Designing and Building Outdoor Entertainment for Your Home
Prior to designing and building an outdoor living environment, spend some quality time considering how you will use your outdoor space. When you entertain, how many people usually attend? What time of day or evening do you usually entertain? Will you need night lighting? Do you or your guests have children, and does your entertainment space allow for kids to run and play?
In this photo in taken in a Montgomery County, MD residence, the design included two outdoor pergolas covering the deck and the barbecue grill. Other than aesthetics, the pergolas’ purpose included providing shade from the sun because the homeowner’s back yard included a lot of sun in the early evening.
During ConstructionNew
New, Outdoor Living Space
In this Northwest, Washington residence is designed to give the outdoors a sense of space and fun, while simultaneously giving the perception of privacy. This is accomplished through the tiered retaining walls and plant beds outlining the pool deck.
Northwest, Washington, DC Residence - Pool Deck and Landscape
Other things to consider include the location of your grill, and how to incorporate the grill into the rest of the design. Many clients desire a “built-in” grill like the one below, which allows ample space for food preparation using custom cut stone which beautifully integrates into the rest of the patio and walls.
Montgomery County, Maryland Residence
Finally, some folks forego the custom built grill and prefer the simple beauty of a patio, retaining wall, and plantings next to an outdoor fire, like the one in the back of this Bethesda, Maryland home.
Bethesda, Maryland Residence
Whatever your outdoor entertainment needs or preferences, with careful forethought, guidance, and planning, you can design a space to be used how you intend to enjoy your free time. Your investing a lot in this outdoor space….isn’t it worth it to take a little time to ensure you will use your investment to the fullest?
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Offer expires 1/31/11.
Full Landscape Maintenance Sale
One Month Free Labor
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100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!*
*New annual Full Maintenance Clients only. Not to be combined with other offers.
If you’re not fully satisfied, we’ll waive another month’s charge.**
Or call us, 301-656-6414, for more details on this special offer. Offer expires February 28, 2011.
**The first month free does not include any costs associated with an initial clean up, if needed. To receive the first month free you must have the deposit for the initial clean up and a signed 2011 Full Maintenance Contract. If you’re not completely satisfied by June 30, 2011, you can get one more month of service (July or August only) at no charge. We must receive written notice of client dissatisfaction between June 15, 2011 and June 30, 2011, or this offer is null and void. Written notice must be mailed to Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc., 7201 Brookville Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.
View the work of our experience and skilled masons. From traditional steps and walkways, to elegant patios and stone walls, our masons pride themselves on implementing your design to perfection. Contact us today, and begin enjoying a new outdoor living experience!
For a better landscape……
And lifestyle...
Consider….
A Full Maintenance Program with Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.
Are you able to spend enough time with your family? Can you pursue your weekend hobbies? Play a little more golf? Are you out there pulling the weeds yourself? Not sure if you’re pruning the right branches at the right time of year? Are you doing more damage than good to your plants, trees, and shrubs? Do you sometimes wonder if your home’s appearance could be enhanced? Is the value of your home what it could be with a fully manicured look?
Did you know that your landscape…. Enhances the first impression received by your friends and neighbors when they visit your home? Represents a financial asset and increases property value as much as 15%?
Is an extension of your living space that should be a source of enjoyment for you and your family?
Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. has been caring for properties in the Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Northwest Washington, DC area for over 50 years. To meet the needs of our most particular clients, our program includes complete care for your yard. Our maintenance staff will care for your property from Spring through the Fall. In the Spring, we will begin with a complete clean up of your yard.
We will:
1) Rake up all the winter’s debris from under the shrubs and trees and off the lawn.
2) Edge and prepare all the planting beds and cover them with a 2—3 inch layer of double shredded hardwood mulch.
3) Dethatch, rake, fertilize, and seed your lawn.
4) Prune your shrubs and trees as needed for the time of year.
After the initial clean up, we will next visit your property on a regular basis. Our crews cut the grass, edge the curbs, walks, and driveway. We weed the plant beds weekly, and we do regular fine pruning of shrubs. This gives your home a noteworthy appearance throughout the year.
