Seasonal Color in North Texas

October 23rd, 2008

Seasonal color plays an important part in every landscape because it adds color, softens the surroundings and looks beautiful to the eyes. Is there really anyone out there who does not appreciate flowers? Flowers can be installed in any landscape to complement each person’s preference.

Seasonal color for your landscape is available in each client’s budget and needs. It is especially important this time of year, when family and friends are gathering at your home for the holidays. This is the best time to have a beautiful inviting yard.

If you are interested in having seasonal color changed, or if you need a whole new design from our design specialist, we would love to help! Give us a call. 817-495-3211

Winter Rye Grass

October 13th, 2008

This?

Or this?

The humid sub-tropical climate in north Texas means that the winter and summer are very different. In the summer, we use Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses since they tolerate our triple digit temperatures. Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses are dormant during our winter months. For this reason, if you want your lawn to be green all year, you have to plant winter rye grass. Winter rye grass is usually planted in October. A general rule is that when the temperatures at night are consistently around the 60°F range, you are ready to plant. Rye grass will start to die in early April. Stop watering the grass for a couple of weeks to let it die out, and then begin watering again to awaken your dormant Bermuda or St. Augustine summer grass. There is basically one reason that people will have only summer grass. Planting winter rye grass takes some effort. It isn’t terribly difficult, but you do have to do it! Guess what? We can do it for you! Which takes away the only reason that you would pass up this beautiful lush grass. This grass will have your neighbors coveting your yard. Give us a call! 817-495-3211

North Texas Tree Trimming and Yard Cleanup

September 12th, 2008

Just a quick reminder that Paradise Landscaping offers a full range of services that include tree trimming, yard debris removal and more. We hope that you are able to stay safe during this season of storms and bad weather that is upon us, and after a storm rolls through you can help to stay safe by letting us clean-up downed trees, removing fallen branches and more.

Tree trimming, fallen branch removal, tree branch cleanup, storm cleanup, hurricane cleanup.

Change is good

August 27th, 2008

It amazes me so much how different our world is from just 15 years ago. Now, I’m sure some of you are saying, 15 years ago, what about 20 years ago and 30 years ago and so on. Well I am 26, so I wouldn’t know :) Here are some of the things I have experianced changing:

Cell phones! For instance when I was 12 or 13, I remember only one person having one. It was my friends mom. It was as big as a large men’s shoe, but it was still cool. Now a days, I have to listen to my 13 year old sister complain because she forgot her cell phone and doesn’t know how she will live without it! Come on child, I didn’t even have a cell phone, I had a beeper thank you very much :)

How about nintendo games, when I was younger there was only that original gray box nintendo! Which by the way, I still think is the coolest! Now there’s nintendo’s, x box’s playstations, wii etc. ect. My goodness there are so many options these days. Right now, I only let my children own educational games like Leapster LMax, but I’m sure as they get older they will beg until I give in!

This one really get’s me. Cassette tapes. They are like A-tracks (I’ve never seen one of those, but I have heard people talk about them). Do you know that newer cars don’t even have tape decks! Which by the way, I am so greatful for cd’s and Ipods!

How about money and Credit Cards!!! The other day, I went into Target to get a few things. When I got to the checkout, I looked in my wallet and couldnot find my debit card! Oh no, it was at home in the pocket of the jeans I wore the day before. I hate when I do that. So here I am digging through my stuff looking for money and all I found was $10. Urghhh. I really wanted to buy that magazine that was gonna tell me “How Brittney Got Her Body Back” Oh well, kid stuff was more important.

So here is the reason for my whole blog, I am sure you are wondering what any of this has to do with Landscaping. WE ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS NOW! Well we have been for awhile now, but I just wanted to re’iterate it. Do you need a new sprinkler system? How about a lovely outdoor kitchen? Or, does your yard look boring and dull when you drive up after a hard day at work? Are you exausted from getting out in the 90 degree heat to mow, when you could be spending some much needed family time? Maybe your week or bi-weekly paycheck is not going to cover this expense. Well, we take all major credit cards now. We would love to help you turn your yard into Paradise! Just give us a call!

Dallas Landscaping & DFW Lawncare Experts

August 15th, 2008

We are your experts of Dallas Landscaping, Dallas - Fort Worth Lawn care and all things relating to outdoor living.

Paradise Landscaping has a long history of serving the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex. Our landscapers and maintenance crews have the experience you need to create and maintain the perfect landscape for your home.

We love to show off, and we’ve had the opportunity to do so at several homes in Highland Park and North Arlington. Though we have a soft spot for tropical landscape (hence the name, Paradise Landscaping), but our experts can create the perfect look for your home no matter your preference. We will maintain your lawn, create an outdoor living space, outdoor kitchen or fireplace, and we can install st. augustine sod or burmuda sod as well.

With a Texas A&M horticulture certification, Brad Pratt started this company from scratch in 1995. With the addition of Aaron Phillips as Director of Operations, the company has grown into one of the premier landscaping companies in the DFW area.

