Posted by David Land on Sun, Feb 19, 2012 @ 10:01 AM
Outdoor Kitchens are proving to be the most desired outdoor feature today. Yes, even more than a pool. You can have everything outdoors that is in your indoor kitchen - and more!
One recent project had a firebowl in the middle of the round bar table. The effortless remote control lights this feature and no wood to feed the fire or ashes to clean up.
Options
There are so many items you can have in your outdoor kitchen. We will list a few:
- Grill with Infrared rotisserie
- Pizza oven
- Refrigerator
- Ice maker
- Kegerator (Beer tap)
- Sideburner
- Television
- Stereo
Five Common mistakes
- Using the wrong materials. I was watching a local TV program that featured a new outdoor kitchen cabinet carcasses made of wood. Outdoor kitchens trap a great deal on moisture - even under a covered patio. Answer: Choose materials that resist moisture and don't materials that compromise the longevity and quality.
- Poor cabinet airflow. This problem is connected with number 1. The cabinets build up moisture and trap water in the bottom. Answer: Install multiple air vents both high & low to improve circulation. We won't eliminate moisture but minimize it.
- Smoke from the Grill. The seating area around the grill area often is in the line of the grill smoke. Answer: Test the line of smoke before you design the kitchen.
- Cheap grills. So often, clients try to save money by buying a big box store unit. Stainless steel has many different grades and repair parts are difficult to find. Answer: Buy a name brand unit that specializes in grills.
- Location. Outdoor kitchens are often located outside in the elements. Do you want to stand in the rain to use your grill? Trying to keep the kitchen clean is difficult when exposed to rain. Answer: Locate as much of the kitchen in a covered area. If it is away from the house, think a rain tight structure to house your unit. The kitchen should be in a location for year round use.
If properly designed and built, your outdoor kitchen should be a tremendous asset. We have installed units as inexpensive as $5,000.00 including a great Beefeater grill.
What do you think about outdoor kitchens? Share your comments!
Posted by David Land on Thu, Feb 09, 2012 @ 08:33 AM
Coming soon. Yes, it is three weeks until the 2012 Greater Tulsa Home & Garden show at the QuikTrip at Expo Square. The dates are March 8 -11, 2012. Come & see all the NEW products unique to the Tulsa Landscape Exhibit including:
- Beefeater grills with convertible Pizza hood
- Stucco coloumns & fencing using Galvacore
- Outdoor kitchen using Galvacore
- StoneMaker Retaining walls
- Sommerset Outdoor Furniture
- Live wall - plants growing out of a four foot wall panel
- Curlinear Seatwall using Galvacore
- Travertine Marble flooring
- Silvercreek Slate Landscape Tiles in Bluestone
- Outdoor Fireplaces
- Allan Block New Mortarless AB fencing
Other items from the past are:
- Chicago Brick Oven
- Large Cedar Shade Arbor - Pergola
- Unusal Plants
- Tons of photos
- three videos on Big screens
- Much, Mulch, and more!!!
We have 10 sets of two tickets to give away Free (a $16.00 value). All you need to do is sign up below. We will draw one week before the show & mail you the tickets. Click below to sign up.
See you at the show!
Posted by David Land on Mon, Feb 06, 2012 @ 09:07 PM
Landscape Design is a often misunderstood subject. Do I need a plan? Do I need a drawing? Do I need to pay for a drawing? How do I know I will get what I want out of a plan?
Five Things to Know about Landscape Design in Tulsa
- You always need a plan - Some projects need a formal drawing, some only need a construction sketch. This has more to do with the quality of the contractor and your comfort level with that contractor. Portions of the project are much more critical than others. The grading and drainage often need a written plan to ensure the proper elevations will work. We often see expensive pools installed with no regard for good drainage and proper usage of the entire area.
- Should I have to pay for a plan? This one is easy. You get what you pay for. Many contractors are incapable of providing a good plan. It may be time to outsource the plan and then hire the contractor later. Our company works both ways depending and the scope and length of time it takes to get drawings prepared.
- What type of plan do I need? On larger projects, we suggest using a 3-D plan. When it is difficult to visualize (it is for most people), the 3-D plan really helps the project to feel more real and you relate better to the project. The live walkthru mode helps you see the scale of the work.
- How much should it cost for the plans? Simple sketches can be as little as $150 or 3-D as much as $1,000 (we averaged around $500 on 3-D). If you hire a Landscape Architect, we typically see fees from $500-5,000. They only make their money from design and they have professional credentials.
- How long do designs take to prepare? This is tough. Depending on the time of year and backlog, it can be from a few weeks to months. It is always best to work off season due to a lower workload. Don't get in big hurry and sacrifice quality to get finished quickly. We always have a better outcome when the process is more relaxed.
So what to do now???
Call us and we will help you determine if you need outside help or we can keep your project in house. Our mission is to help you learn about the process and achieve the best value and outcome!