In addition to the regular maintenance, we will fertilize at scheduled intervals and seed at the optimum times of the year. All you have to do is water the lawn and plantings as needed.
For those clients interested in adding a more aggressive, organic, and “green” approach to lawn care, we do offer an ad-ditional organic lawn care package. For more information about our organic lawn care package,click here.
In the Fall, we clear the leaves off the lawn in order to protect the newly seeded grass. In late November and early December, the whole property is cleaned and mulched so your home looks its best for the holidays. To meet with one of our landscape professionals about our Full Maintenance packages, please contact us today!
The recent record setting snowfall in the DC and Montgomery County, Maryland area this year has done a number on many plants, shrubs, and trees. Homeowners are wondering, “Will my plant survive?” “What steps can I take to restore this shrub?” and “Is this tree beyond repair?”
Before throwing in the towel and removing and replacing all damaged plants, trees, and shrubs, there are some steps homeowners can take. First, where possible, prune snapped branches. With a pair of loppers, a hand saw, or pruners (or a chain saw in the case of large branches), make a clean cut below where the branch was initially broken. It’s best to cut close to the base of the branch, and to cut at an angle.
For large shrubs (5’ and above) that have “fallen over”, use wire and pieces of garden hose to stake the tree to the upright position. Be sure to use galvanized wire and oak hardwood stakes. You may need someone to assist you in pushing the shrub to the upright position while you pull the wire and hose into place.
After taking these initial steps, you may still be unsure about the overall health of your plants. Before despairing about your shrub’s future prospects, wait until that time in the Spring when your particular variety “leaf’s out” or blooms. You may be pleasantly surprised that your plant, though once down, may not be totally “out”. In particular, mature plants and shrubs with established root systems have the best chance for overall survival.
Even still, there will be plants and trees that, despite our best efforts, will not survive the effects of snow damage. In those cases, it’s best to remove and replace them. Think of it as an opportunity for you to “upgrade” the curb appeal of your property, and to enhance your outdoor living experience.
In any case, if you still have doubts as to the health of your plant, it’s always best to get a professional assessment. The landscape designers at Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. (www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com) are prepared to assist you in this process.
Many Washington, DC area homes include beautiful architectural features and manicured landscapes. Unfortunately, many times these houses have “boring” concrete walkways and stoops that detract from the beauty and value of the home. The thought of redoing your entire walkway can be overwhelming and confusing to a homeowner.
There are many options when changing your stoop and/or walkway that does not require demolition and hauling of your existing concrete. A low cost option that provides a great final product is to veneer stone on the walkway with a thin layer of Portland cement. You can install Pennsylvania blue flagstone, brick, pavers, and other flagstone types. If the existing concrete is in good shape, the new veneered walkway will last for many years to come.
The freeze thaw cycles that occur in our area are the biggest downfall to concrete, so when we install a more durable product on the concrete it greatly extends the life of the concrete. The face of the steps or stoop can also be veneered with brick or wall stone to match existing stone on your home or in your landscape.
We would like the opportunity to explore options that can dramatically change the curb appeal of your home. The professionally trained stone masonry crews of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. have years of experience in installing these types of walkways. Contact Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. today (www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com), and take advantage of our holiday and winter discounts.
With record setting rain fall in May, June, and now December of 2009, many of our clients now realize that their landscapes have low areas with “standing” water. Some clients also live on the bottom of a hill and receive their neighbor’s storm water run-off. This water can be damaging to lawns, trees, and shrubs. In addition, standing water provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes. To keep our basements and low lying areas dry and to maintain a healthy landscape that is bug free, we must address these issues as soon as possible.
“Standing” Water
There are several “green” solutions that may be implemented to solve these issues. These solutions include dry wells, Flo-Wells, piping the water to the street, and water gardens.
