Watering Protects Your Landscaping Investment

If your landscaping could talk right now, it would croak out a weak “Water, please?”

Late summer is brutal on Cincinnati landscaping. “The best way to protect your investment is to water,” says Will Seiler, “and do it early and often.”

All plants, but especially newly installed plantings, need adequate moisture now in order to grow, thrive and survive through the winter. And while cold weather may seem far off, once the ground freezes, plants can’t absorb any moisture. The time is now to serve up the drinks your plants desperately need.

How Much and How Often?

Large shade and flowering trees require plenty of water to saturate the root ball and surrounding soil. Water each tree by placing a slow running hose at the base of the trunk. We recommend 15 minutes of slow running water every other day for the first 10 to 15 days after planting. Repeat every fourth or fifth day after that, depending on rainfall.

Water evergreen trees individually with a slow running hose for about 10 minutes each. Evergreen shrubs need about 3 minutes of slow running water from a hose to saturate their root balls and the surrounding soil. Check the soil around each tree or shrub every day or so—if it crumbles, it’s time water.

Flowering trees and shrubs need frequent, lighter watering. Use a slow running hose at the base of each plant for about 3 minutes and repeat every other day.

Water grasses and perennials individually with a slow running hose for about 1 minute daily.

Ask for Help

If you plan to go out of town this summer, be sure someone takes over your watering tasks. New construction landscaping is especially vulnerable to neglect. Even if you haven’t moved in yet, you need to be vigilant about proper watering of new trees, shrubs and perennials.

If you have questions about watering this summer, call us.

7 Ways to Convince Your Spouse You Need a Fire Pit This Summer

Picture a warm and welcoming fire pit in your backyard: Cozy evenings with friends and family gathered around or maybe quiet nights with just you and your spouse snuggled up to the rosy glow.

You can see it: The only problem now is convincing your spouse that this is the year to make that fire pit happen. Oftentimes, one spouse has the vision and the other needs to be persuaded. We’ve got you covered.

Patio fire pits can burn wood or be fueled with gas. For newer homes in areas without a lot of old-growth trees that drop branches, a gas fire pit is a wonderful option that gives you flames with just the flip of a switch. For yards with old larger trees, having a place to burn twigs can be ideal.

Get Him or Her On Board

Here are seven reasons to share with your spouse about why a fire pit project should be the hottest thing on this summer’s “must have” list:

1. Wood burning fire pits can be used for cooking. Fire pit cooking has several advantages. The cooked food is usually more flavorful because it has been cooked over a real fire. Also, if the fire pit is large, you can use it to cook for many people at one time.

2. You owe it to the children to teach them about real s’mores. Sure you can make s’mores in the microwave. But what summer is truly complete without marshmallows toasted over an open flame? A fire pit will give you an excuse to gather the kids and keep this tradition of summer alive and thriving.

3. If you build it they will come. The neighbors that is. A fire pit is an open invitation to neighbors to stop by and say hello. Or toss on a log, send a few texts and it’s an instant party. A fire pit is also a conversation starter and encourages people to stick around and visit.

4. You will get greater return on your backyard investment by extending the seasons. As the weather turns crisp, a fire pit allows you to still enjoy the outdoors.

5. Instant ambiance. Nothing makes a backyard look more inviting than the warm glow of an outdoor fire surrounded by welcoming chairs. Elements such as seating need to be taken into consideration. Built-in seating or a group of matching Adirondack chairs provide the right environment for snuggling up and enjoying the relaxing warmth.

6. You only get 18 summers with your children. Life is short. If a fire pit can get the kids to put down the electronics even for one night and talk, it’s worth the investment.

7. Sitting by a fire is romantic. Need we say more?
   

Plan Your Fire Pit Now

We specialize in the design and project management of complete backyard fire pit projects and surrounding landscapes. We can help you choose the right location and the right option for your unique lifestyle. Contact us today and get your fire pit party started!

Cincinnati Landscape Lighting Guide

A comprehensive landscape lighting design can highlight your beautiful yard, make it safer and extend your enjoyment into the evening hours. With landscape lighting, the relationship between light and shadow on walls creates various stunning visual effects. There are multiple techniques that can help create the effects you desire. Using a variety of these techniques brings your home into a whole new light. Here’s our complete guide to all of your illumination endeavors.

