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Are you getting your landscape all ready for this spring? Many PNW homeowners are starting to brainstorm ways to make their landscapes pop this year and have come up with a repertoire of ideas, many of which include flagstone or other yard rockeries. Flagstone is a gorgeous material that is comprised of quartz, silica, and feldspar. It comes in all shapes and sizes as well as thick and thin pieces and makes for an ideal stone in PNW landscapes. If you are preparing for your next home project and you want to implement flagstone into your landscape, this helpful guide will walk you through two methods for cutting flagstone that actually works. Even if you’ve never cut flagstone before, these safe and effective methods for cutting flagstone will help you get the job done. Before you dive into your project, ask yourself this question: Are You Cutting Your Flagstone into Regular or Irregular Shapes? Before you determine what method you will be using to cut your flagstone, you first need to ask yourself whether you are hoping to get a regular or irregular shaped, finished product. If you want to accomplish a smooth-edged, symmetrical piece of flagstone, you will need to use power tools to get there. But if varying shapes and edges are of no concern to you, your options for what method you use are more open. With that out of the way, let’s jump into these two effective methods for cutting thick or thin flagstone. 2 Methods to Cut Flagstone Method 1: Cut Flagstone by Hand If you are looking for a method that can be done without power tools, this is the one for you. Power tools can make people nervous if they aren’t familiar with working with them. Our advice to homeowners, don’t attempt to use power tools if you don’t feel comfortable operating them. For this method of cutting flagstone, you will need a hammer, chisel, and something for marking on the flagstone. Lay your flagstone on a flat surface where it will not move when you use the chisel. Use your marker to draw a line where you would like to make your cut (chalk works great for marking). Score the line by tapping the chisel and moving it along the line that you created. Continue back and forth, adding pressure and deepening the line. Pro tip: Take care that you don’t crack the flagstone by going too quickly with this method! Slow and steady gets the job done. This method of flagstone cutting works best on small projects that don’t require exact symmetry. If you just want to cut a flagstone to be used in a path in your yard or garden, this method is ideal. Safety tip: make sure that you wear goggles and gloves when cutting flagstone by hand! Method 2: Cut Thick Flagstones Using a Circular Saw This method is ideal for small projects that require more symmetrical or precise cuts. Whether that be building a fireplace hearth or a small flagstone patio, using a circular saw to cut flagstone will help you accomplish a uniform look. Here’s how you can cut flagstone using a circular saw: Secure your flagstone (for safety reasons while you are operating a power tool, it’s important that your flagstone is firmly secured). Measure and mark your flagstone Use your circular saw to cut along the line that you’ve drawn DO NOT apply pressure! Simply allow the weight of the circular saw to score the flagstone, making sure that you don’t push the saw down but gently let the blade glide through the stone. Once the flagstone has been sufficiently scored, you can switch to the hammer and chisel method. Continue with the hammer and chisel until you have completed the cut Safety tip: always use protective eyewear and gloves to ensure that splintering flagstone doesn’t injure you. Need Help With Your Flagstone Project? Give New Life Rockeries a Call! Not ready to take on the challenge of cutting flagstone just yet? That’s okay! New Life Rockeries has you covered. We have a team of landscape contractor professionals who have experience using power tools and making accurate flagstone cuts. Simple or complex projects are what we thrive on. We love helping Washington homeowners beautify their landscapes and get their outdoor aesthetic ready for spring. If you have a flagstone project in mind that you need some help with, give New Life Rockeries a call. Our team of landscaping experts would be happy to install a flagstone path or patio in your landscape for you. Don’t spend any more time stressing about how you are going to DIY this project, contact or call us to get started today.

Poor drainage in a landscape can cause all kinds of functional and aesthetic issues. If you have puddles forming throughout your yard or issues whenever it rains (which happens quite often in Washington), you have a drainage issue. Drainage issues in a yard can cause problems for the foundation of your house and ruin your lawn with sogginess. If you are struggling with drainage issues that you want to fix immediately, consider having a retaining wall installed to promote drainage. A retaining wall in your yard can make all the difference in the world when it comes to adequate drainage. Why Do We Need Retaining Walls? Retaining walls act as barriers to prevent soil or water from seeping into our yards and mottling our landscapes. They can act as aesthetic pieces in our landscapes while also serving a practical function. Homeowners who have soil that continuously spills over into their yards or water that drains onto their lawn need to have a retaining wall installed. If you think that your yard might need a retaining wall to promote drainage, give our team of landscaping experts a call. At New Life Rockeries, we have a team of landscape and retaining wall contractors expert who would be happy to give you an estimate tailored to the needs of your landscape. If you want one of our team members to come out and take a look at your lawn to see whether a drainage retaining wall would be beneficial for you, give us a call today. Why Do Retaining Walls Fail? Retaining walls that aren’t built using high-quality materials or ones that are built hastily often fail. Installation and the quality of materials used to build retaining walls matters greatly. You need a landscaping company that you trust working on your retaining wall. Tips For Building A Retaining Wall For Drainage There are measures that you can take to prevent your drainage wall from failing. If you need a retaining wall built in your yard for drainage, you should consider having a professional landscaping company install it for you. A professional landscaping service will make sure that your retaining wall is installed with the right products that will promote drainage in your yard. Here are some tips for building a retaining wall for drainage.   1. Use Gravel & Soil Use gravel to support the foundation of your retaining wall and soil to promote drainage. The soil that you use will absorb and hold water while the gravel or small stones promote a sturdy foundation for your retaining wall.   2. Use Drain Pipes Once you have your retaining wall installed, the project is far from over. You cannot simply have a retaining wall installed and expect all your drainage issues to be solved. Sure, the retaining wall will prevent water from seeping into your yard, but now you have the issue of having water puddling up behind your retaining wall. This is where drainage pipes come in. You need a system in place to drain the water from behind your retaining wall so that the foundation of your retaining wall doesn’t suffer damage. Drainage pipes will solve the issue and carry excess water to a proper draining site that won’t cause harm to your yard.   3. Use The Right Stones If you use stones and rocks that are too light for your retaining wall, they will not make a sturdy retaining wall which in turn will fail to promote drainage. To build the most effective retaining wall for drainage you should use stones that are heavy enough to comprise a sturdy wall and prevent water from draining into your yard. If you need help choosing the right stones for your drainage retaining wall, give New Life Rockeries a call today. Our team of professional landscapers has plenty of experience building sturdy retaining walls to promote drainage. We also have connections with local suppliers and know where to find affordable and high-quality stones to build the perfect retaining wall.   Work With Retaining Wall Experts Today Here at New Life Rockeries, we have a team of retaining wall experts. We have been building retaining walls for Washington homeowners for years and so have had time to perfect the craft. We understand the importance of building a sturdy retaining wall that promotes good drainage and we know the consequences that come from having poor drainage. Here in Washington, it is essential to have good drainage systems in place since we see nearly 40 inches of rainfall each year. Let us help you optimize your landscape for wet weather. If you would like to start optimizing your landscape today by having a retaining wall installed, give New Life Rockeries a call. We will give you our professional, honest opinion and try to help you find the best solution for your drainage issue.

