Landscaping & Lawn Care in Plano
(972) 495-6990

CLIENT LOGIN

FREE ESTIMATE

Tag: Richardson landscape installation

Village Green Plano LandscapingGREENTALK BLOGRichardson landscape installation
20 May 2020
0 Comments By Ken Hyatt Landscaping, Landscaping Dallas, Lawn and Landscape Care , , , , , ,

Landscape Spotlight: Mr. H’s Shade Solution

As I said in a recent quick tip, your lawn needs three things to be healthy. Sun, water, and food (fertilizer.) Mr. H unfortunately didn’t have enough sun in his backyard because of his large trees and came to us for a solution. Mr. H is a model customer in that he had very specific requests for this project.

Mr. H gave me his list which was:

  • Low maintenance and care
  • Limited entertaining for small groups (3-5) people
  • Patio, plants, beds and plants
  • Patio surface must provide safe walking surface and not be slippery
  • Natural style that fosters serenity.  Not modern styling
  • Increase the size of the patio
  • Designed around the fact that the main viewing area would be the kitchen nook window

As you can see in my video tour and the photos, Village Green delivered on Mr. H’s new landscape. From a stunning patterned concrete patio to the beautiful yet low maintenance landscape that does double duty screening his backyard from the neighbor’s roof and windows. Mr. H now has his serene outdoor space and Village Green has another satisfied landscape customer.

If you have a yard with a lot of shade and are sick of your bare spots, I would love the opportunity to discuss your options. I have a lot of examples I can share where we have solved shady lawn problems.

Village Green installs landscapes started at $2,500 up to $100,000 + and have been helping our North Texas neighbors create beautiful outdoor spaces since 1980.

We know we could help you create your very own sanctuary and we would love to earn your business. If you’d like to discuss your project we’re happy to answer your questions. All you have to do is call us at 972-495-6990 or email Ken@VillageGreen-Inc.com.

04 May 2020
0 Comments By Ken Hyatt Landscaping, Landscaping Dallas, Lawn and Landscape Care , , , ,

Ms. N’s Backyard Transformation

One of my favorite things about landscape projects is finding creative ways to solve our customer’s problems.

Take this project. Ms. N has a large backyard with a swimming pool which is perfect for her and her dogs enjoy. The only problem. Mud. And lots of it.

The simple solution. Artificial turf and some well-selected ground cover (which is what Village Green handled on this project.)

Remember I said this was a large backyard. I meant LARGE. This yard was so big that we had 325 flats of ground cover or nearly 6,000 four-inch pots. That obviously took a few days of hard work, but Village Green delivered and you can see the difference!

It took quite a few days but we got it all in and Ms. N and her four-legged family members are ready to enjoy her updated backyard this summer.

Village Green installs landscapes started at $2,500 up to $100,000 + and have been helping our North Texas neighbors create beautiful outdoor spaces since 1980.

We know we could help you create your very own sanctuary and we would love to earn your business. If you’d like to discuss your project we’re happy to answer your questions. All you have to do is call us at 972-495-6990 or email Ken@VillageGreen-Inc.com.

05 Feb 2014
0 Comments By Kyle GreenTalk , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aeration: The Secret to Health Lawn

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I’ve changed my opinion on lawn aeration in my blog post, Aeration 101.  Since then many of our customers have been wanting to learn more about aeration.  Going so far as to ask how it actually works, which is why I shot a quick video of Sam (another valued Village Green Team Member) aerating a customer’s lawn.  As you can see from the video, aeration is a pretty simple process.  We use a lawn machine that looks like a cross between a lawn mower and mini-tank that literally punches thousands of holes into your lawn.   After seeing Sam in action I think most of our customers will get how it works, but the bigger question is why should you consider aerating your lawn?

The answer is pretty simple.  You need to aerate your lawn annually (it is best to do it in the winter or early spring) because you live in North Texas. 

Our infamous clay soils are made up of tiny particles that compact over time, getting tighter and tighter.  Eventually your soil will become so compacted that it has a hard time taking in water, oxygen, and fertilizer.  The more traffic on your lawn, whether people or pets increases the problem which is why golf courses aerate their greens and fairways a several times per year.

As a homeowner, you don’t need to go that far, but it is a wise investment to aerate your lawn once a year.  The benefits are pretty simple.  Once you poke thousands of holes in your lawn, you are creating little cups that will collect water, oxygen and fertilizer.  These components to a healthy lawn will be able to penetrate deep into your soil down to the root system of your grass, which will lead to a healthier lawn.  

Possibly the most important benefit of aeration, considering we live in North Texas where many of our cities are under Stage 3 Water Restrictions, is that aeration increases your water retention and will lower your water bill.  

