by SUN SUN

Drainage and Erosion Solutions in Northern Virginia

Winter Landscaping Projects – Drainage and Erosion Solutions

Winter is actually a great time to schedule a professional to provide drainage and erosion solutions.  One problem to solve off-season and in between snow storms is yard drainage. Not only will it help keep water away from your foundation as snow melts, but if you get it fixed in the winter, you’ll be ready for those spring storms with their heavy downpours.

French drain with rock and a bridge

French Drain

One of the most common drainage and erosion solutions is a French drain. Thought to have originated from simple ditches, the French drain is simply a trench filled with gravel or rock containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area. They are used to solve a variety of issues, from keeping water away from foundations to relieving groundwater pressure behind retaining walls. If you have an area of your yard that simply takes forever to dry, then a French drain may be your solution.

Grading

Sometimes grading is one of the better drainage and erosion solutions for homes in Northern Virginia. Many builders pay little attention to how they grade lots when building new homes, which is a common challenge for residents in Ashburn, Leesburg, Willowsford and Herndon, where an extensive amount of new building is happening. This could leave you with water flowing right into your basement every time it rains. Grading simply adjusts the slope of your yard to a level that will move groundwater away from your home, instead of towards it.

Swale

If a French drain isn’t an option and grading doesn’t fit the problem, then maybe you need a swale. Swales are basically ditches, or places where a landscaper purposefully intersects two slopes in order to create a place to hold water. Swales can really be as simple as a ditch, but they can also be much more complex and purposeful. They can solve a variety of dilemmas, from capturing water for agricultural purposes to stopping erosion through diversion ditches.

If one of your properties landscape issues is drainage, contact Sunrise Landscape and Design to find the drainage solution that works best for you this winter. Our qualified landscape professionals can guide you through French drains, grading, and swales, so that together, we can find the answer that is right for your property.  Winter really is a great time to address those important yard projects and prepare yourself, your yard, and your home for the wet days just around the corner.

French drain with river rock

Sunrise Landscape and Design is Northern Virginia’s premier landscaping company offering a full range of landscaping services.  Our landscape and design services include hardscapes, water features, irrigation and landscape lighting.  Our property maintenance services will keep your Northern Virginia landscape vibrant and healthy year-round with mulching, edging, garden cleanups, lawn mowing, tree pruning and mosquito/deer control.  Contact us today for all your landscape and lawn care needs!

by SUN SUN

What are those bumps on my branches

Bumps on branches, leaves or stems, that may be a range of colors and sizes, but certainly don’t seem like they are part of the plant, can be concerning when looking at your landscape. Many people mistake this condition for a fungal disease. It’s more often actually a type of insect known as scale.

There are over 150 individual types of scale insects present in the state of Virginia. Some have little to no impact on plant health. Others can severely damage or even kill valuable landscape plants, shrubs, and trees. Scale causes damage by attaching to the plant and sucking water and nutrients from its bark or leaves. This takes away from the resources available to support the growth and health of the plant. A heavy infestation can even kill an entire shrub or group of shrubs if left untreated.

Scale insects often have a very specific plant they prefer, others are more open-minded and will attach to a wide range of different groups of plants. One shrub that has drawn attention for being prone to infestation and damage by scale insects in our region is cherry laurel. This versatile evergreen plant has several forms that are common and beautiful in many applications, and it is seen all over, in large hedges for screening, and more compact foundation plantings. It’s a great plant. But yet, it is prone to a scale that attaches to the stems and in many cases causes die-back or death of plants.  Another common landscape shrub affected by scale is Euonymus. This scale is particularly unsightly as it can cover the leaves as well as stems of the plant. Both these and other common scale insects in our region do NOT have to be viewed as a catastrophe for your garden. If observed and diagnosed in a reasonable amount of time, each scale can be treated and controlled to prevent frustrating and expensive losses.

Treatment of scale varies widely depending on the type of scale and time of year. Soft scales have a soft covering over their bodies that can be penetrated by appropriate chemical controls. Armored scales secrete a hard covering over their bodies as adults that protect the scale while it feeds on your plants. This armor is impenetrable to certain common pesticides; therefore one must approach treatment in an intelligent and informed manner that is appropriate to the situation. Identifying the specific pest that you have and knowing its unique life cycle and vulnerabilities will enable you to successfully treat your problem. You can use resources provided by the Virginia and Maryland Extension services to help identify your pest and also recommended treatment. Many effective products are available for purchase and application by homeowners.

You can always count on us at Sunrise Landscape and Design to monitor your property and treat for any potential issues, such as scale. We offer a range of options to provide you with Integrated Pest Management services. Our garden visits, and IPM treatments are both aspects of care that help monitor, identify and treat problems in a timely manner so that you won’t have to worry about those strange bumps turning into big issues. We work with you year-round to protect your investment in your home and landscape. Contact us to get a landscaping quote today.

by SUN SUN

The Importance of Trees in Your Landscape

Trees are just as crucial to your Northern Virginia landscape design project as a vibrant, healthy lawn. They benefit both the environment and the communities in which they are planted, saving energy and cleaning the air we breathe. Trees create jobs, provide protection from the elements, and even support healing.

Aesthetically appealing areas.

Trees are beautiful. They can define your driveway or become a focal point in your yard (with the help of landscape lighting). They also mark the seasons, giving us gorgeous flowers in the spring and brilliant foliage in the fall. Trees can enhance any landscape.

Natural Food Producers

Trees are a wonderful source of both beauty and food, including apples, cherries and nuts. They give us beautiful flowers in the spring and delicious fruit in the fall, which is fun for the picking. Check out Winchester, Virginia both at apple blossom time in the spring and apple picking time in the fall.  At times, it boasts the largest apple storage in the world!  Northern Virginia is also famous for its beautiful flowering cherry trees.