Building a rock garden on a slope requires a special set of skills. While building a rock garden might be a DIY task for some, building a rock garden on a slope definitely requires some landscaping help. While many homeowners might feel some level of despair when surveying their sloped yard, we are here to let you know that a sloped yard can lead to an incredibly beautiful landscape. A Sloped Yard Is The Perfect Place For A Rock Garden. Having a slight hill in your yard gives you so many creative options for building a rock garden on a slope or other sloped landscape designs. So rather than viewing your sloped yard as a negative, think of it as a chance to exercise your creativity! Here are some tips for how to build a rock garden on a slope.   1. Get The Right Tools It takes the right tools to build a rock garden on a sloped yard. Go to your local yard care store and buy a good shovel, spade, and some gardening gloves. Having the right tools is the first step to building a gorgeous rock garden on your sloped yard.   2. Use Plants That Thrive In Rocky Conditions This is so important! You cannot simply throw a few pretty plants into your hillside rock garden and call it a day. When choosing plants and shrubbery go on your sloped rock garden, you need to carefully choose plants that will do well in rocky conditions. Add some shrubs for variety, a small tree here and there for texture. If you want to add even more variety, throw in a colorful perennial or two. Adding perennials is a good way to add both texture and a pop of color to your hillside rock garden. If you’re unsure about which plants to use in your sloped rock garden, give New Life Rockeries a call. Our team of landscaping experts would be more than happy to guide you through the plant selecting process.   3. Make Your Rock Garden Easy To Maintain Easy maintenance is a must. Most homeowners are very busy and don’t have time to maintain a tropical garden — that’s why they are looking into getting a rock garden to begin with. Make sure that the plants you choose for your rock garden are easy to maintain and don’t require excessive watering or pruning. Rock gardens are meant to be gorgeous, low-maintenance additions to your sloped yard. Make your rock garden in your sloped yard simple and easy to maintain.   4. Pick The Right Rocks The best rocks for building your rock garden depend on your preferences and the aesthetic you are going for. Consider adding different sized and shaped rocks in your hillside rock garden for variety. Add in a boulder here and there while you are building your rock garden. Don’t hesitate to get creative and to try new things. Observe your work and be willing to change anything that doesn’t suit you. Your slope rock garden is for you and should suit your liking first and foremost. Add a stepping stone pathway up the slope, this will give your hillside rock garden so much character.   What To Do If You Don’t Know Which Rocks To Choose If you need help choosing rocks that will help you accomplish a specific aesthetic, don’t hesitate to reach out to New Life Rockeries today. Our team of skilled landscapers has been helping pacific northwestern homeowners nail down on their preferred aesthetic for many years. We enjoy helping homeowners who don’t know what to do with their sloped yard find the right solution for them. Give our landscaping experts a call today to get started building the Seattle rock garden of your dreams.   5. Work With A Professional Landscaping Service Our next tip when it comes to building a rock garden in your sloped yard is to work with a professional landscaping service. Having a rock garden built in a sloped yard is not always straightforward or easy. It requires a level of landscaping knowledge that many homeowners are unaware of. If you would like to get started building your rock garden on a slope or you want to have a team of professional landscapers come out and look at your sloped yard, give our team a call today. Here at New Life Rockeries, we are passionate about helping homeowners accomplish their vision for their home and yard. We understand the complications that a sloped yard brings and know the perfect designs to accentuate any yard. We can bring your outdoor aesthetic to life through our services and want to help you feel good about your home. To get started building the perfect rock garden for your sloped yard, give New Life Rockeries a call today.

