January Thaw / Landscape Planning & Design

In the midst of winter, it’s hard to imagine that there is such a thing called the “January Thaw”. With its beginnings in New England folklore, the January Thaw is a string of days, usually around the 19^th-28^th, that are unseasonably warmer than usual. It is the winter equivalent to Indian’s Summer in the autumn. While the thaw does not occur every year because of fickle and changing weather patterns, almost every January has at least a few days when this happens.

With Spring only a few months away, it is the time of the year when our friends and clients are poring over seed and plant catalogs and dreaming of any additions or improvements to their yardscapes. Getting a head start on planning now will let you enjoy every precious minute outdoors later! Are you uncertain on where to start and need some design inspiration? Visit our DESIGN/BUILD page or chat with your landscape consultant for ideas because the nice weather will be here before we know it!  -Shayne

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60 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!

Landscape design is so much more than picking trees or pretty plants and flowers and arranging them in your landscape. First, the ultimate goal must be identified. Do you want to spend more time outside enjoying your property? Are you looking to remedy a “problem” in your landscape? Are you looking for low-maintenance solutions or do you want plentiful gardens you can spend time tending to? Are you trying to discourage wildlife from visiting your property or do you want to welcome them in? Some of our clients want to create more privacy while others want a more open and inviting space for gatherings with family and friends.

Many homeowners and gardeners love using a planner and/or garden journal to help them plan and keep track of what is happening in their landscape. They are a perfect tool to help create a plan and make the most of your garden(s) whether they be flower gardens or vegetable gardens. They help keep track of all the important things like planting dates, blooming or harvesting times, appearance of pests and any damage they cause along with solutions that worked, watering schedules, seasonal tasks and so much more. Many homeowners also like to record significant weather events, wildlife they see on their property, or just keep track of their seasonal to-do list. Technology has given us apps for this purpose but there are also many beautifully printed versions or you can make your own with the abundance of information you can find online.

For those of you that would prefer someone else worries about these things, we know exactly what needs to be done and when it will be done by following a tried-and-true schedule for all the landscaping services we provide.

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January is Blood Donation Month and the Red Cross is experiencing a dangerously low blood supply which they haven’t seen in many years. After you answer the trivia question, PLEASE click HERE to find a Red Cross Blood Drive near you! Your donation is desperately needed and one pint can save up to three lives! Donate Today!

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Clara Barton, the “Angel of the Battlefield” during the American Civil War later traveled to Europe and learned of the Geneva Convention and a movement called the Red Cross and brought those ideas back to the US. In 1882, the government ratified the Geneva Convention. In what year did Clara Barton found the American Red Cross? A: 1867 B: 1874 C: 1881 D: 1888

Previous Issue : Q: January is typically the snowiest month in the Northern Hemisphere. In Connecticut, the snowiest month was January 2011 with how many inches of total snow?

A: 23% answered correctly with 59 inches, 19% chose 49″, 35% chose 69″ and 23% chose 79″.