Adding a Fire Pit to Your Home

May 17th, 2013

The summer is almost here, that means backyard BBQ’s and hanging out outside. What better way to enjoy some time outside than with a fire pit and roasting some s’mores by the fire. In case you are unaware, a fire pit is essentially an outdoor fire place.

Besides offering an additional area for entertaining, well-planned outdoor patios and landscapes can increase the value of a home, offering extra floor space for living. Here are a few essential features to consider when choosing an outdoor fire pit or fireplace.

If you’re a traditionalist and want to see yule logs all aglow, wood-burning fireplaces or pits create an atmosphere of flickering flames that flit in the darkness. But if you’re not keen on the cinders that accompany wood and the task of procuring burning material, gas might be a better option: whether from a propane tank or a home’s natural gas system, gas-burning fireplaces and fire pits are a convenient alternative to wood.

Choosing between a fire pit and fireplace depends on how large an area you want to heat as well as personal aesthetic choice. Fireplaces can heat a larger area than pits, and are generally set into a wall, whereas fire pits are often freestanding and can be structured into many different shapes.

Custom fireplaces and fire pits can be built into many areas of a landscape to offer warmth, comfort, beauty and functionality. Whether a simple fire pit lined with stone or an upright, fully functional brick pizza oven, Lehnhoff’s Landscaping offers a large variety of options for homeowners looking to heat up their lives. Always safety conscious, Lehnhoff’s  builds in necessary drainage systems, ensures that the fire feature is placed in a safe area, and lines fireplaces appropriately with a mortar liner or fireproof brick. For added visual interest, many styles of mantels, from wood to stone, can be built into the fireplace.

Now that you’ve considered your landscape design, consider us there to help you plan and execute it. Lehnhoff’s Landscaping is here to provide you with landscaping for spring in Baltimore, Maryland. Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Home & Garden: Outodoor fire pits and fireplaces

 

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Lawn Maintenance 101

April 17th, 2013

The days are beginning to get warmer and the grass in your yard has probably already changed from the dead brownish color it turns in the winter to the luscious green it is in the spring and summer months. Now that your yard is looking great again, it would be great to keep it that way. Below are a list of tips and tricks to keep your yard looking the best it can during the warm summer months.

Water Wisely

When is the best time to water your lawn? How long? How frequently? Well, if you have been watering daily, drop the hose and take a break. Watering the grass can be done as infrequently as once a week. To keep the grass looking great and healthy it needs about an inch of water per week. To determine how long that would take if you have an in ground irrigation system, turn on the sprinkler and place a container in the sprinklers path and record how long it takes to get an inch of water in the containers. If you are using a hose to water the lawn, just record how long it takes to fill a container and water the lawn for that amount of time.

The best time to water your lawn is in the early hours of the morning. Between three and four AM to be precise. It is before the sun has risen so the sun is evaporating none of the water and this will be most beneficial for the lawn. In addition, the water pressure is the highest early in the morning. If early morning watering is not practical for you because you do not have an in ground sprinkler system, you can water the grass when you are about to leave for work or in the evening if that is more practical. The worst time to water your lawn is in the middle of the day. The sun will evaporate most of the water before it has a chance to be absorbed by the grass rendering your efforts useless.

Master Mowing

There is nothing worse for your grass during the warm summer days than being too short. If the grass is too short, on a hot summer day the sun can burn it. A good rule of thumb for cutting the lawn is you should never cut off more than 1/3 the length of the grass. Also, do not mow the lawn while it is wet. This can cause the grass to dry longer than you anticipated.

Now that you know some great lawn maintenance tips, let us know if we can help you. Lehnhoff’s Landscaping is ready to assist you with all of your landscaping needs in Baltimore, Maryland – whether you’re selling your house or plan to stay there for another 30 years! Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnhoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Source:

Yahoo! voices: Best time to Water

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How Landscaping Can Boost Curb Appeal: Your Baltimore Landscaper

April 13th, 2013

Attention, homeowner (especially home-sellers and prospective home-sellers): Use these 10 tips to increase your home’s curb appeal and find out how an attractive and well-maintained landscape can add as much as 10 percent to its value.

Potential home buyers form their first impression of a home from its curb appeal. Yet often a home’s outdoor landscaping is overlooked, or underdone, in the preparation for the sales process. An attractive and well-maintained landscape can add as much as 10 percent to the value of your home.

Ideally, the time to get started cleaning up your yard is about a month before you plan on showing your house. That should give you enough time to get everything looking just right and not leave the impression that you simply waited until the last minute to put things in order. Follow these tips for sprucing up your yard to help your home sell quickly.

Spruce up outdoor containers. Container plants, especially large tropicals, add considerable interest to patios and doorways where would-be buyers enter and exit the house. Such displays also demonstrate the endless possibilities for designing with container plants.

