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“Red or green?” asked our waitress. We were confused by her question, and it must have showed on our faces. She clarified the question for us non-locals, “Do you like red or green peppers?” Since it was our first visit to New Mexico, I assumed this was a local thing to see if we were on Team Red Peppers or Team Green Peppers. “Red” was my answer. To my surprise, our breakfast pancakes were served with red peppers mixed in the batter. Who knew? Here’s where local knowledge makes the difference between yummy pancakes as we know them, and pancakes filled with hot red peppers. They put peppers in everything. “No peppers please” seems like it’s not an option. Who knew?
When designing gardens and choosing plants, the internet is ok, but it’s no replacement for local knowledge. Our experts live and work in this town. We know the soil types, the areas with deer problems, the microclimate differences from Lake Ontario to the Finger Lakes. Take it from someone who loves a good pancake, local knowledge matters.
Leo the Late Bloomer is a favorite heart-warming children’s book.
Our gardens are like that sometimes. Early in spring they’re full of blooms…then summer comes, and they seem, well, a little disappointing and lacking color. We want something to happen, just as Leo and his parents waited for Leo to bloom.
A well-designed garden should delight you in every season. Late summer plants such as hydrangeas, Rose of Sharon, and others can provide pops of color. We can design your gardens for year-round interest and always include plants for late summer color. Like the story of Leo, the story of your garden can have a happy ending. Contact us today to start designing a garden that will bring you happiness in every season!
Recently at a meeting with our attorney, I became frustrated. Every question I asked was answered by him saying, “It depends.” We’re paying him for guidance, not to hear him say “It depends.”
It must have rubbed off on me because later that day when I was asked by a homeowner about how he should water his new plants, I heard “It depends” come from my own lips. But it’s true. Has it been hot? Dry? Has it rained for days on end? What specific plant are we talking about? Is it a thirsty hydrangea or a drought-tolerant grass? It depends.
Here’s my best advice: use a trowel to brush back the mulch about a foot away from a shrub, further out for a large tree. Touch the soil. If it’s damp, you’re fine. If it’s soggy, don’t water, but if it’s dry, please water. There’s a right way and a wrong way, and a right time of day, too. If you’re not sure, give us a call.
The unexpected happened. Now what? Your neighbor has a friend, or a brother, or a cousin who knows a guy with a chain saw…or maybe you have one. Is this a DIY project? Maybe. The wood can be cut up, but then what? It’s too heavy to haul away, so then what? Maybe you don’t need a lifetime of firewood stacked all over the yard. Who Ya Gonna Call...Birchcrest Tree and Landscape!
We’ve got the tools. We’ve got the talent. Call us today!
Party on Wayne?
Red Solo Cup, we need to retire you…or at least relegate you to dorm rooms. We don’t watch Wayne’s World anymore since we’re adults, so let’s elevate our parties.
At the next gathering on the new patio, bring your fancy stuff outside. Use a tablecloth, the good china, and a centerpiece. You already own them, might as well use them, plus your guests will feel special. You'll know you’ve made an impression when they start snapping photos of your table settings.
No patio yet? It’s okay, there’s still time. Call us today to begin designing your dream outdoor area.
Is it Shaggy?
If you love reggae, it’s him.
If you watch Scooby Doo, it’s him.
In 1.4 seconds, a potential buyer has decided if they like the looks of your house. Is it Shaggy? Yes? Then it’s a quick click of the mouse and they’re on to the next house. You need to sell your home, but and also want top dollar, meaning your front façade needs to shine. So, paint the front door a color that pops, clean up the beds, and add potted flowers.
Now the buyer likes what they see and have scheduled a visit.
By the time they reach the front door, they’ve decided if the house has been lovingly maintained or neglected.…it’s called “The Money Walk”.
If your “Money Walk” looks shaggy, we can help improve the curb appeal to get you top dollar. Be sure to contact us today for a free consultation.
Happy 4th of July, everyone! We booted the monarchy years ago, and became free to watch the royals from afar…or in the pages of People Magazine.
As we reflect on our freedoms, no one’s looking forward to spending the holiday pulling weeds…we’re never free from landscape maintenance. Weeds happen, insects invade, and things need to be maintained.
To be truly free from toiling on weekends and holidays, you need to have a personal gardener, just like the royals do.
Or, you can call us. We’ll do the work and free up your weekends.
You know the feeling of dread; you’re hosting a party, and your backyard isn’t Instagram-worthy. It seems everyone else is upgrading their outdoor space.
Is it too late to get a patio installed before they graduate? Sadly, yes. Before the Fourth of July? Again, sadly, yes.
Do you want it done sometime this summer? Yes. Can we do that? Yes!
Or for next year’s big event? Definitely Yes!
My big tip...plan ahead. The design process can take a few weeks. Our backlog is normally a few weeks, sometimes even months.
Contact us today to plan ahead and avoid patio envy!