Posted by David Land on Mon, Feb 06, 2012 @ 08:18 AM
One of the most common questions I receive concerns landscape mulching. Do I need mulch? How much is the right amount? What type of mulch is best? Is all mulch the same? Can you ever have too much mulch?
John, my son, shared these comments he found on a forum. I couldn't agree more with this list and want to share a few more comments.
Most people know that mulching should be done after planting, but
few think about their options and advantages.
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4 Benefits of Proper Mulcing
1. Preventing and suppressing weeds
Most landscapes that are mulched have fewer weeds than non
mulched areas. Mulches block the sunlight from reaching the soil,
reducing germination of weeds. Weeds can grow in mulch, but are
greatly reduced.
2. Saves Water
Properly mulched landscape plantings conserve more water than
non-mulched or soil plantings. Mulch coverings, especially
organic mulch coverings, lesson some of the drying effects and
hold moisture in the soil sometimes weeks. This calls for less
water.
3. Cooling Effect
The blocking of sunlight not only suppresses weeds, it also cools
the soil. The lighter the color of mulch, the cooler it tends to
be underneath due to light being reflected rather than absorbed.
4. Looks Good
Natural colored mulch can produce both enhancing and neutralizing
effects in the landscape. This is helpful as the mulch seems to
tie everything together.
Mulch can create a healthy landscape with more abundant and
extensive roots. Mulch can also improve the growth rate.
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Here are few mulch myths and mistakes
- Keep the mulch off the root flare of the tree or shrub. Mulch can cause roting if volcanoed (is that a word) on to the base of the plant. Feather the mulch out and thicken it as it moves away from the base of the plant.
- You can have too much mulch. Two to four inches is plenty to provide the listed benefits.
- Don't by the cheap mulch at Wal-Mart and the Big box stores. The product they generally sell is the lowest grade. Look for a premuim grade mulch.
- Myth - Installing weed barrier under the mulch will prevent weeds. Wrong! Mulch is organic and will decompose providing a wonderfull place for weeds to grow. Just remulch annually to keep the weeds at bay. The only time you need a fabric under mulch is when you use rock mulch.
My favorite Bulk mulch store in Tulsa is Tulsa Sod and Mulch. They are located at 61st & Hwy 169. Phone them at 918.252.7631. They deliver too.
Have MULCH better year with propering mulching!
Posted by David Land on Sun, Jan 22, 2012 @ 04:49 PM
The 2012 Green Country Home and Garden show is January 27-29th at the Exchange Center at Expo Square. Tulsa Landscape will be exhibiting again in space #10. This is Oklahomas largest free admission home and Garden Show.
Show hours:
What is New for 2012?
Tulsa Landscape will be exhibiting three NEW products:
- Beefeater Grills Pizza dome - converts a 4 or 5 burner grill into a pizza oven.
- StoneMaker walls - Poured in place concrete retaining walls that look like stone.
- StoneMaker Firepits - Poured Concrete Firepit that looks like stone.
Tulsa Landscape will be offering a free drawing for a $100 Lowe's Gift card. Come by booth #10 on the Northwest corner of the Exchange Center building.
Remeber it is FREE Admission and FREE Parking.
See you there!
Posted by David Land on Thu, Jan 05, 2012 @ 05:11 PM
Choices! I love choices. I really love choices when I can have my cake and eat it too. The ultimate choice is to get the best and get it at the best price. What a deal.
StoneMakers
Using the StoneMaker products for Retaining walls, Patios, and Water features offers the real stone appearance, but the strength of concrete. Even better, StoneMakers uses a proprietary concrete product that is vastly superior to traditional concrete.
Traditional retaining walls are made of railroad ties, rock, or poured concrete. The problems with these products are the materials don't hold up well over time or they are too expensive. The new StoneMakers method cuts costs, gives you an expensive look, and will stand the test of time.
My friend, Jaime Snyder of Albert Design Group in Washingtonville, New York , recently wrote about the benefits of a StoneMaker walls, sidewalks, and patios. Here they are:
- SPEED - Build a 75' long by 4' tall retaining wall in 5.5 hours. That's not an exaggeration, it's actually an understatement. Just so you understand what used to take me THREE DAYS now takes 5.5 HOURS. You know what this means for the consumer - BETTER PRICES!
- VALUE - Make a retaining wall that looks like natural stone, but is stronger than stacked stone or stacked block for that matter. Put simply - you cannot get a stronger or better looking wall for the money.
- COLOR THEORY - Block retaining walls come in few colors. Some companies have more than others but the reality of it folks is that most companies hover around 6-7 color choices. StoneMakers has 33 colors! And to top it all off you never use just one, which would not look natural. To make our retainer walls look like natural stone we blend the StoneMakers colors. In the end we have an infinite number of colors to choose from.
