Before and After Cincinnati Pool and Outdoor Living

It’s never too early to start thinking about next summer! If you’re ready to put in the pool of your dreams, start considering your options now. Here are photos from a recent Cincinnati pool we worked on to inspire you. At Seiler’s Landscaping we offer full service design and installation to make your new pool area look like a true oasis.

We started the design for this Cincinnati pool with a blank slate. The owners had a lovely lot, but wanted to make the most of it with a pool for friends and family to enjoy.

During construction, the pool site was excavated, then the concrete was poured and decking installed. The pool’s design included an accent stone wall with waterfall, a shallow walk-in area with bubbler fountain and a built-in seat..

With the pool complete, Seiler’s Landscaping crew finished it off with exterior lighting, grass turf and planting beds designed to provide color and privacy.

Is a backyard pool on your outdoor living wish list? We would love to discuss your vision. Contact us today for a free consultation and we’ll have you relaxing by your own dreamy pool next summer!

Pro Spotlight: Haven Home Lighting

When the sun goes down, you can count on outdoor lighting to play up the best features of your home and landscaping. As one of Cincinnati’s top landscaping firms, we are proud to share more about the partners we work with here locally.

Recently, we’ve partnered with Haven Home Lighting, a Northern Kentucky company that’s making a colorful splash. We talked with Chris McCoy, founder of Haven Home Lighting, about what’s new now.   

What do homeowners want from outdoor lighting? 

Chris McCoy: Customers are buying the experience and ambiance. It is important that they enjoy the space for many years to come. Lighting plays a big role. Our systems can light pathways, decks, pools and outdoor living spaces.

How is Haven Home Lighting different? 

Chris McCoy: When shopping for our own home lighting several years ago, we noticed the lack of options offering easy-to-use functionality and brilliant colors. Instead of simply settling for what was available, we decided to design our own premium lighting products. We offer durable brass and aluminum fixtures with classic LED white lighting or full color.  

You can manage your Haven Home Lighting right from your phone with our simple, user-friendly app. We have the most versatile landscape lighting on the market.

With your lighting system, homeowners have options in terms of color. How is that used? 

Chris McCoy: We offer a wide range of colors, and through our app, you will also be able to set up calendar-based scheduling. You can program your house to light up red and green from December 1st through December 31st, and it will automatically switch to that set-up in December, not only this year, but every year going forward. If you love Halloween, you can use the app to schedule orange and purple lighting on October 31st. You can even change to your favorite team’s colors on game night. 

You can make changes from anywhere and there’s no need for timers on the fixtures. 

Home illuminated with white lighting

Home with Christmas theme lighting

Home with orange and purple Halloween theme lighting

Your business model is a bit different, too, right? 

Chris McCoy: We work directly with our install partners, instead of going through distribution, so that we support both our partner and their customer in the best way possible. We design, engineer, assemble and test all of our products in Northern Kentucky. 

We look for partners, like Seiler’s Landscaping, that care about their clients’ experience as much as we do after the job is done and they are off the job site. It is important for our company to partner with companies that have the same culture of support and client care as we do.

Haven Home Lighting fixture with tiki torch

Cloud-based systems, advances in LEDs and phone technology position us to be a perfect solution for partners with customers excited about phone control and home automation. 

Outdoor lighting has so many benefits: How would someone add Haven Home Lighting to their home? 

Chris McCoy: Homeowners can talk with a partner like Seiler’s Landscaping to help design an outdoor lighting system. They can also find more information on our website at www.havenhomelighting.com.

7 Tried and True Ways to Add Amazing Curb Appeal: Plus One You Could Do Today

Curb appeal is something we know a lot about at Seiler’s Landscaping. Though the term is used by real estate professionals to talk about how prospective buyers view a home, we find most people want a yard that they themselves think is beautiful. People love coming home at night to a yard that makes them smile. Here are some ways you can add lasting curb appeal: 

1. Invest in a front walkway that wows.

Whoever said a straight line was the best way to get from point A to point B was dead wrong. A curved walkway to the front door delights the eye and welcomes visitors like a wave. Hardscaping your walk with pavers, flagstone or slate provides a way to add year-round texture and color to your look. Starting with a new walkway is also a great first project to dip your toe into working with our Cincinnati landscaping firm. 