Wildlife Refuges

Trees make great homes. They provide housing for all kinds of wildlife – from birds and bees to squirrels and Monarch butterflies. Trees also help out another kind of “wildlife”: children. Treehouses and tire swings offer all kinds of fun during the warmer months. And for older “wildlife,” two shade trees can create a great hammock spot for napping and reading.

Places of peace.

Trees provide healing. Studies show that patients with views of trees heal better (and faster) than other patients. Children with ADHD also benefit from trees, showing fewer symptoms when they have access to nature.

Energy Savers and Creators

Trees help save the environment. They can cool our homes, streets, and cities by up to 10˚F. This temperature reduction allows homeowners and city governments to save money on cooling costs during the hot summer months. And when we are using less energy to cool our homes and businesses, we are saving fossil fuels and other resources that can potentially pollute the planet.

Protectors against the Unwanted

Trees are nature’s superheroes. Their shade protects us against harmful UV-B rays and blocks us (and our homes) from dust and other unwanted particulates. Trees also shield us from the wind and minimize glares and reflections. If planted properly, they can also reduce noise pollution from airports and loud streets.

If you live near a busy highway, or you want a little privacy, trees are an excellent way to block out unsightly views. Many fast-growing trees can conceal better than fencing – and they are more cost effective.  In most cases, they also look nicer than big, bulky fences.

Nature’s Air and Water Filters

Trees are large sponges. They absorb pollutants (and odors) on their leaves and bark and filter particulates out of the air. Through photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide into clean oxygen for us to breathe. It is estimated that an acre of mature trees can produce oxygen for 18 people over the course of a year.

Those sponges also prevent water evaporation and decrease water runoff. By channeling storm water down into the earth, trees save pollutants from flowing into oceans and other water sources. When you chop them up as mulch, the trees can filter water as it runs into the ground, helping to clean groundwater naturally. Last, but not least, since trees reduce runoff, they cut down on erosion and aid in holding soil in place.

There’s no doubt that trees are an investment in our future. They grace us with their charm and beauty year-round and provide numerous benefits to people and the planet. If you are ready to add some trees to your yard, contact Sunrise Landscape and Design today for a refreshing perspective on your landscape.

Sunrise Landscape and Design is Northern Virginia’s premier landscaping company offering a full range of landscaping services. Our landscape and design services include hardscapes, water features, irrigation and landscape lighting. Our property maintenance services will keep your landscape vibrant and healthy year-round with mulching, edging, garden cleanups, lawn mowing, tree pruning and mosquito/deer control. Contact us today for all your landscape and lawn care needs!

by SUN SUN

Outdoor Fireplaces | Northern Virginia

patio with lighting and fireplace in northern virginia

Who wouldn’t love curling up next to an outdoor fireplace on a chilly Northern Virginia fall evening? Or hanging out in your backyard year-round, enjoying s’mores while chatting with family and friends? Summer may be coming to an end, but there’s nothing stopping you from turning your summertime oasis into a four-season refuge.

Outdoor Fireplaces

A fireplace can be custom-designed and installed by a masonry expert, enabling you to choose the design that works best for your patio and your budget. They can be incorporated into your space for more of a “built-in” look or completely freestanding, creating a new seating area for your outdoor area. The facades can be brick, stone, marble, or even a type of fire-resistant glass. They can also be gas or wood-burning, depending on your preference.

If you love details, consider features like built-in wood storage, reclaimed wood mantels, bench-height hearths, and soft, subtle lighting. You can even incorporate a pizza oven for hours of family fun.

Fire Pits

If you have a smaller space, a fire pit may work better as your heat source. They are extremely popular, so the options are endless. You can build one into your space like a fireplace, customizing it to your needs, or you can purchase one at your local hardware store and simply unpack it from a box. While masonry fire pits offer unique details like stone facades and built-in seating, pre-built kits can be extremely affordable and easy to set up. Pits are generally either wood or gas, and can come in their traditional shape or in the form of a table, urn, or tabletop accent. They can also be incorporated with water features for an extra-special focal point.

Chimineas

Chimineas are also ideal for small spaces. Unlike the open, 360-degree design of a fire pit, chimineas are more like fireplaces. They are traditionally made out of clay and shaped like large vases, but now you can find them in materials like sheet steel, copper, cast aluminum, or cast iron. By feeding wood into their bellies, you can achieve a very clean-burning and efficient fire. The only drawback of chimineas is durability. Cast aluminum tends to last longer than other materials but beware of finishes that are prone to rust, warping, and cracking.

Patio Heaters

Patio heaters are also available in many varieties and styles. They may not seem as comforting as a blazing fire, but they can still provide decent warmth during cold-weather months. Heaters can be free-standing, tabletop, or wall-mounted, and typically run on natural gas, propane, or electricity.

Outdoor Kitchens

There’s no rule that says you must “rough it” if you want to spend time outdoors. An outdoor kitchen is another excellent way to season-proof your patio, making it a place to entertain and relax no matter what the weather is. Kitchens can be custom-designed to meet your needs with features like refrigerators, counters, cabinets, dishwashers, wine coolers, and sinks. You can incorporate grills, cooktops, and pretty much anything else you would find in your standard indoor kitchen. To make it blend in with the rest of your space, your contractor will finish it off with stone, tile, brick, or stucco.

Extend your living space this fall.

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy your investment year-round. Before the holiday parties begin and snow hits the ground, find a way to make your outdoor space work year-round. Contact us to schedule a free estimate.

Want to learn more about outdoor living spaces? Click here.