Author Archives: greatgoatslandscaping

Does Your Flower Garden Need More Color?

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Things are slowly starting to turn green here in Minnesota, and if you’re lucky, you may have even seen a few bright crocuses welcoming the warmer weather. Those first flowers of spring get many of us craving more color and dreaming about flower gardens bursting with a rainbow of blossoms.
Adding colorful flowers and plants is a great way to bring interest and personality to a yard or garden. With an almost limitless number of flowers to choose from, it is easy to get overwhelmed while flipping through a seed catalog or wandering in a nursery. Fortunately, the team at Great Goats Landscaping has years of experience designing and planting flower beds that are eye-catching and appealing. They can help you decide what sort of garden bed would work best with your taste and the conditions around your home.

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Perennial flowers

Perennial plants are those that come back year after year. Native flowers, like coneflower, butterfly weed, or black-eyed susans, are often a good choice for difficult areas. Many non-native flowers will flourish in Minnesota too.
Perennial plants are often seen as lower maintenance. They still require some care and attention, but they don’t need to be replanted annually.

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Annual flowers

Annual plants are those that need to be replanted every year. Annuals that are quick and easy to grow are popular choices and can be used to fill in a garden bed while perennials are getting established. They are also often less expensive than perennials and allow you to plant a new combination of plants every year.

Your flower garden design

Of course, Mike and his crew at Great Goats Landscaping will be more than happy to help you design your flower, but it can be helpful to know a few basic garden design principles to get you started.
Mix colors and shapes in your garden to keep thing interesting. Complementary colors, those from opposite ends of the color wheel, will pop when planted next to one another. Grouping similar plants will help give your garden structure and keep it from looking too haphazard.
Just like in a photo, tall should go in back and shorter plants in the front. There’s nothing worse than having a beautiful plant blocked by a taller plant placed in front of it.

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Planning your flower garden

May is the time to design and plant a beautiful flower garden to add color and interest to your yard. Contact Mike at Great Goats Landscaping today to get started.

Bushes and Shrubs Looking a Bit Over Grown? Give Us a Call

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Regularly pruning and caring for your bushes and shrubs will keep them looking healthy for years. Bushes and shrubs are common additions to landscaping designs. They incorporate visual interest and texture to borders and hedges while also adding shade and habitat for animals.

Bushes and Shrubs

While bushes and shrubs are relatively easy to care for, they do require regular maintenance and pruning to keep them looking healthy and attractive. Many problems that appear in bushes, shrubs, and trees can be avoided with regular pruning during the plants early years.

Benefits of pruning bushes and shrubs

There are several benefits to pruning bushes and shrubs regularly. An ongoing maintenance plan can:

  • Promote plant health by removing damaged or dying branches
  • Maintain a plant’s desired shape
  • Encourage new growth
  • Improve plant appearance
  • Protect people and property

 

Bushes and shrubs that aren’t pruned regularly can quickly become overgrown and susceptible to disease and damage. It’s much better for the health of the plant to receive care on a regular basis.

Best time to prune

A plant’s dormant season is the best time for most pruning. Late winter or early spring pruning, before new growth begins, leaves fresh pruning wounds opening for only a short amount of time before new growth appears and seals the opening. Another advantage to pruning in late winter or early spring is that there are few leaves obscuring your view of branches, making it easier to make pruning decisions.

Mike and the team at Great Goats Landscaping have years of experience pruning and caring for bushes, trees, and shrubs. They know the how to encourage new growth and shape bushes and shrubs into desired shapes. They also take care of all the clean up after they’ve finished pruning, leaving your yard looking tidy and ready for the summer.

There’s still time to get your shrubs pruned this spring. Give Great Goats Landscaping a call today to schedule a consultation.

Got Drainage Problems?

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Unexpected and uncontrolled water can be a homeowner’s worst enemy. No one wants to find water in their basement as the snow is melting or have a pond appear in their backyard after a heavy rain. Water can slowly erode parts of your home and landscape to create problems that take a lot of time and resources to repair.

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Drainage problems can develop in areas where the land is flat, there is a high water table or the soil is very dense. In these areas, having a well-designed drainage system is a priority that can help prevent and mitigate problems down the road.

