Archive for December 2013

Curb Appeal Before and After

These clients are the ultimate DIYer’s, remodeling their home and not afraid to tackle the landscape.  Their home had no curb appeal, no path or front porch and their single story home was dwarfed by a huge conifer with apparent structural problems.  The Chambers were planning to fix their home up and sell it.

This house needs curb appeal!

This house needs curb appeal!

 

The house had cute bones so we added a porch and two paths which gave us a chance to place softening plants.  The low front fence complemented the cottage style of the house and integrated yard and home.

Regarding our Landscape Design-in-a-Day process with Carol Lindsay:

“We had a great time doing the yard and we did definitely enjoy it.  The yard was a huge selling point as we had great curb appeal…. we sold after only 7 days on the market for over asking price. 

After design photo (close up)

“The yard was a huge selling point as we had great curb appeal…we sold after only 7 days on the market for over asking price.”

So we definitely did something right!  Thanks so much for your help in making it beautiful. We will keep you in mind with our new house and definitely as a referral.”
Thanks, Lila   Camas, Washington

When they moved we did another Design-in-a-Day for their new backyard.  Which they of course are installing themselves.

 

Amazing curb appeal by DIYer's

After Landscape Design in a Day and my clients hard work.

Mushroom Season Dangerous to Dogs

Dog with mushrooms

Are these mushrooms poisonous? http://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/pets-poisonous-mushrooms/

Mushroom season dangerous to dogs.

While walking with a friend and her dog in late November we noticed a miniature forest of mushrooms under a large tree right next to a dog park.  My advice is to presume they are toxic even though they may well be harmless.  Pick them as soon as you see them; (make sure you are wearing gloves) bag them and put them in the garbage and not in your compost.   When they are toxic they can be deadly.  Humans can have a liver transplant but dogs cannot.  Watch closely wherever you have removed trees.  The roots will decompose and fungi will grow.

“If your dog becomes ill, and you suspect mushroom ingestion, place the vomitus and any bowel movements in a plastic bag for identification, and refrigerate the bag. Try to have the contents identified within 24 hours. Notify your veterinarian that your dog may have ingested a mushroom, so that he or she can be alert to clinical signs that may require treatment.”  http://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/pets-poisonous-mushrooms/

I’m not fond of creating blogs with scary content, but there are many people who do not know about poisonous mushrooms in their home landscape.