What is Project Management?

Project Management

Based on over twenty years in the construction and landscape industries, our project management services are invaluable in ensuring that your garden is built as designed, by skilled contractors.

Most people do not have the time or the expertise to organize and oversee their landscape project. We handle all the phases of your construction project from scheduling to project coordinating, to insure the utmost in quality installation.

The proof is in the final result. Check us out at JPC Landscape Designs

New Outdoor Kitchen Designs

Outdoor Kitchen Designs

Outdoor kitchen Design Ideas: Backyard kitchens with cooking surfaces, sinks, bars and storage areas are all the rage in the growing outdoor living trend.

Concrete countertops are being noticed as the number one material that is both highly functional as well as decorative for taking cooking and entertaining activities outdoors.

Designing with concrete countertops outdoors is also attractive because of their easy maintenance and vast design flexibility.

 Take a look at these great design ideas. Click HERE if you want to learn more from JPC Designs Landscapes

Decorative Stamped Concrete, Why?

The value of decorative stamped concrete is the material's inherent strength and endurance. Like conventional concrete, stamped concrete will provide decades of service when properly installed and maintained, even when exposed to harsh weather conditions.


Many times, stamped concrete can be more durable than standard concrete, especially if a color hardener has been applied to the surface. The hardener not only imparts color but it also makes the surface stronger and more resistant to abrasion and water penetration. Most contractors will also apply several coats of protective sealer to block the penetration of dirt, chemicals, oil, grease stains, and other substances. A quality sealer not only makes the concrete easier to clean, it offers other benefits, such as enhancing the color and preventing fading from UV exposure.

A properly sealed stamped concrete will require some routine maintenance, depending on exposure conditions and the type and amount of traffic it receives. Although a sealer will inhibit stains, you should still sweep and wash the surface occasionally to avoid dirt buildup. Exterior surfaces can be pressure washed or scrubbed with a mild detergent. For interior surfaces, wet mopping or dry dust mopping of the floor is typically the only upkeep needed.

Other outdoor maintenance tips include avoiding the use of deicing salts, especially during the first winter after the pavement is installed. If the stamped surface begins to dull or lose its sheen after time, recoating with sealer will usually restore the luster. Ask the installer for recommendations of the best sealer to use.

On stamped interior floors subject to lots of foot traffic, it is especially important to maintain the sealed surface to prevent wear patterns. Application of a floor wax or polish can provide extra protection.  Call JPC Designs 916.933.9913 – your design experts!

LED Lighting, Learn More!

What's new in the industry this year....LED outdoor low-voltage lighting & smart controllers
.....
  Is LED Lighting for you?

Looks like the lighting industry is finally starting to produce some good, cost efficient outdoor 'LED' low-voltage Lights (check out our website: http://www.jpc-designs.com/product-links/). The pros & cons of LED....very efficient,~5watts per fixture instead of 20watts (standard 12-volt). That also means smaller transformer sizes, and more lights can be used on the same 12-2 wiring (easy to add more lights to a system that is maxed out on available power).

But, the fixtures can cost on average ~ 2x the cost of standard 12 volt. Contact us for more information, or to schedule on on-site evaluation of your current system to see if LED is right for you....

 Did you Know?

Smart irrigation controllers are the hot new product for this year. Although they have been around the commercial industry for a while, we are seeing them a lot more in the residential market. Smart controllers use sensors & more sophisticated programming to save on water usage, and provide better monitoring of your gardens water needs. With local on-going water rationing being implemented, this can be some pretty big costs savings over time, plus it saves water (which can help lift rationing). Contact us for a water audit & evaluation of your current irrigation system & controller.

Want more information on these subjects, click HERE fo connect to JPC Landscape designs.

Smart Irrigation Controllers

Did you Know?

Smart irrigation controllers are the hot new product for this year. Although they have been around the commercial industry for a while, we are seeing them a lot more in the residential market.

 Smart controllers use sensors & more sophisticated programming to save on water usage, and provide better monitoring of your gardens water needs.

With possible local on-going water rationing being implemented, this can be some pretty big costs savings over time, plus it saves water (which can help lift rationing).

Contact us for a water audit & evaluation of your current irrigation system & controller.
Need more information, check out JPC Landscaping for all your needs.

Landscaping for all seasons! Spring first!

Landscaping for a Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter Backyard that Rocks!

People are demanding more and more out of our landscapes. For the upscale homeowner, this may take the form of outdoor kitchens with all the amenities of home, or, perhaps, large in-ground swimming pools with jacuzzis built right into them. For the average person, the trend is toward something a bit more modest: namely, landscaping back yards. As a horticulturist, I like to look at landscaping with an eye to all four seasons.

Modest, yes; unimportant, no. Since we use our properties year-round, why shouldn't there be something to catch our attention at any time of year, even in the dead of winter? Something to lift our spirits and put a smile on our face, so that our back yards continually delight us? That is the goal of landscaping back yards for a 4-season interest.