Without an effective drainage solution, water can collect and pool to undermine structures, drown plants, and create perpetually wet areas in your yard. The potential for damage can be very high and is best to address before problems arise.

Do you have a drainage problem?

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There are three factors that have the most impact on the drainage of a yard: the grade, the groundwater levels, and rainfall.

Even slight changes in the level of your yard can cause water to collect and pool. A skilled landscape designer will be able to analyze the nature of your yard and determine if you have a drainage problem caused by sloping or grade.

Groundwater is another factor that can affect the drainage of a yard. In some areas in the southern parts of the United State, for example, the water table is just inches below the surface. If the water table is high in an area, it can prevent water from draining quickly during spring melts or heavy rain events.

Sudden and heavy rainfall is often the test of the drainage in a yard. In areas that have heavy downpours on a regular basis, yards can become flooded for short periods of time even with drainage systems in place.

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Fixing drainage problems

While some drainage problems can be fixed with a quick project, many drainage issues require a skilled landscaper to evaluate the problem and develop an effective plan.

Great Goats Landscaping has been working with homeowners for years to address drainage and water issues in yards. They can talk to you about the options that would work best in your yard and create a design that is both beautiful and functional.

Get Your Dream Yard this Summer

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There might still be a little bit of snow on the ground but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start planning for the warmer weather that is on its way and thinking about your dream yard. March is the perfect time to start imagining about landscaping projects that you would like to do this year and dreaming about a summer spent in a yard you love.

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March is the Month for Planning

Every project, interior or exterior, begins with a dream and a plan. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a project and realizing that you didn’t account a major component of the end design.

Summer months are meant for enjoying your yard and landscaping. Your future self will thank you for spending a little time now planning. It might be tempting to put off thinking about your landscape projects, but the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy the finished product.

A great place to start is by writing a list of things you love about your landscape and things you would like to see improved. Maybe you’d like to add a firepit, deck or patio, or finally take care of a buckthorn problem. Whether you realistically can achieve everything on your list this summer or not, getting things written down is a great way to organize and prioritize your ideas.

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Working With Great Goats Landscaping to get your dream yard

The end of winter is a good time to start planning for the summer ahead, especially if you’re going to be working with a professional landscaping team.

Mike and his team at Great Goats Landscaping love helping clients create the perfect design for their space. During a free consultation meeting, Mike will sit down to talk to you about what your vision is for your space and any problems areas that need to be addressed. 

Great Goats Landscaping’s summer schedule is filling up fast. Call today to talk with Mike about how this summer you can finally have the yard you’ve been dreaming of.

It’s Spring Cleanup Time and Great Goats Landscaping Can Help!

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The snow is melting and everyone, including the team at Great Goats Landscaping, is itching to be back outside again.

It’s that time of year when everyone is ready for warmer weather. As the temperatures rise, people start thinking about doing some deep cleaning, but spring cleaning isn’t just for your house. After months of being buried under the snow, lawns and garden beds need a little TLC to get them looking their best again. Cleaning your yard and doing some maintenance early in the season can ensure that your lawn looks its best for the rest of the summer months.

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Spring Clean-Up Tasks

After the winter we’ve had, most people’s yards aren’t in the best shape. With the snow and heavy winds, trees, bushes, garden beds and lawns have seen a bit of wear. Depending on the condition of your yard, a spring cleanup might mean the removal of trees or tree limbs, reseeding of grass seed, raking or aeration of lawns, removal of perennial debris as well as leaves, garbage, and animal waste.

It is best if this work is completed before any lawn care products are applied and before the growing season starts. That way, any fertilizer or weed control products will be able to easily reach the grass and won’t be hindered by unwanted debris.

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Great Goats Landscaping can help

Cleaning up your yard after the long months of winter can be a big job. Talk to the experts at Great Goats Landscaping about how they can help you get a fresh start in your yard and garden this spring. We offer free consultations, and customized plans for improving and maintaining your yard and lawn.

Great Goats Landscaping offers a variety of landscaping services that can keep your yard looking it’s best throughout the year. From spring clean up, summer patios installation, and fall mulching and pruning, we are here to help make your yard a place that you can enjoy and be proud of.