2. Design retaining walls.

Decorative retaining walls provide a structure around which to build your landscape design. From stacked stone to pavers or even boulders, a series of retaining walls make a front yard pop. 

3. Plant beds for color and year-round interest.

A variety of evergreens in varying shades of green should form the backbone of your front yard beds. Add texture to your beds with various shapes of foliage and height of plants to make your beds visually appealing. From boxwoods to viburnums, we start with the workhorse plants for our Cincinnati climate. And who does not love the pop of glowing color provided by Gold Mop Threadleaf Cypress? Apparently, no one in Cincinnati. From there we love to add dependable shrubs that provide color in different seasons such as burning bush and weigela. 

4. Create spaces for annual color.

In Cincinnati, we love our mums in the fall. By designing your beds with dedicated areas for swapping out annuals, we provide a manageable way to add that color you crave. The right time to swap out your color to the next season is when your plants start to look too tall or thin. Another hint: It’s time to make a fall switch when you feel jealous of your neighbors’ mums or see them sprouting up in the garden centers. 

5. Arrange plants for height and texture.

Front stoops and steps are great places to add pots for annuals. Then you can match the beds in the annuals in the pots and add some height. The old saying goes that you plant your pots with, “thrillers, fillers and spillers.” This means you want a “thriller” plant like a grass or evergreen to provide height. The “filler” should probably match your annuals. The “spiller” is a plant that trails like a sweet potato vine for example.

6. Install window boxes because you only live once. 

Window boxes provide a way to add seasonal color at eye level and can even be decorated for the holidays with evergreens. They can be custom built or purchased off the shelf. We recommend adding an irrigating system to take the headache out of watering them.

7. Light your walkways and house.

Nothing adds drama and pizzazz like a well-lit path and home. When you are redoing your beds for curb appeal, it’s a great time to put in landscape lighting for night interest. See our article on landscape lighting techniques for more information. 

Do-it-today idea: Replace your house numbers.

Can’t remember when you put those house numbers up? Well, maybe that is a sign that you could change them out. Today, hardware stores offer a huge variety of shapes, colors and styles to add interest. Get ideas of what you like from Pinterest and then hit the store. 

Need a Curb Appeal Boost?

We are experts in Cincinnati landscaping that works to boost curb appeal. Contact us to share your ideas and we’ll set a plan in action. Plans can be worked in phases over the years to suit any budget. Give us a call and let’s get your dreams on paper.  

Privacy Screens for Your Cincinnati Landscaping

As you spend more time in your outdoor living spaces, the issue of privacy might be coming up. Maybe you don’t want the neighbors seeing or hearing every minute of your next cookout. Or your deck might look out on a view that’s less than picturesque. Whatever your circumstances, using plants or trees to create privacy screens is an effective option. 

Some shrubs or trees make perfect privacy screens because they grow quickly in height or width. Other plants, such as vines, are a welcome addition to an outdoor structure like a fence or pergola. By covering the structure during warm weather months, these climbing plants increase privacy, offer shade and add beauty. Some even provide colorful and fragrant flowers.

For inspiration, take a look at these plants and trees for privacy suggested by HGTV. 

HGTV photo

Wall to Wall Privacy Screens

Formal gardens have traditionally used boxwoods or privets to bring definition to an outdoor space with living “walls.” You can use the dense growth of these plants to help block sightlines or strong winds in your landscaping, too. Keep in mind that hedges like these require regular pruning to maintain a crisp look and uniform shape. 

Better Homes & Gardens suggests these shrubs and vines for hedges. 

