Landscaping is a great way to enhance your home and create a beautiful space to live in. Here are a few clever landscaping ideas to get your creative juice flowing!

Install a water feature

Water features come in all shapes and sizes. They’re perfect for filling out an empty space in your yard and enhancing the overall landscaping design. Water features can be as simple as a bird bath or as elaborate as a waterfall or pond with a fountain.

Get clever with a firepit 

Firepits or outdoor fireplaces are a must-have for any backyard. Like water features, firepits come in a variety of sizes and styles, so you can choose one to match your existing design. They are useful all year long and they won’t break the bank.

Pergolas are a clever landscaping idea

To add dimension to your yard and fill out the space, try building a pergola. They are useful for providing shade, especially if you do not have many trees in your yard. Also, they extend your living space, giving you the option of spending more time outside. Pergolas transform a slab of concrete into a beautiful patio for you to enjoy all summer long.

Plant a flower bed 

Flowers fill your yard with color and are perfect for filling in empty spaces. Because flowers are so diverse, it’s easy to incorporate them into your landscaping design. Find your flower planting inspiration here. 

Stone pavers allow for clever landscaping ideas

Pavers and paths enhance your yard quickly. They transform your landscaping from simple to professional in a matter of hours. Because pavers come in a variety of sizes and materials, they are a clever option for boosting the appeal of your yard. 

Don’t forget to mulch 

Mulch may not seem that special, but it goes a long way in giving your landscaping a completed look. Not only does mulch make the landscaping look pristine, it’s also great for preventing soil erosion. 

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

Great Goats Landscaping believes in creative collaboration with the homeowner. We are professionals in the business and we love to create unique landscaping designs that you are guaranteed to love. We offer a variety of services. Give us a call today to brainstorm your clever landscaping ideas. 

There are endless opportunities and creative ways to add flowers to your landscaping. Because of their diversity, flowers are an excellent way to fill empty spaces in your yard. There is guaranteed to be a color or type for everyone and every yard!

Annuals are a creative way to add to your landscaping

Perennials are great because they pop up on their own every spring, but once they stop blooming there will be a large gap in your landscaping. Annual flowers are a practical choice because they will be consistent throughout the season. 

Some annual flowers include:

• Petunias
• Zinnias
• Geraniums
• Marigolds
• Begonias

Urns are a creative way to add flowers to your landscaping

Design is an important factor to consider when adding flowers to your landscaping. Thankfully, flowers can be planted just about anywhere. You could opt for a designated flower bed, or perhaps you’d like flowers running along your entry pathway. 

Flower urns are a great option for incorporating design elements in a creative way. Urns come in a variety of colors, materials, and designs. They are also an excellent way to add a height dimension to your landscaping. 

Helpful tip: If you are planting in an urn, make sure you choose flowers that have similar sunlight and water tolerances.

Keep in mind, urns are useful all year long. Annual flowers in planters or urns can change with the seasons into fall colors and winter décor. And Great Goats Landscaping will help you make these transitions!

Keep colors in mind

One way to choose your flowers is by color. For example, choose one color (pink) throughout but in several varieties of flowers (zinnias, dahlia, begonias, and geraniums). 

Perhaps you want the same flower (dahlias) but in every color variety it offers (peach, red, lavender, white, yellow, orange and pink). 

You could choose a combination of 3 or 4 different colors….or a combination of 3 or 4 different flower varieties…See? There are truly endless creative ways to add flowers to your landscaping.

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

It’s important to have beautiful landscaping all year long, not just in the growing season, and Great Goats Landscaping can help!

We believe in a creative and collaborative process with the homeowners. We’re here to help you maintain your landscaping and curb appeal no matter the season.

Looking for beautiful landscaping and intriguing curb appeal but don’t want to break the bank? Here are a few simple ideas to boost your curb appeal on a budget.

Install pavers or a pathway

Pavers are a great option if you want to boost your curb appeal on a budget. There are many material options such as brick, stone, or wood. You can also get creative with the shape! Consider wooden rounds, symmetrical bricks, or a mixture of stone shapes and sizes. 