Landscape Lighting for Walls

Placing lighting on exterior walls can create dimension, highlight key features and accentuate certain areas of your home. There are many different locations and surfaces to choose from when installing wall lighting. Here are some of your possible choices:

Landscape lighting images courtesy of Kichler

• Wall-wash lighting:  This landscape lighting technique directs the eye to the textures and shapes of items such as plant beds or other natural elements, adding depth and style. It easily accentuates the style of your home.

• Grazing: Add depth and dimension to various architectural features of a home or building with the grazing technique. The light fixtures are often placed on the top or bottom of a structure, accentuating its entire surface.

• In-ground lighting: This approach to exterior lighting delivers top-to-bottom lighting on installations such as sidewalks, trees, walls and flagpoles. In-ground fixtures are generally flat and can be easily placed among plants and rocks, or in gardens and flower beds, to help them blend into the landscape.

• Shadowing: This technique directs the eye to trees or surfaces by casting a light in front of shapes to intentionally create a shadow behind them. Shadowing allows various shapes and sizes of objects to be made more obvious to the viewer.

• Silhouette lighting: This landscape lighting technique draws attention to items such as trees or decorations by highlighting a vertical surface behind the object to accent the shape itself.

• Hardscape lighting: This technique places lights directly on hardscaping features, such as retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, steps, and more. The overall effect guides the eye along your outdoor space and accentuates various textures and looks.

  Landscape Lighting for Pathways and Walkways

  Lighting up pathways, walkways and garden edges is both beautiful and functional by making walking around your landscape after dark safer. Depending on your application, you may need different techniques.

Landscape lighting images courtesy of Kichler

• Xeriscape lighting: Accent plants like cacti, grasses and the stone used in xeriscape designs benefit from lower illumination rather than high-resolution lighting. Delicate details can be highlighted, so you can easily show them off to your guests. An added bonus is that incorporating low-voltage lighting into xeriscaped areas supports water conservation efforts. 

• Path and spread lighting: With path lighting techniques, you can illuminate sidewalks and paver pathways to guide guests along your property safely and efficiently.

• Deck and patio lighting: You can also highlight the beauty and details of decks, patios and outdoor kitchens, to extend gatherings well into the night.

  Additional Landscape Lighting Effects

  With landscape lighting, you can create beautiful effects with the play of light through leaves or water. These techniques can bring a sense of calm and magical wonder to your yard.
  

Landscape lighting images courtesy of Kichler

• Mirror lighting:  This technique refers to the act of strategically lighting background areas around bodies of water, which then reflect landscaping details off the water. This creates a “mirror” effect and can be quite beautiful at night.

• Moon lighting: When a fixture is placed high in a tree, the light catches the details of branches and imitates the natural look of moonlight. This is a good option for those looking for subtle lighting that easily blends into a landscape.

• Underwater lighting: If you have a pond, pool or other body of water in your outdoor space, try placing lights underwater for a unique and luxurious look. By enhancing and highlighting flowing water in waterfalls, streams and fountains, a magical mirroring effect is created.
  

The Environmental Benefits of Landscape Lighting

Beyond the aesthetic appeal, landscape lighting provides significant environmental and safety benefits, making it an essential component of modern outdoor design.

• Energy efficiency: With advancements in LED technology, landscape lighting has become more energy-efficient than ever. LEDs use just a fraction of the electricity of traditional light bulbs, reducing energy usage and lowering electricity bills. 

• Light pollution reduction: Thoughtfully designed landscape lighting can minimize light pollution. Directing light downward and using shielded fixtures prevents unnecessary light from spilling into neighboring properties. 

• Improved safety: Illuminated pathways and entry points provide clear visibility, and motion-activated lights offer an added layer of security by alerting homeowners to suspicious movements.

• Enhanced outdoor living: Well-lit outdoor spaces extend the usability of your yard into the evening hours, allowing for more social gatherings and relaxation time outdoors. 

• Support for biodiversity: Thoughtful placement of lights can protect and support local wildlife. For instance, using warmer-colored lights reduces the impact on nocturnal animals and insects, which can be disrupted by harsh or overly bright lighting.

Contact Seiler’s Landscaping

Ready to enhance your property with the power of lighting? Seiler’s has helped countless clients do just that, and we’d be more than happy to share our experience with you. Contact us to schedule a consultation and get started.

