Need to Get Away? Treat Yourself to a Backyard Retreat

Have you had enough time with your family over the last few months? Wishing for a place you could escape to? You don’t have to go far: A backyard retreat could be the perfect spot to take a break. Making a refuge of peace, quiet and solitude isn’t hard. 

Make It Comfortable

To create a relaxing backyard retreat, start with a spot for a hammock, swing or garden bench. You can define the area with a “floor” of flagstones, crushed gravel or pavers and walls of stacked stone. You can even provide a bit of shelter from the elements with an awning, pergola or gazebo. 

To help decide where to place your backyard retreat, consider what time of day you might use the space. Would you prefer to sit in the shade or soak up the sun? Is there a view you’d like to enjoy from your bench or swing? Will it be a spot for stargazing? 

 Appeal to Your Senses 

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect spot, think about what you’ll see, hear or smell there. The soothing sounds of water can come from a fountain or pond nearby. Flowers and plants provide visual beauty and fragrance to enjoy. Choosing the right plants will allow you to have new blooms or colors to see as the seasons pass. 

How about adding landscape lighting to your backyard retreat? You can choose the romance of a hanging chandelier or surround the area with low path lighting. Would you enjoy having an outdoor speaker in the space to add music? 

Photo courtesy of Kichler Lighting

Invite feathered friends into your retreat with bird feeders or bird baths. The right plants can attract butterflies, too.    

Your Backyard Retreat 

Finally, decide how private you would like your space to be. Fast-growing plants can create a living screen or you can add some kind of fencing or structure for privacy.

A curving stone path can lead visitors to the retreat or you can leave the space “hidden” for your enjoyment only.  

Tell us about your vision for a backyard getaway. We’d love to help make your dreams a reality this summer. Contact us today to discuss all the options in a no-obligation consultation. 

Patio vs. Deck: Which Is Right for You?

Decks have long been a staple outside Cincinnati area homes. But when it comes time to repair or replace one, many homeowners begin weighing their next move, patio vs. deck. What’s best for you in terms of outdoor living?   

Factors to Consider

Budget, goals, lifestyle and your site are some of the things you should consider when making the decision. 

• Review your budget. The per-square-foot cost of either option will vary depending on the materials you choose and the sitework involved. For patios, most of our clients choose pavers or flat stone. Including labor, these paver patios tend to cost $17 to $25 per square foot. Building a deck in the Cincinnati area typically costs from $20 to $35 per square foot. 

  Keep in mind that initial costs are important when deciding on a patio vs. deck, but long-term costs should also be considered. The long-lasting materials of a patio can outlive conventional wood decks and require less maintenance over time. Higher-priced decking material, such as composites may be more durable, but will cost more at the outset.

• Consider your lifestyle and goals. How do you want to use your outdoor living space? If you want to step right out from indoors to the space, a raised deck or patio may be necessary. You can also choose to combine a deck and patio to get the best of both. 
  
  

  Do you enjoy sitting around a fire? A patio, which isn’t susceptible to fire damage, could be the best option. Green thumb? Think about how you want to add containers with plants to your outdoor living space. Do you like the idea of built-in seating, as with low stone walls? 
  
  

  Is a pool or hot tub in your plans for outdoor living? A patio can create a seamless look around these amenities, and stand up well to splashed water. 

• Assess your site and home style. It’s less labor-intensive to install a patio on a flat site, but patios and terraces framed by retaining walls can be a lovely way to take advantage of a sloped yard. Should you take into account people with limited mobility if your plan will include stairs? When it comes to patio vs. deck, which do you think would look better with your home? Both have shown to add resale value. 

Patio vs. Deck: The Look

Finally, imagine how you want your outdoor living space to look. Some people like the look of wood decks and others gravitate to stone patios. Take the time to look at photos online or in magazines, paying attention to the materials that catch your eye. Your outdoor area will be a place for you to enjoy as a family or share with guests and friends: You want it to reflect your taste. 

If you have questions about the pros and cons of decks and patios, we’d love to answer them. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Landscape Makeover: From Blah to Beautiful



As all of us sheltering in place now know, a good haircut is critical! Like a hairstyle, landscaping can get by for a number of years with regular trimming, but after a while, a complete landscape makeover is the best move. 

Before and After

Typically, landscaping serves its purpose for about 10 to 12 years. After that, plants and shrubbery may reach the end of their useful life and look dated.

