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| The links above will take you to corresponding pages which contain more specific information about building and maintaining your landscape garden as well as some external resources you may find useful. Below is a collection of questions I am often asked by clients. Please send any questions or comments using the contact button above if you do not find the information you were seeking. | ||||||||
| FAQ's | ||||||||
| Do you charge for estimates/consultations? | ||||||||
| How long will this job take? | ||||||||
| How far out are you booked? | ||||||||
| Can landscaping be done during the winter? | ||||||||
| Where can I see the materials you use? | ||||||||
| What is the difference between dry laid paving and poured concrete? | ||||||||
| What process do you use to install a paver patio? | ||||||||
| What maintenance is required for pavers? | ||||||||
| What is the best paving material for building a paver patio or walkway? | ||||||||
| When should plants and trees be pruned? | ||||||||
| How big will this tree get? | ||||||||
| When is the best time for planting? | ||||||||
| When can I start planting my spring annuals? | ||||||||
| Do you charge for estimates/consultations ? There is no charge for the initial consultation/estimate. I do however charge for designs. Not every job requires a design, I can often provide an estimate without a design. Some clients feel more comfortable with a scaled design to help visualize the final product. I will be glad to provide a quote for the amount of the design fee at the time of the consultation, typical about $100.00. Back to top |
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| How long will this job take? The average job takes one week, off course this depends on size, complexity and any weather delays. Back to top |
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| How
far out are you booked? I can usually start a job within 30 days of contracting. I work one job at a time, in the order that they come in. Back to top |
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| Can landscaping be done during the winter? Yes. Winter weather slows things down a bit but as long as we can excavate we can build. The same is true with plants, although plant selection is limited during the winter. Back to top |
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| Where can I see the materials you use? I deal primarily with Lang Stone for hardscape materials such as stone, pavers and decorative aggregate. They carry a broad selection of these materials and have good displays to see the material up close and in use. For lumber I usually go to the nearest lumber yard and pick through the bunks of lumber. I purchase my plant material from a couple local wholesale nurseries such as Acorn Farms not open to the public but they usually have anything you can find at your local garden center. OSU has a helpful website, plantfacts, for researching plant material. Back to top |
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| What is the difference between dry laid paving and poured concrete? Pavers or stone properly installed with a dry technique will withstand the freeze and thaw cycles common during central Ohio winters. Concrete pavement often costs less to install but it is prone to cracking and lifting. Another benefit to dry laid pavers is that they can be pulled up and re-laid if repairs need to be made or access is needed for utility work. Back to top |
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What process do you use to install a paver patio? |
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| What maintenance is required for a paver patio or walkway? It is a good idea to sweep some sand into the paver joints once a year of so. Any kind of sand will work fine just make sure it doesn't have any mortar in it. Concrete pavers should be sealed with a paver sealer every year or two to prevent color fade. This color fade occurs faster in areas exposed to a lot of sunlight and weather, for instance driveways. The pavers will last just as long if never sealed but will gradually lose color vibrancy. This process is less noticeable on some tumbled or textured pavers and is mostly nonexistent on clay pavers and natural stone. Back to top |
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| What is the best paving material for building a paver patio or walkway? Concrete pavers offer more design options (more colors and sizes), whereas clay pavers offer less maintenance. The cost is about the same. Concrete pavers tend to lay a bit snugger, making tighter joints and a more consistently flat surface. Clay pavers however hold their color much the use of chemical sealers. Although the concrete is died straight through the paver, the die still has a tendency to wash off the top over time. Clay pavers have slight variations from one to the next, the result being slight gaps between pavers which offers a more rustic looking patio. Some people prefer the more rustic, traditional look of clay pavers over the cleaner look of concrete pavers. This aesthetic difference has been blurred with the introduction of tumbled and textured concrete pavers and even tumbled clay pavers which look a lot like old cobble stones. Back to top |
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| When
should plants and trees be pruned? Most plants can be pruned any time of year. With flowering shrubs and trees you may want to wait until after the plant has bloomed. Some perennials can be cut back mid season (dead headed) to force a second flush of color. Back to top |
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| How
big will this tree get? There are a few local parks and arboretums where you can see your favorite plants in their full size glory and decide for yourself whether you want that Blue Spruce planted eight feet away from your house. Dawes Arboretum is about 45 minutes east of Columbus. The Ohio State University's Chadwick Arboretum across the street from the Schottenstein Center is much closer and a much easier walk. The Franklin Park Conservatory has some plants left over from Ameriflora in their park but the cool plants are inside the glass house, just remember that most of the plants under the glass won't make it in your back Topiary Park downtown is worth visiting as well. Most of the plants and trees at these parks are labeled. Back to top |
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| When
is the best time for planting? Planting can be done any day that the ground is not frozen. Transplanting is different. Most trees and shrubs do best when transplanted in the spring or fall, however I have found that with proper care you can transplant most pants just about any time. One more note about planting, a plant can be put in the ground any time of year as long as the ground is not frozen. It is the act of cutting the roots of a plant that is can kill it. A plant purchased at the nursery has already been transplanted and can be put in the ground any time as long as it gets watered. Pruning and fertilization should not be required for the first year. Back to top |
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| When
can I start planting my annual's? I use Mother's Day as my start date. I've heard later dates suggested but mid May is usually good. Earlier is fine if you don't mind protecting them during late freezes. Planting annuals in containers small enough to be moved indoors during a freeze is another option, just make sure they are not too heavy to move. Back to top |
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