Why Is Curb Appeal So Important In 2019? Whether you plan on listing your home soon or just want a new look, improving your curb appeal will increase the value of your home. By improving the curb appeal of your home, the value of your property will rise. After all, the exterior of your home is the first thing that people see when they arrive and gives the first impression of your house. This is why improving your curb appeal is critical if you’re planning to sell your house. One of the quickest ways to make potential buyers fall in love with your home is by improving your landscape design, painting the house, or updating external home features. How To Improve Curb Appeal Now that you understand why it’s important let’s discuss how to improve your curb appeal.   1. Clean Up Seasonal Debris The first and most basic step to improving your curb appeal is to clean up seasonal debris. Hire a landscaping crew to come out and clean up fallen leaves and blow tree debris from your driveway. This type of clean up work won’t take a skilled crew that long but will improve your curb appeal exponentially.   2. Presentation Is Key People spare no effort when it comes to gift presentation (e.g., nicely wrapped Christmas gifts), why would you be lax in how your home is presented? Curb appeal is a form of presentation. It determines how your home is perceived by others. The front of your home is the first thing that people see when they arrive at your home. If you want to create a good first impression, you need to improve your curb appeal. One trick is to place design elements leading up to your house — features that present the house as the main focus and guide eyes to your front porch. When done correctly, presenting your house this way will make it irresistible to buyers.   3. Emphasize Clean Lines People love symmetry. Take advantage of this by creating aesthetically-pleasing lines that guide the eyes to your house. You can also have a landscape contractor crew do some edging to define edges and create contrast throughout your yard. Add bushes, shrubs, or grassy areas that emphasize lines and symmetry. This is a cheap way to spruce up the front of your house and add curb appeal without too much cost to yourself.   4. Add A Stone Water Feature Studies have found that including a stone water feature in your front yard will help your curb appeal skyrocket. The good news is, water feature installation is both quick and convenient! If you’d like to take advantage of this curb appeal tip, contact New Life Rockeries to speak with a landscaping professional about having a water feature installed.   5. Add A Stone Rockery There are countless stone rockery ideas online to help homeowners increase their curb appeal. A front yard rockery can even serve a double purpose if you need a barrier to stop soil erosion or are thinking about having a retaining wall installed. Stone rockeries are classic landscaping additions that improve the aesthetics of your lawn and enhance curb appeal.   6. Add Trim To The Exterior Of Your Home Another quick and easy way to improve the curb appeal of your home is through sprucing up the exterior of your house. One way to do this is by adding new trim to your home. Outdoor trim is both timeless and elegant. If you are looking to list your house soon, it’s important to choose a quality trim that will last and maintain its color for a long time.   7. Install Outdoor Lighting Our seventh curb appeal tip is to install outdoor lighting. Lighted walkways are classy and are a way to liven up your front yard landscape instantly. If you love a minimalistic style, outdoor lighting is one of the surest ways to make a gorgeous landscape without much work or even expense.   8. Add A Stone Walkway A stone walkway makes for a gorgeous addition to any front yard landscape. A stone walkway could go with any of the above-mentioned curb appeal landscaping ideas easily. It is one of the most subtle ways to add curb appeal and centralize your home as the focal point in your landscape.   Work With A Reliable Landscaping Team Today Looking for quick and easy ways to add to your curb appeal? Contact New Life Rockeries to speak with a landscaping professional about your project today. Our crew of skilled landscapers has spent decades helping Pacific Northwest homeowners improve their yards. We’d love to help you with your project! Give us a call and start improving your home’s curb appeal today.

It’s that time of year again. Frost is in the air and homeowners are at a loss, yet again, for how they should maintain their yard during the fall. If this describes your situation — buckle up! You’ve come to the right place. To help you keep your lawn in pristine condition through this breezy season, the team here at New Life Rockeries has thrown together our 8 favorite fall lawn maintenance tips. Taking adequate care to maintain your lawn during the fall will ensure that your lawn is healthy, thick, and lush when springtime rolls around. Here are 8 tips for lawn care and maintenance this fall, from professional landscapers. 1. Take Care Of Dead Leaves & Grass This fall lawn maintenance tip will ensure that you have a healthy lawn throughout the winter and on into the springtime. Leaving dead leaves and grass in place will smother the lawn underneath and prevent essential sunlight from reaching it. Take the time to carefully rake and dispose of all dead leaves and replace dead grass. 2. Have Your Irrigation Systems Winterized An essential fall lawn maintenance tip is to have your irrigation systems winterized. Leaving irrigation pipes with water in them all winter long could result in expensive repairs in the future. This is a fall lawn maintenance tip that should involve the help of a landscaping professional. As autumn is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest, you should schedule a crew to come to winterize your irrigation immediately. 3. Check & Clean Gutters Now we come to the dreaded one — checking and maintaining the gutters. During fall, it is very common for leaves and debris from surrounding trees to clog up gutters. Since this could cause maintenance issues for your house as well as your lawn, you should pull out your handy ladder and check your gutters as part of your fall lawn maintenance this season. 4. Clean & Organize Your Lawn Maintenance Shed This fall maintenance tip will help you so much in the springtime when you prepare to spruce up your home for the year. Take an afternoon to put all your lawn maintenance tools back in place, clean them, and make sure they are all organized for the following year. 5. Decorate Your Lawn For The Holidays Our favorite fall lawn maintenance tip — prepare your lawn for the holiday season by decorating! After you’ve adequately cared for your lawn and prepared it for winter and fall, spend an afternoon with your family to decorate your lawn for the upcoming holidays. String the house with lights and add fun lawn decor to your yard in anticipation of the holidays. 6. Keep Up With Lawn Pest Control Homeowners often mistakenly think that they don’t need to keep up with lawn pest control during the fall and winter months. This, however, is not the case. Insects and pests might just be getting cozy in your lawn now, but when springtime rolls around they are going to wreak havoc on the health of your lawn. Make sure that you address any pest problems before winter is in full force and care for your lawn by getting rid of unwanted insects. 7. Feed & Water Your Lawn When Needed Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean that you can ignore feeding and watering your lawn. On occasion, you may still need to water your lawn — despite living in Washington State. Keep track of how often it rains and maintain your yard this fall through watering and fertilizing when needed. Additionally, don’t forget to fertilize your lawn during the fall months. It’s especially important to use a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen during the fall. This type of fertilizer will nourish your lawn throughout the fall and winter months and is one of the best ways that you can care for your lawn this autumn. 8. Continue Cutting Your Lawn We’re not just talking mowing your lawn throughout the fall and winter whenever you get the urge. You should be routinely mowing your lawn and cutting it to the correct height. Until you’ve had the first frost, your grass will continue growing and you should continue caring for it by mowing it one schedule to encourage optimal health and growth. Talk With Fall Maintenance Experts Today Need some help caring for your lawn this fall? You’ve come to the right place! Our expert team of landscape contractor at New Life Rockeries has the skills needed to help you maintain your lawn this fall. We have been helping homeowners in the Pacific Northwest to care for and maintain their lawns throughout the fall and winter months and want to help you as well. If you have any concerns or questions about fall lawn care or want to schedule our team to come out and winterize your irrigation systems, give New Life Rockeries a call today or contact us here.