Touch up the mulch. Nothing spruces up a place like a new application of mulch, so apply a fresh layer in all your garden beds. The color enhances the contrast of the surrounding plants and makes everything “pop.” What’s more, mulch is relatively cheap and easy to apply.

Plant some instant color. Seasonal color makes the landscape pop as well, and flats of annuals are also relatively inexpensive. Go for a splash of several colors or a more monochromatic scheme, whatever fits in with the look of your home.

Shape unsightly or overgrown trees and shrubs. Regardless of the season, it’s a good idea to tackle any overlooked pruning chores because nothing says “neglect” like a bunch of dead branches. The idea is to show how well not only your house but your garden has been maintained. It’s okay to prune deciduous trees and shrubs any time of the year.

Tend to perennial beds. Tidy up herbaceous plants, such as annuals and perennials, that don’t look as good as they should. If a plant is in such bad shape that it needs to be removed, either replace it or stick a decorative pot in its place.

Clean up water features. Get rid of any visible algae, and remove leaves and clean filters so that the water is crystal clear. After all, a water feature that doesn’t look good or function properly can be an instant turnoff.

Take care of any irrigation issues. If there are any problems with an irrigation system, fix them. Irrigation system repairs can be expensive, and you don’t want to lay the cost of those repairs on the buyer.

If you receive sufficient notice that your home is about to be shown, water a half-hour or so before the appointed time. The water reduces the glare of paved surfaces and also sends the message that your plants are well-maintained. You might even consider running your irrigation system just to show that it’s working properly.

Repair faucet leaks. A leaking faucet suggests that there may be other problems elsewhere in the plumbing, and that can be an instant turn-off to buyers.

Consider labeling as many plants as possible. That way, the buyer will at least know the name of each plant and can then research their growing needs. Also consider creating a complete plant inventory in scrapbook form and leaving it out on a table for prospective buyers to browse through as they tour your home. This relatively simple step can have a powerful effect on buyers, whether they’re gardeners or not.

Power-wash dirty surfaces. Consider buying or renting a power washer to clean paved surfaces. With very little time or effort, you can make grungy, grimy surfaces look brand-spanking new. Power washers also do a great job of cleaning fences, as well as brick and vinyl siding.

Now that you’ve seen 10 ways that landscaping can improve your home’s curb appeal, let us know if we can help you. Lehnhoff’s Landscaping is ready to assist you with all of your landscaping needs in Baltimore, Maryland – whether you’re selling your house or plan to stay there for another 30 years! Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnhoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Source: HGTV.com: Landscaping-tips-that-can-help-sell-your-home

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Make the Most of Summer with Outdoor Lighting

April 5th, 2013

Make the Most of Summer with Outdoor Lighting

From neighborhood picnics to kids’ play time, summertime equals outside time. Much of that activity occurs during longer daylight hours, but darkness is also a great time to enjoy warm-weather days. How can you create an environment that extends the fun of summer past sunset? Fortunately, the right light can make evening hours safer and more enjoyable, according to the American Lighting Association.

Whether for poolside parties, romantic dinners on the patio, kids catching fireflies or barbecues with neighbors, make your outdoors more beautiful and pleasant with these tips and tricks:

1. Improve navigation with outdoor lighting.

Lighting is typically layered into a room or outdoor space in three ways: overhead, task and ambient. Even outdoors — where there are no typical boundaries and borders — those three layers are necessary. Outdoor overhead lighting is important for visibility of steps, paths and walking surfaces.

2. Enhance security with outdoor lighting.

To improve visibility and security, combine a motion detector with a sconce to illuminate dark corners or areas near entrances, says David Kitts, a designer with Hubbardton Forge in Castleton, Vermont.

Be sure to aim lights away from the door. “Wall lanterns on either side of the door will give your home a warm, welcoming appearance while ensuring the safety of those that enter,” says Kim Mager, marketing director for Hinkley Lighting in Avon Lake, Ohio.

3. Create outdoor rooms with lighting.

“Creating outdoor rooms is more difficult because you don’t have as many features on which to direct light to define or enhance a space other than horizontal surfaces like a deck, patio or lawn,” says David Martin with Hubbardton Forge. Outdoor lighting at the borders of a space is a great way to give people barriers, both vertically and horizontally.

4. Reduce glare with well-placed outdoor lighting.

Outdoor lighting that casts a glare can be blinding, as can light that’s too bright. Light along paths should be cast downward, with fixtures, such as Dark Sky-compliant versions, that are hooded. A variety of lighting options will create layers, allowing you to add or subtract as necessary. If appropriate, exterior-safe dimmers can also provide flexible control over the level of light, as can moveable fixtures that can be added to a patio or porch as needed.