In the end aeration just makes good sense.  Financially and environmentally, and better yet, the end result will be a much healthier and more beautiful lawn when you combine aeration with your ongoing lawn maintenance program.   

If you have any questions regarding aeration, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 972-495-6990, email me at ken@villagegreen-inc.com or fill out our contact form.  We’d be happy to answer any of your lawn aeration questions.

21 Nov 2013
0 Comments By Kyle GreenTalk , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Meet the Team: Shelby Hyatt

Founded in 1980 by Ken Hyatt, Village Green is a family owned business that specializes in lawn care, landscaping, fertilization and weed control, sprinkler repair, and mosquito control. During the Holiday Season we also professionally install lights for both business and residential customers.  

Ken has always felt that the people behind Village Green are as important as the company itself.  With that in mind he asked the team to answer a few questions in order for our customers to get to know more about the Village Green employees who serve them. 



Shelby HyattQ&A WITH SHELBY HYATT, Doer of Whatever is Needed Done as Daughter of the Owner

Please describe what you do at Village Green.  
I do a lot of in and out jobs between doing bills and putting up Xmas lights at Dallas Baptist University.

How long have you worked at Village Green?  
Since I was born! [Which isn’t exactly true, but when you are the owner’s daughter you start helping with the family business at an early age!)

What would people be surprised to learn about you?  
I volunteered at the Dallas Zoo and got to feed and pet a rhino.
What some of your favorite things?  
My favorite past time is camping and hiking. 
 
Where did you grow up?  
Texas.
 
What is your favorite TV show?  
My favorite TV show is between Once Upon a Time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Fringe.
 
Fill in the blanks.  I can’t live without laptop, pets, and family. 
  
If you could have a dinner party and invite any four people, dead or alive, the guest list would be?  
Teddy Roosevelt, J.J. Abrams, Joss Whedon, and Walt Disney.
  
If you were a superhero would you be?  
Black Widow. 
17 May 2013
0 Comments By Kyle eTour, GreenTalk, Landscaping Dallas , , , ,

Mr. & Mrs. T’s Landscape eTour

Ken visits Mr. and Mrs. T’s home to check on a landscape project Village Green finished two weeks ago.  Like many of Village Green’s projects, this customer had trouble growing grass under their oak trees because of the shade.  Village Green replaced the Bermuda to St. Augustine, and created some beds under each tree.  The end result is a yard that is gorgeous, but will be very low maintenance for Mr. and Mrs. T.  It’s an added bonus to watch this video to hear Ken give a Who’ Who commentary of landscape plants.

13 Feb 2013
0 Comments By Kyle Dallas Lawn Care, Landscaping Dallas , , , , , ,

Mid-Winter Crepe Myrtle Pruning – Don’t Believe Your Neighbors

It’s late winter and all your neighbors are trimming their crepe myrtles so I thought I’d share a quick tip on how to trim yours.  Here it is…Don’t do it.  Or if you really feel the need, do it gently.  The best way to trim your crepe myrtles is to treat them like your large trees by trimming them very little.  You wouldn’t consider topping your oak tree at 20’, yet this time of year when you look down your block, most of your neighbors are whacking off their crepe myrtles at about 6’ tall and telling you they’re going to bloom better.   A few years ago I watched someone using a circular saw proudly cutting through limbs 3” thick.  

 Your neighbors are creating big, ugly knots on the trunks of their crepe myrtles and the few extra blooms your neighbors are getting will be on the end of thin, spindly limbs too weak to support the weight of the blooms, making the limbs droop. 

 How should you trim a crepe myrtle?  Trim off limbs rubbing against each other or rubbing your roof.  If you really feel the need to prune more, don’t trim off anything larger than a pencil.  Want to see what good pruning looks like?  Go to the Dallas Arboretum and check out their crepe myrtles.  The crepe myrtles are used during their tour for the blind because of the beautiful sculpted feel of their untrimmed trunks.    

In our business the yearly sawing that your neighbors are doing isn’t called “pruning”, it’s called “crepe murder” and the punishment is a really ugly tree.

 
02 Nov 2012
0 Comments By Kyle Dallas Lawn Care, Dallas Sprinkler Repair, Landscaping Dallas, Plano Christmas Lights, Sprinkler Repair Dallas , , , ,

Fall North Dallas Landscape Check List

Here is your fall landscape to-do list…

Apply Pre-Emergent – In bermuda lawns you’ll want to apply a pre-emergent to your lawn to prevent the winter weed seeds from germinating.  Check your local nursery for a pre-emergent with an active ingredient of Simazine or Pendimethalin.  St. Augustine doesn’t like herbicides – pre-emergents tend to stunt its growth.  Instead use a low nitrogen fertilizer (we use 5-10-31) and spot treat weeds as they show.