When new owners of this home moved in, they knew it was time for a landscape makeover. Overgrown bushes hadn’t been well-maintained. The shrubs were hosting wildlife and nuisance insects. The homeowners wanted a fresh, clean look that was easier for a busy family to maintain. 

Landscape Makeover Steps   

When our crews start a yard renovation project like this, we first remove all of the old plant life. We dig out the top layer of existing soil, which is depleted of nutrients and won’t help new plants thrive. 

Before new plantings go in, we spread a generous layer of our super soil mix on every bed. That soil, along with fertilizer, gives new plants the best foundation for strong growth and a healthy lifespan. During a landscape makeover, some of our clients choose to replace their grass as well with new sod. Either way, careful edging around the beds provides a sharp, clean look to the yard. 

Before mulching, we laid a set of stepping stones off one corner of the front porch. This short path allows the mail carrier easy access to the neighbor’s home. Without a dedicated walkway, mail carriers will often cut through landscaping and damage plants. It’s just better to create a dedicated path that looks like it belongs while protecting the plant life. 

Stones were used to line the boundary between the garden beds and the driveway. This channel of stone keeps mulch from washing out of the beds. Featured ornamental trees and flowering shrubs will fill out nicely and bring color to the yard for years to come.    

The Fresh Look 

Pulling large shrubs away from the house and clearing overgrown beds brought new life to this home. The charming front porch and curved walk now welcome visitors to the front door. The landscaping is now perfectly suited to the home’s growing family. 

Wondering what a landscape makeover could do for your home? We’d love to talk to you about the possibilities. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation.

Super Soil Mix and Fertilizer to the Rescue

Pro landscapers will tell you that beautiful, healthy plants start with the best soil. At Seiler’s Landscaping, we use our favorite soil mix and fertilizers so plant life can thrive and grow. 

Soil Mix Bed Preparation

Preparing the soil correctly is vital to happy plants. Whether we’re working on a newly built home or in an established landscape, one of our first steps is to amend the soil in beds. We add a 2-inch layer of horticultural soil amendment and a 12-12-12 fertilizer. Why? Here are some of the key benefits:

Soil amendment: 

• Adds organic materials to the soil and improves soil texture

• Makes the clay soil that’s commonly found in the Cincinnati area looser

• Allows water, air and helpful insects and worms to move more easily through the soil 

• Nurtures root growth

• Encourages good microbes

Fertilizer: 

• Supplies the nutrients plants need 

• Provides the right ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

• Encourages root and plant growth 

The Right Stuff

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are your plants’ best friends. Nitrogen promotes lush foliage and helps plants fend off diseases and pests. Too little nitrogen and plants grow slowly and may have small or deformed leaves. Too much nitrogen can be harmful, too, so that proper ratio is important. 

Phosphorus is another thing every plant needs: especially young plants. This nutrient helps establish roots and develop seeds. With the right amount of phosphorus in the soil, plants will produce more flowers and a greater abundance of fruits and vegetables. 

Potassium makes plants strong: giving their immune systems a boost and helping them survive pests, disease and drought. Without enough potassium, plants can look stunted and have scorched-looking leaves, especially the lower and middle leaves of the plant. 

No One Needs Weeds

Once we’ve planted new beds for clients, our crews take extra steps to keep them looking beautiful for months. To keep weeds at bay, we apply a pre-emergent herbicide. Snapshot is the one we swear by. It works all season long, controlling more than 120 broadleaf and grassy weeds. And, it can be used with more than 600 types of ornamental plants. The mulch we apply also helps deter weeds and maintains soil moisture, but mulch is not a true soil amendment. 

From the Start

If you have questions about our soil mix, fertilizers or garden bed preparation, we’d love to answer them. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Stay Home and Find Landscaping Inspiration

While we all have added time at home, it’s a great opportunity to think about a landscaping makeover. Take the time to walk your front and back yards and notice what’s working right now and what areas could use a bit of help.

After identifying your needs, you can start to dream of new ideas. We’ve pulled together some resources to where you can find landscaping inspiration.

The first is this article on landscape design from Houzz that suggests taking a long look at both your home’s style and your particular site. Both of these factors will play a large role in the type of landscape design that will work well for your home.

Another great resource for homeowners looking for a landscape upgrade is the site LoveYourLandscape.org. One recent article suggests using your personality type as a guide for landscape design. Are you warm and nurturing? The life of the party? Modern and edgy? Something else? Find out how to match your lifestyle to your lawn.

