Category Archives: Uncategorized

How to Get the Most Out of Your Lawn This Summer

With families looking forward to fun backyard activities and get-togethers this summer, it’s important to make sure your lawn is able to hold up to the increased foot traffic. To help you get the most out of your lawn this summer, Edward Gosman & Associates, Inc., would like to share some simple tips that will help you grow a thick, healthy lawn that can stand up to anything.

Aerate the lawn.
Just like us, your lawn needs oxygen to grow and flourish. Aerating effectively pokes small, discrete holes in the ground, through which air, water, and nutrients are able to more easily reach the roots. This process also gives roots more room to grow and reproduce, which in turn aids in absorption of water and nutrients, giving you strong, well-established plants that are more resistant to weeds and drought.

Nourish with fertilizer.
Sometimes the soil doesn’t provide all the nutrients it needs to achieve optimal strength and growth. Prepare for the summer growing season and give your lawn a boost this spring by applying some fertilizer. Soak the ground beforehand to maximize absorption, then spread the fertilizer evenly over the grass. If you are overwhelmed by the choices and aren’t sure which combination of nutrients your lawn needs, consult an employee at a local nursery or lawn and garden center for recommendations. You can also take a sample of your soil to your local extension center to get its pH levels tested.

At Edward Gosman & Associates, not only are we experts at landscape design and renovation, we also provide property maintenance services. If you want a thick, luxurious lawn but don’t have to have the time or energy to put into it, give us a call at 757-421-2500 and we’ll take care of it for you.

How to Create a Relaxing Backyard Oasis

Caught in our busy lives, it can be difficult to find the time or place around our homes to simply relax and recharge. But this “oasis” at home is more attainable than you think, and it could be hiding right in your backyard!

Your yard may seem like nothing special now, but the possibilities are practically limitless.This can sometimes feel overwhelming to homeowners, and that’s where our decades of experience help — you don’t have to imagine all the possibilities or know what you want — we’ll help figure that out.

Edward Gosman & Associates is the trusted choice for landscape improvement projects throughout Hampton Roads. Here are a few of the ways we have helped our clients find more peace and relaxation in their outdoor spaces.

Incorporate water features. For centuries, cultures around the world have used flowing water for its calming effects. A small pond, a fountain, a swimming pool or hot tub can give your backyard a spa-like feel.
Invest in comfortable seating. Outdoor seating doesn’t mean you need to compromise comfort. There are plenty of options for chairs, benches, and chaise lounges with cushions to match your style, while also being cozy and weatherproof! Add a small café table and you have the perfect spot for a cup of coffee or glass of wine.
Take the inside outdoors. One of the most functional ways to create an outdoor living space is by bringing elements of the kitchen or living room outside. Custom designed fire pits are growing in popularity for a reason – they allow families and groups of friends to gather and have fun, no matter the season!
Light up the night. When the sun goes down, you don’t need to go indoors. There are all kinds of varieties of outdoor lighting options that can be added to your landscape. From string lighting, automated or solar-powered lights, ceiling fixtures, spotlights and so much more, we’re happy to help you decide the best ways to add safety and ambiance to your yard.

Think of your patio or backyard as an extension of your indoor spaces, rather than areas completely separate from the home. If you’re gathering with the family, entertaining guests, or simply enjoying some quiet time to read or rest, there is nothing quite as relaxing as fresh air and the sounds of nature. By keeping the above list in mind, you’ll always have a retreat available to you by simply stepping outside!

If you’re ready to begin making your yard your own personal oasis, give our expert team a call for a free landscape design estimate: (757) 421-2500

What’s Not Working With Your Hardscapes

There are many things that can go wrong with hardscapes around your home. Some of them may be the result of installation mistakes, and others may occur naturally over time. If you step outside and look out at your patio or walkways and it makes you want to turn and go back inside, we understand your pain!

