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MILWAUKEE/NARI SUGGESTS WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR BACKYARD IN THE SUMMER
June 16, 2009

By the time the grills are lit for Fourth of July gatherings, it will be apparent which homeowners have been keeping up with their lawn and garden to-do list, and which haven't. For those who have, the holiday can be a day of well-earned leisure.

For those homeowners who haven't, well, there's still plenty of summer left. July is not too late to dig in to harvest some rewarding summer results.

Members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council, Inc., the area's leading home improvement and remodeling industry resource for more than 47 years, offer tips for cultivating lawns and gardens.

There are three words of advice for summer lawn care: water, water and more water. Milwaukee/NARI recognizes many people say 'let your lawns go dormant' but, if let go too long, a lawn can be lost.

The best method to adopt is long, infrequent waterings. Short watering periods every day result in a short root system because the root system starts growing upward to get the moisture. In our growing zone, water two days a week, putting down just three-fourths of an inch each time. When a lawn is watered every day, it promotes diseases and funguses, because the lawn is not allowed to dry out.

Also, homeowners are advised to leave the grass longer when they mow. Instead of cutting it down to two inches, let it stay at four inches. It may need to be cut more often, because the plant will retain more moisture, but it will be able to withstand drought better.

Speaking of drought, fertilizer can be applied during a drought, to be activated when it does rain. Slow-release fertilizer will sit inactive until rain falls on it.

Summer Landscaping Trends

Outdoor living areas are getting more attention in the Milwaukee area. William Wandsnider, owner of Wandsnider Landscape in Menomonee Falls, explains, "When we design a landscape, we're designing a room outdoors, and we frequently design in focal points."

A garden favorite is sculpture, which can be lit at night for added drama. The challenge is to find the right piece for the setting, Wandsnider points out, "Among other points, the selection of a sculpture includes size, proportion, and the style, whether it's contemporary or traditional."

Another way to add a landscape focal point in the summer is to install water features, such as self-contained, or recirculating, fountains. No plumbing is needed. "In a garden space or outdoor space, the sound of water is very soothing and very transporting," Wandsnider notes, "It's great for masking other sound like traffic."

Outdoor lighting is becoming a more common feature in gardens, to add safety and security, as well as beauty. With the right illumination, homeowners can light a path or uplight the trunk of a tree, backlight a plant with interesting foliage, or wash a wall of a house with light.

Stone can provide a classic focal point, whether in a wall surrounding a patio or in a flagstone patio. Wandsnider says, "Permanence is a good way to describe the appeal of stone. It feels strong, sound, and solid. It feels good and long-term."

Many types of stone materials are available. Wandsnider chooses brick or granite cobbles for edging planting beds or paths. He likes garden walls made of Wisconsin granite or a lannon stone, and built to a height that people can sit on, for functionality. He emphasizes the importance of capstone, which can contrast with the wall. He prefers Bedford limestone or bluestone, but notes that there are many options.

Versatile Patio Plantings

Bryan Clark, landscape designer at Hawks Nursery Co., Inc. in Wauwatosa, encourages cost-conscious homeowners to be strategic when installing plants around a patio in the summer. With foresight, homeowners can get more time and interest out of their colorful summer plantings, which can span the seasons to offer interesting foliage in the fall and stark silhouettes in the winter. Spring bulbs can be planted to round out the year.

For instance, Clark says, a boxwood hedge offers privacy year-round. In the summer, it's a green buffer between the patio and a colorful flower bed. In the winter, boxwood offers an evergreen contrast to the snowdrifts around the patio. "A lot of the spring flowering plants are also neat to look at in the fall, not for petals but for foliage. One example is the Oakleaf hydrangea, which has foliage that turns burgundy," he points out.

Ornamental grasses add fluid height and texture in the summer, and also add winter interest, with brittle plumes towering stiffly above the snowfall. Clark recommends varieties such as Carl Foerster and fountain grasses.

The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council was chartered in July 1961, as a Chapter of the National Home Improvement Council. In May of 1982, the National Home Improvement Council merged with the National Remodelers Association to form NARI - the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

The Council's goals of encouraging ethical conduct, professionalism, and sound business practices in the remodeling industry have led to the remodeling industry's growth and made NARI a recognized authority in that industry. With over 900 members, the Milwaukee Chapter is the nation's largest.