Using trees and shrubs to achieve the 4-season interest is the basis. Conifers are often the first to come to mind, since they are noted for keeping more or less the same appearance throughout the year. But lets also look at other kinds of trees and shrubs.

It is important to take care in selecting the trees and shrubs in such a way that, as soon as one plant is done putting on a show, you'll have a different plant ready to step up. In selecting plants for landscaping back yards for a multi-season interest, there are two key points to keep in mind:

1. Timing - You must discover when particular plants put on their best show.
2. Planning - You must aim for a planting plan that is "staggered." Make sure your back yard doesn't end up with a plethora of high-performers for the spring and summer displays while neglecting the fall and winter displays. Instead, distribute the beauty across the four seasons, as equally as possible.

Landscaping back yards begins by drawing up a landscape design. Trees and shrubs simply take up too much space for you to plant them haphazardly. It is better to allocate space for trees and shrubs in a methodical and disciplined manner, so that they don't end up outgrowing their homes and causing you problems.

Consequently, tree and shrub selection must include consideration of the mature plant sizes. Other practical issues must also be addressed, such as the zone in which you live and the sun and soil requirements for the trees and shrubs that you have in mind.

Once you've researched the practical issues, you can get creative. Again, the idea is to distribute the color that trees and shrubs offer across the four seasons, as equally as possible, so as to achieve year-round interest.

The Spring Season
By the time winter's over, let's face it: we want color, and we want it fast! Thus the popularity of one of the earliest blooming shrubs, forsythia. Forsythia blooms in early spring, well before many of the other flowering trees and shrubs. Achieving color on the landscape in mid-spring generally isn't a problem, since there are so many flowering trees and shrubs from which to choose. Look for more specific blogs to come!

If you plan carefully, late spring needn't take a backseat to April and early May, in terms of color. Lilacs are a long-time favorite that will bring color to the landscape in late spring. To supplement your lilacs, two other plants to consider are mountain laurels and hawthorns.

Now you can witness the performance your home paradise will provide, year round.
 
Want your your own paradise ? Call the ?Paradise Designer? at JPC Landscape Designs
See more information about landscape design at http://www.thisismytownusa.com/jpclandscapedesigns.php

Spring Landscaping needs Planning Now

Even while we are in the midst of winter, you should still be thinking ahead to your spring landscaping design.

Now is the perfect time for pre-planning your spring landscape because it gives you an opportunity to list out all the features you like about your landscape and those you want to change.

It may be that you just want to enhance the look of something you already like within your landscaping.  For example, a pond.

If you already have a beautiful pond but want to add a stone wall or seating area near your pond to enjoy the landscape better, that’s an excellent idea.

What about hardscapes? In your spring pre-planning, think about what type of hardscapes you want in your overall landscape.

These are just a few things for you to plan for, but there is such a variety of different materials and styles, it’s best if you consult a landscape designer before trying to figure it out all on your own.

JPC landscape Designs,Inc. can help you decide on what landscape design will work best for your home and we can get the job done right.  You can stay stress free knowing your landscape is in the care of professionals.

Click HERE to get in contact with JPC Lascape Designs for all your landscaping needs.

Spring Bulb Planting

Plant Bulbs for Spring

Here is a good reference for bulb planting to keep in your garden files for next years planting season for bulbs.
.
Step 1. Choose Your Bulbs
It's important to choose healthy bulbs. Avoid bulbs that are dry and withered or spongy and moldy. The best bulbs are firm and plump. As a rule of thumb, larger bulbs tend to produce more flowers.
Before picking your bulbs, consider the color scheme you'd like to create. If you want a natural and varied look, choose bulbs that produce contrasting colors and a range of heights. For a more uniform garden, choose flower bulbs that will bloom in shades of the same color. Check the plant's height on the package and plant low-growing bulbs in front of taller ones.

Step 2. Choose a Site
Since bulbs prefer full sun exposure, choosing the right gardening site is essential. Bulbs also need to be planted in rich, well-draining soil, which will help feed the bulbs underground, improving the quality of your springtime bloom. You must also have proper drainage in your garden because bulbs can easily rot in conditions that are too wet.
Helpful Tip: If you need to improve drainage in the area where bulbs are planted, add compost or peat moss to your soil.

Step 3. Ready the Soil
Bulbs need to be planted before the ground freezes so they have time to develop strong roots. Planting in autumn gives the roots plenty of growing time before spring. Use a garden tiller or trowel to loosen your soil. Remove any weeds or unwanted vegetation from the area using a Rototiller to splice the garden. Go over the area again crosswise to cut the soil up further.
When you're ready to begin planting, dig 8" holes for larger bulbs and 5" holes for smaller bulbs using a bulb planter. If you don't have a ruler handy, a good guide is to plant the bulbs twice as deep as they are tall. Check the bulbs' packages to determine spacing and exact planting depth. The larger the bulbs, the more space you should allow between them.

Want to learn more? Check out jpc-design.comhttp://www.jpc-designs.com/ or call 916-933-9913