Landscape fabric coverings can most definitely protect your plants from frost. These coverings stop freezing air from making direct contact with the plant. Fabric coverings are generally better than plastic or vinyl, because they allow your plants to breathe. This can help any trapped moisture to evaporate, rather than trapping it on the plant. Most fabrics can even allow rays from the sun to penetrate the material and reach the plant, meaning that you don’t have to worry about removing the coverings until winter is over.

Most landscaping companies will offer some sort of landscape lighting products, but not all will install them for you. Most of the time you will have to do the inspection, measurements and installation on your own.

Legends Landscape Supply can provide you with guidance during the design, research and installation process, to help you create a gorgeous result and avoid the irritating “landing strip” effect. Most often, our experts will provide the installation of lighting during a complete outdoor project, but if you do require assistance with only the lighting, simply speak with one of our experts directly and we will work with you to find a solution.

We recommend waiting at least a year after moving into a brand-new house to start any landscaping. In fact, most new homes can take around five years or so for the soil and foundation to completely settle. If you start to landscape too quickly, the settling soil can cause interlocking pathways to shift. At the very least, you should wait for at least one freeze and thaw for the soil to compact and become stable enough to support an interlocking walkway.

This waiting period can also provide you with more than enough time to think and really determine what you would like to do for your landscaping project. Most often, new homeowners will create a three to five year plan, adjusting and improving their landscape a little more each spring and summer.

Here are some steps for landscaping around a tree:

1. Clear away any weeds or grass surrounding the tree, starting at the trunk and working outward about two to three feet.
2. Prepare the soil for planting, use a shovel or aerator to shake up the soil. Add new soil and water as needed.
3. Choose plants that enjoy the shade, like hostas, ferns, coralbells, or begonias.
4. Once you’ve added your plants, cover with mulch to improve aesthetic and provide protection. Mulch can range from wood chips to landscape fabric, gravel or rocks.

Although hardscape and softscape are polar opposites, they are both essential to any landscape project.

Hardscape includes all hard additions within your backyard, such as:
• Brick
• Concrete
• Stone
• Wood
• Gravel
• Rocks

Softscape includes all soft, growing additions within your backyard, such as:
• Shrubs
• Succulents
• Trees
• Flowers
• Soil
• Grass

The right balance and inclusion of softscapes and hardscapes can result in a successful landscape project.

How long your landscape project takes depends on the scope of work. Some projects can take as little as a few days or a week, or up to several months. To get a better idea of how long your specific landscape project will take, speak with your trusted local landscaper at Legends Landscape Supply in Burlington. To get started with an estimate, get in touch with us today.

Although most fire pits are placed or installed on an outdoor patio, the grass can also provide a great spot. You should take a proactive approach to protect your grass from the heat of the fire pit. Protective mats can be placed underneath the fire pit to protect the grass. Another option is to wet the grass under and around the fire pit directly before you use it because the heat will evaporate the water before it has a chance to damage the grass.

In our opinion, the best approach is to lay interlocking brick or stone pavers in the area where you would like to have your fire pit. This can help to eliminate the problem altogether, while creating a more functional and aesthetically-pleasing result. Some even extend this area to where chairs can be placed as well, preventing any damage to grass from chair legs.

The laws surrounding controlled outdoor fires and fire pits in Ontario depend on a variety of factors, including the time of year, permit requirements and your location. For more information, check out the Government of Ontario website.

Marigolds
• Squash bugs
• Tomato worms
• Nematodes
• Aphids

Lavender
• Mosquitos
• Moths
• Fleas
• House flies

Rosemary
• Mosquitos
• Flies
• Cabbage moths

Basil
• House flies
• Mosquitos

Catnip
• Mosquitos

Petunias
• Aphids
• Tomato hornworms
• Squash bugs

Mint
• Mosquitos

Citronella Grass
• Mosquitos

Scented Geraniums
• Mosquitos

1. Get inspired by looking at other garden ideas. Would you like a flower, vegetable or herb garden? The one piece of advice that we will give is to start off small if you’re doing a DIY garden. You can always expand later on!
2. Choose a spot for your garden. Do you have a hot tub or pool in your backyard that you’d like to see the garden from? Or perhaps you’d like to boost curb appeal with a blooming flower garden? The choice is all yours. We do recommend taking some factors into consideration, including access to sun, water and foot traffic.
3. Clear the ground by removing the sod from the area. Dig it up with a shovel and dispose with a compost bag.
4. Dig up the soil so that its nice and loose, as this creates a better environment for roots to thrive and grow. Use a spade or spading fork to turn up the top two feet of soul for the best results.
5. Choose the plants you would like to include and purchase them from a reputable garden centre.
6. Plant the seeds or transplant young plants. Add water slowly and deeply. To avoid evaporation, water your garden in the early morning.
7. Mulch can help improve the aesthetic appeal of your garden while providing additional protection and support to the plants.
8. Maintain your garden by watering regularly, pulling weeds, fertilizing with a dry fertilizer about halfway through the season, and most importantly, enjoy.

• Salvia, Russian Sage or Perennial Sage
• Baptisia
• Lamb’s Ears
• Coreopsis
• Black-Eyed Susans
• Hosta
• Sedum
• Purple Coneflowers
• Helenium
• Peony
• Phlox
• Pansies
• Daylilies
• Bearded Iris

Perennials are flowers and plants that grow again each spring following the winter, while annuals will only last for one season. Perennials make a more budget-friendly choice, as you won’t have to worry about buying new plants or flowers each year.

Create a dog-friendly garden and backyard area for your furry friend.

INCLUDE
• African violets
• Baby’s breath
• Basil
• Gerber daisy
• Cilantro
• Magnolia bush
• Tiger lily
• Mariposa lily
• Cocks comb
• Sunflowers
• Strawberries
• Cornflowers
• Sage
• Cucumber
• Roses
• Marigolds
• Petunias
• Lace orchids

AVOID
• Invisible fences
• Unmaintained or easily-accessed pond water
• Herbicides, insecticides and pesticides
• Aloe
• Foxgloves
• Apple and crab-apple trees
• Geraniums
• Apricot, plum, peach, and cherry trees
• Azaleas
• Begonias
• Gladiolas
• Hostas
• Lemon grass
• Calla Lily
• Carnations
• Daisey’s
• Mint
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Oregano

Click here for the full list of plants that are toxic and non-toxic to dogs.

TIPS AND TRICKS
• Keep your dog off of the grass for at least 24 hours after laying fertilizer
• Build a storage container for your compost pile or bin
• Plant trees for optimal shade and put out fresh water for your dog
• Always supervise your dog while outside off leash

• Make it really hard for wildlife to access your garden or dig up your lawn with chicken wire
• Add nematodes to your lawn in the late summer and early fall
• Install a motion-activated sprinkler or light system
• Maintain a healthy and thick lawn
• Keep garbage secured away and remove anything that could be attracting them to your yard
• Clean up your yard and eliminate any areas where they can scurry to and hide

• It doesn’t have enough sun
• Not enough nitrogen or phosphorus
• Not enough water
• The grass is being cut too short
• Not being maintained properly