Illuminate pathways to boost curb appeal on a budget

Simple lighting can go a long way in boosting your curb appeal, and it isn’t difficult or expensive to install. The options are nearly endless – you can go as elaborate or simple as you want. 

Plant a tree (or two)

Not only is it great for the environment, trees help fill out your yard and bring height diversity to your landscaping. Trees also reduce the amount of water runoff from rain, and they provide clean oxygen. 

Mulch to boost curb appeal on a budget

Mulch is one of the simplest, most important, and most cost effective ways to boost your curb appeal. Adding mulch to flower beds or around trees gives everything a finished and polished look. Mulching is also helpful for moisture retention. 

Add a water feature

Water features can be as simple or elaborate as you want them to be. Water features range from a small birdbath to a fountain or a waterfall or a small pond. Depending on the size of your yard, a water feature can give your landscaping that extra wow-factor to boost your curb appeal on a budget.  

Plant flower bed to boost curb appeal on a budget

Flowers are an excellent way to add color to your landscaping and boost your curb appeal at the same time. You could choose to plant flowers along the front of your house, along a walkway, or in a place of their own in your yard. Consider planting native flowers to aid the bees, butterflies, and birds. 

Install a retaining wall

If you have a sloped yard, retaining walls are a perfect way to add dimension to your landscaping and level out your yard at the same time. You can incorporate many intriguing landscaping ideas with a retaining wall, including staircases, flowers, lighting, and bushes. 

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

Not sure where to begin? Great Goats Landscaping believes in a collaborative experience. We can’t wait to brainstorm with you to help you have the yard of your dreams regardless of your budget. Spring is the perfect time to plan your landscaping, so give us a call today! 

In the Upper Midwest, spring isn’t really here yet. It feels too soon to be outside doing yard work, but it’s important to plan your landscaping projects today, and here’s why:

It’s better for your plants to plan your landscaping projects early

Planning your landscaping projects is helpful for optimizing your space and protecting your yard. Before planting and adding landscaping features, consider which parts of your yard get sunlight during the day then choose your plants accordingly. You’ll want to give your plants optimal growing conditions.

It’s better for your yard

Planning ahead helps prevent soil erosion. You may need to (or want to) install a retaining wall which is important to know before planting bushes, trees, and flowers. You don’t want to crowd your yard and make it too difficult for the soil to breathe and provide nutrients for the grass and plants. 

It’s better for your wallet to plan your landscaping projects

The last thing you want is a half-completed landscaping project because you didn’t plan ahead. The cost of materials can add up, so it’s important to know exactly what you want and how much you will need before beginning. 

It’s better for your time

With current supply chain issues, it can be hard to find the exact materials you want. You may need to order now so that the supplies and materials are here in time for you to start your projects. Don’t be surprised if things are backordered or if you have to make adjustments to your plan. It’s better to know this in advance rather than getting halfway through the project and discovering you can’t get the patio furniture you want. 

It’s also important to consider the time you have to devote to maintenance. Maintaining your lawn and landscaping can take a lot of time and energy. If you don’t have the time, make sure to select low-maintenance options. Not sure what those options are? Ask us! We’ll be happy to plan and strategize with you. 

Lastly, many landscaping companies are quickly booked up for the summer. Hiring a landscaping company is well worth your time and money, but many companies are booked up early in the season. Get ahead of the rush and create a landscaping plan now!

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

Great Goats Landscaping is a small, local business that prides itself in creating quality landscaping for every yard. We believe in a collaborative process – one that allows for creativity and unique design elements so that you can have a yard you love. Call us today to book an appointment. We’d love to help you plan your landscaping this spring! 

The snow has melted and spring is upon us! Although the temperatures are still cool, and plants and trees have not begun blooming yet, now is the perfect time to begin your spring clean-up.

What does a spring clean-up entail?

Start by removing leaves, trash, and debris. This will allow your grass and plants to breathe and have a healthy transition from dormant to growing. 

Add mulch. Adding a fresh layer of mulch not only enhances the look of your landscaping, it also keeps weeds away and helps the soil retain moisture. 

