ensure they are working as efficiently as possible.

Have you checked your irrigation controller recently?

Most water is spent on landscapes through an irrigation system, and having the correct controller can save you both time and money. Join me as we explore the different kinds of irrigation controllers on the market, and help you decide which one is right for you.

Traditional Controllers

Though less efficient, many homes continue to use traditional irrigation controllers due to their simplicity. There is always an adoption curve when it comes to new technology, and irrigation systems are no exception. 

Traditional controllers are often mechanical in nature. They are designed to provide water in increments. The Intermatic T8800 is an example of a conventional controller. It has limited features but is reliable and easy to use.

Programmable Controllers

Programmable controllers are the most commonly used irrigation controllers in homes. They offer more features than traditional controllers without connecting to the wifi. These controllers usually come equipped with LCD screens, buttons, and dials, making it easier to understand how the controller works. They can be set up manually and can control multiple zones. For example, Rain Birds 6-station irrigation timer allows changing the watering amount and frequency to six locations in your landscape.

Many of these styles of controllers are compatible with rain sensors which can automatically shut off your irrigation system when it detects rain. Programmable controllers are in the middle when it comes to features.

Smart Controllers

If your goal is to use water as efficiently as possible, a smart irrigation controller is the way to go. Units such as the RainMachine Touch HD-12, Rachio 3, and Orbit B-hyve are affordable for homeowners and have been shown to save the most amount of water compared to the other kinds of irrigation controllers. Smart controllers can seem overwhelming to some as they often need to connect to wireless internet and your phone’s Bluetooth. However, after the initial setup, these controllers can function independently. Smart controllers can usually control over 10 separate zones to maximize the efficiency of the water being used.

Unlike programmable irrigation controllers that require a separate rain sensor, smart controllers have access to the weather forecast because they are online. They can automatically adjust the amount of water used based on local weather patterns, saving you water and money while keeping plants healthy and green. If any changes need to be made to your watering schedule, there is a free app that you can download onto your smartphone, giving you complete control of the system even if you are out of town.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

Excavator digging up tree roots

5 Questions to Ask a Landscaping Company Before You Hire Them

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Turning your landscape into a design of your dream can feel like a daunting task. Especially if you have little to no experience with a project of this size. There can be many unknowns that need to be cleared up before you hire a company.

To assure you’re hiring the correct landscaping company to fit your needs, you should have a few questions on hand. Today we’ll go over 5 questions you should present to a landscaping company when browsing your options. Depending on their answer you can decide to hire them, or go to the next one.

How Much is the Upfront Cost?

The majority of companies that you will deal with, will have an upfront cost. The contractor state licensing board states a contractor can charge no more than 10% down or $1,000 whichever is less. MC Landscaping employs this policy and we recommend you keep it in mind when comparing companies. As it can be a red flag when companies ask for the full amount or a large sum of the total cost to get started.

Is there a Cash Discount?

Asking if there is a discount for paying is cash can bring to light the integrity of the landscaping company in question. Typically a cash deal forgoes the use of a contract which can leave you in a weak position if a dispute arises. Without a contract, resolving said disputes becomes difficult. Although a cash discount may seem alluring at first, you run the risk of losing both precious time and money.

What Experience Do They Have?

When looking for landscaping companies, the old adage is true. A picture is worth a thousand words. Be sure to ask them to supply a portfolio with past projects that can be verified. Some companies may try to show you images from other companies, do your due diligence as these lies tend to fall apart after even the slightest research. You should never take a company at their word, after all this is your home and your project.

What is Their contractor’s license number

A contractor’s license number is for your protection and can be spotted on worker’s uniforms, vehicles and the company website. MC Landscaping’s license is always displayed on the top left of our website. After you’ve gotten a company’s license number you can search for them at cslb.ca.gov where you can use it to review a variety of information including customer complaints, worker’s comp coverage and liability insurance information.

What is the Typical Work Schedule?

This may be difficult for some companies to answer right away, as they may not know the full scope of the project. However a good landscaping company should be able to give you a general work schedule their employees follow. Oftentimes homeowners have a variety of projects being worked on at the same time. Being able to properly schedule material deliveries and area completions can make the project run smoothly.

Do they Provide Other Services?