Flo-Well Dry Well Water Garden
A drywell is a gravel pit below ground where the water enters the pit and leaches into the subsoil. Allowing storm water from your property to run on to the street is damaging to our environment because of the fertilizer, animal feces, silt, and other things that mix with water runoff that enter the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. A word of caution: dry wells can become clogged with silt, sediment and gutter debris that will cut the life of the dry well to 5-6 years, so you will need to clear it from time to time.
Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. (www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com) recently has used a new product named the Flo Well, which is a storm water leaching system. This is a 49 gallon container with perforated holes throughout, and it is installed below ground with one foot of drainage gravel surrounding the unit. This can be used in a variety of ways, including collecting water from low areas, downspouts, catch basins, and French drains. The top has an optional drain grate to capture surface water in low areas. The system allows the water in the Flo-Well to leach into the soil and prevents harmful contaminants from entering local creeks and streams.
Drywells and Flo-Wells work well for water in your yard. Water in your basement may need a different solution. Many times, water in your basement can be solved by grading and drainage work along your foundation.
Finally, the Landscape Designers of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. can design and install a water garden for the space where your yard currently has standing water. For more information on water gardens, link to the following blog on gardens that support the Chesapeake Bay, http://www.jlsinc.net/view-by-tag/bayscaping/.
Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. has years of experience in diagnosing, correcting, and solving drainage problems faced by our clients. Contact us today so we can implement cost effective and permanent solutions for your water woes!
When winter weather transforms your sidewalk and driveway into a dangerous skating rink, how do you melt the ice and snow without destroying your lawn and ornamental plants?
The key is to choose an environmentally safer deicer, use it in moderation and according to instructions, and to apply it before it begins to sleet or snow.
All chemical deicers essentially work in the same manner, by lowering the freezing point of water. The most common ice melter is sodium chloride (NaCl), otherwise known as good old-fashioned rock salt. Its popularity can be attributed to its low price and wide availability. However, since salt water still freezes at 0°F (or -18°C), it is of little help when the temperature falls below this point. Rock salt can also be destructive: it can corrode your car and your concrete walkway, and it can damage or kill your lawn and ornamental plants.
A better bet is to use one of the alternative, safer salts on the market. These include Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2), and Potassium Chloride (KCl). In general, these salts are more effective in reducing the freezing point of water to a lower temperature than rock salt, thus making them more effective in colder weather. Moreover, they tend to be less corrosive to metals and concrete, and are safer for lawns and ground-covers. Be sure to carefully look at the manufacturer's label for the listing of chemicals.
A newer, salt-free melting agent is calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which is made from dolomitic limestone and acetic acid (the main compound of vinegar). This material has little impact on plants and animals, and is a good alternative for environmentally-sensitive areas. Pelleted fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate are sometimes also used for melting snow and ice, but these tend to damage concrete more than the salts. For locations where chemical deicers are not appropriate, sand, kitty litter, or gravel can provide some traction, but they will not melt ice or snow.
Whatever product you choose, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and do not over-apply. Too many people erroneously believe that if 8 ounces is good, then 16 ounces must be better. Improper use of any chemical deicer may cause plant injury, which appears as drying, stunting, dieback, or "burning" of the foliage.
(Sam Nelson is a landscape designer for Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. Learn more about Sam and see his landscape design featured in the Washington Post at http://www.jlsinc.net/view-by-tag/washingtonpost/. )
On Tuesday, October 6, 2009, twenty-seven employees and staff of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. spent the morning clearing out parts of the Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery in Aspen Hill, MD. After changing ownership hands many times, the historic pet resting place was bequeathed to, and is now owned and operated by, the Montgomery County Humane Society. The society relies on volunteers and donations to maintain this seven acre property.
Herbert Hoover’s Pets and “Petey” from the Little Rascals – Aspin Hill Mem. Park
For many reasons, prior to the Humane Society running the operation, parts the Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery had become overgrown to the point where clearing out years of growth requires special tools and a lot of sweat and tears. Volunteers often are unable or do not have the time necessary to uncover the history under all the growth.
