We originally added a pool, carport, and landscaping to this home in Yorktown, Virginia. A few years later we added a water feature...and now they want even more! This beautiful backyard features summertime hydrangeas, an outdoor kitchen, and crepe myrtles, among other things.

For their new water feature we added a bubbling sphere, but after they got a taste of it they knew they wanted to add on. We're taking out hydrangeas, repositioning the sphere, adding a waterfall, and upgrading the overall view. Tons of AquaBlox were used along with the new Aquascape SLD 5000-9000 for the fountain and a Aquascape AquaSurge 5000 for the waterfall.

This backyard is going to be quite the showpiece, right in the heart of Yorktown. Watch this video to see the transformation! Do you think they're done, or will we come back for more in a few years?!

We already worked on this space near Lee Hall in Newport News last year, but then our client wanted something more. Originally, we put in...

• Stone bar top with outdoor built-in grill
• Brazilian hardwood screen wall
• Color changing lights
• Some landscaping to liven up the space
• Shade cover

...but if that wasn't enough, we are now adding a putting green to her backyard! Watch the video to see how we're maintaining proper drainage, installing color-changing lights for nighttime fun, different holes with different levels of difficulty, and more. We're thrilled to add a mini-golf course to her backyard...have you ever thought of doing something like that?!

At the end, you'll get a sneak peek of the finished project, along with some fun before-and-after shots.

What happens when you're having a party and your backyard just isn't ready? Well, for this homeowner, giving us a call was the first step, and we took care of the rest. Watch the process for this beautiful backyard patio renovation at Cypress Creek in Smithfield, Virginia. Learn how we:

• Brainstormed the initial design.
  
• Worked hard to get it done within the timeline.
• Came up with a creative way to save the new backyard grass.
• Our different patio types and why you should choose each.
  

Do you think we made it under the deadline? Watch the transformation happen and find out!

Spring: my favorite time of year! I love seeing the new buds, blooms and bustling wildlife activity. Here are a few tips for getting your yard in shape- and keeping it there throughout the summer and fall.

1) Pre-emergent
Winter annuals (weeds) rarely get out of hand. However, pesky spring and summer invaders are a completely different story. Crab grass, henbit, chickweed, dandelions, pusley, and broadleaf plantain all seem to run rampant if nothing is done. There are many pre-emergent products on the market, one of the more popular being Preen. Preen works well, and won't harm any perennials or sensitive plants.

I strongly encourage clients and friends not to use a weed barrier or fabric, unless they are laying out stone or gravel. As the mulch breaks down on top of the fabric, it creates a perfect haven for the weeds to germinate in the mulch. Fabric can also keep the mulch from building healthy soil as it breaks down. Instead, apply a pre-emergent a few times a year to keep the weeds from even germinating.

2) Hard Pruning
Hard pruning is best done just before spring breaks through the winter. It’s a perfect time to shape your plants, and also remove gangly branches or obvious winter kill. Ornamental trees should follow the "no crossing, touching, or rubbing" rule. Late winter is also a great time to cut back overgrown shrubs. We will frequently take holly bushes down from 48" to just 12" and let them regrow.

3) Fertilize...

Who knew what 2020 would bring?! It ended up being The Year of Home. I mused that since no one would be traveling to Paris or Venice this year, maybe people would put their vacation budget into their home, landscape, and outdoor spaces. While I may have meant that as a joke, it wasn't far from the truth, as few of our clients have told us.

Despite the challenges of finding supplies, manufacturers being shut down, wood prices skyrocketing, and material shortages, we had a lot of fun this year. We live to create. We enjoy the end result. We love seeing our clients live in their new space. We take pride knowing we had something to do with the memories they'll create enjoying the great outdoors. 

Here are the Easton Outdoors top 10 projects for 2020!

Welcome to southeastern Virginia, specifically the Tidewater region! We love our sandy soil near the coast, but a little further inland, the easy digging can come to an abrupt end when you hit clay or a clay blend. Planting in the clay soil that Hampton Roads has to offer is difficult, and establishing plants is even harder. I hear many friends say they have a black thumb and then give up. In reality, they are just dealt a poor hand.

Spring is in the air!  It's time to plant grass! 

Actually, it's not. 
[Did you hear the sound of that record scratching?!]

To clarify- you can definitely plant grass in the spring, but you may not get the long term results you're hoping for. The best time to plant cool season grasses (fescue) in the fall. The cooler temperatures we have during the fall months allow the grass to germinate, establish, and build strong roots through the winter. 

When grass seed is planted in the spring, however, your new lawn can’t catch a break before the summer heat kicks in. The grass seed will look great and fill in well, but because the roots aren't fully established, the heat will stress the new fescue plants. The density of the grass will then fall off during the summer, and patchy areas can form, requiring more seed.

Growing a lawn takes time, so don't give up when you don't see immediate results. If you're starting from scratch, be ready for it to take 18-24 months to fully establish. If you already have some existing healthy turf, expect about a year to get it built up. Here are some ways to ensure that when springtime comes, your yard is looking its best.