Connecticut Landscape Design

End of Season Deadheading Equals Free Plants.

As the landscape transitions from summer to fall, it’s a good time to accomplish some tasks including starting to cut back and clean up some perennials. It’s also never too early to start thinking about next season. One of the garden maintenance tasks I like to do is to deadhead self-seeding perennials and spread them […]

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Using Annuals in the Landscape

At Designing Eden llc, the landscapes we design and install tend to have a lot of seasonal interest.  We accomplish this by using a mixture of various flowering trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers.  For most of our clients, that approach is more than sufficient in terms of providing enough seasonal color in their landscape or

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Middlebury landscape

Hollies Too Big? Connecticut Landscape Experiment

All too often, landscapers and homeowners rely on hedge trimmers to maintain plant size and height.  The problem with this approach is a very dense, unnatural looking shrub where all the foliage is only at the outer most edges of the plant.  A plant that is so dense is a perfect environment for diseases and

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Moving a Tree in Kent, CT

Today we moved a tree for a client in Kent, CT.  This tree was the biggest I’ve moved so far with the new tractor/loader/backhoe.  Even with 4000 lbs. of lift, we were right at the upper limit with the machine for this 5″ caliper Japanese Maple with a 57″ root ball.     There is

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Landscaping in Connecticut is Never Easy.

I’ve been landscaping in Connecticut for over 25 years.  Even after all these years, I still get nervous whenever I have to dig a trench or I have to get a large tree ball into a landscape.  Why? Because I’ve dug up way too many surprises over the years.   My own property never ceases

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Pruning Viburnum’s Naturally. Heading Back vs. Trimming.

Nothing drives me more crazy than when I see landscape companies trimming trees and shrubs with hedge trimmers.  Yes, Boxwoods have been trimmed for hundreds of years with hedge trimmers.  Although it isn’t the most healthy practice for the plant, it is accepted.  As I drive around Fairfield and Litchfield County, I see landscapers trimming

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Litchfield County Landscape Design

As a landscape design and installation company, our work is always varied.  One of our current projects involves working in tandem with an architecture firm to provide solutions for a client with a rather large ‘want’ list.  Here are two designs  for their landscape.  You can see in the designs that the back yard gives

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A Connecticut Landscape Designer’s Garden

People I meet all the time always say to me “you must have the most beautiful gardens at your house”.  Well, I’m sure you’ve heard “the shoe-maker’s wife often goes in ragged shoes”.  I can relate!  The fact is my own house is a work in progress and most likely will always be a work

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Moving Towards Computer Landscape Design

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you’re aware of my quest towards designing all of our landscapes with computer aided design.  Triumph, tribulation, excitement, frustration, and stress are just some of the emotions I’ve felt in recent weeks and months as I continue the process of moving my landscape design and installation

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