After watching a newscast reporting the needs of the cemetery, the ownership of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. decided it would be a good opportunity for their company to give back to the local community. In addition to the service to the humane society, Johnson’s Landscaping also needed a location to conduct its regular safety training for its employees. “It was great to knock out the proverbial two birds with one stone,” says Matt Johnson, sales manager of the company, who hastily added that these birds were “metaphorical, of course.”
Landscape crews clear the overgrowth Masonry crews restore a mausoleum
Jimmy Johnson, General Manager Maintenance crews clear the gravestones
Restoring the headstones
After the training, management, maintenance, landscape, and masonry crews all gathered at various parts of the cemetery to begin the renovation. The before, during, and after pictures tell the whole story. By morning’s end, the designated work was done, and crews and management went their separate ways throughout the county.
However, not before David Poole, a local representative of the Montgomery County Humane Society, returned to inspect the work. Says Poole, “After spending several weekends at the Aspin Hill Memorial Park working on clearing brush myself with a small group of volunteers it was amazing to see what Johnsons Landscaping Service was able to accomplish in just one days time. What they have done to honor the memory of these animals goes beyond words.”
Cris Bombaugh , president and CEO of the Montgomery County Humane Society, agrees with Poole. “We are so fortunate to have the support of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, which pitched in to transform the grounds of the Aspin Hill Memorial Park. We are grateful for their generous help, and were very impressed with their professionalism, efficiency and careful caretaking of this special resting place for beloved pets.”
For your safety and theirs, it is extremely important that your landscape providers are trained in handling their equipment in a safe and professional manner. Do you know if your landscape provider ensures that their employees are up to date on the latest safety standards?
On Tuesday, October 6, 2009, management and employees of Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. participated in a landscape safety training. The goals of the training included the following:
Identify landscaping safety issues by distributing a copy of “Landscape Safety Topics” manual written by the Farm Safety Association, www.farmsafety.ca
Identify the necessary standards for landscape safety by training and referring to manual.
Topics included safe handling of vehicles, lawn mowers, string trimmers, chain saws, machetes, gas trimmers, and quick-cut saws. In addition, general landscape safety rules were covered with an emphasis on everyone wearing personal protective equipment. As a guide to safety standards, participants used the Farm Safety Association Manual for the landscape industry. This booklet is standard fare in all Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.’s trucks.
Farm Safety Association Manual for the Landscape Industry; Protective Gear
Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. remains committed to the safety and well being of their employees and other citizens who may be in the vicinity of a landscaping project.
Protective Gear Training Truck Safety Training Equipment Safety Training
Equipment Safety Training Supplies Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.
By Ryan Sarvis, Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.
Are you deterred from venturing outside by cold weather and annoying pests? Do you shy away from inviting friends and family over because the only gathering place is inside your cramped house? This fall, why not add value to your property and extend your living space with an outdoor fireplace?
With a return to the coolness of Autumn and the decline of the sizzling hot and humid summer evenings, many Washington, DC area residents are now returning to the outdoors from their air conditioned enclaves. To combat cold temperatures and biting insects well into the Fall season, you can install an outdoor fireplace that will warm and protect you and your family while you gather around the warmth of a glowing fire.
The options for outdoor fires are numerous, but Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. has many years of experience building fire pits, fire rings, fire places with chimneys. Our experienced stone masons can build any fire place that you may desire with a wide range of material options. We can provide both natural and manufactured stone to build a fireplace. You have the option of a wood or gas burning fireplace. Whearas gas is cleaner, no mess, and easier to start, wood has a great smell, prevents pests, and provides a little charm to your patio. Please contact one of our professional designers so we may design a fireplace that will suit your outdoor living needs.
The outdoor fireplace adds a centerpiece to your landscape that will last forever and will bring friends and families together for years to come. In addition to the outdoor fireplace, there are many other options to enhance our outdoor living spaces, to include landscape lighting, shade structures, patios, and seating walls.
Interested? Contact us today!
By Ryan Sarvis, Landscape Designer, Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.
