How To Overcome Those Pesky Mosquitoes This Summer!

There are many ways to avoid summers dreaded nemesis- the mosquito!  With a little planning, some research, and a minimal investment, you will be enjoying those summer margaritas on your deck pest-free in no time!

PLANTS, PLANTS, PLANTS!

One of the first barriers I always suggest to my customers is to take advantage of natural mosquito repellents and incorporate them into your landscaping.  

3 of my favorite flowering plants I recommend are the Ageratum, Painted Daisy and Marigold.

Ageratum

Painted Daisy

Marigold

3 green plants that I prefer are Citronella, Basil and Lemongrass.

Citronella

Basil

Lemongrass

HOMEMADE TRAPS THAT ARE FUN FOR THE FAMILY!

With a little research you will find there are many ways to make mosquito traps.  Here is one of my favorites that is not only fun to get the kids involved to make, but they work!!!  These would be great to hang in a children's garden!

DIY Mosquito Trap

LET IT BURN!

There are several herbs that can repel mosquitoes when burned.  I find that sage and rosemary not only repel well, but also that have a nice calming smell to add to your backyard ambiance.  

Burning sage is also one of the oldest and purest methods 
of cleansing a person, group of people or space.

If herbs aren’t your thing, a popular mosquito repelling incense widely used in Asia, Africa, South America and Australia is the mosquito coil.  Made of a dried paste of pyrethrum powder, a typical mosquito coil can measure around 15 cm in diameter and lasts around 8 hours.

Mosquito Coil

Mosquitoes can easily ruin a beautiful summer evening.  Try one, or even a few, of these tips I mentioned and you are sure to defeat these bothersome bugs!  

What do you do to ward off mosquitoes?  Have you found others ways?  Leave your comments and questions in the box below!

Create your own secret garden for your kids right in your own backyard!

When we grew up, there were limited options for outside play equipment, unless you were at the playground at your elementary school.  Most of the time as kids, we made use of sticks, rocks, and anything else mother nature would give we and played happily for hours.  Then came the playgrounds at places like McDonalds and Chickfila and superstores like Swingset direct! Plastic sadly replaced nature.

What if we could create a backyard oasis that combined fun and education while getting back to nature? Have you been to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square?  They have a wonderful example of a childrens botanical garden.   
At Ninebark Landscaping, one of our specialties is creating a private botanical garden design or outdoor space just for your child.  

Look at these 4 wonderful ideas to create a place for your child full of learning, 
imaginative play and hours of fun!

1. A magical fairy garden

The spring brings a plethora of delights from budding trees and flowers to butterflies and lady bugs.  Capture this magic in a tiny fairy garden for your son or daughter.  Ninebark Landscaping can create a miniature wonderland with tiny flowering plants, stones and fairy magic.  Don't have a good space for a fairy garden?  How about a container?  We can help design it!

    

                             

Don't you just LOVE these gardens?

2.  Create a hands-on sensory environment like a letter garden or rainbow garden.  

When planning your garden landscape design, Ninebark Landscaping can incorporate learning on a variety of levels.  How about a garden that has larger then life, carved blocks with letters on them to identify certain plants or vegetables.  For example, T for Tulips or L for lettuce.  We can create a garden theme and incorporate letter blocks that are custom carved and 

painted from 18x18 wood beams.

 

How about a touch and smell garden with lavender, basil and lambs ear and butterfly bushes?

Have you ever seen a ROY-G-BIV garden? 

Red= tomatoes, O= Oregano Y= Yellow squash...and so on.  

We can plant for you or just design the garden so you can enjoy the planting and growing experience along side your child.    

  

3. Private retreat for kids: 

Every kid wants a secret outdoor place to call their own.  Here are a few examples of what Ninebark Landscaping can do to create a personal "secret garden".  We can customize any nook and cranny to become a special place.  Whether we add a small vintage gate, or a table and chairs made of logs, 
or create a dwarf entrance at the base of a tree- 

we can turn your backyard into an imagination wonderland!

4.  For the active kids:  

There are plenty of options for the kiddos who love to run and play!  Think outside the box to foster your childs imagination.  Do they like horses?  

How about a re-purposed tire swing made into a horse shape?  

Do you have a kid who loves to climb?  We can make a custom climbing wall to fit any landscaping scheme and fill in with soft mulch for safety.  

Sandboxes come in all shapes and sizes.  If you can dream it, we can do it!  

 

Ninebark Landscape can design the perfect outdoor play area for your child that is age appropriate, hands on and above all else- FUN!  Why spend your hard earned money on a giant plastic swing-set when you can have a beautiful, customized outdoor space?  