Ensure your tools are in good working order. Sharpen any knives or blades that might be dull – including your lawnmower. While you’re at it, give your lawnmower a tune-up, changing the oil and checking the air filter and spark plugs.

Why should I spring clean my yard?

It’s a first impression. Your yard is one of the first things people see when they look at your house. Well-cared-for yards boost your home’s curb appeal and raise its market value. 

It’s a mood booster. Trees and other plants around your yard create fresh, clean oxygen which is so healthy for your body. When you step outside, you don’t want to be greeted by debris and fallen branches, but rather, a healthy and flourishing yard.

It’s self-expression. Your yard says a lot about you. It’s a great way to express your personality and get creative with one-of-a-kind landscaping. 

It’s a room extension. If you have a beautiful yard, you’ll want to spend more time outdoors. Your kids will have a safe and healthy place to play, and you’ll have a peaceful oasis to spend your evenings. Consider adding a water feature for extra relaxation, a fire pit for creating fun family memories, or flower beds to appreciate simple beauty. 

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work?

Spring cleaning is a lot of work. There are many steps to the process – cleaning up debris, planting, mowing, adding unique features – and it takes dedication. Is a beautiful yard something you want but don’t have the time to execute?

That’s where we come in! Great Goats Landscaping specializes in creating beautiful and unique yards. We believe the customer comes first. No two homes are alike, so no two yards are alike. Dream big; get creative! It’s time for you to have a beautiful yard. We offer free estimates and a quick turnaround. Call us today! 

Painting is a great way to refresh the interior of your home. It’s affordable and keeps your living spaces up to date. Here are a few more reasons why you should consider interior paint jobs this winter:

A fresh coat of paint increases your home value

Painting is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to increase your home value. Clean walls with fresh paint lets buyers know that you have taken good care of the home. Fresh paint can help you sell your home faster because buyers see that as one less thing they need to take care of when they move in. 

If you are planning to sell your home, keep neutral colors in mind. If you aren’t planning to sell your house in the next year or two, that’s okay! A professional paint job can last up to 7 years, so you will be ready to sell when the time comes.

Fresh paint boosts your mood

It can be boring to look at the same color walls year after year. This is especially true when we are stuck inside during the cold and dark winter months. It can be draining to look at the same color. A new color goes a long way in boosting your mood. 

Choose shades of blue and green for a calm and relaxing space. Opt for yellows and oranges for something energetic and productive, and to create a comfortable and content atmosphere, go with neutral colors. 

Refresh your home with paint to improve air quality

Many interior paints are now made with low or zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These carbon-containing substances easily become vapors or gasses. As your paint dries, the VOCs in the paint release into the air and can cause respiratory or health problems. Low- or no-VOC paints release less or no gasses into your home.

Additionally, a fresh coat of paint keeps dust and other allergens to a minimum which will further improve your home’s air quality. 

Protects and prevents damage

Because paint seals the walls, it prevents moisture from getting into the porous walls of your home. Paint prevents mold and mildew growth. Keeping your paint fresh will keep your walls sturdy and your home structurally sound.

Paint also protects your walls from everyday wear and tear. You won’t have to worry about scuffs and marks on the wall from a dining room chair or from children or pets because paint acts as a barrier between you and the structure of your home.

Refresh your home with paint to keep it up to date

Painting is a great way to show your creativity and express yourself. Your home is your own, so make it something you love. You have to spend every day in your home, so why not make the walls something you truly love? 

Great Goats is more than landscaping

Did you know Mike and his crew are just as good with a paintbrush as they are with a garden shovel? For years, they have kept busy in the off-season by painting interiors.

They have just started scheduling for the 2021-2022 winter season, and their schedule is quickly filling.

Call Mike today for your free quote and learn more about the services Great Goat’s offers.

As you witness plants and trees dying for the year, it may seem counterintuitive to continue watering your landscaping. In fact, it is important for you to continue watering through the fall so that plants can store up enough water for the winter.

If you want your landscaping to come back healthy and strong in the spring, make sure you water through the fall!

Is it important to water in the fall?