Our crews go into Southlake, Arlington, and North Richland Hills Texas suburbs every day with a mission: make lawns beautiful and look good doing it. That’s why you’ll see each crew chief wearing the stylish, white Paradise Landscaping polo shirt. Not only do we care about the quality of our work, we also care about how we make you look while we work. Our professional landscaping crews wear distinguishable landscaper’s clothing so that we are always easily identifiable, with the tropical logo on the shirt so you know we’re taking care of you.

If you have any suggestions on how we can better serve you, or if you’d like to know when Paradise Landscaping professionals will be in your area of the metroplex, please add a comment below. If, for example, you live in Frisco or McKinney and would like to know whether we cover your area, we’d love to hear from you!

Bermuda Grass Lawn Care Tips

August 15th, 2008

Bermuda grass is a common and easy to care for grass found throughout the southern United States and Northen Mexico.

What’s special about Bermuda Grass?
It’s advantages? It can be used as it takes heavy wear very well. It will last for decades with very little care and can be overseeded with perennial ryegrass to provide a wintergreen lawn.

Generally, it has a long green season, becomming green in the late spring and holding it’s color until the first frost hits. It can also survive periodic droughts of us to a few weeks. It also responds extrememly well to regular fertilization and it will knit itself into a very strong turf.

Does not grow well in shade - minimal care when well-established
One drawback is that bermuda grass does need full sun in order for tight turf to form. Too much shade will leave it fairly thin and this allows weeds to pop-up. However, once it is established, a little food and water will go a long way to a green lawn.

Maintaining and Restoring St. Augustine

Late Winter / Early Spring: Start in the late winter or early spring with a crabgrass preventer and do not fertilizer. Check your local nursery for stock and specific directions, or ask your lawn care professional. Prep for the first mowing to grass-cycle/mulch, which Bermuda does respond to very well.

Late Spring / Early Summer: A first dose of Lawn Fertilizer should be lightly applied. Check for insects and apply control if needed. Check soil levels to make certain it’s not too wet or dry and has a balanced pH that is not acidic. Start edging early to keep grass from getting out of control and moving into flower beds and walkways.

Mid to Late Summer: A second dose of Fertilizer designed should be applied. Again, look for insects and apply control if needed. Make certain grass is growing properly and not in danger of a full drought lasting more than 2 to 3 weeks.

Early Fall: Begin to prep the grass for the winter. Consider applying Bermuda Winterizer or Winter Conditioner. Trim grass back. Add lime is the pH level needs to be raised to avoid acidic soil.

Dallas Bermuda Grass & Texas Bermuda Grass
Bermuds grass is a favorite and does very well in Dallas and all over North Texas.

St. Augustine Lawn Care

August 11th, 2008

Who doesn’t love St. Augustine grass? It’s a favorite grass in warm climates and it’s pretty resilient where soil is sandy or alkaline and does well in shade or by the beach. It’s a fan-favorite for millions who live in the southern United States and sub-tropical locations.

What’s special about St. Augustine Grass?
First, it’s got a rich bluish-green color that lasts longer into the fall than other warm-season grasses do. Also, due to the nature of the grass it can handle periodic droughts, for up to a week with no ill-effects at all, even though it does respond best to regular watering and it definately responds well to frequent feedings. When it is fertilized properly, it will knit itself together into tight groupings of turf. This is one of the best weed-preventing grasses around.

Grows well in shade - minimal care when well-established
Perhaps St. Augustine is known (and loved) best for being a warm-season grass that can easily handle partial shade and there are some varieties that will even grow in heavy shade (Seville and Bitterblue). Moreover, it responds well to mulching / grass-cycling and will form a dense matte which requires less watering and mowing over time.

How does St. Augustine grass grow?
If you’ve been around St. Augustine at all you will notice that it grows above-ground with a series of stems that “knits” itself together. These are called stolons, and they are stems runners that seek out new soil to dig into. This process can take some time, but eventually it can take over and kill other grasses growing in the same spot. Be careful not to let the grass take over your flower beds, it can and will if left untrimmed.

Maintaining and Restoring St. Augustine

Late Winter / Early Spring: Start in the late winter or early spring with a special St. Augustine Weed and Feed. Check your local nursery for stock and specific directions, or ask your lawn care professional. Prep first mowing to grass-cycle/mulch, which St. Augustine responds to very well.

Late Spring / Early Summer: A first dose of Lawn Fertilizer designed specifically for St. Augustine. Check for insects and apply control if needed. Check soil levels to make certain it’s not too wet or dry. Start edging early to keep grass runners from getting out of control and moving into flower beds and walkways.

Mid to Late Summer: A second dose of Lawn Fertilizer designed specifically for St. Augustine should be applied. Again, look for insects and apply control if needed. Make certain grass is growing properly and not in danger of a full drought lasting more than 1 week.

Early Fall: Back to the Weed and Feed and begin to prep the grass for the winter. Consider applying a St. Augustine Winter Conditioner. Trim grass back

Dallas St. Augustine Grass
St. Augustine grass is a favorite and does very well in Dallas and all over North Texas.