Is your patio missing something? Are you looking for ways to spruce up your patio while also adding to the convenience of your outdoor space? If so, there are a couple of different ways to do that, our favorite being building a sitting wall. Sitting walls are wonderful additions to back patios because they are aesthetically pleasing, simple, low maintenance, and add to the convenience of your patio. If you are planning on building a sitting wall on your patio, here are 7 easy steps to follow to get your project on the road. How To Build A Sitting Wall 7 Steps 1. Make a Timeline How much time are you planning on dedicating to building your patio sitting wall? Your project timeline will determine things like cost, materials, and design to some extent, so you should first focus on figuring out how much time you have to invest in building your patio wall. If you have a vision for the sitting wall but are unsure if you have the time to spare to build it, consider talking with an outdoor landscaper. Maybe you don’t have the time to build the wall yourself, but you have the option of working with a professional landscape contractor. If you would like to complete the project yourself but want a professional opinion from a local landscaper, contact New Life Rockeries today to speak with a landscaping expert. 2. Find the Perfect Location Where would you like your sitting wall to be? One of the best locations for sitting walls is on the patio, as it is a location where people congregate during the spring and summer months. Spend an afternoon marking out where you would like your sitting wall to be on your back patio to get a rough idea of the size and dimensions of your wall. Pro-tip, consider building the sitting wall in an area of your patio that is covered as Washington State is notorious for having drizzly weather. 3. Get the Right Materials Do you want a stone or brick sitting wall? Finding the right materials for your patio sitting wall will serve to help you achieve your desired aesthetic. Look up patio sitting wall designs and find a few styles that you like. Find similar materials for building your own patio sitting wall. If you are unsure where to look to find certain materials, consider contacting a professional landscaping service as they are familiar with material providers in the region. 4. Lay the Foundation Now comes the fun part, starting your project. Laying the foundation for your stone patio sitting wall will determine the sturdiness and levelness of your wall. This is an important step, and if you’re unsure whether or not you can successfully pull off laying the foundation, consider calling a professional landscaping service to help you out. Foundation laying tools such as a level are essential during the foundation laying process in order to create a beautiful, symmetrical sitting wall. 5. Build Your Sitting Wall Once the foundation has been securely laid, continue building your patio sitting wall one course at a time. After each new course is laid, take a step back, and survey your work. Make sure that your sitting wall is symmetrical and level. If you are not careful to ensure that your wall is level after every course is laid, you will end up layering the problem, which will result in an unsatisfactory end result. 6. Fill in the Gaps Make sure that all gaps are adequately filled in using a material that is long-lasting and suiting to your wall. Gaping crevices between course layers is unappealing and does not look aesthetically pleasing on your patio. Materials that are commonly used to fill in sitting wall gaps are sand or other fine materials. 7. Polish it up Add your finishing touches! Clean up the patio and around your wall. Wash your wall down as it may have become dirty during the building process. Add a few other patio accents to complement your sitting wall. You might want to consider adding a low table to accompany your sitting wall or a little area rug to cozy up space. Adding the finishing touches to your outdoor patio will complete your home and make your outdoor space comfortable for your family and visitors. Talk With Patio Wall Building Experts If you would like to have a patio wall built but don’t have the time or know-how to complete the job, why not hire a professional landscaping service? New Life Rockeries is proud to offer professional landscaping services to residents in Seattle and the surrounding areas. We want to help homeowners accomplish their outdoor aesthetic goals through our services. If you have questions about having a sitting wall installed on your patio, contact New Life Rockeries to receive a professional quote about the timeline and costs of your project.

