Winter care tips for your lawn
26 Jan

Winter Care Tips For Your Lawn

Here are our winter care tips for your lawn so that it will be looking its best when spring arrives. Avoid Walking On The Grass A big one is to avoid walking on the grass if you can. If the grass is wet and waterlogged walking on it could cause compaction. Your lawn needs a good distribution of air pockets to thrive so you want to avoid compacting the grass which stops the grass from growing. If you get to spring and find that there are puddles on the lawn then use a garden fork to aerate the grass. If there is frost on the grass avoid walking on it as you will break the grass and leave brown patches. Once the spring does arrives if you have been left with patchy or brown areas on your lawn you can rectify this by applying a grass seed or patching in turfs to the damaged area. Get The Leaves Off The Lawn Rake or use a blower to remove any fallen leaves from your lawn as they can block the light to the grass and prevent moisture getting through which can lead to bare patches appearing. Leaves can also encourage disease to the grass. Not only leaves but try to keep the grass area clear if you can over the winter by removing any furniture or toys that are laying around. Remove Any Moss If you see moss on your grass, when the conditions are favourable, gently use a rake to drag it off. Once raked use a fork to make lots of holes into your grass and then brush in some compost or horticultural sand to improve drainage on your lawn. Stop Mowing It is best to avoid mowing in the winter to avoid any damage to your lawn. Only mow if the conditions are favourable and it is necessary and ensure that the cut is around 25% higher than during the summer. With any temperatures below minus 5 degrees your lawn should stop growing and will not need mowing. Fertilise in Spring Wait until the spring to add a treatment to your lawn. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons for treating your grass. These winter care tips for your lawn will help you to take good care of your lawn. Spring will stimulate new growth and your lawn will start to recover from the winter.  

Garden Design After a House Renovation
22 Nov

Garden Design After A House Renovation

Garden Design After A House Renovation. After a house renovation your garden may be left a little worse for wear. It may have been used as a dumping ground during your project or used as a walk through with all the building materials  leaving it looking a little tired. Following an extension to your home the garden could need a total redesign to take in the new garden space. Once the house is finished your thoughts turn to your garden to complete your property.  You need to think about how you want the space to look. Maybe you would like to have the look that you have inside following out through to your outside space? You could achieve this by bringing the style of your tiles in the kitchen out to your patio with a complimentary paver. You want your garden to blend in with the style of your home. There are many different designs to choose from. A more modern look or you may opt for a more traditional design or a cottage garden. Once you decide on a theme you can start to research online the different ideas. Speak to your landscaper about your aspirations for your garden. What you would like to be included in the design. What is important to you. What will the space be used for. What are your needs for the garden. Are you thinking of an area for relaxing and entertaining. If so a decking area or a patio area could be added. What materials do you like? What colours would suit? Both decking boards and paving slabs come in many different colours and styles. You can also make additions to these with steps, handrails, paving edging etc. Does the lawn need to be redone after the works? If so do you want to re-turf your existing lawn or maybe install an artificial lawn? Artificial lawns are becoming increasingly popular with families, particularly football or basketball fans as they enable them to use the grass area all year round. Do you want to add some raised planters or add some garden beds? You may want to start to grow some of your own vegetables in a raised planter and use them to add colour to your garden with flowers and plants. Think of the garden in sections. You can break up the different areas to create a flow through your garden. An area for entertaining, an area for relaxing and playing. Dividing up your garden into different areas provides a great visual look as you journey between the sections. Is your fencing holding up well? Do you need to replace it or simply fix it. Is now the time to add some horizontal slatted fencing instead to change the look? Or does it simply need a coat of paint of stain to revive it. All of these ideas can be discussed with your landscaper. If you would like to discuss a project with us please send an email to office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413 to arrange a free consultation with one of the team. We cover East London and North London.      