5. Add decorative elements with outdoor lighting.

Just as arbors, pergolas, patios and other outdoor elements help to enhance the style of an outdoor space, so too can lighting contribute to a well-designed landscape. “Well-done outdoor lighting should not only serve the functional purposes of safety and visibility, but also focus attention to the architectural and natural details of the space,” says Kitts.

For example, step lights are essential for safe passage, but can also highlight molding or trim details. For a pergola over a deck, an outdoor-compliant chandelier can be a wonderful accent to dinnertime and a way to spotlight the overhead structure and flowering vines. Patio lights provide ambience as well as illumination for cooking outside.

6. Enhance inside views with outdoor lighting.

It’s often an afterthought, but enhancing the views from inside the house is a natural fit for outdoor lighting. “You are able to enjoy your home’s landscaping and outdoor areas from the inside, creating a cohesive space from both inside and out, regardless of the season,” says Mager. To do that, layer in a variety of lights—spotlights on trees, lights dotted along pathways, accent lights on unique landscape features.

7. Conserve energy with outdoor lighting.

If you get enough light, there are solar options for outdoor lighting, as well as LED, Energy Star and Dark Sky fixtures. Many options are available today to help you enjoy the benefits of good area lighting in cost-effective ways.

Now that you’ve seen many suggestions and reasons for making the most of summer with good and varied outdoor lighting, consider us there to help! Lehnhoff’s Landscaping is here to provide you with lighting for spring and summer in Baltimore, Maryland. Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnhoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Source:  American Lighting Assoc.: Extend Summer Fun with Expert Outdoor Lighting

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Landscaping for Spring in Baltimore, Maryland

March 26th, 2013

Though the weather showed an initial protest with the snowstorm this week, spring is officially in bloom. Your perennials are bound to start sprouting up soon now that the sun is shining, but we bet your yard could use a little attention regardless – a spring cleaning, if you will. Get your outdoor space ready for summer soirees and backyard barbecues with a little landscaping to spruce up your property. Your landscaping for spring should be functional, practical, and aesthetically pleasing.

In order to achieve that trifecta of flawless landscaping, keep a few of these questions in mind as you’re planning your garden or working in conjunction with a landscaper:

  • How do you envision yourself using your outdoor space? Do you intend to cook outside? Hold bonfires with friends? Host large parties? Or relax with a good book under the summer sun?
  • Would you like to have edible foodstuffs in your yard or purely ornamental pieces?
  • Are you interested in attracting wildlife like birds and creating a tranquil space with the use of water elements?
  • Do you have any outdoor eyesores that you’re hoping to minimize or camouflage with landscaping?
  • Are there any features you’d like to accentuate with your landscaping?

Now that you’ve considered your landscape design, consider us there to help you plan and execute it. Lehnhoff’s Landscaping is here to provide you with landscaping for spring in Baltimore, Maryland. Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Lenhhoff’s Landscaping on The List!

March 15th, 2013

Lehnhoff’s has been seeing a little bit more than just landscapes lately: this week, we were featured on the entertainment news show The List for our award-winning “Lord of the Rings” tribute at the Maryland Home & Garden Show.

We like The List’s take on why going to the Maryland Home & Garden Show is a must: because it lets you “stroll through your dream garden” rather than looking at a blueprint and trying to visualize how it will come to life. This year’s theme, “Films in Flowers,” allowed spectators to take a trip through scenes from some of their favorite blockbuster hits. Ever wanted to walk through the door of a hobbit house? Gaze at the waterfalls of Rivendell? Sit by the hearth of a home that’s a part of a fictional fantast? Well, now you can.

Get a virtual tour of our landscape from Middle Earth by checking out our spot on The List, and get the rundown on the scene from owner Rob Lehnhoff himself! View the video here: http://www.thelistshow.tv/the-list/localist/baltimore-localist/16-films-in-flowers-at-the-maryland-home-and-garden-show

Lehnhoff’s Landscaping in Baltimore, Maryland offers landscaping design services that will transport you to another time and place. Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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16 ‘Films in Flowers’ at the Maryland Home and Garden Show

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Maryland Home and Garden Show: Best in Show Award Winner!

March 8th, 2013

Imagine a place that is “perfect…whether you like food or sleep or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.” So described Bilbo Baggins of his experience in Rivendell, the Elven outpost in Middle Earth. What would that look like? How do you envision it? We have our own ideas.

lordoftheringsset

 

Our recreation of the fantastically idyllic Rivendell is featured in this year’s Maryland Home and Garden Show (March 2-3 and March 8-10), where we took home Best in Show. This marks the first time in the show’s history that a company making its debut at the event was awarded the overall prize. Inspired by the Maryland Home and Garden Show’s theme, “Films in Flowers,” we created our own rendition of Rivendell, as depicted in the blockbuster fantasy book series turned films, The Lord of the Rings.

