Japanese Gardens Offer Many Benefits

The benefits of a Japanese garden or landscape are many.  They include:

• Providing a place for peace & serenity;
• Helping one connect with nature;
• Health benefits by helping to relieve stress. Many gardens include a koi pond and watching koi is known to help relieve stress, as well as provide many other benefits;
• Added exercise with maintaining the garden;
• Inspiring new thoughts;
• Encouraging reflective time and meditation which helps to improve focus;
• Conserving water through reduced plantings and use of natural elements.  Japanese garden and landscape designs can also be done as Xeriscapes  or even Zeroscapes; 
• Some designs require less maintenance than other garden/landscape styles;
• A design style that works well with native grasses and trees; and 
• Koi are used in aquaponic systems, so a koi pond that is part of a Japanese garden can be leveraged to help grow food.

To reap these rewards and include a Japanese garden in your landscape, visit www.JapaneseLandscapes.com.

Japanese Garden at the Manito Gardens
in Spokane, Washington

Is Your Plant Receiving The Right Water?

When a treasured plant in your garden or landscape dies, it feels bad.  It can lead some to believe that they do not have a green thumb.  I know, because I have often felt this way.  However, I later realized the challenge was more an issue of not having the necessary plant knowledge to care for particular plants.

Plant health is often an issue of location and watering.

According to Island Landscape, a licensed and insured landscape contractor in California and Hawaii, yellowing, drying, burning, bug infested or dying plants may not be getting enough water or too much.  

Find out or ask your professional gardener or landscape maintenance company if problem plants are appropriate for the zone they are in and getting the right amount of water.  Adjust the the watering schedule for each as necessary.  

If you need further help, a landscape maintenance professional will be able to discuss and make plant recommendations based on the plant type, weather patterns for the area, sun exposure and soil conditions.

Knowledge is key, so get the knowledge you need to appropriately water your plants.

Avoid Water Problems in Your Garden & Landscape

Water is a precious resource that must be conserved.  Unidentified irrigation challenges can lead to high water bills, be detrimental to plants, create environmental issues, cause property damage, and increase your liability.  The following is a landscape maintenance tip from Island Landscape, a licensed landscape contractor in California and Hawaii, to help home owners and property managers know what to look for.

Soil run-off, erosion, moss, green walls, and dramatic changes in plant coloring can all be signs of excessive water use, along with more obvious signs of over watering such as ponding or running water.  Keep an eye out for these symptoms and take appropriate action.  

Your professional gardener or  landscape maintenance company should regularly monitor your irrigation system for:

• appropriate seasonal watering (making adjustments for rainfall and other weather conditions), 
• damaged sprinkler heads, 
• valve problems, 
• broken lines, 
• improper trimming, etc. 

Correct excessive watering or irrigation system issues immediately and keep a report of the work done.  It will benefit you, your garden and landscape, and the environment.

Be Water Wise

Benefits of Creating Gardens & Landscape

Beautiful gardens and landscaping transforms properties into works of art and produces outdoor areas that welcome guests, inspire, nurture, aid relaxation, and provide exciting living and entertaining spaces year round.  While these benefits are widely known and regularly thought about, landscaping also offers other significant economic, environmental and social benefits, including:  

Energy Savings

By reducing sunlight and heat build-up, landscaping can keep homes and buildings cooler and bring down energy bills. The American Public Power Association found that landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by as much as 50% by shading a home's walls and windows.  The U.S. Department of Energy reports that appropriately placed trees can cut as much as 25% of a household’s energy consumption for heating and cooling.  

Improved Living Conditions

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, trees can reduce bothersome noise by up to 50% and mask unwanted noises with more pleasant sounds.  They can also reduce temperatures by as much as nine degrees Fahrenheit per a report by American Forests.

Living Space ExtensionWell designed gardens and landscapes can dramatically add to the usable size of a yard and the square footage of a living space through functional open-air rooms.  They can extend indoor activities to the outdoors and make a smaller property feel more sizable.

Enhanced Aesthetic Value & Curb Appeal

It is all about a first impression and captivating gardens or landscapes draw immediate attention.  They set the tone for and can be the determining factor in whether a prospective buyer elects to explore the property or not.

Increased Property Resale ValuesBuyers are willing to pay more when they can see how the garden or landscape will add to their enjoyment of the property.  Inviting decks, relaxed seating areas, and outdoor barbeques offer wonderful visions of entertaining.  Japanese gardens, waterfalls, and koi ponds can conjure up a sense of tranquility.  Rock and stone entryways and features deliver sophistication and elegance, while connecting people with nature. Lush tropical landscapes bring the essence of the islands to mind.  According to the American Nursery and Landscape Association, a striking landscape can add between 7 and 15 percent to a home's value and accelerate the sale of a home by five to six weeks.  Landscaping achieves a high recovery value of 100-200% at selling time according to Money Magazine, as compared to a kitchen remodel at 75-125%, a bathroom remodel at 20-120%, and a swimming pool addition at 20-50%.

Smart Money Magazine, March 2003, noted that by spending 5% of the value of your home on the installation of a quality low-maintenance landscape, you could boost the resale by 15%, earning back 150% or more of your landscape investment.  In fact, a Society of Real Estate Appraisers Study, 2003 indicates that 955 of the members of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers say that landscaping adds to property value, while 99% agree that landscaping increases speed of home sales.

Gardens and landscaping raises one’s property satisfaction, provides savings, delivers a significant return on investment, and contributes to the bottom line.  

To reap these benefits and make your garden or landscape dreams a reality in Hawaii, visit Island Landscape's website at IslandLandscapeHawaii.com.

(Mahalo [thank you] to the American Nursery & Landscape Association for publishing the statistical information which was obtained from their website.)

Native Plants Add to Landscape Design & Help the Environment

Native (indigenous) plants, characteristic of a particular region, can be used in artistic landscape designs to address scarce water resources and sustainable living.

There are many benefits to using native plants in the landscape.  They are hardy, drought resistant plants that, when properly planted and established, save time and money and contribute to the environment.

They help control soil erosion and help prevent flooding, decrease the amount of water needed for landscape maintenance, require very little maintenance, do not need fertilizer, and call for fewer pesticides.  Native plants contribute to overall conservation efforts in a big way.  Additionally, the reduced fertilizer and pesticide use means less contamination in water runoff.  They also enhance biodiversity, reintroduce an area’s heritage, and promote a culture of conservation.

Understanding an area’s traditional landscape, climate/zone, rainfall/precipitation, and other environmental factors are key elements to consider when producing a comprehensive landscape design.  Incorporating native plants in the landscaping plan delivers a landscape that is colorful, low maintenance, water resourceful, and highly enjoyable.

In Maui, Hawaii, Island Landscape creates beautiful landscapes that meet owners’ needs and are a reflection of their lifestyle.  The company’s slogan is “Sustainable landscapes with style” and they incorporate sustainable practices into every project to help protect the environment, reduce maintenance costs, and deliver spectacular outdoor living spaces.  To learn more, visit Island Landscape’s website at www.IslandLandscapeHawaii.com.

Akia - A native plant on Maui used in many landscapes.