25 Jul

Latest Client Review East London

Just received this lovely review from a happy client in Leyton, East London.   “C&J Landscapes installed some decking, slabbing and a lawn for me. I had an initial chat with Christian when I was still deciding on a few things, which wasn’t a problem. He talked me though the available options for the materials and provided some samples for the decking and slabbing so I could chose the colour. The work was completed efficiently to a high standard. Very professional and pleasant firm, wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.”

05 Nov

Autumn Is A Good Time For Garden Redesign

Autumn is a good time for garden redesign. It works so well as your garden isn’t used as much at this time so the work can be easily carried out with little inconvenience. A great time also as all the work will be completed and ready for your garden to be used in the spring and summer. Landscapers are extremely busy and usually booked up with projects during the spring and summer so this is a great time to get a project booked in with them as they will have a bit more availability. Any new fencing may be a little easier to install at this time as any plants or shrubs in the line of fencing will be dying back ready for the winter making it easier to work around and wildlife will be less disturbed at this time. At C&J Landscapes Ltd we carry out hard landscaping which is the building part of garden redesign like patios, decking, brickwork and fencing but we also do turfing and artificial lawns. Hard landscaping can be carried out all year round including the autumn and winter giving you time to choose your plants for planting in the spring. So if you are thinking of a garden design in the autumn and would like to discuss a project with one of the team please send an email to office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413 to arrange a free consultation. We cover East London and West Essex.

Low maintenance garden project East London
20 Aug

Low Maintenance Garden

This was a project for a busy family in East London. They wanted a low maintenance and modern garden. A beautiful garden to relax and entertain and also space for their children to play and have fun. Firstly we looked at the entertaining space. They wanted a large area for a dining table and chairs and they were going to treat themselves to a new BBQ. We installed a raised composite deck in oak with raised sleeper beds at the front for planting with steps leading down to a slate path. The raised sleeper beds provided a wall to divide the areas up and bring extra greenery to the garden. The family were excited when choosing the plants for this section. Composite decking is a good choice for a low maintenance garden as it requires little to no maintenance. There is no need for painting or sealing each year giving you more time to relax. It just needs a quick sweep now and again to remove any falling leaves or debris and an occasional splash with the hose. With the environment at the forefront of their minds our clients were happy to know that composite decking is a very eco-friendly choice as it is made from recycled materials. It works well in a garden for a family due to its great non-slip properties and the boards are smooth underfoot so you don’t have to worry about splinters. Composite decking has a long lifespan so when you have it installed you can take comfort in the fact that it will work perfectly well in your garden for many years. The combination of wood and plastic makes it very hardwearing against the elements. Composite decking boards are water-proof and resistant against moisture and mildew. For the path to the side of the garden we chose a grey slate paving. Slate paving is a good choice if you are looking for a low maintenance space. The paving is non-porous and hard wearing and is very stain-resistant. It also has good non-slip properties which worked well for this family who have two lively boys running around a lot. Finally a lawn was added for all the family’s games and activities. Also creating another zone in the garden. We left a bed running down the side ready for planting. The family said they would be trying to create a tropical theme with their garden when choosing their plants. The family were very happy with the space that we have created for them and are looking forward to planting up their beds and adding some potted plants to bring lots of greenery to the space. They are also planning a lot of entertaining! If you would like to discuss a garden project please send an email to office@eastlondonlandscapes.com to arrange a free consultation with one of the team.

