Frank D. Porter, owner and operator of Almost Perfect Landscaping, began his early education at Hackensack High School. Next he attained his BA degree in Marketing at Saint Peters College of Jersey City. Following St. Peters, he attained certificates at Rutgers Cook College for Landscape Architecture. While running his company, his passion to help people drove him to further seek higher education in the School of Social Work, also at Rutgers.
This project was completed in conjunction with the expertise of Liquid Designs, considered one of the area’s finest water garden experts, utilizing the design layout of almost perfect landscaping.
Often property owners may think every landscape screen planting is the same. Just dig a hole and put the plant in. Not so is all to often the case.
This natural screening project gave me great joy to install. The customer and I had the same vision. Both of us agreeing that “mother nature” does not plant trees and shrubs in straight rows, planted a diverse selection of evergreen and flowering deciduous shrubs
As the seasons change and winter rolls in less time is spent outdoors and more time is spent indoors resulting in a likely change of air quality. Unbeknownst to many, as we go about our daily tasks, indoor toxins can have a dramatic and drastic impact on our well being and health, potenially leading to asthma, many allergies, inflamations and even some types of cancer. So what’s the solution? Simple. Use house plants, they are cost effective costing only a few dollars and taking care of them is both educational and relaxing.
It’s that time of the year. Christmas trees are everywhere in a variety of species, sizes and colors. Some live, some cut. The popularity of a live Christmas Tree has been on the rise for several years, but all to often many of these trees do not survive long after the “big day” is past so we thought we’d pass along these tips on choosing, planting and caring for your live Christmas tree. The most important aspect to consider when making your purchase is to make sure you pick a variety that will grow well in our area.
Gourmet in the Garden is what this squirrel found at our home. When the peanut butter jar gets down less than 1/4 full it’s time to open up a new jar and share the open jar. Sometimes I lay the jar on its side somewhere under cover from predators within one of our beds with the top off of course. I try to place the peanut butter so i can watch from somewhere inside the house. It doesn’t take them long to find it and after a few jars they sorta come to expect it.
This one was nailed to a tree elevated so we could watch the comedy unfold. It gets really good when more than one moves in to eat. Also squirrels really go “NUTZ” over almond butter, which is better for them anyway.
The most important aspects of a successful landscape design happen long before the digging of the first hole. Thorough and careful observation of the layout and much planning is needed to create a landscape that will functional and pleasing in appearance. It doesn’t matter if it is a new property or the improvement of existing landscaped beds, you might want to consider getting a landscape design plan in place for next spring.
Implementing landscaping / gardening design modifications, changes and upgrades well ahead-of-time provides opportunities, many advantages and other benefits such as:
GUARANTEED scheduling of landscape design services earlier in the spring.
Additional time to research and finalize the changes of the existing landscape design
Sufficient time allotted to obtain plants or materials
Sufficient time for budgeting of costs before the landscaping work begins
Potential savings from off-season, early-bird, or promotional discounts
“Walked for half an hour in the garden beds yesterday morning. A fine rain was falling, and the landscape was that of autumn. The sky was hung with various shades of gray, and mists hovered about the distant mountains – a melancholy nature. The leaves were falling on all sides like the last illusions of youth under the tears of irremediable grief. A brood of chattering birds were chasing each other through the shrubberies, and playing games among the branches, like a knot of hiding schoolboys.
Almost PERFECT Landscaping would like to welcome our newest member of the team. Porter James Lagala. Porter brings to APLNJ a wealth of information regarding organic composting and organic waste removal. He has a lot to teach Frank D. Porter about recycling and organic materials and/or product themselves.
Porter James will be on call in the office, but due to the nature of his strenuous activities, he does tend to take numerous feeding and napping breaks. However his input, or shall we say “OUTPUT” is very organic in nature and thereby noteworthy of immediate attention.
We’ve been pretty busy lately with many of our clientele adding to their beds with shrubs, spring bulbs and even perennial beds. Fall is the IDEAL time to plant with the soil and air temperatures perfect for root growth. One thing to consider if you are tired of staring at the bland foliage trees with a few scraggly leaves hanging on and patches of snow in your yard each winter? Here’s a short list of some fantastic winter garden plants that add greenery and cool shapes, and will even blossom outside your window in the heart of winter. Give your yard a dose of winter color by including plants that steal the spotlight during cooler weather.