Seiler's Now a Certified Drainage Contractor

Do you have water, water everywhere?

Drainage problems can show up in a variety of ways around a home. You might notice standing water in your yard, a persistent puddle in your driveway or water lapping in your basement or crawl space.

None of these scenarios is a good thing. Fortunately, there’s help.

NDS Certified

Four members of the Seiler’s Landscaping staff have attended an in-person training course and passed an evaluation to become certified drainage contractors. As part of the training, we studied drainage fundamentals, common drainage problems and solutions and drainage system design.

With this background and our landscaping experience, we can design drain systems to whisk water away from your yard, driveway, walkways, pool or patio area, or even basements or crawl spaces. The solution to your particular issue might involve installation of a French drain, dry well tank or drain grate.

Problem Solved

Don’t live with excess water or poor drainage around your house any longer. Contact us today. We’ll take a look at your yard and talk about your options.

3 Things that Are Making Your Landscape Look Dated

Are these problem areas aging your house visibly?

If you haven’t replaced your landscaping since 2004, it’s most likely time for a facelift. Not sure? Take a long look around your house: Do you see any of these three telltale signs of age?

1. Monster Shrubs

These guys start out as sweet little accents around your home’s foundation. Pretty soon, they’re taller than you are and overstaying their welcome. Even with pruning, the interiors of shrubs can become a mass of bare branches that don’t do anything for your home’s good looks. Bushes growing right up against your house can trap moisture and attract insects, too.

2. Rowdy Roots

Notice any lumps or swelling in your driveway or sidewalks? Roots from overly ambitious shrubs and trees may be to blame. Like bad neighbors, these roots will keep disturbing the peace in your pavement until you evict them.

3. Galloping Ground Cover

There’s nothing wrong with low plants that fill in spaces in your garden beds--until they overstep their boundaries. If you can’t figure out where a bed begins or ends, you may need to call in the border patrol. And, if you look closely, do you find that patches of ground cover have started welcoming weeds, too?

Turn Back the Clock

Most landscaping has about a 12- to 15-year lifespan. Even with regular trimming, pruning and weeding, shrubs, trees and plantings can become too large or suffer damage from weather, insects or wildlife.

At Seiler’s we give landscaping a fresh start with a multi-step approach:

1. We walk around your house, assessing the health of existing plantings.

2. We work with you and your budget to suggest ways to replace any items that have reached the end of their lifespan or are just too large for your space.

3. Depending on your preference, we can remove and replace old plant life all at once or through a multi-year phased approach.

4. We provide easy instructions for maintaining new plantings for you to enjoy for years to come.

Look Younger!

Ready to take years off your home? Call us today to talk about your options.

LEED Certified Landscaping for Your Cincinnati Home

Whether you’re interested in a city of Cincinnati tax abated residential project or just want to create an environmentally friendly home, consider the residential LEED program. LEED-certified homes meet certain criteria set out by the US Green Building Council. The right kind of landscaping can help your project reach LEED goals.

“The overarching goal of LEED landscaping is to manage water on the property,” Will Seiler of Seiler’s Landscaping explains. “Rainwater harvesting, irrigation and choosing plants that are non-invasive are some of the elements.”

Landscaping and Hardscaping

When designing for a LEED project, the staff at Seiler’s ensures that every detail is taken into consideration. Trees are located where their shade will provide summer cooling for the home. We choose native plants that thrive without extra fertilization or care. The designs limit hard surfaces, like concrete, because they tend to collect and store excess heat. “For hardscapes, like patios and walkways, we choose materials that are permeable,” Will says. Allowing water to seep down into permeable pavers, for instance, means less runoff flowing into and burdening storm sewers.

Rainwater harvesting can be an important part of a LEED home. Beyond rain barrels that catch water running off a roof, these systems include large tanks that are buried during home construction. Then, the landscape’s irrigation system can pull water from the tanks when conditions require watering. Tanks are easier to install as part of construction of a new home, but they can be set in place if a homeowner is doing a major landscaping overhaul.

Your LEED Landscaping Partner

Depending on the range of “green” elements included in a project, a home can achieve one of four LEED levels: certified, silver, gold or platinum. The more elements you include, the more LEED points you earn.

