The Summer of 2015 came fast and doesn’t appear to be letting up anytime soon. Even though BBQ season seems destined to linger, the kids will be back in school very soon and autumn will officially begin in less than a month – can you believe it? Though the warm weather will probably continue into October, the trees will eventually change color, the winds will pick up and the leaves will begin falling in what may seem like a never ending torrent of yard work. The time that was spent enjoying the sun turns into cleanup and summer fun will officially be over. For many, this means unfinished projects and plans are shelved until next season. Thoughts will turn indoors to upcoming holidays and the outside space will be forgotten until next year. If you are one of the people who find the summers to be too short to bring to life your outdoor living dream, All Oregon Landscaping believes that you don’t have to wait to start the work on next years project. Fall is the perfect time to begin the process. Here’s why.
3 Reasons to Start a 2016 Outdoor Living Space Now
You’ll get extra attention from landscape designers – Spring and summer is the busiest time of year for landscape companies with multiple projects happening and a lot to coordinate. Fall is the time when we can provide a little extra attention to planning a project for the next year since there isn’t as much going on outside of the office.
This is when the summer clearance sales are happening – Saving money is always nice and if you are a savvy shopper you can pick up some brand new items at significant savings compared to what you’ll pay at the beginning of next season. Additionally, you’ll save time next spring and be better prepared to start your project.
Planning is the longest part of the process – Whether you have a specific idea in mind or are still trying to figure out what you want, the fall and winter months give you plenty of time to get all of the details just right. When you work with All Oregon Landscaping, a landscape design expert visits the property and finds out what you are looking for and helps create a plan that works best for the layout and budget. If you want an outdoor living space designed for entertaining, a relaxing retreat or an urban farm we can come up with the most feasible options and start getting ready to make your dream a reality. When the time comes to break ground, everything will be in place to quickly get your outdoor living space ready to enjoy.
Here are a few selected pictures of some of our favorite outdoor living space designs.
Outdoor dining room with water feature
Outdoor living room
Breakfast bar and kitchen prep
Planting a climbing plant on a pergola offers additional shade.
A nice bar table design
Gas grill with plenty of counter space.
Outdoor massage area.
Outdoor breakfast bar
An outdoor area to relax and read.
Kid’s play area with trampoline, playground, and playhouse.
All Oregon Landscaping works in Portland and all of the surrounding areas including Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Oregon City, Sherwood, Tualatin, West Linn, and more. Give us a call to get your 2016 outdoor living space project started this fall.
Every year homeowners try to find a balance between a beautiful landscape and conserving water. With the predictions of a drier than normal summer in 2015 and the lower level of snow melt from the mountains, reducing the amount of water you are using for irrigation is more important than in previous years. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a beautiful space to enjoy the extra sunshine. With a little planning, you can conserve water during a drought and have an outdoor space you love.
Drought Landscaping: 4 Ways to Reduce Water Consumption
1. Plant smart. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of water needed to maintain a landscape is to use drought resistant plants. Native plants are a great start since they are typically low maintenance to begin with and usually require minimal irrigation during a drought. Also placing beds near run off from the home and where moisture tends to gather is another way to use what is already there to your advantage.
Backyard pub shed
2. Create more outdoor living space. Why sit on the grass when you can sit in a cozy chair on a beautiful patio or have a cold beverage in your pub shed. Minimizing the lawn, which takes a lot of water to keep green, and using the area for outdoor living simply means you have less foliage to maintain and a beautiful area to relax, cook and enjoy the sun. When considering drought landscaping, think outside the plants.
3. Using hardscapes to fill space. Well placed natural stone or rock gardens can be beautiful focal points to a landscape and best of all, they don’t need to be watered. Combine with a few drought hardy plants and keep the water bill at a minimum. Wider pathways and larger flat stepping stones among low groundcover also add a sense of importance to an area.
4. Better irrigation. While a broadcast sprinkler and hose is easy to set up and let run, it’s also inefficient and easy to forget. They water everything regardless of whether it’s growing or not and can promote
Rachio let’s you control irrigation from your phone.
the spread of fungi that can damage plants. There are many alternatives that make it very easy to irrigate with little waste including in ground irrigation and drip systems that focus the water where it needs to be. They can be set up on a timer so there is no chance of forgetting and turning your yard into a swamp. They can also be combined with smart timers that can be controlled from your phone so if you are away from home and it rains, you can shut it off from where ever you may be.