The majority of companies focus on a single trade, being specialized means you’ll have the best workers of that trade. Landscaping involves plants, lawns, irrigation, hardscape, maintenance and water features. It is a trade that requires multiple skills to do properly. If a landscaping company also claims to do other trades that aren’t involved in landscaping, you run the risk of your projects not being completed safely and efficiently. 

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

watering globe

Fine Touch Watering Tools to Help Keep Your Landscaping Vibrant

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Just because your Property is complete doesn’t mean the work is done. Although you can hire the same company that did your job to do maintenance on your landscape, in between visits, it’ll be up to you to keep your landscape looking vibrant and healthy.

Especially for plants that require specific watering needs that a sprinkler system can’t provide, you’ll want to invest in fine-touch watering tools.

Today we’ll review some of these tools you can use to help make yard work something relaxing and enjoyable.

Watering Can

Naturally, the most iconic tool is a watering can; however, don’t let the tool fool you. A watering can, can be an essential tool for gardening, especially if there isn’t a hose nearby. To water effectively, ensure water is delivered in small drips rather than a heavy stream. Whether a vegetable garden or a flower garden, watering cans are a great way to provide your plants with enough water. 

For parents, watering the garden with a watering can, can be a fun activity to do with their kids to teach them how to care for plants and flowers.

Water Wand

Much like a watering can, a water wand delivers water more gently than just sticking your thumb on the end of a hose. Unlike a watering can, a water wand does require a garden hose to attach to. However, a significant benefit of a water wand is that it more closely mimics rainfall. The spray is effective yet gentle enough not to destroy fragile seedlings, sprouts, and flowers. The length of the wand allows you to water plants at the root without hurting your knees, bending, or crouching. It can also be used to water taller plants without the need for a step stool or ladder.

Garden Hose Nozzle

Though more of a generic watering tool than the water wand, the adjustable garden hose nozzle is commonly used in many homes. While doing the same jobs as a water wand, a flexible hose nozzle can be helpful outside your garden bed, usually because it can provide more water pressure. This water pressure can be useful when spot cleaning in between landscape maintenance visits or removing pests from your vegetable garden without using chemicals.

Watering Globes

Only some people have the time to water their plants daily, and they find it relaxing and enjoyable. Lucky watering globes can help give your plants water automatically without needing to do it yourself physically. You’ll have to monitor the amount of water in the globes to ensure your plants don’t dry out. Fortunately, many water globes retain liquids for 7 to 14 days, depending on the size you choose. Watering globes can also add a splash of color and liveliness to some plants, or you can purchase clear globes not to take away from the focal plant. Though lighter on maintenance than watering your plants daily, water globes still need to be cleaned regularly to ensure the opening is not impacted by soil. However, an agreement can be made with a landscaping maintenance company to inspect during their scheduled maintenance.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.

Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

Water fountain feature

Are you Interested in a Water Feature as Part of Your Landscape Design?

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Just because the work at your Property is complete, doesn’t mean the work is done. Although you can hire the same company that did your work to do maintenance on your landscape, in between visits it’ll be up to you to keep your landscape looking vibrant and healthy.

Especially for plants that require specific watering needs that can’t be provided by a sprinkler system you’ll want to invest in fine touch watering tools.

Today we’ll go over some of these tools that you can use to help make yard work something relaxing and enjoyable.

Watering Can

Naturally the most iconic tool is a watering can, however don’t let the simplicity of the tool fool you. A watering can, can be an essential tool when gardening especially if there isn’t a hose nearby. Though watering cans deliver water in small drips rather than a heavy stream you would get from a garden hose. Whether it’s a vegetable garden or a flower garden, watering cans are a great way to provide your plants with just enough water to keep them healthy without the use of a sprinkler system. 

For parents, watering the garden with a watering can, can be a fun activity to do with their kids to teach them how to care for plants and flowers.

Water Wand

Much like a watering can, a water wand is used to deliver water more gently than just sticking your thumb on the end of a hose. Unlike a watering can, a water wand does require a garden hose to attach to. Though a major benefit of a water wand is that it more closely mimics rainfall. The spray is effective yet gentle enough to not destroy fragile seedlings, sprouts and flowers. The length of the wand allows for you to be able to water plants at the root without having to hurt your knees bending or crouching. It can also be used to water taller plants without the need of a step stool or ladder.