Come see our winning landscape design this weekend: the show is located on the Timonium Fairgrounds, and will be open on Friday, March 8th from 10:00am-6:00pm, Saturday, March 9th from 10:00am-9:00pm, and Sunday, March 10th from 10:00am-6:00pm. For more information about the show, please visit the event’s website here! Come join us and take a journey to the peaceful post known as Rivendell.

Lehnhoff’s Landscaping in Baltimore, Maryland offers landscaping design services that will transport you to another time and place. Learn more about our work: contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Rivendell

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How Landscaping Can Cut Down on Energy Costs | Maryland Landscape Design

February 22nd, 2013

Energy costs can be exponentially high, and while there’s lots you can do indoors to improve your home’s energy efficiency, there’s plenty that can go on outside to help you beat the heat in the warm months to come. A pesky phenomenon called the heat island effect happens notoriously in urban areas, wherein built-up cities and communities are likely to be hotter than more rural areas. Here’s how you can leverage landscaping to mitigate the rise in temperature caused by heat islands.

Using Trees and Greenery to Stop Urban Heat Islands

Vegetation has cooling effects, lowering surface and air temperatures with the shade they provide and thereby helping to reduce boiling hot temperatures by anywhere from 2–9°F . When planted in the right places, trees can effectively stop the sun from shining on paved areas that give off a lot of heat. In addition, trees plotted near west facing windows can help to cool a building by offering additional shade and bringing less direct, hot, sunlight inside.

Benefits of Lowering Heat Island Effect

The following benefits can be gleaned from a well-planned landscape aimed at mitigating urban heat islands.

-          Energy Efficiency: less heat in buildings means less money spent on air conditioning

-          Optimal Air Quality: with less energy wasted, less air pollutants and greenhouse emissions will ultimately be produced.

-          Less Maintenance: The shade of a tree can help to lessen wear on pavement, making maintenance a less frequent mandate.

-          Aesthetic Perks: We needn’t forget in all our talk about energy efficiency that a beautiful landscape is valued and enjoyed by most all onlookers!

Lehnhoff’s Landscaping in Baltimore, Maryland can provide landscaping design services to help you lower temperatures and save money in your Maryland home.To learn more, contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Urban Heat Island Mitigation

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Tips from Maryland Landscaping Company: Preparing Your Landscape for Spring

February 15th, 2013

March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, as the saying goes, leaving spring weather in its wake. With Valentine’s Day behind us and the close of February approaching faster than two lovers’ heartbeats, we thought it’d be a good time to talk about preparing your landscape for spring.  Here are a few ideas to get you started in your garden as the start of spring approaches.

Perennials: Plant them to give your landscape a flourish of color quickly. From crocuses to irises, daffodils, tulips, and more, there are many beautiful blooms to choose from that make an easy addition to any garden.

Prep Beds: Fertilize all of your beds and planting areas with two to four inches of fresh mulch. Be sure to also add fertilizer to your lawn after raking and aerating your grassy spots.

Pruning: Ridding of dead leafs, pruning flowers and the like will promote growth in your garden.

Irrigation: Though April showers bring May flowers, now is the perfect time to check up on your irrigation systems and make sure they are functioning properly so that your plants and lawn can be adequately watered to ensure a fruitful garden.

As you await the spring weather and the vibrant colors the warmth will bring to your landscape, consider consulting with a professional Maryland landscaping company to help advise you in designing an optimally planned garden. From planting to design, outdoor lighting, hardscaping, and more, Lehnhoff’s Landscaping in Baltimore can get your garden slated for growth this spring.

To learn more, contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Preparing Your Landscape for Spring

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Backyard Pond Installation in Baltimore, Maryland

February 1st, 2013

It’s winter, and while there may be snow in the forecast, Maryland enjoyed two entirely spring-like days this past week, which started to get us geared up to spend more time outdoors. Even if we can only longingly look outside from our sunrooms or out the window while waiting for the weather to get warmer, there’s one great landscaping feature that can provide endless entertainment whether you’re indoors or out: a pond.

Ponds are microcosmic ecosystems that create an environment for interesting wildlife to come flocking to your yard, bringing beneficial and beautiful animals into your outdoor space for you and your family to enjoy.

In order to create a natural looking pond that blends seamlessly with the rest of your landscape, use stacked rocks and logs that will create a transitional area between the ground and the water – this also lets critters come and go with ease. Allow debris to settle on the bottom of the pond, and use native plants to help foster an environment that can balance itself, preventing too much algae growth.

A landscaping professional in Baltimore, Maryland with experience designing ponds and other water features can help you create a healthy habitat where wildlife will flourish in your own backyard. At Lehnhoff’s Landscaping, we will assist you in determining the best spot on your property for a pond, installing pumps, waterfalls, and fountains, as well as prepping your pond appropriately so that it can keep itself in balance.

To learn more, contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!

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Build a Backyard Pond

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