Garden Design – Infinity Gardens-Blog

May 7, 2020

Getting Your Garden Ready For Spring

Spring is just around the corner, and that is good news for garden enthusiasts who want to see beautiful flowers and plants in their backyards instead of snow. But before you jump into the gardening, there are some things you need to do in order to make the most of your garden.

Take Stock of Your Tools and Supplies

Make sure that you have adequate supplies for gardening: shovel, hoe, gloves, wheelbarrow and anything else that you know you use or might use to cultivate your garden. Inspect the tools that you do have for any signs of decay or damage. Check metal tools for rust and for wooden tools check for splits and cracks.

Inspect the Garden Bed

The harsh winter weather could easily damage your garden bed, so it is a good idea to repair or replace any damage to the frame. Also check for weeds that might have grown. Weeds can be your garden?s biggest enemy so make sure they are fully uprooted before you begin sowing.

Break up the Ground

The ground would have been frozen solid by the cold winter so you need to loosen it up. This can be hard work but it is important to make sure that your garden has the best environment to grow in. A rototiller would be a good tool for this. Alternatively you can use a hoe, shovel or pick.

Fertilize the Soil

Make sure that your soil is adequately fertilized. You can use commercial fertilizer or compost you might have accumulated. Just spread the compost over the top of the soil.

Shift around Perennials

Spring is a good opportunity to put some variety into your garden by trading plants. Just make sure that whatever plants you trade in are healthy, you don?t want to take the risk of cultivating unhealthy plants as they can ruin your entire garden.

Plant Vegetables Early

Some seeds actually germinate better in cooler weather so make sure you take advantage of the favourable spring conditions. After you sow, prune away any foliage to ensure that the seeds grow successfully.

Protect Your Plants

Spring can still bring on late spates of frost and snow. Prepare your plants for this by covering them in plastic and cloth. Check the weather forecast for any freezing weather and take action early.

Sometimes you might find yourself short of supplies or in need of some advice. If you have a local garden supplier, you can ask them about any new tools or information that can be useful. Our team at Infinity Gardens is available to offer their assistance, guidance and insight.

February 15, 2017May 5, 2020

12 Ways To Make Your Yard More Inviting For Guests

Entertaining doesn?t have to be reserved for the living room. The next time you have people over, encourage them to sit outside and enjoy the yard. How do you get our guests to want to hang out in the backyard? It?s not as hard as you may think. Here are 12 ways to?make your yard more inviting for guests:

Keep Bugs Away Because we spend most of our daily hours at work, we usually only utilize our yards in the evening and that?s when the bugs come out in full force. To keep bugs away try citronella candles and have plants around that repel insects like basil, mint and chrysanthemums. There are also light fixtures that you can buy that zap bugs on contact. However, they can be noisy and distracting when you?re trying to entertain.
Furnish with Relaxation in Mind A great way to get people to want to enjoy your yard is to cultivate an atmosphere that looks relaxing. Comfortable seating like padded garden furniture and patio sets that look inviting create the perfect match of style and comfort. Do not put indoor furniture outside. It will get ruined. Make sure you get furniture that is specifically made for the outdoors.
Light the Way During the day you?ll have the sun to provide natural illumination but at night you?ll need candles, torches and outdoor lights. You don?t have to light up your yard like it?s a Major League Baseball diamond but you should provide enough lighting so that people can see each other while they hang out. LED and solar powered lights are a nice green option if you?re looking to conserve energy in your yard.
Avoid Clutter A yard with too much stuff in it, will not be inviting to guests. Avoid cluttering your yard with too much furniture and fixtures. An easy way to stay away from clutter is to pick a theme for your yard and stick to it. You won?t want to add items and furniture that don?t fit with your theme.
Add Water If you have a pool then you?re already one step ahead of the game. If you don?t have a pool and there?s no option to get one, try a small water feature like a fountain. Not only do water features add a touch of style to your yard, the bubbling sounds can be very calming and contribute to the relaxing atmosphere you?re trying to cultivate.
Let Your Yard Bloom Flowers and greenery make any yard more inviting for guests because they look beautiful and stimulate the senses. Keeping your yard in full bloom (which may not be possible in the winter, making it all the more desirable when it?s warm out) creates swaths of colour and adds a nice fragrant touch.
Keep the Grass Trimmed Unkempt grass will make everyone stay away from your yard. Besides keeping your grass trimmed and cared for, ensure that there?s enough green space available for kids (and adults) to run around on. With a grassy area in your yard, you can have games for everyone to enjoy like lawn bowling and beanbag toss.
Throw Some Shade Your yard will get very warm, perhaps unpleasantly so on a hot day. Keep an area of your backyard shaded to give your guests somewhere to escape the sun. You can have a canopy or tent put up in your yard, or if you have large trees, use them as a refuge by hanging a hammock where people can get out of the sun.
Fire It Up If you?re looking to extend the outdoor season well into the winter, invite your guests over to sit by your outdoor fireplace or firepit. The warm glow of the fire, coupled with the hot cocoa you?ll make in your outdoor kitchen (see #12) will make your guests feel cozy.
Deck the Yard Deck the yard with?a deck. If you don?t have one already, having a deck put in gives you an extra incentive to have people over. Decks are easy to clean and maintain and you don?t have to stick to the traditional wood option. Stone patios are equally as inviting as wooden decks. If you have a fireplace or firepit installed, you might as well house it on a gorgeous deck or patio.
Project the Entertainment Movie projectors are easy to make these days. All you need is an app for your smartphone, a light coloured sheet and a wall. Invite your guests over for outdoor movie nights and serve popcorn that you?ve popped directly on your fireplace or firepit.
Keep It Cooking Another option to make your yard the place to be, is to add an outdoor kitchen. Many people already have barbeques and other cooking appliances outside, why not have an entire kitchen so you don?t have to run back into the house every time you need to make dinner for your guests?

To view features Infinity gardens can design and build for your new landscaped yard, click to see our work with:

These 12 ways to make your backyard more inviting for guests are so appealing that you may have trouble getting your guests to ever leave!

April 16, 2014April 30, 2020

Spring Planting

The long winter seems to finally be waning! Time to pull out the camping gear and figure out spring plantings. The big question is, ?when do I start to harden off my spring plantings?? Albertans have traditionally been told the long weekend in May but it is really safest to wait a little longer. Annual plants can be planted the first week in June. If frost warnings come later, cover plants with a breathable covering. Pansies and other biennials easily handle a couple of degrees of frost without any damage. Most biennials can be planted in early May. Perennial plants are the most adaptable and can be planted at any time the soil is workable. Green house grown plants should be left in shady areas and gradually introduced in sunny areas to avoid sunburned leaves. Loosen root balls on your plants prior to planting and water annuals and biennial daily until established. Happy planting!