As a competent, experienced LEED partner, Seiler’s Landscaping has managed large LEED projects. We’ve helped homeowners receive the most points available in terms of landscaping, and contributed to platinum level home projects.

Interested in saving money and saving the planet with your home? Contact us today to discuss your project.

Save 15% On Cincinnati Landscape Lighting Projects

Light the Night Cincinnati Sale

Love the drama and beauty of outdoor landscape lighting? Looking for added safety or simply the aesthetics of lighting a wall, fountain or walkway? Cincinnati homeowners are turning on the power of landscape lighting to add evening hours to their landscape enjoyment. We specialize in complete project management from design to installation to final check in. For a limited time, get 15% off your entire project with signed contract before June 15, 2019.

Offer Ends: June 15, 2019

Book an Appointment today  

Landscape Lighting Pro Tips and Trends From Kichler

Landscape lighting works hard bringing you safety, return on investment and great curb appeal. To make the most of these benefits, pair a professional lighting plan with high-quality light fixtures.

At Seiler’s Landscaping, when we create a plan for lighting, we specify Kichler fixtures. Nick Allen, our Kichler representative, explains why it’s a solid choice. “Kichler offers one of the strongest warranties, coupled with excellent customer service,” Nick says. “The failure rate on these fixtures is less than .5 percent and Kichler firmly stands behind all of their lights.”

Location, Location, Location

Yes, you can go to a big box store and buy a handful of exterior lights. The trick is knowing what type of fixtures you need, how many to install and where to put them. Going with a lighting plan designed by an experienced professional is what Nick recommends. “Your landscape contractor is ultimately the expert on the outside of your house,” Nick says. “Let them feature and embellish your outdoor space.” 

With a professional’s approach to landscape lighting,  certain features of a property or outdoor living space can be enhanced and enjoyed after the sun goes down. Those extra hours of enjoyment are a great return on the investment homeowners make to their outdoor living spaces. “Seiler’s long history and experience makes them an excellent choice in a professional and artistic lighting display,” Nick says.  

What’s New With Landscape Lighting

LED lighting was introduced to landscaping within the last five years. This type of lighting is the most energy efficient. “Kichler has worked to perfect the new technology and continues to introduce new features,” Nick says. While LED lighting has a higher upfront cost, it uses less energy over the long run and features bulbs with long lifespans.

Nick offers another suggestion for kicking your curb appeal up a notch. “Don’t be limited to a 10- to 12-light package,” he says. With the extra investment, you can add more fixtures, or backlight or shadow a feature in your yard. The lighting will set you apart from your neighbors and create a welcoming glow when you come home each night.

Kichler and Seiler’s Landscaping Team Up 

Nick, who has spent 20 years in the landscape industry understands how to make homes look great. We’re humbled that he’s quick to recommend our services. “Seiler’s brings professionalism, ethical business practices, and expert horticulture knowledge to the table,” Nick says. He calls our team (Will, Jim, Darren and Anna) responsive and in tune with clients’ needs. “They build a customer base but they also build a relationship and work to make it a long-lasting one,” he says.

To see more of Kichler’s lineup of exterior (and interior) lighting, go to www.kichler.com.

Limited Time Offer: Save 15% On Lighting Projects

Love the drama and beauty of outdoor landscape lighting? Looking for added safety or simply the aesthetics of lighting a wall, fountain or walkway? Cincinnati homeowners are turning on the power of landscape lighting to add evening hours to their landscape enjoyment. We specialize in complete project management from design to installation to final check in. For a limited time, get 15% off your entire project with signed contract before June 15, 2019. (Offer Ends: June 15, 2019)

Will Seiler Talks Trees with Enquirer's Kathrine Nero

Kathrine Nero, host of the Enquirer’s Coffee Break with Kathrine, hosted her morning broadcast from Seiler’s Landscaping nursery lot this morning. In honor of Arbor Day, Kathrine and Will talked about the best trees for Cincinnati, and how homeowners can make good choices on trees for their yards.

Will took several questions from viewers on Bradford Pear trees, what azalea plant is his favorite and tree maintenance.

Here’s a link to the video!

https://www.facebook.com/Enquirer/videos/571400790034879/UzpfSTE3MTU0ODIyNjM0NTIxNzoxMTg5MDY0NDE3OTI2OTIx/