Better Homes & Gardens photo

When you’re ready to make changes to your landscaping for privacy (or any other reason) we’d be honored to help. We specialize in landscape design and install the highest quality plants and trees that are proven to thrive in our Cincinnati climate. 

Contact us today and we can schedule a meeting at our office or right in your backyard. 

With Hardscaping, a Yard Makeover Is Easy

Every landscaping project has two parts: living elements (or plant life) and non-living (or structural) elements. Hardscaping includes things like paver patios, stone walls, walkways, pergolas, pool surrounds and firepits. 

Although hardscaping may not seem as flashy and colorful as flowers and trees, it plays an important role. If your yard’s plant life is healthy and beautiful, but you have hardscaping that’s crumbling, unattractive or not functional, it can hurt your home’s curb appeal. 

Here are a few things to know about hardscaping: 

Hardscaping Is a Solid Investment

A good rule of thumb is to invest about 10 to 15 percent of your home’s value in its landscaping. Durable, well-built hardscaping is a sound investment that will serve you now and well into the future. 

The best way to start a hardscaping re-do is with a comprehensive plan. Before we begin drawing up designs, we would ask how you would like to use your outdoor spaces. Is cooking and dining outdoors a priority? Would new walkways or paths make better use of your existing space? Would you like to add a pool or hot tub? 

Photos are always helpful tools in sharing ideas and possible options. We can show you photos of our previous work and take inspiration from photos you share about hardscaping you like.  

There are many benefits to upgrading your landscape. For instance, hardscaping can:  

• Define spaces for seating or dining.

• Create an outdoor kitchen with a built-in look.

• Increase your home’s curb appeal.

• Create places to sit.  

• Replace less durable surfaces like wood decking. 

Hardscape Installation

When we’ve developed a landscape plan that meets your approval, we begin installation, which might involve removal of existing elements. How long installation takes depends on the complexity and scope of your project. Hardscaping is installed first, then plant life is added. 

Once your landscaping is complete, we provide instructions for watering and plant care. Typically, hardscaping is very low-maintenance. You’ll be enjoying a beautiful new yard right away and for many years to come.   

Thinking About A Patio, Walkway or Other Project?

Contact us to speak with our design pros.

Seeing Red: Fall Foliage in Cincinnati Landscaping

For hard-core leaf-peepers, it’s never too early to think about fall’s gorgeous colors. Here’s how to add shades of red, orange, yellow and more to your yard.

Pick the Right Trees

Maples might be the first trees that come to mind for autumn color. We recommend the Red Sunset maple cultivar for its brilliant orange-red leaves. The leaves of the lacebark elm turn yellow to reddish purple in the fall. Autumn color is one of the many reasons to love all kinds of Japanese maples. Weeping redbud is a favorite for its pinkish purple spring flowers, but the tree’s leaves take on a pretty yellow hue in fall, too. 

Growing healthy trees is a matter of proper planting and choosing the right location. We love to help our clients add year-round beauty to their landscaping with trees.

Shrubs In All Shades

It’s not just trees that show off at this time of year. Burning bush is a deciduous shrub that people love for its bright red leaves. Cranberry bush is another shrub with beautiful autumn color. Cutleaf sumacs are popular both for their flowers and colored foliage. 

Other options include oakleaf hydrangea, ninebark and Juddi viburnum. 

Be sure to pay attention to growth patterns for these shrubs. Some are known to get very large over time. 

Late Bloomers 

Asters and mums are reliable fall flowers that can bring a punch of color just when the rest of the garden is waning. While it isn’t a flower, switch grass offers autumn red and gold leaves. 

Make It Pop! 

If you’d like to add more fall color to your landscape, contact us. We’d love to discuss your options during a free consultation.

Make Your Yard a Vacation Destination

Could anything be better than summer vacation? Maybe getting that resort feel right at home--no packing, airports or long drives required.