- MONOLITHIC - Back in the day - say 2009 - If I wanted to make a wall look like natural stone I had two choices. Buy natural stone or use cultured stone as a veneer over some type of concrete wall. This wall could be block or poured but the outcome was the same. Sure cultured stone looks fine if done right. Done wrong it looks like the wall has zits. Either way it's nowhere near as strong as a monolithic (one continuous piece) wall is. And Natural stone is flat out expensive.
- ENVIORNMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE - No forms mean no waste. Even if every contractor recycled their forms the wood wasted is staggering. A small retaining wall may have a few hundred pounds of wood used as forms. Multiply that times the number of jobs that contractor does a year and you can see how that ads up. With StoneMakers there is ZERO wood to throw away.
- UNLIMITED CHOICES - Any Color and any stone style you like.
Thanks for your insight Jaime.
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We just finished the above project in South Tulsa. We replaced a 30 year old railroad tie wall. The results were stunning and client showed off the new wall at a party several weeks later. We have already been out to freinds homes of our client to share the product with them. We simulated Native Oklahoma Sandstone in boulder sizes.
Look at our project Gallery for more examples.
Call today to learn more about this fantastic product!
Posted by David Land on Wed, Jan 04, 2012 @ 11:51 AM
Happy New Year. Here is a great idea - be green in 2012! One of your New Years resolutions should be to become green and plant some trees. There are many reasons to plant trees.
Why is it Green and Smart to plant trees?
Trees provide the following benefits:
- Trees provide shade that can reduce the temperture of your home and landscape saving you money.
- Trees trade CO2 for oxygen improving our environment.
- Trees provide habitat for animals.
- Trees are just plain pretty.
The Mighty Oak - Shumard Red Oak
The photo above is my favorite tree for Tulsa, the Shumard Red Oak. The Red is NOT for leaf color but is is the color of the wood. This tree was originally planted in October of 2007 in poor soil and was eight feet tall. This photo was taken Spring of 2011 and the tree is now twenty-six feet tall. Shumard Oaks grow quickly (three feet per year is not unusual). Additionally, this tree has never been pruned for shape. The lawn fertilizer is the only food this tree has received. Not bad for a tree that has a reputation for slow growing (not true-just folk lore).
Other Great Trees for Tulsa
Chinese Pistache (30-40' tall)
Burr Oak (40-60' tall)
October Glory Maple (40-50' tall)
Loblolly Pine (30-60' tall)
Blue Atlas Cedar (Charlie Brown Christmas tree 10-40' tall)
Shumard Red Oak - pictured above (40-75" tall)
AVOID THIS! Trees to avoid for Oklahoma are Pin Oak, Bradford Pear, Mimosa, Silver Maple, willows, and Leland Cypress. Leland Cypress is a great tree but it will grow 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide.
Where to plant trees?
Tree planting locations should be chosen for future size of tree, soil type, distance from the house structure, and the plants located under the tree. Don't try & plant Azaleas under a Magnolia or Red Maple tree.
When should I plant trees in Tulsa? How to Plant.
Timing for planting trees is best done in any month outside of the heat of the summer. Fall & winter provide the best transition time to allow the roots to develop. The soil should be loosened about 2.5 times the size of the root ball. The tree shouild be planted high, so the root flare of the tree is at least 3-4" above the surrounding grade. Trees don't die from be planted too high! Use 2-4" of mulch around the tree to provide cooler soil temps and retain moisture. Water the tree at least once a week for the first season.
Selecting a tree for the Tulsa Landscape will give you years of enjoyment. Research the mature tree size for the location in ensure you have the right tree. Only purchase from a reputable Nursery with a guarantee. Plant it and watct it grow.
Please share on your favorite tree story below in comments.
Posted by David Land on Tue, Jan 03, 2012 @ 10:23 PM
Throughout the years we have spent hours helping our clients choose the right products, colors, finishes, etc. Today I want to share the most exciting new product I have found in years.
LED Landscape Lighting
Rarely do new products deliver on all their promises. LED Landscape Lighting exceeds most promises & some brands offer even more. Wow!
Why use LED lighting:
- LEDs provide longevity that is up to 20 times that of standard lights
- LEDs are solid state devices, meaning no moving parts or filaments to break
- LEDs contain no mercury and are environmentally friendly
- LEDs are more efficient, using up to 90% less energy than other light sources
Late last year, we completed our first complete low voltage (12 volt) LED Landscape Lighting project in South Tulsa. Our Landscape Design consisted of 14 four watt LED uplights focused on trees, shrubs, and the foundation of the home. The Outdoor Lighting project took one crew day to install. The total electric consumption for the 14 lights is less than one 60 watt incandescent light bulb. Amazing! This project is lighting the front of a 5,000 sq. ft. home and uses less power than a reading light to enhance this Tulsa Landscape.
Bulletproof Warranty
The manufacturer, Philllips Hadco, has so much confidence in this product and technology, they have given these products a life-time/over the counter warranty. The consumer will never have to buy another light for their landscape.
Feel free to browse our lighting project file to see photos of fantastic effects produced from these awesome new LED products.