Did you know, having a stone walkway in your landscape might actually increase the value of your home? That’s right, landscaping your home is not just for aesthetic purposes, it can also be used to improve functionality and increase home value. At New Life Rockeries, we know that there are countless ways to have a stone walkway installed in your yard all of which look fabulous, and improve the appearance of your landscape. If you are toying with the idea of having an outdoor pathway put in your yard, here are 7 stone walkway ideas to improve not only the appearance but also the functionality of your landscape. 1. Use Local Stones In Your Walkway Buying from a local quarry is an excellent way to support your local economy. It also means that your outdoor pathway is entirely unique. Rocks and stones that are supplied by a local quarry are better able to match your outdoor natural aesthetic. These elements are natural to your environment and so fit into your landscape without a problem. 2. Create A Walkway That Improves Functionality Is there an area of your yard that you or your pets walk over commonly?  Would you like there to be a stone walkway or stepping stones giving you a straight shot across your yard? Having a stone pathway or stepping stone path through your yard organizes your yard and gives you easy access through your yard. An outdoor path is a good way to improve the functionality of your landscape with minimal work and expense. 3. Use Plants To Complement Your Stone Walkway Using plants to compliment your stone walkway gives your pathway a completed look and majorly improves your aesthetic. Plants do a lot to increase the aesthetic of your landscape and can also improve functionality as they assist with drainage. Use regional plants to compliment your local quarried stone walkway. 4. Use A Border Adding plants or other elements to create a border around your outdoor pathway is an excellent idea to give your landscape a completed look. Borders lend a very organized feel to a stone walkway and are the surest way to keep people from walking on the lawn. 5. Do A Stepping Stone Walkway Stepping stone walkways are a classic outdoor pathway idea and a favorite among homeowners. If you enjoy a free, natural aesthetic that isn’t confined, a stepping stone walkway would be perfect for your yard. Several stepping stone walkway ideas are placing stepping stones in dirt, bark, or grass. If you have free landscape with an emphasis on a more natural aesthetic, a stepping stone walkway will fit into your landscape nicely. 6. Create A Lighted Walkway Light can make or break a mood. Adding lights alongside your walkway can be a great aesthetic decision for your entire landscape. Creating a lighted walkway is a good way to give your stepping stone walkway a clean border and illuminate your outdoor pathway by night. Lighted pathways are a creative decision and are simple while still incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Having a lighted pathway gives landscapes a formal and elegant design. 7. Add A Retaining Wall Alongside Your Stone Walkway Retaining walls are also a wonderful addition to your yard. They go along really well with stone walkways and can complete your landscape. You don’t need a big retaining wall if its main purpose is aesthetic. You could have a small retaining wall installed to border or complement your outdoor pathway. 8. Put A Stone Walkway Next To A Water Feature Having a peaceful outdoor pathway running alongside your water feature will give your landscape a sense of serenity. Stone or rock water features make an excellent addition to your outdoor appearance and go wonderfully well-accompanying stone walkways. 9. Put A Stone Pathway Through Your Garden Whether you have a flower or vegetable garden, having a stone walkway through it is a simple and inexpensive way to spruce up the entire area. A stepping stone pathway would be excellent for a flower garden while a more organized walkway would be good for a vegetable garden. Outdoor stone walkways can be built in a number of different ways and make an excellent addition to any garden. Have A Stone Walkway Installed In Your Yard Today! If you’ve decided to make an aesthetic change to your landscape by adding a stone walkway to your yard, contact New Life Rockeries today to speak with one of our expert team members. We’d be more than happy to give you a custom quote for your stone walkway project. It is our goal to help Washington homeowners improve their outdoor appearance and functionality through our custom pathways and stone rockeries. To speak with one of our landscaping contractor experts, give us a call or contact us today.

At New Life Rockeries, we know lawn drainage is an important part of the functionality of your yard. Washington State sees an average of almost 40 inches of rain per year. This large number can result in a soggy lawn if you don’t have the proper backyard drainage. To avoid letting your beautiful lawn turn into a swamp, there are several landscaping hacks that you can use in your outdoor design. Landscaping is generally thought of as purely aesthetic. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! Your landscape can also be used for convenience and functionality while still beautifying your yard. Adequate drainage is such a vital part of the functionality of your home. Good lawn drainage throughout your landscape will divert rainwater, preventing your yard from becoming soggy. Before we get into landscaping options for diverting water accumulation, let’s first look into what causes poor lawn drainage. What Causes Poor Outdoor Drainage? Water takes a long time to be absorbed into soil. Because of this, you might suffer from poor yard drainage in your backyard. If you have clay or other close particle soil, you likely need to install a drainage system to avoid waterlogging your backyard. Soils like these aren’t good with lots of water and become waterlogged if neglected. Other factors also contribute to poor drainage. Things like the incline of your yard and the efficiency of your already existing drainage systems play their part too. Regardless of why you have a backyard drainage problem, here are a couple of good reasons why you should have it fixed right away. Why Is Outdoor Drainage So Important? Good landscaping that diverts water buildup, is vital in maintaining not only your yard but also your house. Poor backyard drainage will result in damage to your yard and possibly even your house. Neglecting to divert water from your backyard landscape can present a number of serious problems that cost a lot of money to remedy. To avoid lawn damage due to drainage issues, contact a landscaping professional as soon as you notice the problem. Water can damage your yard and home in more than a few ways, so it is a good idea to have the problem fixed as soon as you notice it. Landscaping For Water Drainage 4 Ideas There are more than a few ways to creatively adding proper drainage throughout your backyard. If you want to have your yard landscaped for drainage, there are more solutions than simply adding a grate drain. Below are just a couple of examples of landscaping for drainage and how it can be both effective and beautiful. Create a rain garden Rain gardens — as the name suggests, are gardens designed with rainfall and backyard drainage in mind. The number of designs is limitless when it comes to designing a rain garden. Most rain gardens utilize native plants that thrive in wet conditions. These plants, rocks, and other rain garden elements serve to absorb excess rainfall to prevent your lawn from becoming soggy. Create a rock river Rock rivers also come in various designs and materials. These beautiful, dry river beds are a creative way to landscape your yard for drainage. Having a rock river through your backyard is the perfect way to divert water from your landscape and prevent future drainage issues. Use absorbent elements throughout your landscape Using absorbent plants, rocks, and mulch throughout your backyard landscape will work wonders. Elements like these help prevent lawn drainage issues by naturally absorbing rainfall. Having a yard that is prone to water build-up and drainage issues means that you need to design your landscape accordingly. Use pavers to encourage water drainage Include pavers that have small gaps to allow for water drainage is also an excellent way to divert water from your backyard landscape. Small gap pavers can look extremely aesthetic in a backyard landscape and are a subtle way to prepare your lawn for adequate drainage. Do some looking online to get an idea of what kind of pavers you’d like to have in your yard and what’s available to you. Hire A Professional Landscape Drainage Expert Here at New Life Rockeries, we employ only the most skilled landscaping experts for our team. It is our vision to help homeowners in Washington State achieve the outdoor aesthetic of their dreams. We want to help you make your backyard both beautiful and functional. We understand that many homeowners in the PNW suffer from water drainage issues in their landscape due to heavy rainfall. We want to meet your landscaping needs and help you find the best backyard drainage landscape for your home. Contact our team of landscaping experts today or fill out our quote form if you’d like to receive a custom quote for your landscaping needs. Our landscaping contractor professionals want to help you get the yard of your dreams so give us a call today or contact us to find out about the services that we offer and how we can help you with your lawn drainage issue.

