10 – Easy steps to change your curb appeal

Check out the home décor books, look over the garden magazines, and watch HGTV to learn about the many ways to change the look of your house and make it more appealing from the curb.  Many projects are expensive and can involve major time commitments and construction expertise to pull off, and you have limited resources. Adding curb appeal does not have to be expensive nor a major project.

Here are some quick and easy steps you can take to bring a new look to your home and landscape while adhering to a reasonable budget and time allotment:

1. Shutters can make the biggest difference in the appearance of your house.  Adding new ones or painting the old ones a new color is easy and inexpensive.
2. Lighting is a really inexpensive way to make a major change to your home.  Well placed, low voltage lighting is easy to install along with being a fun project.
3. White Picket Fencing is a project you can do with only a few hours of work.  You don’t need to fence the whole yard; fence just across the front walk or across your beds.
4. Front Door of any house is the focal point. If you have a great one, change the color.  If you need a new one, buy one that jumps out at you, that will be noticed.
5. Vines that grow on the walls of your house, on the corner of your garage, or up and over your pergola will not only add color but lots of curb and eye appeal.
6. Window Boxes will add new life to the front of your house.  Make your own or buy them from the garden center and install yourself. They look great!
7. Tree additions can make a big appearance difference.  A reasonably-sized tree placed on the corner of your house can change the look of your property quickly.
8. Mail Boxes can be an eye sore or a thing of beauty.  New ones are fully assembled, quick to install, and add a new dimension to the front of your house.
9. Accessories are another quick, easy, and within your budget way to make your house sparkle.  Think brass door knockers, door handles, door bells, and coach lights.
10. Walkways can dull, crack, or need a face lift over time.  A new brick or stone side walk can really change the look of a house.  Work with your landscaper on size, timing of the project, and materials.

Swan Creek Landscaping, Inc. helps home owners and businesses in Cecil and Harford Counties look at new, economical ideas for a spring spruce up of your home while enhancing your curb appeal. From design, to construction, to maintaining your property year round, we will provide you with a landscaping experience that will exceed your expectations.  When considering your Landscape, Hardscape or Lawn Maintenance needs, please give us a call for a free consultation on how we can turn your visions and our experience into an outdoor living experience you and your family will appreciate.

Phone – 410.378.8668                                                                                          Website: http://www.SwanCreekLandscaping.com

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5 – Landscaping tips for a March clean-up

Are you ready for spring?  At Swan Creek Landscaping we are ready, really ready!  We have completed maintenance on all of our equipment over the winter and now it is time to start getting our clients’ yards in shape for the summer.  Often times we are asked, “What do I need to do to get my yard in top shape for the summer and the start of ‘living outdoors’ again?”  Here are some quick tips for cleaning up your yard and your plantings:

1. First, do some pruning of the damaged and dead branches of your trees, shrubs, bushes and other perennial plants.  Using pruning clippers and a small yard hand saw, trim away the plants damaged parts and even some of the “overgrowth” to allow for the plant to breath and gather additional sun light.

2. Carefully clean up around the plants by raking out the leaves and dead foliage; often times this requires reaching in with your hands (don’t forget the gloves) and carefully remove the debris.

3. If you are planning on planting some spring bulbs, now is the time to spread some fertilizer, but read the label on the back of the package to ensure you do not over fertilize; sometimes this can do more harm than good.

4. Check to see if you have areas of damage to your lawn.  Grass does not start growing as early as some of your plants and bulbs. You might want to take a soil sample to check the pH and mineral levels, which will tell you if you need to add minerals and/or fertilizer to the damaged areas.  Most lawn and garden stores have an inexpensive pH test kit.

5. Now is the time to spray off or at least brush off and clean up your hardscape surfaces. Because you may have used salt, calcium, or other preventive slip-free minerals on walkways, sidewalks, and patio, you need to clean them. If the conditions are right, power washing the surfaces might bring the surfaces back to a “like new” look.

Take time to do some March clean-up. You will be amazed at how your landscape looks when spring really arrives.

Swan Creek Landscaping, Inc. helps home owners and businesses in Cecil and Harford Counties with their Hardscape and Landscape clean ups to ensure our client’s truly get that head-start on creating the curb appeal they are looking for and expect.  From design, to construction, to maintaining your property year round, we will provide you with a landscaping experience that will exceed your expectations.  When considering your Landscaping, Hardscape or Spring Maintenance needs, please give us a call for a free consultation on how we can turn your visions into an outdoor living experience that you and your family will appreciate.
Phone – 410.378.8668
Website:  http://www.SwanCreekLandscaping.com

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Is Investing in Landscaping for my home worth it?

If you are thinking about landscaping your new home, refreshing your home’s current landscape, or adding a new outdoor hardscape (patio, pool surround, fire pit, retaining walls, etc.), you must be thinking “Will I get my money back?” and “Is it worth the investment?” The answer is yes!

Maryland is blessed with a climate that is conducive to spending a lot of time outdoors. Outdoor living spaces have become very popular with homeowners because it affords them the opportunity to spend quality time with their family, friends, and neighbors in an environment that is relaxing and aesthetically pleasing, while adding privacy and personal comfort.