Back in the day before Superhero movies took over the cinema, we loved to watch The Green Hornet on TV. I thought Britt Reid was the coolest, and my sister loved the late, great Bruce Lee as Kato. What’s not to love about two hot guys keeping us safe from bad guys?
At Birchcrest, we like to think of ourselves as keeping the world safe, not from bad guys, but from bad bugs.
The new one in town is the dreaded Box Tree Moth. It’s not a green hornet, but very destructive to boxwoods. Which, unfortunately, are everywhere. It’s the latest China import, and we’re not happy about it.
Solutions? Stop importing from China? Not a realistic plan. I love my affordable stuff from Amazon as much as the next person.
There is a solution. Reach out to your Birchcrest Green Team. We’re not as cool as Bruce Lee, but we’re better at killing bugs.
2025 Update: this pest is still here and has increased it’s territory to all towns on the northeast side of Monroe county and continues to spread.
“Why Can’t I Grow Grass Under My Tree?”
That’s the number one thing I’m asked, followed by “There used to be grass when we first planted it”.
This is what’s happened…the tree grew, the roots expanded their territory, the canopy got bigger. As a result, there’s deep shade under the tree. The roots are everywhere, including tiny fibrous ones. Did you know a mature maple can suck up 100,000 gallons of water in a season?
In a contest between a mature maple and the lawn, the lawn is going to lose. Most people will choose to keep the tree and let the grass struggle. You can put down a shady seed mix, and it may even germinate and grow. But just a little bit. Then it will get thin and die out. The better solution is to put mulch around the root zone. It protects the tree from mower damage, keeps the temperature more consistent and keeps moisture from evaporating so quickly. Doesn’t that look better?
Tis the season for graduations, showers, weddings, and parties of all types. And the best place for a party is outdoors on your gorgeous patio. Don’t have a patio yet? Check out some of these party-worthy projects we’ve installed, and you too can be the hostess with the mostest. Contact us today to begin planning your party space!
Enough doomscrolling already, touch grass!
Have you heard about this? Maybe you’ve heard of the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or nature bathing. It’s all the same thing. It’s the practice of separating from the digital world and immersing yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of nature to promote relaxation and well-being. And it works!
Lots of folks comment on how nice, cheerful and helpful our crews are. Maybe it has to do with hiring good people, and maybe it has to do with our people being out in nature all day. Try it for yourself. Take a walk without headphones in the forest. Or if no forest is nearby, we’ll make your backyard a relaxing sanctuary to enjoy nature, relax, refresh, and rejuvenate. Ahhh!
This practice has been endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association.
You know the old saying, and this time it really is greener on the other side. I had someone call me because they were the only house on the cul-de-sac that didn’t have a green, lush lawn. Turns out, they talked with their neighbors and all the other neighbors use Birchcrest Tree & Landscape for their lawn care. The difference is impressive. Our plant health and lawn care team is staffed by technicians and experts with over 100 years of experience. Pretty impressive!
What’s cuter than puppies and kittens?
That’s a trick question. Nothing is cuter! We love fur babies. We’re pet owners, too. So, when people ask if our lawn treatments or plant health products are safe to use around pets, the answer is yes. Many of the treatments are injected into the ground or directly into the plant so nothing comes in contact with your four-footed companions. And lawn spray treatments are safe as soon as they are dry, usually an hour or two after application.
If your pet is crazy, and likes to eat plants or mulch, please make your landscape consultant aware of this so we can choose the right plants and products to keep everyone safe, happy, and tails wagging.
We can learn a lot from the mouse. The gardens at Disney World employ some of the best, most creative landscape designers, lighting specialists and horticulturalists in the world. Their displays are colorful, whimsical, and enhance the theme of each area of the park.
A lot goes on behind the scenes and in greenhouses to make the magic happen on a daily basis.
Fun facts:
· New rose varieties are tested at Disney parks before being available to the public
· Visitors can sign up for “Behind the Seeds” horticulture tour
· Most of the landscaping happens at night after guests leave
· Disney crews have moved full-sized 100-year-old live oak trees to be planted throughout the park
Where does inspiration come from? Our daughter-in-law once asked me in a concerned way if I was ever afraid of running out of design ideas. She’s so sweet. But not to worry, so far, I have more ideas than I could produce in a lifetime. Often, my client’s interests and ideas provide the spark that lights my fire. The secret is to know how to get inspired, and keep filling that cup with ideas, and now my cup is overflowing!
Everyone’s different, but here are some ways to get inspired:
· Visit world-famous gardens
· Travel to other climates and cultures
· Walk around your neighborhood and see what grows well
· Click around on Pinterest
· Take someone’s good idea and put your personal twist on it
Do you like your neighbor? Do you not like your neighbor? Is there an ugly (fill in the blank) that you don’t want to look at? Do you want privacy on your patio? Block the view from your pool?