Home courtyards are often found in the backyard of homes and are the finishing touch of most homeowner’s outdoor aesthetics. They are typically enclosed on 3-4 sides and are uncovered outdoor areas. At New Life Rockeries, we know exactly how to make your own backyard courtyard into something special to impress your guests. Courtyards often have a sitting area and are used for hosting or dining during the summer months.  If you would like to design a courtyard for your home and are in search of ideas for your courtyard, this article is for you. Whether you are looking for stone, modern, or traditional courtyard ideas, here are 7 creative backyard courtyard ideas to fuel your motivation!  1. Urban Backyard Courtyard Urban backyard courtyards have a very uniform and city look to them.  They are maintained, organized, and have a few intentional and unique elements. They generally take on the form of a more modern courtyard with muted gray flagstone and grass as main features. Elements Use courtyard furniture that is primarily black or has many black accents. Go sparingly on flowers and instead choose leafy trees and moss for your courtyard garden. Consider adding wooden planter boxes and retro drop lights to finish off your urban courtyard aesthetic. 2. Natural Stone Courtyard Ideas A much more natural courtyard design, this one uses stone and rock as the main design element and focuses on creating a wild aesthetic. Implement lots of grays, browns, greens, and earthy shades into this backyard courtyard design. Elements Utilize differently shaped stones, this will add a natural and wild feel to your courtyard. A wonderful feature of a stone courtyard could be a small stone water fountain in the center of your courtyard.  Opt for burnt and muted colored shrubbery and flowers as these will best accent your stone courtyard. 3. Mediterranean Backyard Courtyard This is a fun and creative backyard courtyard concept for you. Are you in love with Mediterranean vibes and design? If so, you will be glad to hear that you don’t need to go to Greece for a taste of some Meditteranean style. You can bring the Meditteranean to your backyard by creating a Meditteranean inspired courtyard! Elements Have a Meditteranean patio installed as the main feature in your themed courtyard. Use Greek-inspired accents such as statues, a Grecian fountain, and larger patio furniture. 4. English Courtyard Ideas If you love well maintained, pristine outdoor aesthetics, an English courtyard design will suit you. English courtyards feature a well-groomed and organized approach to backyard styling. Elements Hedges, roses, symmetrical patios, and delicate furniture are all elements of an English backyard courtyard. Consider adding a courtyard garden as the focal point in your backyard design. 5. Cottage Garden Backyard Courtyard Cottage gardens are those where a variety of plants, veggies, and flowers are grown together in a wild and random combination. This courtyard idea is a good design for homeowners who don’t have time to spend maintaining their backyard.  Since cottage garden courtyards have a wild aesthetic, they don’t require lots of maintenance. Elements Lots of plants and shrubbery. You can include veggies, flowers of various colors, shrubs, and trees in your cottage garden to your heart’s content. A cottage garden is your chance to let loose and plant whatever makes you happy. 6. Private Courtyard Ideas Private courtyards are nice for city homeowners who have neighbors in close proximity. Living in the city can make you feel like you lack privacy and that you can’t get away from people. Creating a private courtyard will give you an escape into nature and makes an excellent hosting space. Elements In order to create a private courtyard, you will need elements that add to the seclusion. Tall trees, wooden slat-fence, retaining wall, and shrubbery are all wonderful seclusion elements.  Have a decorative fence or wall installed and allow ivy to grow over it to add the secluded effect. Plant tall trees to further enclose your courtyard. Having tall elements planted or installed on all sides will add to the seclusion and will make you feel like you have a private haven in your backyard. 7. Traditional Backyard Courtyard Traditional backyard courtyard designs feature cozy elements, simply patios, and comfy furniture. There is a sense of uniform in traditional backyard courtyard designs that don’t have any lack of home coziness. Elements Utilize natural light and classic materials in your traditional backyard aesthetic. Incorporate lots of flowers, greenery, and opt for a classic paving stone like cobble. Start Designing The Backyard Courtyard Of You Dreams Today New Life Rockeries has been on a mission to help PNW homeowners beautify their backyards for the last 30 years. Our landscaping experts work to create unique backyard designs for our clients and want to help you. Our team can create a gorgeous courtyard that matches your aesthetic and completes your home. If you would like to talk with one of our landscape experts about designing a courtyard for your home contact New Life Rockeries today. We would love to create a custom quote for your project and help you achieve your ideal home aesthetic. We want to help you create a backyard that you are proud of and feel at home in. Contact us today to begin designing the courtyard of your dreams.  