Our team is family owned and has over 15 years of experience in the Twin Cities metro area. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with Mike and his crew to see how Great Goats Landscaping can help get your yard ready for the summer.

 

Getting Ready for Fall with Great Goats Landscaping

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As we move through the fall months, many homeowners are starting to get their yard and gardens ready for winter. At Great Goats Landscaping, we specialize in taking care of all the seasonal yard and garden outdoor projects so that you can get back to enjoying the last of the warmer weather before the snow starts falling.

Ready-for-fall

Getting Ready for Winter

It might seem too early to think about next year’s lawn or garden, but October is the perfect time to get a head start on the 2018 growing season. Adding additional nutrients to your lawn and flower beds, raking leaves and removing them from gutters, and caring for shrubs and perennials are all areas that require annual attention. A little extra care now can make your spring to-do list a little shorter. Plus, your yard and garden will be a more orderly, healthy and productive when it starts to warm up again next year.

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Great Goats Landscaping Fall Services

We offer a variety of fall landscaping services designed to get your yard and garden ready for winter and looking beautiful.

Some of the fall services we offer include:

  • Leaf removal
  • Final lawn mowing
  • Lawn aeration
  • Lawn dethatching
  • Fall fertilization of lawns
  • Shrub pruning and perennial cut back
  • Brush and buckthorn removal
  • Gutter cleaning

Each of these services helps prepare your yard for winter to make sure that it looks its best over the snowy months. Services like lawn aeration, lawn dethatching, lawn fertilization and shrub and perennial pruning encourage healthy growth in plants and prepare your yard and lawn for spring.

Great Goats Landscaping

We always believe that the client comes first and no matter what project we are working on, we strive to make our clients happy. We are a family-owned company that believes in the value of great work and would love to talk to you about your next landscaping project.

Extending Your Outdoor Living Space

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Here in Minnesota, we know that fall days mean one thing – winter is coming. But that doesn’t mean we need to retreat inside yet. Now is the perfect time of year to be outside as you can, enjoying the crisp weather and spending time in your yard before the snow starts to fall.

By adding the right landscaping, plants and a few other elements, you can have an outdoor space that feels like an extension of your home and is just as comfy and inviting.

Here are four tips for creating a space that you love and can enjoy as long into the fall as possible.

Stay consistent

As you are thinking about how you want to use your outdoor space, think about your home and the style of your house. Using complementary color and design themes can carry the feel of your home through to the outdoors and make your patio or deck feel like an extension of your house.

Consider using smaller details to add pops of color and sticking to neutrals tones when selecting the larger elements for your outdoor space. Color can be added with plants and other small touches. Remember that plants and smaller finishing details are easier to move around and replace if needed.

Consider your property

The layout of your property is just as important as the type and style of home you have. Take into consideration any elements that will affect your design like steep hills, slopes, trees and other larger plants.

Also, consider when you will be using the space and the position of the sun at that time of day. If you are planning on entertaining in the evening, for example, you would hate to install a deck that is directly in the sun’s rays.

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Add some heat

Nothing is more welcoming than a firepit on a cool fall evening. Fire pits are an excellent gathering point for friends and family.

Consider adding seating and other elements to make the area comfortable and enjoyable. Flagstone can also be used to add interest and design.

 

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The finishing touches

Lighting, plants and other finishing details can help a space feel polished and complete. Explore different lighting options to create a space that feels magical in the evening. Plants can help accent a space and add texture and color to a design.

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Is a Retaining Wall Right For Your Yard?

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After all the care you’ve put into your yard and garden, the last thing you want is to have it washed away and ruined – especially if you could have prevented the damage.

While soil erosion doesn’t affect all properties, it can become an issue in an area that slopes. Fortunately, by taking some preventative steps, your yard can stay beautiful and environmentally friendly, even during heavy downpours.

Preventing erosion

Erosion is the natural movement of soil from one place to another and can happen on both a large and small scale. Eroded soil can become unsightly, can block stormwater systems and is an environmental concern.