Here are a few of the typical concerns we hear from families around Hampton Roads about what isn’t currently working with their hardscapes:

Old styles of concrete sidewalks. Concrete sidewalks crack over time, leaving space for weeds to sprout in those gaps.
Ugly patios. While they are an inexpensive, quick solution to bare lawns, plain, cement slab patios leave much to be desired.
Failing Walkways. Walkways that shift or ones where the outer border has begun to sink or disappear altogether are unsightly, and create a tripping hazard.
Uneven steps or pavers. When pavers or stairs are not installed properly, they can shift over time in an uneven way, leaving the pieces at different heights.
Sidewalks and driveways that are all all function and no form. Just because your walkways and driveways serve a purpose doesn’t mean you can’t also incorporate them into your landscape design to increase curb appeal.
And the problem we hear most of all: the absence of hardscapes!

Don’t let your hardscapes keep you from enjoying your outside spaces. There are many ways to transform an old, uninspiring landscape into something you’ll look forward to showing off to guests! When you’re ready to discover how amazing your yard can be, give Edward Gosman & Associates a call at 757-421-2500 or contact us online for a free landscape design estimate.

Summer’s Almost Over But Outdoor Living is Just Getting Started!

Before we know it, summer will be winding down and crisp fall weather will grace us with brightly colored leaves and shorter days. For those of us who have been cooped up inside to stay out of the August heat and humidity, you may be relieved to know the cooler temperatures are on the way!

Your outdoor spaces do so much more than simply look good. They bring your family together. They offer the perfect sanctuary for a place to unwind after a long day. They are where you create memories with your loved ones to last a lifetime.

When you design your outdoor spaces with more than just spring and summer in mind, you extend the possibilities to relax, host and enjoy being outside.

Gather Around a Fire Pit

Backyard fire pits have become a staple of many homes. These features can be artfully constructed to match the look and feel of the rest of your landscape, using stone, brick or a variety of other materials. Edward Gosman & Associates specializes in the design and construction of customized fire pits that will become everyone’s favorite place to hang out! There is nothing quite like gathering around a fire pit on a brisk fall evening with your favorite people.

Add Some Light

Bring warmth, security and ambiance to your yard by adding strategically placed lighting elements. Lighting gives you the ability to highlight your favorite parts of your outdoor design, from water features, flags, ornaments or foliage. Outdoor lighting also helps to keep your home secure when you return home after dark once the days start to get shorter.

Fall Weather is More Mild

People often think of summer as the best time to enjoy their patios and outdoor spaces, but sometimes it may simply be too hot to enjoy our yards during the summer. This is why your outdoor projects can really shine in the autumn months; you can comfortably enjoy relaxing or hosting guests even in t
he middle of the day, and carry the fun into the evening with fire pits and outdoor seating.

Take advantage of our moderate coastal climate and soak up the opportunity to enjoy being outdoors year-round with the proper outdoor arrangement! Start those outdoor living projects now to extend the functional use of your yard long after the summer ends!

Whether you have a specific upgrade in mind, or want some direction for a full landscape overhaul, give Edward Gosman & Associates a call and we will be happy to assist you: (757) 421-2500

Create a Backyard Oasis with Your Landscape

Caught between our busy lives and various responsibilities, we all experience stress in some way. It comes in many different forms, but no matter if it is work, health, relationship, family, or money-related, stress makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of our lives.

One proven method of reducing stress is to spend more time in nature. With a few strategic landscape upgrades, you can create your own personal outdoor oasis you can retreat to when life begins to feel hectic, right in your own backyard!

Carefully Selected Plants

What makes a lawn even more enjoyable? Not having to use up your precious time to tend to it to keep it looking nice. The landscape experts at Edward Gosman & Associates can carefully select low-maintenance plants that will not only look great in your yard, but will be one less thing for you to worry about! Even better, our landscape maintenance teams can keep those plants healthy and happy all year long.