The answer to all those questions is the same - build a hedge, or other screening plants. Fences need permits and most can only be 6’ tall. Plants are a more attractive option, and there are lots of options available. Call us today to talk with one of our designers to help give you the privacy you need!
When a loved has passed, we often want to keep their spirit alive. We desire something tangible and personal that reminds us of them, a way to honor them and keep their memory alive.
Often, we are asked to plant a memorial garden, or a tree, or a loved one’s favorite flower. Those are times when our work has extra meaning. We are happy to be part of your journey to keep your loved one close with a living touchstone. Call us today!
Often, when the snow melts, we often discover critter damage. During the winter, mice, moles, voles, and other critters have tunneled under lawns, chewed on plants, gnawed on bark, and damaged landscapes. What to do? The experts at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania have some special staff members to deal with these pests. At last count, there were at least six cats roaming the massive 1,000-acre gardens, snacking on those destructive little animals. It’s better than setting traps and poison baits everywhere.
If you have the chance, put on your most comfortable walking shoes and spend a day at Longwood. The gardens are amazing, and the displays change throughout the year - Christmas there is spectacular! A must for any garden enthusiast’s bucket list.
April in Paris…birds are singing, flowers are blooming, romance is in the air, and so is rain. April in Rochester…birds are singing, flowers are blooming, romance is in the air, and it’s raining here too. This is the time of year when we get calls for drainage solutions, which can be tricky business. There are a few things we can do to help, such as French drains, dry wells, rain gardens and grading. The tricky part is we can’t do it now when it’s wet and soggy. These projects usually happen in the hot dry months. And while drainage projects can’t eliminate water, the intent is to move the water to a better place. There may still be some standing water after prolonged or severe weather events. I bet they have the same water issues in Paris, maybe they have French drains, too! Call us today to find a solution for your property!
Some people just have a green thumb. But even those people’s plants need help sometimes. If you notice something looking spotty, yellow, withered, or just plain weird, our plant health experts can diagnose and treat most plant problems, making it a whole lot easier to be green. Call us today!
To remove or not to remove, that is the question. When you have a tree removed, the estimate will be for the tree only. The stump will remain unless you want stump grinding. That is often surprisingly expensive, sometimes almost as much as the tree removal. Here are the options:
1. Leave the stump. It will eventually rot. In the meantime, there may be stored energy in the roots and the stump and roots may start to sprout, trying to grow another tree. You can easily cut these off, and over time, the stored energy will be depleted and there will be no more sprouts.
2. We grind the stump, leaving the grindings for you to use in your beds as mulch. If it’s a big stump, it can be a REALLY big pile of grindings. We’ve had piles of grindings 10 cubic yards or more. That’s two dump trucks full!
3. Have us grind the stump, haul away grindings, add topsoil and seed to restore the lawn. Call us today!
Plants for wet areas.
If you’ve not seen the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou”, featuring the Soggy Bottom Boys, do it. Their hit song “Man of Constant Sorrow” is what will happen to you if you plant the wrong plant in a wet spot.
Springtime in Rochester. It’s almost here. That means warmer days are coming, flowers will bloom, but in the meantime, we can expect muddy, wet conditions as the snow melts and spring rains come.
But what to do if you have wet conditions year-round?
Plants are like people…some like it hot, some not. Most like well-drained soil, but a few don’t mind having their feet (or bottoms) wet. Hibiscus moscheutos, miscanthus, magnolia, salix, ligustrum, monarda, those are a few of the best picks for wet areas. Where most plants would struggle or rot, these thrive in soggy soil. Our designers and plant experts can help select the right plant for the right spot.
Today is throwback Tuesday and it’s about sayings that have gone out of style. Can you dig it? For anyone under 50, this is John Shaft’s favorite saying. He even has a song about it. (The original 1971 Richard Roundtree movie version of Shaft, not the newer ones with Shaft wanna-be actors.)
But can you dig it? Should you? Is it safe? What’s lurking underground? Normally, we are the ones digging, and we have to call 811 aka Dig Safe New York before we begin work at your home. Whether it be stump grinding, tree planting, sidewalk or patio installation, anytime we dig, we need to have all the public utilities marked. This takes a few days to complete, and please leave their colored flags in place until we start. Owners need to mark anything private, like pet containment, septic, drainage, irrigation, landscape lighting, etc.
Did you know, the same law applies if homeowners do their own digging? The utilities need to come out and mark utilities for you, too. Cool. Groovy. Gnarly. Rad, Fly, or whatever the kids are saying these days.
These are a few of my favorite things - Landscape Lighting!
The point of this blog is to get a Sound of Music tune stuck in your head, and to show how landscape lighting can bring the WOW factor, doubling the time to enjoy your outdoor space, not just pretty by day but WOW by night. It really is one of my favorite things.
Up lights and down lights, and wall washers, woo!
Path lights, embedded ones, water lights, too!
Remote controlled ones, with some changing hue,
These are a few of my favorite things.
