Landscape Irrigation and Summer Heat

As we enter into July, one of the hottest months of the year in some regions, proper irrigation can be the difference between a beautiful landscape, or burnt dying plants.

Adding native plants and using proper irrigation
can help sustain your landscape for years to come

During the heat of the summer, it is best to irrigate at least 4 days per week in the early morning. Watering too late at night can cause mold or disease, while watering too late in the morning or mid afternoon can cause the water to evaporate too quickly.

Studio W specializes in commercial and high-end residential landscape design. Landscaping is a big investment that adds to your property value, so making sure your lawn and plants survive the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter months is important.

A professional landscape design firm can help you choose the right plants, turf and trees for your climate, as well as plants that will survive the elements of the region you live in. When using plants native to the area, they should adapt better to the soil and may not require as much water once they are established.  

Irrigation is an important piece of any landscape design, and knowing when to irrigate and how to group plants that require the same irrigation can save you time and money in the future.

Slopes enhance and add dimension to your landscape but can also be challenging when irrigating.  When landscaping on an incline or slope, use plants with deeper roots due to runoff.  This will allow them to get established and thrive for years to come.  

For more information, or to schedule an appointment to discuss your landscape design, irrigation systems and more, contact: 

The Studio W

info@thestudiow.com

405-285-5610

Looking Ahead: Landscape Architecture and Design

Being outside has ben linked to better moods and better outlooks on life.  According to the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, they found that getting outside and moving for as little as five minutes at a time improved both mood and self-esteem.

Today's landscape is lush with native plants
and hardscape features to fit your space

Being outside has ben linked to better moods and better outlooks on life.  According to the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, they found that getting outside and moving for as little as five minutes at a time improved both mood and self-esteem.

So what does the future of landscape look like?  In this series, today we will look at residential landscape.

Residential Landscapes:
Across the country people use their backyard as a place to relax and get away from the stress of their busy life.  Whether that be work, running the kids to sporting events or activities, having a space to "get-away" has become the trend. 

With the ever changing world of technology, LED lighting, wireless audio, wi-fi access and the many water features to choose from, people have more choices now then ever before.  And depending on the area they live, outdoors is where they seem to spend their

But what's on the horizon?  As we see the world becoming more dependent on electronics and technologies to do it for them, i.e. robotic vacuums, your landscape won't be left out.  

As the population works more, they crave a low-maintenance lifestyle.  Where we once spent hours outside in the garden, got dirty, and as we sometimes call it "labor of love" - we don't want to give up our gardens and beautiful landscaped areas, but we may see more technology doing it for us.  

What's in the future of landscape architecture and design?  Maybe self driving lawnmowers and other outdoor lawn equipment.  Low maintenance is the keyword - keep it simple.  People will still want their beautiful yard, entertainment areas and pools with all the bells and whistles.  But studies show today's generation doesn't want to "do it themselves" they want to hire a professional landscape firm to do it for them.  And they don't want to spare any expense.

Swimming pools are becoming more elaborate with rock waterfalls and LED lighting.  Stone walking pathways lead to a complete outdoor kitchen and entertainment area - and don't forget the water features or beautiful outdoor fireplaces where friends and family spend hours.

Whether you want an outdoor living space with all native plants, homemade raised garden and all the simplicity of the past, or you want new technology with an elaborate outdoor space with a putting green and futuristic features, a professional landscape design firm can help you plan and build your space.

The professionals at Studio W work with high-end residential clients daily to help create a backyard paradise they can enjoy for years to come.

Contact Studio W at info@thestudiow.com or (405) 285-5610

Irrigation systems and why it's important to your landscape

Irrigation is the method in which a controlled amount of water is supplied to plants at regular intervals to help maintain landscapes.

Proper irrigation is important to maintain the
life of your landscape

There are four methods of irrigation:

• Surface
• Sprinkler 
• Drip/trickle
• Subsurface 

Landscaping doesn't end with planting trees, shrubs and flowers.  Your landscape must be maintained and a proper irrigation system will put water right where you need it without wasting water.  

So before investing in your landscape, talk to a professional about an irrigation system or proper watering to help maintain your investment.

How and when to water:
Some people don't realize they are under-watering.  They think by applying light daily watering that it will be sufficient.  It is actually harmful to water lightly each day.  Frequent light applications wet the soil to a depth of less than 1 inch. Most plant roots go much deeper. Light sprinkling only settles the dust and does little to alleviate drought stress of plants growing in hot, dry soil. Instead of light daily waterings, give plants a weekly soaking. When watering, allow the soil to become wet to a depth of 5 to 6 inches.

This type of watering allows moisture to penetrate into the soil area where roots can readily absorb it. A soil watered deeply retains moisture for several days, while one wet only an inch or so is dry within a day.

Then there are those who water often and heavy and they drown their plants. Symptoms of too much water are the same as for too little. Leaves turn brown at the tips and edges, then brown all over and drop from the plant. These symptoms should be the same, since they result from insufficient water in the plant tissue.

Too much water in a soil causes oxygen deficiency, resulting in damage to the root system. Plant roots need oxygen to live. When a soil remains soggy little oxygen is present in the soil. When this condition exists roots die and no longer absorb water. Then leaves begin to show signs of insufficient water. Often gardeners think these signs signal lack of water, so they add more. This further aggravates the situation and the plant usually dies quickly.

By thoroughly watering the soil at each watering, and then allow plants to extract most of the available water from the soil before watering again. 

For more information on Landscape Design and Irrigation, contact:  Studio W, info@thestudiow.com or 405.285.5610

source:  conserveh2o.org, aggie-horticultural.

Green Roofs: Healthy Environment, Healthy You

A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.

The Chicago City Hall green roof helps
cool the building and minimize water run-off
courtesy: science/how stuff works

If you aren't familiar with green roofs, one of the most famous green roofs is the Chicago City Hall.  It combines extensive, intensive, and the intermediary semi-intensive systems on one retrofitted roof. 

In Chicago, under the Mayor's direction, the City kicked off a citywide pilot program to support green rooftop systems with incentives and grants.

Green roofs last longer than conventional roofs, reduce energy costs with natural insulation, create peaceful retreats for people and animals, and absorb storm water, potentially lessening the need for complex and expensive drainage systems. 

On a much bigger scale, green roofs improve air quality and help reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, a condition in which city and suburban developments absorb and trap heat. Anyone who has walked across a scalding parking lot on a hot, summer day has felt one effect of an Urban Heat Island.

The layers of a green roof must, like any roof, accommodate drainage and protect the building from the elements with a waterproof membrane. But they also must create a growing area and potentially provide support, irrigation and root protection barriers while staying as light as possible.

Two types of green roof exist: intensive and extensive. Intensive green roofs are essentially elevated parks. They can sustain shrubs, trees, walkways and benches with their complex structural support, irrigation, drainage and root protection layers. The foot or more of growing medium needed for an intensive green roof creates a load of 80-150 pounds per square foot.  

Extensive green roofs are relatively light at 15-50 pounds per square foot.  They support hearty native ground cover that requires little maintenance. Extensive green roofs usually exist solely for their environmental benefits and don't function as accessible rooftop gardens.

For more information on green roofs, contact: StudioW at info@thestudiow.com or 405-285-5610.

Read more at science.howstuffworks.com