Why We Should Plan Now

Why plan now? 

A simple quote accompanied by a collage of our designs and I shall be on my way. Tom Turner’s words resonate why landscape design is critical to the lives we lead. “In town and in country there must be landscapes where we can walk in safety, pick fruit, cycle, work, sleep, swim, listen to the birds, bask in the sun, run through the trees and laze beside cool waters.”

Laze beside cool waters...

Run through the trees...

That’s why planning now during the earth’s natural sleeping cycle makes perfect design sense. Psychologically we always allow the rhythm of spring to get one step ahead of us. We wake up and see the first Crocus pop and all those restless garden souls of winter come out in force.

Bask in the sun...

Listen to the birds...

Why wait until spring cycles around this year? Plan ahead so there shall be ‘landscapes where we can walk in safety, pick fruit, cycle, work, sleep, swim, listen to the birds, bask in the sun, run through the trees and laze beside cool waters.” 

Plan now for spring.

Envision your perfect outdoor living space during the winter months so your plans are shovel ready come spring.

Envision your perfect outdoor living space.

© All Images – Property of Bilowz Associates Inc. 

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.  And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)

Winter Seeds

Let's start with Tulips for Tuesday!

Let’s start with some beautiful Tulips for Tuesday. Don't these store-bought beauties make up for any lack of flowers outdoors? Word of winter advice - keep spring close by as we move onward and upward. It's time to find the best of the garden and design chores during our slumber party winter months.
 

Yes, tis the season to gather the seeds. Collect your previous plant notes and start planning for what was lacking in last year's garden; begin your plant and seed catalog search. Sort through the seed drawer and dispense of past dated packets. It’s never too soon to place orders for grape vines, fruit trees and those specialty type plants that often get snatched up over a year in advance. Most of our orders have already been placed. 

And while you are sorting through what seeds to propagate, are there any new winter hobbies while you wait for the spring to break? We’re going to give cheese making a go. The kit is bought but one fears it could be a passing fancy. Though we hear soft cheeses can be quite easy, let's see when we give this untried hobby a spin.

So best to look winter straight in the eye. It's knowing the Tulips above are soon to be popping from the ground rather than from a store’s shelves. As Ellen G. White states it best, “Talk unbelief, and you will have unbelief; but talk faith, and you will have faith. According to the seed sown will be the harvest.” Winter seeds make for the perfect spring .Until the ice breaks, enjoy the slumber party offered to us during the winter months.

Enjoy the winter slumber party until the ice breaks!

© All Images – Property of Bilowz Associates Inc.

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.  And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)

Topics to Turn Over

Share your thoughts, comments and isn't this a great place to read a book?

While we won’t be turning over the soil anytime soon, there’s always an abundance of interesting garden and design topics to turn over and kick around until spring appears. This particular article caught my attention this morning titled, ‘A gray area in regulation of genetically modified crops.’  Click on the link and take a peek. This is the type of topic we may not be privy to until its ramifications; until years to come. 

Regardless of imposing more stringent regulations or tightening up loopholes that companies may navigate around, the long-term environmental concern is a biggie - the potential of creating an invasive species such as a grass so resistant that it cannot be eradicated. Developed species that can withstand chemical treatments has its purpose and its pros. The flip side of the coin is what was mentioned above - a developed species becomes so dominant, there is no way to control it. All you have to do is look at our current invasive species list and wonder how these came to be problem children of the natural world.

As Michiel van Lookeren Campagne, president of the biotechnology division of Syngenta, a seed and agricultural company states, “The technology is always one step ahead of the regulators.” This one line rings true for any new developments. Accountability of product lines and its long-term impact equate to a balance necessary to keep all good things in check. Yes, balance and harmony is what we promote.

One other insight caught in today’s paper worthy of making a note – Mark Zuckerberg is adding ‘a little more book’ to Facebook. The Facebook Founder and CEO plans to read a book every other week in 2015. One can only hope that somewhere in there he indulges on one related to the green industry or any topic that spells ‘OUTDOORS’. The books he considers for his ‘Year in Book’ page is certain to boost the readership of its author and subject. Like running water, it should create a trickle-down effect. I’m just thrilled he is giving reading this extra push.

Share your thoughts, comments or suggestions on today’s topic. Or send your design and garden questions that can be addressed in one of our posts.

© All Images – Property of Bilowz Associates Inc.

If you like this blog, check in for your daily share's worth of garden inspiration, landscape architecture and design tips; always original, not cookie cutter and copied. Just like our design work, we strive for unique! We invite you to contact Bilowz Associates, Inc., or to browse our portfolios. Like our Facebook follow on Twitter or subscribe to the blog to receive posts daily via email or a feed. You can follow with visuals on Pinterest and find us on LinkedIn and Houzz, too.  And you can also find us back on our Google+ Business Page. (Landscape architects/Landscape Design/serving Massachusetts and New England.)