Here’s how to bring home the five things everyone loves about vacation:  

1. Time at the Pool

Whether you enjoy splashing around with the kids or just chilling with a drink and a good book, a backyard pool can remind you to relax. Consider your pool style first: Look online for inspiration photos, then think about what amenities you’d like your pool to include.  

When you’re ready for a pool of your own, we can help you design it, oversee the installation, add a beautiful pool deck and plan for gorgeous plantings all around.  

2. Being Pampered

For some, no vacation is complete without time at a spa. The peaceful murmur of a fountain and the fragrance of luxurious oils and lotions help create a complete retreat from responsibilities. 

How to duplicate all that at your place? Start with a water feature in your yard with a bubbling fountain. Add wind chimes for gentle music. Choose fragrant plants  like lavender, roses, lilacs and magnolia. Include a spot for deeply cushioned patio furniture where you can nap or daydream in comfort. 

3. Communing with Nature

Do all your vacation photos include shots of flowers, birds and wildlife? You can find all that flora and fauna at home, too. Design a backyard with living things in mind. You can attract butterflies, pollinators and birds with well-stocked feeders and the right plants. 

And, while pets aren’t exactly wildlife, we can help you create a backyard that’s perfect for them, too. Staycations mean you don’t have to board the dog: It’s a win-win! 

 4. Dining al Fresco

New restaurants, regional delicacies and eating under the stars can be vacation highlights. With an outdoor kitchen, one or two dining areas and the right landscape lighting design, we can help you create all the atmosphere of a quaint outdoor cafe or hip rooftop bar. 

Add a freestanding pizza oven, built-in smoker or tricked-out grill to inspire new recipes. Invite friends and family and your backyard could feel like a trendy restaurant. 

5. A Room with a View 

There’s something exciting about that first look from your hotel room out onto a new place. If the view from your favorite room is not so exciting, you can plan for new plantings, garden beds or other landscape features to punch up the visual appeal. 

Another option is to create a secret garden room by building a space screened by plants, a pergola or low walls. It can become your own sweet retreat from daily life. 

No Reservations Needed

Interested in making the most of your yard? We’d love to hear all about your vacation-inspired vision. Call us today to schedule a free consultation. 

Before and After: From Boring Backyard to Outdoor Oasis

The Barlows’ backyard was large and lovely…but wasn’t living up to its potential. Then they called us for a re-do.

“Because we had used Seiler’s in the past for our front yard, we knew we were in excellent hands,” Rick Barlow said. “The backyard was lot more challenging, though.”

We first assessed the Barlows’ existing yard. It was a blank slate with plenty of room for improvement. To make the sloping yard into an oasis for fun and relaxation, we designed a multi-level deck, water features, a sculpture garden and a screened and heated gazebo. A paver patio with sitting walls, flagstone walkways and a dry creek bed would be highlights of the hardscaping.

Our plan for the landscaping included many of our favorite trees, like Japanese maples, Norway spruce and river birch. Flowering trees included lilac on standard and dogwood varieties. We specified low-maintenance plantings like fountain grass, hydrangea and spirea.

After a month of construction and plant installation, the Barlows were ready to enjoy outdoor living and the luxurious backyard that their home truly deserved. They were pleased to report that the finished product far exceeded their expectations.

Are you ready to transform your outdoor living space? We’d love to discuss all your options! Contact us for a free consultation today.

Pro Spotlight: Hensley Custom Building Group and New Construction Landscaping

A brand new house is exciting for everyone. Working on new construction landscaping gives us the unique opportunity to get it right, right from the start. It’s one reason we enjoy working with custom home builder Hensley Custom Building Group of Loveland, Ohio. 

Photo courtesy of Hensley Custom Building Group

In business since 1985, the company builds one-of-a-kind homes for clients throughout the Cincinnati area. We spoke with owners Tim and John Hensley about their company’s work. 

What makes a custom home special? 