Install Trees and Shrubs – Fall is the best season to install trees and shrubs, followed by winter.  Believe it or not, spring is the third best season to install a landscape.  Just like people, the closer plants get to a Dallas summer the unhappier they get which makes fall the best season for planting.   Installing trees and shrubs in the fall or winter allows them to set their roots, so by the time summer rolls around they’re better prepared.  Want so design ideas?  Go to our gallery and review our landscape architect’s plans.  You’ll find lots of great ideas and plants suggestions there.

Mulch Landscape Beds – You’ll want 3″ or so of mulch in your beds.  This provides insulation for the plants during our cold weather and blocks most of the weed seeds from germinating.  A good mulch, as it decomposes throughout the year, will also give organic material to the roots of your plants.  Be sure to use shredded hardwood mulch.  Other, cheaper mulch is frequently made from old, shredded pallets and doesn’t break down nearly as well.

Fertilize Trees and Shrubs – As trees and shrubs go dormant over the winter they move nutrients into their root system to store.  When you add a balanced fertilizer such as 14-14-14 in the fall, the tree moves the fertilizer into the roots, giving the tree a great boost in the spring.

Install Fall Flowers – Your summer annuals may look nice now but they won’t survive the first couple of frosts.  It’s time to change to pansies, kale or cabbage.  Follow this link for more information on fall color.

Set Fall Watering Schedule – Did you know your sprinkler system is your first line of defense against winter weeds?  Watering spreads your pre-emergent, creating a barrier just below the surface of the soil to prevent weed seeds from germinating.  Watering in the fall roughly 30 minutes per week (twice that for rotors) also reduces chance of winter damage.  Why do I talk about watering so much?  Most of the issues I see in lawns and landscape either start or are made worse by poor watering methods.  Follow this link for in-depth fall watering tips. 

 

01 Aug 2012
0 Comments By Kyle Landscaping Dallas , , ,

Landscaping in the Summer in Dallas

Can landscapes be installed in the summer in the Dallas area?  The answer is yes, as long as your sprinkler coverage is good and you water the new plants correctly.  We installed this landscape a few weeks ago.  Since then we’ve had 100 plus degree weather and no rain.  Not a single plant is stressed – even with Plano’s twice per week watering.

24 Sep 2011
0 Comments By Kyle Landscaping Dallas , , ,

Want a Great Landscape Design? Create a Frame…


This week I asked landscape architect extraordinaire and friend of mine, David Daigle, to give a little information on how to create a great landscape design:

Your home can be just as beautiful as any artist’s painting by taking a tip from the painter – create a frame around your home. Consider the bulk of the foundation planting as the bottom of your frame. These plants should be dwarf type plants or groundcover so as not to hide the details of the home. Be careful to not cover interesting architectural details like columns, windows and doors.

The bottom of the frame, your foundation planting, should be designed to guide your eye to the entry. A variety of shapes, forms and texture can achieve this and the style of the landscape will dictate how they are arranged. In most cases simple is better and less is more. Keep the variety of plants to a minimum and mass them so your eye is drawn toward the entry. The area around the door should have a vertical accent (3’-5’ ht.) with seasonal color and more variety to draw your eye to this area.

The corner of your home should consist of larger shrubs and ornamental trees, usually 6’ or so, that make up the sides of the frame. This planting serves as a backdrop for the layering of plants that will help guide your eye to the entry. Tall plant at the corners and progressively smaller plants will drawn your eye to the entry

The top of the frame generally consists of shade trees in your front yard, however, grouping of ornamental trees along the foundation or shade trees in the back that are visible from the front can achieve the same effect.

So, follow the painter’s lead by creating a frame for your home with taller plants at the corners, smaller or dwarf plants along the foundation and full sized trees to soften the roofline you’ll have a great landscape.

If you have questions about landscape design call my office at 214-926-6009 or visit my website at www.daiglela.com

09 May 2011
0 Comments By Kyle Uncategorized , , , , ,

Starting a landscape installation in Sachse

We’re starting a landscape installation in Sachse today.  The home has a beautiful stone border but it is too close to the house to allow us to create depth so we’re extending the beds out in front of the stone by eight feet.  The builder also used lots of dwarf burfords which are great plants but not great placed as a hedge in front of the house.  We’ll be moving them to the sides of the house were they can reach their natural height of 8′ tall.  Our first step is to mark the rough outline of the bed with blue paint.

Read More