There are many ways to compost your yard refuse. DC and Montgomery County, Maryland area homeowners spend money each year on soil conditioners such as leaf grow, compost, and peat humus. Did you know that the county collects and composts this material from you and turns around and sells it back to county residents? Why not do it yourself and save the money for other landscaping projects?
There are many different composters available, depending on the space you have available, and the length of time you are willing to wait for composting to take full effect.
If you have little space and a short time period to compost, one option is “the tumbler.” This is essentially an empty oil drum on its side with a turn handle used to aerate the inside. The tumbler is the best composter for people with little space time. The key to composting quickly (3 weeks-6 months) is aeration of the compost. This allows air to enter the compost and speed up the breakdown process. Also, heat is very important. Locate the composter in a sunny location so the core temperature inside the tumbler gets high enough to breakdown the material.
“The Tumbler”
The most popular composter is “the bin.” This is a four sided plastic "box" with a lid. The upside to the bin is that it is neatly enclosed and is great for limited space areas. However, this unit cannot be aerated easily, so the composting process may take 6 months to 2 years.
“The Bin”
Yet another option is to simply create a compost pile. This option is best for larger properties where it can be done out of sight. If turned regularly with a pitchfork or other instrument, one can create compost rather quickly.
Now that you know the different ways to compost, it’s important to know what you can and cannot compost. You can put most yard refuse in your compost. Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and dead plants are great. Do not worry about weeds and their seeds because the heat of the compost will sterilize the weed seeds. However, placing other items in a compost pile may prove hazardous. Do not put the following items in your compost: Meat, bone, fish, dairy products, grease, dog, cat and bird feces, and large branches.
Custom Designed Compost Bin
Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. can install or custom build a compost bin that will meet your needs and situation. Mixing in compost with your plantings may be one of the best things you can do for your garden, and it is organic. Please call Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. to consult with one of our professional designers about your composting needs.
Want to have a great looking, low maintenance yard, while simultaneously supporting the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
Bayscaping is a method to landscape a commercial or residential property that provides habitat for local and migratory animals, improves water quality, and reduces the need for chemical herbicides and pesticides.
Bayscaping is valuable to the homeowner because it offers greater visual interest than lawn, reduces time and expense of maintaining a lawn, and addresses problem areas.
The principles of bayscaping includes the reduction of watering, chemical use, water runoff, and maintenance. It emphasizes the use of plants that are native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Native plants are adapted to our soil, temperature, and rainfall conditions. After initial installation, native plants are virtually maintenance free. When a bayscape is designed properly, it can be aesthetically pleasing, drought resistant, and low maintenance.
If you are interested in a drought resistant and low maintenance landscape, please contact one of Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc.'s professionally trained landscape designers to guide you through the design process.
A plant that causes many problems in our landscapes and with our neighbors is bamboo. This grass grows in two forms clump and spreading.
The spreading bamboo is the most troublesome because of its new shoots that pop up in our lawn or planting beds. It is a common misconception that these new shoots come from seeds. The new shoots that you see are actually sprouting from the rhizome roots.
If you are interested in installing bamboo, there is a way to contain it. The ideal way to install bamboo is to install a 60 mil thick, 24" deep plastic bamboo barrier with 2" exposed above the soil that completely surrounds your intended planting area. This will ensure that the roots do not spread beyond the desired area. This barrier must be maintained be cutting roots that try to jump over the exposed barrier.
If you already have out of control bamboo you can use several methods to keep the bamboo in check. One possible control is to cut the exposed roots that are moving away from the existing bamboo. Once a root is cut it will not grow beyond that point but will branch out behind the cut, so you must be diligent in cutting the roots. You can also control new shoots that are just sprouting by stepping on or kicking over the shoot while it is still tender. If the new shoots are over 3 feet tall, you can treat with Round up to burn the stalk back.
If you can no longer stand the bamboo, you can eradicate it. This is very difficult because of its aggressive nature. Cutting all of the bamboo down will only provide temporary relief. The stalks and roots must be completely removed manually or with machinery. It is impossible to remove every root initially; you must continue over several months to watch for and remove roots and new shoots. Additionally, you cannot kill the bamboo by only treating it with herbicides, as they are not yet a proven method of treating bamboo.