Yes! In order to keep your lawn and landscaping healthy, make sure you spend time watering this fall. Even though you may not be able to see any visible growth, grass, trees, and perennials are still growing. But rather than growing up, they’re growing their root systems underground.

Fall is the perfect time for root growth because the soil is warm from the hot days of summer and the air is cooling off. The plants aren’t as stressed from the summer heat, so they can focus on root growth. 

It’s important to continue to water a couple times a week to combat dry air from wind or lack of rain. It’s a lot of work to transition from the growing season to the dormant season. Give your plants a little extra hand and keep watering!

How much should I be watering my landscaping?

It may be a good idea to give your plants and grass slightly less water than you were giving them in the spring and summer. While it’s necessary to continue watering for the roots’ sake, you don’t want your visible lawn and landscaping to end up frozen from the cool morning air. 

Try adjusting your sprinklers so that the water stays closer to the ground, rather than shooting wide and far around your yard. You can even let a thin stream of water run through your garden hose at the base of trees and shrubs for 30 minutes. The small stream will soak deeply into the soil and adequately saturate the roots.

When should I stop watering my landscaping?

You shouldn’t completely stop watering your lawn and landscaping until the ground freezes. You can gradually reduce the frequency and amount of watering, but don’t completely stop until you’re waking up to frost on the ground.

Don’t waste time watering the wrong things. Have you pulled up all your annuals? They don’t need water anymore. While you’re at it, make sure you complete these items on the fall clean-up checklist. 

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

Great Goats Landscaping is a small, family-owned business. We’re experts in Minnesota landscaping and we would love to help you get your lawn and landscaping ready for the winter. Give us a call today and we’ll help you accomplish everything on the fall clean-up checklist and get your landscaping prepped for spring! 

Now that fall is here, it’s time to use the remaining warm days to prepare your landscaping for the winter. Have you completed everything on this fall clean up checklist?

Clean up debris and remove annuals

It’s time to remove annuals. Pulling them now helps ensure your yard, garden, and flower beds are clear and ready for planting in the spring. Clear fallen branches and prune trees and shrubs, too.

Drain sprinklers and hoses

Drain water from hoses, fountains, and drip irrigation systems. Store them in a dry place. Water left standing over the winter may damage your equipment.

Spread mulch during your fall clean-up

Mulch is one of the best and easiest ways to make sure roses and tender perennials have the highest chance of making it through the winter. Available in most garden and landscaping stores, mulch is reasonably priced and easy to apply. 

Fallen leaves make good mulch too! Straw is another option but choose the straw carefully. If it is full of seeds, you’re going to be pulling a lot more weeds next summer.

Aerate your lawn

Lawn aeration is important because it allows vital nutrients, water, sunlight and oxygen to sink in and reach the root system of your lawn. Lawn aeration is especially crucial this year because Minnesota has had such a hot, dry, and long summer. Stressed grass needs replenishment before spring. 

Fertilize your lawn during fall clean-up

After you aerate your lawn, it’s a perfect time to fertilize. Exposed roots are ready to receive nutrients. Use a fertilizer high in phosphorous to encourage root growth so that you will have a lush, green lawn in the spring. 

Rake the grass as a part of your fall clean-up

It’s important to get the leaves off your grass before the snow comes. Thick and soggy leaves can cause the grass to suffocate, which will undo all your hard work of aerating and fertilizing. As previously mentioned, you can use leaves as a mulch around your trees, especially if you grind them up with a mower. 

Plant bulbs

Now is a great time to look for deals on bulbs and scrubs. The demand is not as high in the fall so prices will be low or discounted. Many bulbs – tulip, crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, anemone and iris – are cold tolerant and can easily spend the winter underground. 

Wrap trees during your fall clean-up

Trees, especially new and young trees, stand a much better chance of survival if they are wrapped and protected from deer and other animals. Hungry animals can damage their bark through the winter months if trees aren’t wrapped.

Call Great Goats Landscaping

Great Goats Landscaping is a small, local business that loves collaborating with homeowners to create a one-of-a-kind landscaping design. We offer a variety of services, and we’d love to help you complete your fall clean-up checklist. Give us a call today!