Need help with drought landscaping that saves water and helps keep your home looking its best? All Oregon Landscaping is here to help. Our award-winning landscape designs transform a thirsty yard into an attractive, useful, and eco friendly space you’ll never want to leave. We work in Portland and all of the surrounding areas, contact us for a free quote and we can have your drought resistant yard ready soon.
Jim and Omar were great! They both were very pleasant, professional, did fantastic work on the drizzly day we had yesterday and put up with periodic glued faces to the windows to see the transformation. Kudos also to Craig and to Elida for the initial plan of our gorgeous oasis that is now our backyard. I really love that I have different colors and things to look at with each season. We really are delighted with your work and your company as whole. Each interaction with everyone has been a very good experience. You have been very helpful, Julie, and we so appreciate you being able to schedule our job in time for our pending appraisal. Thank you so much for all that you and your team do – you rock!!Tracy Griffin
From the first visit to discussing our Patio Project to the Day of completion. The Energy and Enthusiasm by everyone involved through the project was comforting, that we picked the “Right Company” to build our Dream Patio/Fireplace addition. I can’t say enough about the supervisors attention to detail and follow through. Along with my family, I’m looking at enjoying our new backyard are for many-many years to come!Fritz Gerwe
Thank you for the work your company did for our home. Your prompt attention to our issues was very much appreciated. We were pleased with all the work and will call “All Oregon” with any further work.Brent and Maile
We built our “dream” home In West Linn and it was very important that the landscaping enhance the style. The All Oregon team worked with our vision to put together a beautiful plan. We were involved with the ideas of the landscape and with the expertise and professionalism of the team, it all came together timely and on budget. It was a pleasure working with everyone at All Oregon. We knew we were in good hands. We have been in our home for seven years now and All Oregon has always been available to help with our maintenance.Lynn and Scottie Johnson
We procrastinated for years, putting off replacing the shoddy deck we inherited with our new home. As soon as we had our consultation with All Oregon, we’d wished we’d started sooner. With property that required extensive renovation, we’ve contracted everything from plumbing and electrical work to major excavation over the years. All Oregon was by far the best service experience we’ve had. Everything about them was a welcome change from our previous jobs. Their design, rates, expertise and workmanship exceeded our best expectations. We now have a patio, deck and landscaping we enjoy every day. I’d encourage anyone to stop putting off that daunting project and call All Oregon.Chris
Our experience with All Oregon Landscaping, Inc. was everything we expected from an established, reputable full-service landscaping company. From the landscape design process through the actual planting of our landscape, every step of the way went smoothly and efficiently, on time and within budget. We would not hesitate to call on the All Oregon Landscaping team again nor to recommend them to our friends and neighbors.” Thank you, also, Craig for replacing the plants in our landscape that did not survive. I was out of town when the crew came, but it was a beautiful surprise to see it taken care of when I got home.Cathy Cutrera
From the minute we first met Craig and his team we were instantly impressed with how they listened to what we wanted to accomplish. They took our thoughts and drew up the plans that looked exactly like what we had envisioned. The project came in on time, on budget and on quality. Their customer service is outstanding. What we love the most is that it does not look like we put a water feature in our backyard. It looks like we built our home around a natural water feature that has been there for years. We were told that our project would not be completed until we were perfectly happy. We could not be happier! You know you have something special when your neighbors bring their friends and family over to your home to show off your backyard.Bruce and Joni George
I want to let you know that our experience with All Oregon was nothing less than excellent. From Elida, Martine and his crew and the lawn cutters you could not ask for for more. Everyone was so polite, competent and enjoyable to work with in every step of our project.Bill
After many years of using other professional yard care services, and many occasions being unsatisfied, we made a change to All Oregon Landscaping. In these difficult economic times, it’s important to make good decisions about who you are doing business with. Craig and his team are talented, honest and hard-working. They are the best in the business. Our yard has never looked better!Tom and Lorri VanDomelen
I also am so very pleased with how my entire project turned out (as are my neighbors) and I cannot say enough nice things about everyone involved, beginning with Russ, who totally interpreted what I was hoping to accomplish, and Tony, whose suggestions for the driveway were perfect. And I would be remiss in not complimenting the entire crew who were diligent and hardworking and brought all the tasks to fruition.Barbara Jensen-Beaverton