The Healing Powers of Water

Water features serve more than just aesthetic or recreational purposes. Just look at some of the most common sounds many people choose to help them fall asleep: babbling brook, raindrops and ocean waves. Scientists have explored this phenomenon, and determined there is a calming psychological effect in response to being near bodies of water. The good news for you is that you don’t have to have waterfront property to enjoy these soothing powers! A pool, hot tub, fountain, falling water wall, fish pond, waterfall, or any other water feature mimics the same calming response. Bonus – many of these features can help you cool off in the Hampton Roads summer weather!

Let the landscape design and maintenance professionals at Edward Gosman & Associates turn your yard into your own personal oasis this summer!

Why the Grass is Always Greener when Someone Else is Taking Care of it!

From mowing grass and trimming plants to fertilizing and seeding, yards require lots of work to stay beautiful. This effort translates to time, and your time is valuable. When you add up the time spent running to various stores for mulch, plants and equipment, in addition to the hours actually working outside, your weekends and free time can quickly get taken over by yard work.

Hiring an experienced and professional landscape maintenance team like Edward Gosman & Associates gives you back your precious leisure time, so you can spend more of your weekends and evenings doing the things you enjoy most. From playing in the yard with family, relaxing in the hammock or porch swing reading a book, or grilling your favorite barbecue for a summer cookout – you deserve to use your yard for fun and relaxation, rather than back-breaking work!

Why not experience the sense of relief that comes with driving up to your house at the end of a long day to find the grass perfectly manicured, the bushes trimmed and the flower beds expertly mulched?

When that “honey-do” list of all the things that need to be taken care of around the yard starts to feel cumbersome, give us a call and let us take some of the load off! Edward Gosman & Associates offers full-service landscape maintenance and installation in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and the surrounding communities. We look forward to talking with you about how you can enjoy your yard even more, by spending less time taking care of it and more time enjoying it!

Hard Time with Hardscapes? Create Harmony with Transition Zones

It happens all the time. Homeowners call us after trying their hand at a major landscape or hardscape overhaul themselves, and they tell us their struggle with making their desired landscape “flow.”

Perhaps they live on a waterfront property, have a sloped yard or simply want to incorporate several different outdoor elements. No matter the landscape, transition areas help make a yard look its best because they offer gradual, rather than abrupt, changes.

Our team embraces this challenge – in fact, it’s what we do best! We have over 35 years of experience helping homeowners implement a well-thought-out plan so their yard stands out beautifully.

Here are a few example scenarios of how we can help ease transition zones in your yard:

Having a Hard Time Planning Hardscapes?

The key to successfully incorporating hardscape materials like rocks, patios, stones, walkways and more into your yard, is to remember flow of movement. Think of how people will walk through (and how their eyes will move across) your yard. An apron of bricks or a different stone can help break up the start of a walkway against a driveway or patio. A curved walkway adds flow and charm to a garden, and patio blocks and pavers can be arranged in any number of designs. A stunning hardscape transition zone can make a big difference on the look of your entire landscape.

Merging Different Elements

Your lush, green lawn and carefully planned beds of flowers and shrubs don’t have to stand apart from each other. A beautiful yard incorporates elements that blend the areas where different materials meet – from patio to grass, water to lawn, flowers to hardscapes, and more.

Garden edging, whether with rocks, bricks, natural stone or cobble, creates a nice link between planted beds and surrounding patios or grass. Incorporate both hardscape and softscape elements for a properly balanced landscape. A fountain will stand out when surrounded by perennials. A retaining wall is enhanced by flowering shrubs.

These are projects best left to the pros, and the experts at Edward Gosman & Associates can point you in the right direction in regards to optimal layout, path width, slope and placement of hardscape elements.

Creating harmony in your yard means looking at the big picture as well as the individual parts. The landscape design and installation team at Edward Gosman & Associates has been working with Hampton Roads homeowners for over thirty-five years to create yards that are stunning (and functional!) works of art. When you’re ready to resolve the design challenges in your yard, give us a call at (757) 421-2500 for a free, no-obligation estimate!

(757) 421-2500