Retaining Wall

Add a retaining wall

For properties with steep slopes, a retaining wall or terrace will reduce soil movement and add depth and dimension to a landscape.

Retaining walls help homeowners protect steep areas on the property. They increase the amount of usable land on the yard, have environmental benefits and can help protect against water saturation.

Retaining walls also add visual interest to a space. Other landscaping elements can be used in conjunction with a retaining wall to complement the feel and look of your yard. Fences can be added if the wall is on the edge of a property, plants can incorporate pops of color and stonework can add a graphic design element.

Incorporating native plants

One of the best and most effective ways of preventing erosion is keeping soil covered year-round. Exposed soil is susceptible to erosion caused by wind and rain. Adding shrubs, grasses or mulch can significantly reduce the risk of erosion on low-grade slopes. Native grasses have a deep root system and provide more soil stability in the topsoil and subsoil. They also help water absorb into the soil more quickly. Incorporating native plants will attract pollinators and encourage biodiversity, which in turn leads to a healthy yard.

Turn Your Overgrown Backyard into Something Beautiful

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If your yard is an overgrown eyesore that needs a little TLC, give Great Goats a call. We love clearing overgrown areas and transforming them into spaces that families can love and enjoy.

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Turning a yard covered with brush and weeds into something useful can seem overwhelming. How do you even start clearing the area? Fortunately, Great Goats has experience transforming yards that are full of buckthorn and other thick vegetation into yards that are beautiful and easy to enjoy.

If you have an overgrown yard that is in need of a makeover, here are a few questions to ask yourself.

If you had a magic wand, how would you transform the space?

While the Great Goats crew can do some pretty amazing work, they aren’t quite magicians. Still, having an idea of what your ideal would be is a great way to start putting together a design plan. Together, we can find landscaping solutions that will give you a backyard you love.

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How do you want to use the space?

The ultimate goal is to create a yard that you can enjoy and that fits your lifestyle. Maybe you need to clear an overgrown area and turn it into a space that would be perfect for a swing set. Or maybe you want a flower bed out your window that will attract birds. However you want to use your yard, Great Goats can help.

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How much time do you want to spend maintaining your yard?

With so many beautiful plants that thrive in Minnesota, it’s easy to select plants that will fit into your lifestyle and that require the amount of maintenance that will work for you. We can create yards that are low maintenance enough to give you more time to spend playing with your kids or grilling for your friends. Or we can install flower beds that with a little love and care will give you vibrant blooms all summer long.

Easy Ways to Boost the Curb Appeal of Your Home

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First impressions are often the most important, especially when it comes to your home. The curb appeal of your house is the first thing people will notice, and many people want the exterior of their home to reflect the interior of their home. The front entry, yard, driveway, and sidewalk should give people a taste of what they will find on the inside.

Curb Appeal

This Eden Prairie home looks beautiful with the hydrangeas in bloom.

Act like a guest

The easiest way to evaluate the curb appeal of your home is to act like a guest seeing it for the first time. Walk around your home with a critical eye and a notepad and pen. Take notes on what looks “off” and what needs repairing, replacing or cleaning. Drive past your house in both directions during the day and at night. You might notice something that you’ve never seen before that could use a little attention.

Look upward

Many homeowners forget that the roof is an important part of a home’s curb appeal that others will notice right away. Replace any missing shingles and give your roof a good cleaning if it is dingy or streaked. A roof that is in good condition can help the overall look of your home tremendously.

Add shiny numbers

Clean or replace your house numbers if they aren’t easy to see or if they are dirty. Consider the style of your house (traditional, transitional or modern), and select numbers that complement your home’s style.

Use some pressure

One cost-effective way of improving the look of your home is by pressure-washing dirty siding, the deck, driveway, and walkways. If you don’t own a pressure washer, they can be rented from home improvement stores for the day.

Plant some cheerful color

Unless it’s the dead of winter, there are always some plants that are in bloom. Fresh plants and flowers in porch containers, window boxes and front beds give your house an instant boost.

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Add a little polish

A gallon of paint is an inexpensive way to spruce up the front door, trim and shutters of your home. Other inexpensive improvements – a new mailbox, new porch light fixture and a cheerful welcome mat.