Retaining walls add so much dimension to an outdoor landscape. They are beautiful, add height, texture, and emotion to your outdoor aesthetic. All around, they are lovely additions to anyone’s yard. If you’ve had a rock retaining wall installed in your backyard and are just beginning to notice signs of deterioration, it might be time for a wall repair. Many homeowners don’t consider what kinds of repairs or maintenance their retaining wall might need in the future. Without anticipating repairs they are caught entirely off guard and they see their wall begin to crumble. There are a number of factors that might contribute to the breakdown of your retaining wall. If you know the causes, you may be able to avoid or postpone the deterioration of your retaining wall. In the next section, we’ll list three reasons why your retaining wall might be needing repairs. Why Is Your Retaining Wall Deteriorating? There are a number of reasons why your retaining wall might suddenly begin showing signs of deterioration. Don’t be too worried, as a landscaping professional should be able to repair your retaining wall if you contact them right away. Some factors which might play a role in the deterioration of your rock retaining wall include age, poor drainage, and foundation issues. Let’s break down each one of these below. 1. Age It is quite natural for your rock retaining wall to start needing repairs as it ages. Everything ages and wears down over time. If your retaining wall is over a few years old, it will likely show more signs of needing repairs. The good news is this shouldn’t be too difficult to remedy. Landscape professionals are able to repair old retaining walls and make them as good as new so that they are adding to your outdoor aesthetic rather than taking away from its beauty. 2. Poor Drainage If your yard suffers from drainage issues, that can be enough cause for detrimental damage to your retaining wall and should be dealt with immediately. Water damage to the foundation of your retaining wall can require extensive repairs. If you have drainage issues in your yard, landscape professionals may be able to repair your retaining wall and install weep holes in the wall to allow for better drainage. 3. Bad Foundation If your retaining wall was installed on a poor foundation that can cause it to crumble and break down rapidly. If the installation of your retaining wall was questionable and you are seeing it break down much sooner than you had expected, call in a team of landscapers to repair your retaining wall and remedy the foundation issue. Each of these issues is enough to call in a professional landscaping team to take a look and repair your damaged retaining wall. Don’t Attempt To Repair A Retaining Wall Yourself Many homeowners think that repairing their retaining wall doesn’t require professional skills and that they should be able to DIY it themselves. This, however, is often not the case as most retaining walls require professional installation services and so also require professional repairing. If you had a professional landscaping crew install the wall, you should call in professionals to repair it as well. Calling landscaping experts is a far better choice than trying to make the repair yourself. Attempting to repair your retaining wall yourself will give more work to the landscaping crew in the long run and could potentially add on damage to your retaining wall. Landscapers have experience installing and repairing retaining walls and are able to spot the root problem behind your rock walls decay. A rock retaining wall often serves dual purposes, combining aesthetics with functionality (some walls are used to prevent soil erosion from spilling into your yard on top of their design). You do not want to sacrifice either of these by doing a DIY repair job, so contact a landscaping crew as soon as you detect a problem. When Should You Replace & When Should You Repair Your Retaining Wall? Knowing when to repair or replace your rock retaining wall can be a challenge. This most likely will take a visual assessment from your landscaping experts. Sometimes, if you have allowed the deterioration to persist without intervention or repair you might need a total replacement. Unless you are a landscape professional, it will be difficult to make that assessment yourself. This makes it important to schedule a visual assessment with professional landscapers to determine the condition of your retainer wall. Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Crew To Fix Your Retaining Wall Hiring a professional landscaping crew for retaining wall repairs is by far the easiest option if you’ve begun to notice caving or decay. Your landscaping experts will be very honest with you about the condition of your rock retaining wall and how it can best be repaired. If you have started noticing the decay of your retaining wall and want to make the repairs before it’s too late, contact our crew of landscape professionals at New Life Rockeries today to get a quote on your repair. We employ only the best on our team of landscaping experts and assess skills, integrity, and work ethic during the hiring process. We understand the importance of our jobs in helping homeowners achieve the home of their dreams and want to help you repair your retaining wall for optimal functionality. If you’d like to receive a quote from us about repairing your retaining wall, contact us today and we’d be more than happy to discuss retaining wall contractors with your repairs.

Water features come in all shapes and sizes, but waterfalls are among the most popular choices. Today, you can find backyard waterfall designs that are suitable for small or large spaces alike. That said, there are many elements you need to take into consideration when adding a waterfall to your yard. This article will give 7 tips to help you design a beautiful waterfall for your backyard.   Why Should You Install A Waterfall In Your Backyard? A waterfall can be beneficial to your backyard in many ways. For one, it brings a natural ambiance to your space through sight and sound. There is almost nothing more calming than the sound of flowing water. Waterfalls also provide your backyard with a noise-masking effect that homeowners find immensely appealing. The stones used to build a waterfall along with the natural sound of the falls reduce other city noises. Besides the acoustic benefits, another advantage of waterfall features is the wide range of design possibilities. From sleek and modern, to rustic and weathered, installing a waterfall in your backyard has a massive impact on your landscape’s look and feel.   7 Tips For Designing A Stunning Backyard Waterfall 1. Consider Height First off, think about what effect you are hoping to achieve with your waterfall. This will help determine the height of the waterfall and more. Many homeowners want an eye-catching waterfall and so they think that bigger equals better. Yet, this isn’t always true. Do you want your water feature to be the most dominant feature in your yard, or would it be more impactful if it was placed subtly in a corner? Deciding on effect and height should be your first consideration when designing your backyard waterfall. You should assess your intentions for the effect you hope your waterfall will produce in your outdoor aesthetic as well as do an analysis of your yard to determine the best waterfall height for your landscape. 