Watch your children's garden grow and thrive 

while your family does the same!  

Contact us at:

www.NinebarkLandscaping.com

484-880-7299

WHATS THE BUZZ?

I’m sure you have heard the “buzz” by now that our world’s number one pollinator, the bumble bee is in danger of becoming extinct.  Between 1976 and 2006 there was a dramatic decline in the wild bumble bee’s numbers.  Now, in 2015, bumble bees are all but gone from existence.   Toxic chemicals, global warming and disease are wiping their population out.  Why should we be concerned? Well, for starters, these fuzzy creatures are the primary mechanism for healthy and wipe spread pollination of our crops.  Without the assistance of bumble bee’s, our world food supply could be in jeopardy.  There are many ways to help preserve the population.  By understanding the effects of a toxic environment on a bees lifespan and the role bees play, we can begin to raise awareness of their plight.  It is critical to build the bee’s numbers up and it starts with each one of us. How can we help improve the plight of the bumble bee?

1. Be as organic as possible in your home garden and landscaping.  Many experts believe that the declining population is due to pesticides and chemicals farmers are using on their crops.  Chemicals on your lawn and garden can damage a bees internal organs.  These chemicals can be especially harmful if applied during the flowering process.  In this case, the harmful chemicals get into the nectar and the pollinating bee will bring it back to the hive, where the toxins get into the honey. 
2. Buy organic food and raw honey from local farmers.  A huge challenge for bee keepers is to keep their bees far enough away from chemical sprays.  To be considered truly organic honey, the bees must be 3 miles from any environmental toxins. 
3. Bees get thirsty.  Provide a small basin of water in your yard to quench the thirst of the little guys, especially in hot summer months. 
4. Understand that bees aren’t out to get you.  Bumble bees are vegetarians.  Wasps are not.  Know the difference between the two species.  Wasps are attracted to your food, like lunch meats and proteins.  To avoid getting stung, stay calm.  If a bee lands on you, it may just want to check you out.  Bees can smell the pheromones associated panic and fear and may sting just based on those chemical reactions to their presence. 
5. Plant bee friendly flowers and flowering herbs in your yard and garden.  Provide bees with a natural habitat to help sustain the population.  Spring: Lilac, lavender, sage, verbena and wisteria.  Summer: Mint, squash, tomatoes, pumpkin and sunflowers, oregano, poppies, black-eyed susan and honeysuckle.  Fall: Fushia, mint, sage, verbena, and toadflax. 
6. To help the fight against harmful pesticides, please reach out to PAN North American.  PAN stands for Pesticide Action Network.  Click here for more information.  http://action.panna.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5370

BUY ORGANIC!

#landscapedesign #landscaping #gardendesign #designandbuild #gardenideas #gardenplan

#chestercounty #montgomerycounty

Flight of the Bumble bee - pollinating a flower

The Basics of Spring Clean Up

 Usually by now, old man winter is saying his goodbyes, but snow storms, ice, and frigid temperature are gave new meaning to the phrase “March comes in like a lion”.   March typically kicks off the official “spring frenzy” when homeowners start to look at the mess outside and think “oh my god, where do I start”.  Even though these thoughts may be pushed off a bit due to a chilly start to March, the need for spring planning and clean up should still be something you have started to think about.  Overwhelmed? Procrastinating? Paying off the plumber for the burst pipes he fixed?  Well, basic spring cleanup doesn’t need to cause stress or break the bank.  Here are a five steps that will help kick start your spring season. 

1.      Survey your outside area.  Are you happy with your perennials, beds, garden and trees?  How about hardscaping?  Is there anything you would like to change in the upcoming season?  Now is the time to begin planning any new landscaping designs. 

2.      How did your trees and shrubs handle the winter?  Prune any trees and shrubs that have suffered damage from the harsh winter.  Pull up any old annuals and trim your perennials back to allow for fresh growth in the new season. 

3.      Wait for a nice day and start general clean up.  Rake out any leaves that have collected in flower beds, around bushes and around the house foundation. 

4.      How did your grass do sitting under all that snow?  Any turf that didn’t survive needs seeding. Once the soil has dried out enough, you can turn over the grass and soil to get ready for laying down the grass seed.

5.      Clean up your outdoor furniture and evaluate your outdoor cushions and pillows.  Do they have stains or mildew from winter storage? Dish washing liquid mixed with a gallon of water can do wonders. 

Although basic and seemly obvious, these 5 steps are the keys to getting yourself ready for the fun stuff!  Seasonal plantings and gardening are next on the list as we move into the warmer temperatures.