Johnson's Landscaping is ready and able to install, control, or remove any bamboo for you. Please contact us if we can assist you with your bamboo needs.
As a dog owner myself, I can attest to the frustration many homeowners feel when the primordial needs of a dog (scratching, digging, peeing, and pooping) can conflict with the desires of an outdoor landscape pleasing to behold and easy to maintain. At times, it’s easy to raise the flag of defeat and give reign over the landscape to the dog.
Fear not, landscape and dog lovers! The two can co-exist. It may require some effort or investment. In the end, it will be worth it.
Most dog owners know that the way to a dog’s heart is through food and walks, with the emphasis on walks. A happy dog (i.e. a dog who gets lots of walks) often will refrain more often from anxious behaviors such as digging and scratching on that beautifully manicured lawn or the azalea just ready to bloom.
Because of work and family obligations, many homeowners just don’t have the time to regularly walk their dogs, even though they know that’s what’s best for them. Jaime Deason, owner of Fetch! Pet Care of Silver Spring, Maryland (www.fetchsilverspring.com), says that her business is available to support dog lovers in giving the gift of a walk. Jaime completes background checks on all her sitters, and then trains them herself. Says Jaime, “Walking a dog regularly is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, and to prevent the unwanted attacks on your landscape.”
Sam Nelson, landscape designer with Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. (www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com), and a dog lover himself, says there are several things to consider when planning your landscape to accommodate dogs. First, Sam suggests “observing your dogs as they run throughout the yard. Make sure to notice where they like to go in the yard, and in your landscape plan leave this area as ‘open space’ for the dog. In this way, dogs will create a well worn path in some areas while leaving other areas to flourish.” Second, Sam observes that “dogs like to pee and run on the edging of plant beds.”
To soften the blow of this inevitable occurrence, Sam suggests lining the plant beds with low-lying liriope. This can help because the liriope is hardy enough to withstand the dog’s urine while simultaneously low enough to support larger shrubs and plants behind it. Finally, Sam reminds homeowners and dog lovers to be careful when choosing plants because some, like the Japanese Acuba, can be poisonous to dogs when chewed. Be sure to check with your local nursery before installing any plants.
As you can see, with a little effort and investment, a dog lover can enjoy both their landscape and their dogs….the two can co-exist!
When deciding which contractor will install your paver patio, driveway, or walkway, consider a number of factors.
Be sure to ask the contractor’s representative about the past performance of the company with regard pavers, and ask for client referrals as well. Make certain that the pictures provided are pictures resulting from the actual work of the contractor. Every contractor has catalogues of EP Henry or Belgard installed pavers, and those are very necessary for clients to decide type and color of their pavers. However, ensure that on their website and in their portfolios they provide pictures of actual work.
Another differentiating factor is whether or not the contractor is “certified” through the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. The paver installers at Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. went through days of classroom and hands-on training at the institute, culminating in an assessment at the end of the class. Depending on the results of this assessment, the installers are certified through the institute. The company then chooses to become part of the institute, thereby ensuring that any future paver installations will be according to the code and standards set by the institute.
By ensuring your contractor is a certified paver installer, you are ensuring that your patio, driveway, and walkway will be built right, and built to last.
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For those clients interested in adding a more aggressive, organic, and “green” approach to lawn care, we do offer an ad-ditional organic lawn care package. For more information about our organic lawn care package, 
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The spreading bamboo is the most troublesome because of its new shoots that pop up in our lawn or planting beds. It is a common misconception that these new shoots come from seeds. The new shoots that you see are actually sprouting from the rhizome roots.
As a dog owner myself, I can attest to the frustration many homeowners feel when the primordial needs of a dog (scratching, digging, peeing, and pooping) can conflict with the desires of an outdoor landscape pleasing to behold and easy to maintain. At times, it’s easy to raise the flag of defeat and give reign over the landscape to the dog.