Don’t forget the younger members of the family as you consider a landscape facelift. Tree forts and play spaces are amenities that will bring hours of fun for your kids or grandchildren. Here are ideas to consider.

And, finally, if you’ve never considered a lawn terrace, pergola or play space for the kids in your yard, take a look at this article for more information.

Landscaping Inspiration for You

Would you like to see more inspiring photos? Click on our portfolio. Here’s to time spent outdoors!

5 Tips for Front Yard Landscaping

It’s been a long, gray winter and a strange spring so far… Your front yard landscaping is probably looking a bit sad right now. Maybe it’s time to give it a facelift, or even a complete overhaul. 

When we begin a front yard landscaping project, here are some things we consider:

1. Creating Focal Points

Focal points in a front yard grab attention and show passersby where to look first. A focal point could stand out because of its color: Maybe it’s a cherry tree with pink blossoms surrounded by greenery. Or, you could choose a brightly colored bench or garden art piece. It could even be your front door. 

Height also makes a focal point stand out. Imagine a garden bed surrounding a tall pedestal or oversized garden urn. Once you notice the taller object, your eye will then go to the plants that surround it. 

As we design a front yard, we include one major focal point, then one or two minor points for additional interest. 

2. Replacing Overgrown Shrubs

When it comes to front yard landscaping, age can stand in the way of beauty. You can expect landscape plantings to last for about 12 to 15 years, so if you haven’t made changes since the early 2000s, your front yard is past due. Two tell-tale signs of a “past its prime” landscape are giant overgrown bushes and borders that have lost their boundaries. 

When our clients have us remove old shrubbery and overgrown plants, they’re amazed at how good their homes look. A fresh, neat appearance goes a long way in terms of curb appeal. 

3. Adding Walkways

Straight lines can sometimes be too predictable. Take a look at your front yard. Is there a straight path to your front door?  There’s really no need to have a straight shot to your front door, especially if only visitors use it. Something with a gentle curve could add some excitement.

We love the look of curved walkways made with pavers or flagstone. Setting the pathway a few feet away from the house leaves space for garden beds on either side.  

4. Enclose It 

Adding some kind of structure to your front yard is a great idea. A fence, a low stone wall or a mounded berm can all give your front yard definition. You don’t need to completely enclose your yard to get the benefits here, just hint at the boundaries, and the rest of your yard will start to take shape.  

5. Build a Portal 

A doorway to another area of your yard can be enticing. Maybe it’s an arbor along the path to your backyard. It could be a gate on either side of a walkway. Plants installed to grow like arches can lead the eye, too. These kinds of elements typically add height as well, so they can also serve as focal points. 

Photo courtesy of Plow & Hearth

Your Front Yard Landscaping

A thoughtful landscape design can put every inch of your yard to good use. With high-quality hardscaping elements and the right trees and plants, your front yard could spark joy every time you come back home. 

What Does Mulch Do?

All over our area, the smell of mulch is the smell of spring. But what does mulch do? A lot of good things: Mulch nurtures plants and protects them from their surrounding environment. Mulch used in the right way can make your landscape thrive.  

Of course, a freshly mulched landscape looks great, too. There’s just something about the contrast in color between mulch and green plants that is visually pleasing. 

What’s the best mulch? 

If you buy your own mulch, you could be overwhelmed by the choices out there. For us, the choice is simple: Triple shred offers the best UV protection and is most effective at keeping weeds from germinating. 

Triple shred mulch also breaks down slightly faster. That’s a good thing because it puts nutrients from the mulch back into the soil. Your plants’ roots are happier in nutrient-dense soil. 

How much mulch is right? 

When our crews provide spring cleanup services for clients, we spread 3 inches of mulch in all beds. This amount of mulch is enough to provide UV protection. Using less could allow too many weeds to grow. Using too much mulch can starve roots of oxygen. A very thick layer of mulch can also hold excess rainwater around plants, waterlogging them and possibly leading to rot. 

Another mulch mistake is piling mulch in “volcanoes” around the trunks of trees. This practice can lead to rot and tree damage from pests or diseases. Let the trunks of your trees breathe!  

What’s the best time to mulch? 

Adding a layer of mulch in the spring provides a nice crisp look. It gets the growing season off on the right foot. When Cincinnati’s summer days heat up, mulch will keep your plants cooler. You can also add a light layer of mulch in the fall to protect plants from winter cold. 

How long does mulch last? 