Maintaining your lawn is one of the most important aspects of landscaping. To keep all your landscaping look pristine, lawn aeration is crucial. Brown grass will be an eyesore, even if you have many beautiful landscaping features.

What is lawn aeration?

Lawn aeration is the process of extracting cores of soil, thatch, and grass from the surface of the lawn to increase nutrient availability, water penetration, and soil air exchange. 

Why should I aerate my lawn?

Lawn aeration is important because it allows vital nutrients, water, sunlight and oxygen to sink in and reach the root system of your lawn. Lawn aeration is especially crucial this year because Minnesota has had such a hot, dry, and long summer. The grass is stressed and in need of replenishment before the spring. 

When and how often should I aerate my lawn?

Homeowners should aerate their lawn once a year. Fall is the perfect season for aeration because the air temperature is cooler and the soil temperature is still warm from the summer. Aeration and thatching can be hard on your grass. Aerating in the fall gives your grass a less stressful environment and allows it plenty of time to recover before spring.

Aerating in the fall sets your lawn up for success for next year. Your grass will be healthy and ready to grow in the spring, and will have the nutrients it needs for a luscious look all summer.

What should I do with the leftover plugs?

Aeration removes small plugs of soil from your lawn to allow the remaining soil to breathe and have access to nutrients. As a result, there will be plugs of soil all over your lawn. Leave them there! Because they contain soil microorganisms, they will help break down thatch and will degrade back into the ground – no clean up for you!

Key benefits of lawn aeration

• Aeration prompts healthy grass: Aeration allows the roots to grow deep which leads to a healthy lawn that can ward off weeds.
• Relieves soil compaction: especially important if your yard receives a lot of foot traffic from pets and kids!
• Reduces thatch: which is a layer of dead and living shoots, stems, and roots that builds up between the grass and soil surface. Thatch makes it difficult for the grass roots to access sunlight, water, and nutrients.
• Promotes new growth: Aeration gives your lawn more room to grow in the spring and summer. 

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

Great Goats Landscaping is a local landscaping company that loves to collaborate with homeowners to create a one-of-a-kind landscaping design. We’d love to help you with your landscaping this fall. Give us a call today!

Fall is one of the best times of year to be outside. With the cooling temperatures and the changing leaves, you don’t want to miss your yard this fall!

There are plenty of yard projects for the fall such as raking, fertilizing, and planting bulbs for spring. However, fall isn’t only for yard work; there are plenty of ways to have fun in your yard too!

Build a patio in your yard

A patio is an excellent way to make the most of your yard. There are many different materials to use and styles to choose. A patio is a chance to get creative and build a space you’ll love.

• An added living space
• Give your kitchen a break (grill out!)
• Low maintenance
• Perfect for entertaining
• Consider incorporating woods and metals
• Add pallet furniture for a more rustic feel
• Include pops of color with your seat cushions
• Hang a string of lights for a relaxed ambience 

Install a firepit or outdoor fireplace in your yard this fall

Firepits can be used all year long. Because they provide warmth, you can gather around your firepit or outdoor fireplace on cool fall nights or even into the cold winter months. 

Firepits also increase your home’s value because they are highly desirable, and they give your backyard (or front yard) a wow-factor. It’s almost as if you are adding an extra room to your home because you have one more place to hang out with family and friends. Why stay cooped up inside when you have a firepit in your yard?

Add a retaining wall to your yard this fall

Retaining walls are a great way to add dimension to your yard. They also serve a functional purpose: reducing erosion. Retaining walls are especially helpful for sloped yards and are good to keep in mind for snow and snow melt.

• Increases the amount of usable land in your yard
• Protects against water saturation
• Improves drainage 
• Adds visuals interest to your landscaping
• Boosts curb appeal
• Use other landscaping elements in conjunction with the retaining wall (i.e. flowers and bushes)

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

We’re a local landscaping company that loves to collaborate with homeowners to create a one-of-a-kind landscaping design. We’d love to help you with your landscaping this fall. Give us a call!