The holidays are over, and the winter blahs are setting in.  That is why January is such a good time to design and plan those early Spring projects.  Planning your flower beds and Spring projects is a great way to chase away your Winter blues, plus, it gives you a chance to prioritize your needs so you can better budget your time.

What needs to be done first; tree pruning, leaf clean up, mulching?  Will you do it yourself or hire a landscaper?  If you are hiring, call and get on the schedule now so you’re are not fighting for a time.

Try sketching out your flower beds noting shrubs, trees, perennials, and immovable features and then look at your “blank spaces.”  What needs to go there?  Something tall, short, or wide?  What color would pop there?  Spring, Fall, all Summer blooms?  Need ideas?  Many nurseries have their inventory online.  Yellow Springs Farms, a native plant nursery in Chester County, for example, has an excellent feature in which you can search for plants based on light conditions, bloom color, plant size, and blooming season.  Do this for all your existing and wish-list beds.

Do you need hardscaping; a retaining or patio wall, a pathway, is an outdoor fireplace on your wish list?

Look in home magazines for inspiration or go online to view a gallery of projects for ideas.

So, make the most of your Winter down time and maybe even brighten your spirits with thoughts of warmer, sunnier days by planning your Spring projects now.

To learn more about the Native Designs’ landscaping and hardscaping capabilities or to view our gallery of projects, visit nativedesignslandscaping.com or contact Tom Wolfgang, certified horticulturist, at 610.584.2989.