If applied correctly, mulch should last from spring through the growing season. When mulch breaks down, it actually helps feed the soil, so you don’t want thick layers of mulch to stay in your garden beds for season after season. 

More About Mulch  

Your landscaping is a big investment, so you’re smart to ask, “What does mulch do?” We’re always happy to answer any questions, so reach out. We can’t wait to hear from you.  

Spring Vacation? Look for Gardening Ideas

One of our clients recently came home from vacation with an idea to recreate an English garden at their Cincinnati home. If you’re headed to warmer climates this winter or spring, you’ll find plenty of world-class gardens to visit. Wherever you go, be sure to take pictures. Who knows where you’ll find unique gardening ideas to bring back for your home. 

With so many Cincinnati residents vacationing in the Southeast U.S., this list of gardens published by Mother Earth Living is a great place to start your search for gardening ideas. The list offers suggested stops from North Carolina to Florida, and several places in between. 

Looking to find yourself in a bamboo maze? If you’re near Savannah, take a short trip to the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden. Spring is the right time to view the garden’s Rivers of Iris as well. (Sounds like a great idea to re-create here in Ohio!)

Photo courtesy of Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens

Marvel at larger than life topiaries and be dazzled by plants from around the world and flowers in every color at Epcot Center. This Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida, hosts an annual Flower and Garden Festival. In 2020, the dates are March 4 through June 1. 

The Biltmore in Asheville has world-famous gardens, but if you’d like to see something older, drive east to Manteo, North Carolina, to the Elizabethan Gardens. A live oak on the garden’s grounds is estimated to have lived since 1585. While you’re there, take in the site’s 85 varieties of Camellias and roses straight from Windsor Castle. Bookmark the month of April for the butterfly festival.  

Photo courtesy of the Elizabethan Gardens

Share Your Gardening Ideas

We hope you find lots of inspiration on your travels. If you find an idea to bring home to your yard, take plenty of photos. We’d love to see them and make your vision a reality.    

Be a Hero with Sustainable Landscaping

Maybe you’re trying to earn LEED points for your home or you just want to follow a “greener” lifestyle. Whatever your motivation, sustainable landscaping practices can help. Choosing to make your surroundings more eco-friendly is easy and you can still enjoy a beautiful yard. 

Seiler’s certified LEED landscape designers suggest taking these steps to sustainable landscaping: 

Watch the Water

Watering plants and trees is important in our area, since we often have periods of drought. A rain gauge in your yard will let  you know if Mother Nature is taking care of watering for you. If you do use a sprinkler system, make sure it doesn’t run when rain has been adequate. Take note of the spray patterns--adjust the sprinkler heads if they are watering walkways or driveways instead of plantings. Watering in the early morning is best: Later in the day, heat can cause water to evaporate more quickly. 

Another way to save water is to choose drought-tolerant plants. We follow sustainable landscaping practices by selecting plants we know will thrive in the Cincinnati area without a lot of extra watering or fertilizing. 

Limit the Lawn

Grass requires continuous maintenance, which in turn requires energy and resources. As you plan for a more environmentally friendly yard, consider cutting back on large expanses of lawn. We’re happy to show you other ideas for beautiful, low-maintenance plantings. You’ll never miss the extra grass.  

Bee a Friend

Attracting pollinators like bees, birds, beetles and butterflies is a great way to help the environment. The National Audubon Society offers a database of native plants that’s easy to search by zip code. These native plants help birds and other pollinators thrive. 

Some of Seiler’s favorite plants and trees to attract pollinators are: 

• Flowering Dogwood trees

• Black-Eyed Susan 

• Redbud trees

• Butterfly bush

Your Family’s Sustainable Landscaping

Studies show that time spent outdoors can improve mood. Your landscape can encourage your family to get out of the house. As you consider a backyard refresh, think about ways to spend time outside. An outdoor dining area, firepit for watching the stars, hammock for al fresco napping,  zone for yard games or a soothing water fountain can all lure family and friends outside. These amenities can be incorporated with sustainability. One example is a deck built with a composite material made from wood byproducts and recycled plastics. 

Providing space in your yard for compost bins is another way to cut down on waste and use landscape trimmings to create nourishment for your plants.Composting can even help kids understand nature’s life cycles. 

Professional Help

It’s important for all of us to do our part for the planet. Take simple steps on your own to “green” your yard, and if you’re ready to make a bigger impact, contact us. We’d be happy to point you in a new, eco-conscious direction.