Dallas Outdoor Living Spaces & Landscaping

August 6th, 2008

Outdoor Living SpacesWith the great weather we have in North Texas, you’ve got to ask yourself why you would limit your activities to only inside your house when you can take full advantage of your property by creating an outdoor living space.

Building such an outdoor space most certainly is not difficult. However, it does take some planning and insight for what you are looking to get out of an investment in your property. By the way, these are great investments for your home as more and more people are choosing to stay home these days on “staycations” instead of packing up everyone for a potentially expensive and frustrating vacation.

When you think of your home, you certain think in concepts of rooms. Bed-rooms, bath-rooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms, etc. This same concept can be carried to your property. Think about how what you want to do. Cook? Think about an outdoor kitchen. Entertain? How about an outdoor bar? Lounge? Build a comfortable seating area with plenty of shade. It’s all dependant upon what you’re looking to accomplish.

Granted, you might not be able to use your outdoor kitchen 12 months of the year. It will be 40F for a few weeks in the winter and 100F for a couple of weeks in the summer. However, the North Texas climate actually offers great weather over half the year. You’ll certainly be able to find more than enough days to entertain or share a quite evening under the stars in your new outdoor living space.

Here are a few examples of what can be done with an outdoor living space.

Outdoor Kitchen
Dallas Outdoor Living - Outdoor Kitchen

Dallas Outdoor Living - Outdoor Kitchen

Dallas Outdoor Living - Outdoor Kitchen

Dallas Outdoor Living - Outdoor Kitchen

Tips on Summer Lawn Care

June 18th, 2007

With Summer officially just around the corner, it’s time to consider how the changing seasons will affect your plants and overall landscaping. We’ve asked Aaron Phillips of Paradise Landscaping to join us for a few moments and answer some questions to help us get ready for summertime.

Daniel: Hey, Aaron, thanks for joining us.
Aaron: No problem. Glad to help.

Daniel: Let’s get right to it. What types of plants are okay to plant at the beginning of summer?
Aaron: Typically the plants that are currently available at the nursery will work well for the summer. And if you happen to be an idiot savant like I am at times, you can find little tags attached to each plant by the farmers/gardeners. These tags will tell you where and when the plants will do well. Throughout Texas, you should be able to find dozens of plants that do well in full sun.

Daniel: What are some of your favorites?
Aaron: I love Crepe Myrtles. I’m a big fan of Oleander, but it needs lots of room for growth. It’s great to use for a privacy fence or on estate properties. Knock out rose bushes are great for the backyard. Begonias are an awesome summer flower. Canna lillies (though not actually lillies) are gorgeous. They’re great for tropical landscape themes and around pools. Texas Sage is a beautiful grayish leaf with a purple bloom. It’s a drought resistant plant - great for accents and popular for commercial properties.

Daniel: Is there a special type of fertilizer and/or weed killer we should use during the Texas heat?
Aaron: With inconsistent Texas weather, that’s tough to say. The two most common grasses I deal with are Bermuda and Saint Augustine. Right now, I’m using Lesco 50-10-31 for all my yards. If you’re doing it yourself, it’s best to consult with a professional landscaper who is familiar with Texas turf. It varies depending on your grass.

Daniel: When is the best time of day to water my yard during a Texas summer?
Aaron: It’s my experience that optimum time is 5:30am. Let your sprinkler system run for 20 minutes daily in each area until the yard is covered. Same for the beds.

Daniel: How often do I need to water my grass to keep it healthy during summer?
Aaron: Every day is best, but you can get away with every other day.

Daniel: Do you have any other quick tips for lawn care and flower beds during summer?
Aaron: Regular maintenance, watering, and fertilizing will keep things under control. Fresh mulch is great for flower beds. It helps to keep out weeds and keeps the beds looking fresh.

Thanks, Aaron. If you’re reading this and have further questions about maintenance for your yard or property, contact Paradise Landscaping today.

Dallas Lawn Care for 12 Years

May 29th, 2007

Paradise Landscaping has a long history of serving the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex. Our landscapers and maintenance crews have the experience you need to create and maintain the perfect landscape for your home. We love to show off, and we’ve had the opportunity to do so at several homes in Highland Park and North Arlington. Though we have a soft spot for tropical landscape (hence the name, Paradise Landscaping), but our experts can create the perfect look for your home no matter your preference.

With a Texas A&M horticulture certification, Brad Pratt started this company from scratch in 1995. With the addition of Aaron Phillips as Director of Operations, the company has grown into one of the premier landscaping companies in the DFW area.

Our crews go out into the Southlake, Arlington, and North Richland Hills suburbs every day with a mission: make lawns beautiful and look good doing it. That’s why you’ll see each crew chief wearing the stylish, white Paradise Landscaping polo shirt. Not only do we care about the quality of our work, we also care about how we make you look while we work. Our professional landscaping crews wear distinguishable landscaper’s clothing so that we are always easily identifiable, with the tropical logo on the shirt so you know we’re taking care of you.

If you have any suggestions on how we can better serve you, or if you’d like to know when Paradise Landscaping professionals will be in your area of the metroplex, please add a comment below. If, for example, you live in Frisco or McKinney and would like to know whether we cover your area, we’d love to hear from you!