Expert Landscape Design Advice

In-depth discussions, resources, and case studies

Lancaster County is known for its unique blend of residential areas and rural countryside.

The picturesque views of sprawling farmland are part of what makes the region so charming. Small towns throughout the county each have their own specific personality. It’s no surprise that one such community in Lititz, PA was voted the “Coolest Town in America” in 2013.

Lititz homes are highly sought after. In fact, it’s quite desirable to find a home that has one of the stunning views that overlooks the countryside. For this reason, when you find that perfect setting, you want to ensure your Lititz, PA landscaping goes a long way in enhancing that view.

Read More

Imagine gathering around your beautiful fire pit with friends and family, enjoying the warmth and the glow. A fire pit is a wonderful addition to an overall outdoor living space design.

With the addition of this fire feature, your outdoor living area has come together just as you’d imagined it—that is until the wind from your fire pit is blowing smoke directly into everyone’s faces all evening long. Because orientation wasn’t given any thought with your fire pit design, each time you use it, you have to move away from the fire pit every time the wind picks up.

Or, even worse, maybe a novice installer used a material that is not even rated for such high heat. You may not know this, but concrete blocks can actually explode if they get too hot, making your fire pit a serious danger.

Read More

Adding landscape lighting is such a valuable addition to any outdoor project. Not only does it serve a functional purpose by adding an element of safety and security, but it also adds a tremendous amount of aesthetic appeal.

There are countless ways to light up a property. While you may have seen a variety of landscape lighting ideas, you’re not sure which would work best for your property or even how they’d all come together.

Looking at pictures of landscape lighting is one way to start narrowing down which ideas you might like best. We’ve also rounded up some other ideas to keep in mind as you start planning your outdoor space.

Read More

Your outdoor kitchen countertop is an important detail of your overall outdoor kitchen space. It’s where you’ll prep and cook your food on your outdoor grill and will likely include a seating area for your family and friends to socialize.

When designed properly, outdoor kitchen countertops can be the showpiece of your kitchen.

But when not done properly, your countertops can turn your dream kitchen into a nightmare. The wrong choices can really have a negative impact. For instance, instead of enjoying time seated at the countertop, you can’t sit there because the dark stone you chose is burning hot. Or perhaps the spatial layout of your kitchen wasn’t taken into account and you barely have enough room to squeeze into the cooking space or move around in your U-shaped kitchen.

Read More

Being able to spend more time outside with family and friends was a top priority for these Ephrata, PA homeowners. The existing concrete patio was too small for entertaining and our clients needed additional living space for grilling, dining, and visiting with family and friends.

They desired a fantastic space for entertaining—but needed to stay within the confines of their budget. Making some creative choices allowed them to have the space they’d dreamed of without breaking the bank.

Read More

Imagine lounging by your pool, reading a great book or even watching your kids swim. You’re listening to the sound of your water feature churning and feeling totally relaxed when a scream cuts into the picture-perfect scene.

Your child was just stung by a bee or scratched by the thorny shrub that shouldn’t have been planted so close to your pool patio. And now that you’re looking closer, you’re noticing that your pool is filled with fallen flower petals and your patio is stained with berries.

This isn’t a dream at all—it’s more like a nightmare! And it’s all because of making poor choices in trees and shrubs.

Read More

Even a small backyard can be spectacular. That was the case for this historic estate, which had a sprawling front yard, but not a tremendous amount of space to work with in the back. The new homeowners (who had recently relocated there) had a lot they wanted to accomplish with the yard and it required maximizing the available space to get as much out of it as possible.

Projects on the wish list included a patio design that incorporated various entertainment, dining, and living spaces. More specifically, they desired a cigar patio off of the sunroom, a dining patio for guests or family dinners, an entertainment area, and a cozy fire pit zone. It was a tall order for a small space and required some out-of-the-box thinking.

Read More