06 Oct

Real Grass or Artificial Lawn

Here we look at whether to chose real grass or an artificial lawn. We all love to see lots of colour in our gardens and a large patch of green grass looks good and provides a great space for relaxing and playing as a family. A new lawn can really transform a tired space. But should we choose real grass or an artificial lawn? Both look good but when deciding what to choose you need to consider what the area will be used for, what the area is like for growing a real lawn, and how much time you have to look after the space. Since it was invented in the 1960’s artificial grass has become more and more popular and here we look at the good and bad points for both real and artificial lawns. Real Grass Real grass is better for the environment and produces oxygen. It is decomposable and the grass clippings can be used as compost. It encourages insects and wildlife into your garden. There are a large choice of grasses available and you can choose the right one to suit the type of garden you have. It will require more maintenance than an artificial lawn as it will need to be mowed regularly to keep the grass level down. However many people find it very therapeutic being out in their garden mowing the lawn so this could be good for keeping your stress levels down and finding the time for some peace and quiet. My husband loves putting stripes in our lawn! To looks its best it will require long term maintenance with plant feeds at certain times during the year and weeding. If you need to re-turf a small area it is easier to dig up parts of the turf and replace it with fresh patches. Artificial grass is more difficult to replace. It is more cost effective to install than an artificial lawn. However you will need to purchase a lawn mower. You can’t beat the smell of a freshly cut lawn and the grass is soft to touch. Artificial Lawn Not as good for encouraging wildlife in our gardens. More expensive to install than a natural lawn. There is lots of variety in price and quality of materials to choose from. The level of quality has dramatically improved since the days of artificial lawns that looked like they came from the greengrocer stands. Works well in shady areas that sometimes do not allow a lawn to grow its best. Artificial lawns are popular for small spaces and gardens that get lots of wear and tear. Personally, I find they seem to be particularly popular with families with budding footballers. There is very little maintenance required. It will need to be swept and rinsed occasionally to remove dust and odours. An artificial lawn doesn’t require the level of water consumption that a real lawn does, particularly helpful when the summer is hot and we there is a water ban in place. This lawn can cope with lots of foot traffic with very little wear and tear. In the winter you don’t have to worry about muddy footprints from walking on your lawn. Not so soft to the touch and they can store heat.

26 Nov

Latest Client Review

Latest review from a client in Bow, East London. “Chris and his team did a brilliant job on my garden and got it done really efficiently. A total pleasure to deal with. 100% recommend.”

09 Jul

Latest Client Review

It is always great to receive such lovely reviews from our clients. This is the latest one from a client in East London where we carried out a complete garden makeover for them. “Really, really thrilled with my new garden and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend C & J. Chris and his team were both professional and really lovely to deal with. Chris understood instantly what I wanted and was able to come up with great ideas when I was obviously flailing. Have raved about them to all my friends and will definitely use for any future work”. If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via email at office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413. We provide landscaping services in East London and West Essex. We specialise in decking, paving, fencing, driveway installation, turfing and brickwork.

13 Mar

Latest Client Review

We just received this lovely review from a happy client in East London. We installed a new lawn in their back garden: “The latest review from a happy client “Great service and really reliable – the work was done on time and to a very high standard. We’re really pleased with our new lawn, which looks lovely!” If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via email at office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413. We provide landscaping services in East London and West Essex. We specialise in decking, paving, fencing, driveway installation, turfing and brickwork.  

Garden Makeover E10
22 Jan

Garden Makeover in East London

Here we look at a garden makeover in East London. Our client was looking for a total garden makeover of her outdoor space. She chose January to carry out the work to get her garden ready for the Spring. The first step was a consultation at her home to look at the garden space and discuss ideas and plans. The property was in East London and was an older property and the owner was keen to combine the older character of the property with some modern additions and was looking for some ideas. To keep in character Charcoal Cobbles were laid as paving stones coming straight out from the back door and side recess to create a great entertaining space. This included steps up to the lawn area with red brick edgings. The original walls were kept and horizontal slatted fencing was installed throughout above the walls to provide privacy but also an aesthetic addition to the space. The mix of the wood and the brick provides a lovely look. The horizontal fencing was also used to create a storage area which flowed seamlessly with the fencing. A new lawn was laid and raised flower beds built from railway sleepers were installed all ready for planting up. If you would like to discuss a project we provide landscaping services in East London . Get in touch for a free initial consultation to discuss your project. Email us office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413.