Maintaining and improving your home with paint, garage doors, new windows, siding, roofs, etc., can all raise the value of your home. But do not forget the added property value you receive with the addition of an outdoor living space and related landscaping. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ALLA), there is great value and return on your landscaping investment that can:
•    Create a 20% to 30% return on your investment
•    Increase your home value by as much as 12%  many buyers will   pay a 10% to 12% premium for homes that have an attractive appearance or an expanded outdoor living space
•    Greatly increase the appearance and curb appeal of your property
•   Shortens the time spent on the real estate marketplace when selling

Swan Creek Landscaping, Inc. prides itself on providing uniquely designed Outdoor Living Spaces in Cecil and Harford Counties that enhance the value of our clients’ homes and businesses. From design to construction, till the dark of night turns on the lighting system, we provide living spaces that will meet and exceed your expectations. And, we are not done when the project is complete. We can continue by maintaining that outdoor space and the remainder of your entire property with Lawn Maintenance that will keep it beautiful year round. Contact us to learn more about how you we can help you to make the right landscape investment while enhancing the value of your home.

Phone: 410.378.8668                                                                                            Website: http://www.SwanCreekLandscaping.com

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7 – Tips for hiring a Landscape Company

Make sure you take a hard look and ask the right questions to eliminate disappointments down the road. Service and attention to detail are the key factors to ensuring your landscape, hardscape and/or yard maintenance project is completed to your satisfaction. Whether you’re installing a simple landscape, pool deck or a complete outdoor-living space, the quality of the landscape contractor is important, extremely important!

What to look for:

1. Professionalism – Are they prompt in returning your calls? Do they show up on time for project meetings? Are they respectful of your valuable time by being focused, organized, and prepared for meetings?

2. Proposals – Are you presented a detailed, complete proposal that incorporates all of your project needs and wants?

3. Customer References – Are you provided with a list of references with contact names and phone numbers of people who will discuss their honest opinions of the company?

4. Project Examples – Are you shown examples of similar projects they have completed for your review and discussion?

5. Design Capability – Are they equipped to provide and share design advice for your project? Do they have a designer on staff?

6. Competitive Pricing – Once a project has been designed and presented, is their pricing competitive and meets the project elements you requested? “You get what you pay for” has always been true and especially in the landscaping business. There are many unseen ways to cut corners. If having a cheap price is your driving motivation, then more than likely you will be getting a cheap job. Choosing a company on price alone is never a good idea.

7. Management Participation – Is the management and the representative you are working with going to be involved in your project? Will they be paying special attention to the design details of the project, overseeing construction, and directing their crew in meeting the key elements of their proposal and communicating back to you?

Exceeding the clients’ expectations by listening to your ideas, wants, and needs is how Swan Creek Landscaping, Inc. has built a quality reputation over the past nine years, while adhering to the highest corporate standards in the industry today. If you are looking for a quality company to handle your Landscaping, Hardscapes and/or Yard Maintenance needs in the Cecil and Harford County area, please pick up the phone and call Swan Creek Landscaping.

Phone – 410.378.8668
Website: http://www.SwanCreekLandscaping.com

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The best time to landscape in Maryland is NOW!

The weather has turned cold, the boats have been taken out of the water and there’s the possibility of it snowing, but it is not the time to put your landscaping project in a folder on the back of your desk. To ensure that your new hardscape and landscape project is on the front burner come springtime, then right now is the time to get it designed and start the project moving.

What can your Landscaper get done in the winter?
At Swan Creek Landscaping we can meet with you to develop:
•  A “hit-list” of your wants, needs, and “have to haves” for your project
•  Design a project that meets those needs and is within your budget
•  Create site plans, including the materials needed for the project and a site layout
•  Develop a purchase order to buy some of the materials during the winter slowdown period when materials  pricing is at its lowest

Can you actually start work on the project?
That depends on the type of landscape or hardscape project you are requesting. Most of the time there is work that we can do that will give us a head start when the weather breaks and springtime arrives, including performing some preliminary layout work. There is also the possibility of some rough grading while the ground is hard and the grass is dormant, thus reducing the damage caused in the springtime when the ground thaws and the soil is wet. This time of the year is a great time to start the whole process moving for: Pool Decks, Fire Pits, Outdoor Fireplaces, Patios, Retaining Walls, and Outdoor Living Spaces.

Swan Creek Landscaping, Inc. helps home owners and businesses in Cecil and Harford Counties get a head-start on creating both Hardscapes, Softscapes and Landscapes that meet our clients’ wants and needs in a timely manner. From design, to construction, to maintaining your property year round, we will provide you with a landscaping experience that will exceed your expectations. Now is the time to be considering your landscaping needs. Please give us a call for a free consultation on how we can turn your ideas and visions into an outdoor living experience you will use for years to come and get a head start on your project.

Phone – 410.378.8668                                                                                               Website: http://www.SwanCreekLandscaping.com

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