Garden Hose Nozzle

Though more of a generic watering tool compared to the water wand, the adjustable garden hose nozzle is commonly used in many homes. While doing the same jobs that a water wand does, an adjustable hose nozzle can be useful outside of just your garden bed usually because it can provide more water pressure. This water pressure can be useful when spot cleaning in between landscape maintenance visits, or removing pests from your vegetable garden without using chemicals.

Watering Globes

Not everyone has the time to water their plants daily, nor do they find it relaxing or enjoyable. Lucky watering globes can help give your plants water automatically without the need to physically go out and do it yourself. Though you’ll have to monitor the amount of water in the globes to make sure your plants don’t dry out. Fortunately many water globes retain liquids for 7 to 14 days depending on the size you choose. Watering globes can also add a splash of color  and liveliness to some plants, or you can purchase clear globes so as to not take away from the focal plant. Though lighter on maintenance than watering your plants daily, a water globes still needs to be cleaned regularly to make sure the opening is not impacted with soil though an agreement can be made with a landscaping maintenance company to inspect during their scheduled maintenance.

How would you feel with a yard expressly designed to fit your unique home and personality?

Our staff is dedicated to delivering unique landscapes that 100% fit the needs of homeowners. Each yard is designed in-house by our landscape designer. Our expertise and experience in Long Beach, Lakewood, Seal Beach, Rossmoor & surrounding communities allow us to custom design the perfect landscape for you.
Our team of experts carefully manages your project. Fill out our Landscape Design request for your landscape to fit your aesthetic. Call us at (562) 225-9460 or get a free quote for your project.

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Top Plants to Help in the Design of Your Long Beach Landscape

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When designing your ideal landscape, choosing the right plants can be difficult. It doesn’t have to be though, there are many plants native to our semi-arid climate that can thrive in your landscape. Though there are many different design themes you can choose from, there are often plants native to Long Beach that can help fulfill your design.

Different Design Themes

Every homeowner has different preferences when designating their ideal landscape. Some of the themes offered by MC Landscaping include:

  • Drought tolerant
  • Low Maintenance
  • Cottage Garden
  • Vegetable Garden
  • English Garden
  • Xeriscape
  • Contemporary
  • Modern
  • Mediterranean 
  • Water Wise
  • Tropical

Although each design can be made unique, they’re not mutually exclusive to each other, feel free to contact us if you have any ideas in mind.

Popular Plants used in Long Beach Landscaping

To help with designing your landscape we’ve gathered 7 of the top plants homeowners in Long Beach use to help design their landscape.

Aloe Vera

An incredibly robust and versatile plant, aloe vera can be used in a variety of themes including water wise, xeriscape, and tropical. It being a succulent plant, it can withstand severe droughts and it’s hearty enough to be planted on nearly any kind of soil.

Purple Tree Aeonium

Another succulent, the purple tree aeonium is often used as an accent plant due to it growing a wide rosette of dark green and purple leaves on long thick woody stems. The purple tree aeonium is often paired with other succulents that require similar water needs like the aforementioned aloe vera, as well as the lion’s tail and other succulents.

Fox Tail Agave

A water wise plant, the agave thrives in dry and arid locations. Often planted around entry points, around foundations, patios and swimming pools, the fox tail agave is a slow growing succulent that grows a large rosette atop a long curved trunk.

Golden Barrel Cactus

Nothing says water wise like a cactus. The golden barrel cactus is a plant that requires well draining soil as its roots can rot if left wet for too long. Used as an accent plant for its unusual shape the golden barrel cactus is best used around walkways, patios and raised planters.

Dymondia

A drought tolerant plant, dymondia grows in an incredibly dense mat that can be used to replace lawn grass all together. It produces a small yellow flower when it blooms and is also used to grow between stepping stones, and pavers.

Elfin Creeping Thyme

Though not having as great ground coverage as a dymondia, the elfin creeping thyme can spread quickly over the soil it’s planted on. Often used around walkways, fences and walls the elfin creeping thyme produces beautiful little purple flowers during the summer and can be used to flavor your foods.

Olive

Olive trees can provide shade to your patio, lawn or be used as an accent piece. While not requiring much water to grow, this tree can grow with multiple trunks and produce olives during the fall. Though fruitless varieties can also be purchased if you feel like dealing with the fruits can be too messy.

There are many other plants that can thrive in the Long Beach weather. The majority of the plants listed only require low to medium watering and can be a part of any design theme.

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