Photo courtesy of Hensley Custom Building Group

Tim Hensley: “We never build the same home twice. Our clients work with a designer to meet their individual needs. Each home is designed with the clients and their specific property in mind. Clients also work closely with Laura Trapp, our selections coordinator, to choose every element of their home--from tile to flooring to cabinetry to lighting and so on.”

Who is on your team? 

Tim Hensley: “We have a dedicated staff and we use a team of the best craftspeople and subcontractors, like Seiler’s Landscaping, on every job. Our clients choose us because we have a reputation for superior quality, so we only use suppliers and contractors who can live up to that standard. When we build a home, we create a lifetime relationship with that client.” 

Where do you build? 

Tim Hensley: “You’ll find our homes in the top developments and communities around Cincinnati. We’ve built more than 50 homes in Indian Hill alone, and we’re excited about The Meadows at Peterloon, a new development in Indian Hill. Long Cove, Twin Fences, Rivercrest and River’s Bend are some of the communities where we have active projects now. We’ve been part of Homearama for years, and have been honored with dozens of Homearama awards.” 

Why choose Seiler’s for new construction landscaping? 

Tim Hensley: “Like us, Will Seiler, his manager Greg and the crew at Seiler’s provides clients with the highest quality materials and always aims to make the homeowner happy. We can count on them to take a rough construction site and transform it with beautiful landscaping. We also appreciate their skill with hardscaping elements like patios and pool decks.”

Where can we see your custom home work? 

Tim Hensley: “We have photo galleries on our website with interior and exterior pictures. You can also see our homes on Houzz. We’re always happy to give people who are interested in building a custom home a personal tour of our homes.” 

To see more, go to www.hensleyhomes.com, or call John Hensley at 513-509-5010.

5 Ways to Refresh Your Summer Landscaping in Cincinnati

Cincinnati is smothering under heat and humidity right now. If the dog days have your garden and landscaping looking a bit tired, here are some tips to try:

Container Reboot

Take a close look at your window boxes, hanging baskets and potted plants and flowers. Deadhead or remove any plants that are spent. You can fill in gaps and inject fresh color with annuals like coleus. Or, with weeks of heat ahead, consider switching to succulents in your containers. You can find a wide variety of sizes and leaf shapes in these plants that thrive in hot, dry conditions. Succulents grow in subtle shades of green, blue, pink and purple that mix and match beautifully. Be careful not to overwater. 

Plant Tough

It’s not too late to plant perennials, just be sure to look for those that are drought-tolerant and heat-tolerant. Coreopsis, black-eyed Susan, daylily and coneflower are good candidates for Cincinnati landscaping. Water them regularly and they’ll reward you with a return engagement year after year. 

Saved by Salvia 

At Seiler’s Landscaping, salvia is one of our workhorse perennials. It can rebloom if snipped back and is somewhat tolerant of dry conditions. The tall spiky flowers make beautiful borders. You can choose annual or perennial salvia. Deep purple is a well-loved classic, but cultivars of salvia are also available in a range of colors. 

Add Mulch  

You can keep weeds at bay, conserve moisture and keep soil cooler with mulch. While you don’t want too thick a layer of mulch (2 to 3 inches is good), adding a bit more can give your landscaping back some of its crisp edge. Remember to avoid piling mulch up around trees. You don’t want to create a mulch “volcano” around the trunk. Instead create a “donut” shape, leaving space around the trunk.

Cut with Caution 

While many plants do best with late winter or spring pruning, you can continue to cut back unruly non-flowering shrubs in the summer. If you shear or shape hedges in your yard, it’s best to stop approximately six weeks before the average first frost. In Cincinnati, you should hang up the hedge clippers around September 1. 

Last Gasps  

Don’t blame a sad-looking yard on the season--it could be your landscaping is ready for a facelift. Most landscaping has about a 12-year lifespan. Dated yards will show their age with overgrown shrubs or other tell-tale signs. If you’d like to discuss options for a new look, contact us for a free consultation.