When they say a picture is worth a thousand words, they’re talking about photos like you see here, the before and after photos of this Windermere, FL front yard.
Before: scruffy old shrubs; a leaning, aging palm tree; a bunch of brown sticks; ratty old mulch.
After: Wow.
You wouldn’t think a driveway would be the centerpiece of a stunning Orlando residential landscape design.
How great can a driveway be, right?
At this Spanish Colonial home in an Orlando gated community, a paver driveway made all the difference.
There’s a reason professional landscape designers get college degrees.
Man, there’s a lot of stuff to keep in mind.
When Orlando landscape designers study landscape design, they learn about mass, form, line, texture, and color. Then they combine these elements to transform your yard.
Sounds kind of fancy. But it’s why your new paver patio could have such graceful lines. It’s why your yard could be filled with plants with a variety of intriguing colors and textures.
Let’s tackle the obvious question first: “Do I need landscape lighting?”
You absolutely do. (Even if you’re not afraid of the dark.)
Consider these reasons:
More landscape lighting questions? Let’s get to them.
So, you’re ready to do some landscaping! We can sense your excitement way over here.
Got your plan in place? Considered the one-third rule? Varied your colors and textures? Planned for staggered bloom times?
If all you’ve done is bought three azalea shrubs, you’re reading this just in time.
Let these seven Florida landscaping ideas get you off to a great start.
Pondering pavers?
A new patio, maybe, or a sleek new driveway? Time to finally update that cracked and sunken concrete walkway to your front door?
You probably have some questions.
Eric Frisch, Ground Source landscape designer, has the answers.
Read anything fascinating about yard drainage lately?
What? You don’t think yard drains are fascinating? Hmm, maybe it’s just us.
But if you live in a newer Orlando neighborhood, chances are you need some kind of yard drainage.
Drainage here in Orlando is a continuing problem as the city grows. All the dry areas have already been developed, so nearly all the houses in new neighborhoods have drainage problems. The already-wet ground can’t absorb extra water.
New homes also often have poor soil, so water doesn’t seep in as well as it should.
What kind of yard drain is best for your house?
New pavers! This is exciting!
Driveway? New walkways? That dream patio you’ve always wanted? Curves, or rectangle?
Have you picked out new patio furniture yet?
We’re asking a lot of questions. We love this stuff.
You should be asking some, too.
“I love that big prickly pine tree by your pool.“
That’s a sentence you’ll never hear.
Not every plant is perfect for planting around a pool.
No spines, dripping sap, or falling burrs, please.
Ground Source landscape designer, Eric Frisch, shares a few of his favorite pool landscaping plants — and a couple of other pool landscaping tips.
This is Central Florida, land of palm trees.
Pick a palm for your yard or property, and it’ll thrive, right?
Actually, no. Just because this is Florida doesn't mean every variety of palm loves it here.
Some varieties, like Royal, Traveler's, or Coconut palms will likely die here in Central Florida if we get a bad frost or freeze.
If these three are your favorites, Traveler's palm, which looks like a banana tree, is the most likely of the three to survive in Central Florida, if not exposed to cold winds.
But there are better choices.