2. Keep The Waterfall In Scale With The Pond This is where many waterfalls go wrong. Failing to keep your waterfall at an appropriate scale to your pond will result in a less tasteful landscape overall. This is something you can discuss with your landscape professionals as they have experience designing backyard waterfalls and are familiar with what is considered an appropriate scale. 3. Increase The Height Of The Waterfall For Natural Ambience The higher you make your waterfall, the more running water sounds will be produced. If you want to emphasize the natural ambiance of running water throughout your backyard, then you should consider increasing the height of your waterfall as this will help you amplify the running water sounds. 4. Implement Multiple Elements Into Your Waterfall Design Use stones of varying colors and dimensions to add character to your waterfall design. Implementing ground covering plants and shrubs to give your landscape a natural feel. Flowers, shrubs, and stones can all be used to add aesthetic appeal to your backyard waterfall and to give it an intentional and finished look. 5. Pick The Appropriate Pump For Your Waterfall Depending on the size of your waterfall, you will be in need of a different sized pump to keep the water circulating. Your landscaping contractor experts will be able to advise you as to the most appropriate sized pump for the waterfall you are having installed. Using an incorrectly sized pump for your waterfall could cause a host of issues, such as flooding, so it’s important to get the pump size right. 6. Find Other Backyard Waterfalls That You Like Designing the most stunning waterfall for your backyard often involves gathering inspiration from other people’s waterfall designs. Do some searching online to help you get an idea of the type of waterfall you are hoping to have installed and don’t be afraid of mimicking features that you like. If you are having a waterfall installed in your backyard you want to be sure that you are going to love it. It can change a lot about your outdoor landscape so it should be something that you are confident that you are going to love. 7. Prevent Other Plants From Taking Over Your Waterfall A good and relatively easy way to prevent other plants from taking over the space that you’ve designated for your waterfall is by extending the pond liner by 12 inches or so and cover the liner with gravel. If you extend the liner beyond the edge of the pond you will be able to keep a handle on what plants are growing alongside your waterfall.   Get A Quote From Landscape Professionals Today To hear more about what goes into getting a waterfall installed, or to get a free quote call us today. If you have decided to have a waterfall installed in your backyard or garden you should consult a landscape professional regarding installation. Installing a backyard waterfall might sound like a fun DIY project, but a lot more goes into designing a waterfall than meets the eye. Working with a landscaping team will ensure that your backyard water feature is done right the first time and on schedule. Contact New Life Rockeries today!

If you are looking for an inexpensive and low-maintenance way to spruce up your yard this year, then you should consider adding a moss garden to your landscape. Moss gardens are aesthetically pleasing and add color, texture, and a lush, foresty feel that is rarely found in other types of gardens. On top of these wonderful aesthetic benefits, moss gardens require minimal upkeep — yet another amazing perk for homeowners with limited amounts of time. If you are attracted to a woodland, mythical look, a moss garden is the way to go. With just a small, shady patch of yard, you can completely transform your outdoor aesthetic. Best of all, moss gardens are well-adapted to the Pacific Northwest’s wet climate and don’t require a lot of maintenance.   How To Create The Perfect Moss Garden In order to create the perfect moss garden for your home, it is helpful to use a variety of plants and design elements to create a canvas to plant your moss in. Include a combination of different things in your moss garden, using multiple shades, textures, and sizes to achieve your desired look. For example, a small rock wall would add depth, color, and texture to your moss garden. Small rockeries can add a nice contrast to your moss garden and can also be used as a lovely backdrop. Use other elements like flagstone or small round rocks throughout your moss garden to draw in people’s attention. As for plants, shade-loving plants are accustomed to growing in the mossy woodland terrain. Plants like ferns or hostas thrive in the shade and are common companions to moss, making them a natural choice for any moss garden. What Are The Main Types Of Moss? There are more than 12,000 species of moss, however, since that is far too large a number to break down here, let’s sort the different kinds of moss into more digestible categories. There are just two main kinds of moss used for moss gardens. Acrocarpous – moss is characterized by its ability to stands upright Pleurocarpous – moss is prostrate and tends to grow at a faster rate than Acrocarpous moss. There are numerous other moss-like plants that are mistakenly labeled as moss and used in moss gardens, however, these lack certain of the defining qualities of true moss and do not always thrive in moss gardens.   How Will A Moss Garden Benefit Your Yard? Moss gardens require minimal maintenance and upkeep — making them an ideal garden type for homeowners without a lot of spare time. Moss gardens also thrive in overcast, shady conditions which make them perfect for Washington homeowners trying to accommodate Pacific Northwestern weather. On top of the ease of having a moss garden, these gardens also boast of other benefits such as increased visual appeal and texture throughout your yard. A little goes a long way when it comes to gardening and yard maintenance, you’ll be surprised by just how much of a difference a moss garden can make in your backyard. Moss is also extremely beneficial for air purification, a fact which many homeowners find to be a driving incentive when creating a moss garden. So on top of being extremely beautiful, moss gardens can be beneficial for your health and home as well.   How To Maintain Your Moss Garden As mentioned above, maintenance for a moss garden is relatively simple and minimal. Because moss is accustomed to growing in damp conditions, it is important to keep the soil around your moss consistently moist. This shouldn’t be too much trouble if you live in the Pacific Northwest where rain is plentiful and the climate relatively mild. If you do encounter particularly warm or dry weather, simply take a spray bottle and mist the moss. Besides the occasional misting, your moss garden should be given a good watering (whether by rain or hose) about twice a week.   Have A Custom Moss Garden Installed In Your Yard! Here at New Life Rockeries, we employ a team of only the most diligent landscaping professionals. We are able to take the aesthetic vision of our clients and act on what they’ve envisioned to create beautiful, cohesive yard spaces. If you are in need of landscaping services of any kind, our experts at New Life Rockeries would be thrilled to help you out. We have extensive experience designing and building rock walls, rock water features, moss gardens, rock gardens, and many more home aesthetics. If you are unsure what landscape adjustments to make to your yard, don’t worry! Our experts at New Life Rockeries landscape contractor would be more than happy to help you find a landscape design that works for you and your home and can give you a price quote as well. To begin your yard makeover, call our experts at New Life Rockeries today.