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.

almost PERFECT Landscaping Lunchtime

Deer Resistant Gardening in Bergen County

Are you frustrated because deer are devouring your expensive landscaping, trampling through mulched beds and damaging trees, but not willing to install a deer fence? Then you can put daylilies, roses, hostas, tulips, and lilies out of your mind (unless you’re prepared to put them in containers close to the house, where they can be protected). Deer can often wreak havoc on a landscape. One of the easiest ways to reduce deer damage in your yard is to landscape with plants deer prefer not to eat.

almost PERFECT shade gardening

Shade Gardening Primer

Shade is everywhere. Be it man-made or natural, shade is an integral part of the landscape. All of us have some degree of shade, most of us don’t know what to do with it. Myths and misconceptions abound when it comes to shade gardening, The most common being that few plants can thrive in the shade, when in reality there is an abundance of beautiful and interesting plants that flourish in shade. All with a diverse selection of shapes, textures, sizes and a broad palette of colours and hues.

Whether its a woodland garden or a shady perennial bed, you will find a wide range of colors, textures and foliage to choose from. Shade retains moisture better than full sun so shade plants as a whole require less watering. Their flowers hold their colors longer and many times bloom longer also. Pests are more uncommon in shaded areas, preferring sun loving plants instead.

almost PERFECT meditation garden

Need some “Peace & Quiet”

Stressed Out??? With everything going on in our lives today within our family life and career schedule, it can be almost impossible to find a relaxing moment or place of peace and quiet. However, maintaining a balance between your ambitious and tranquil sides is vital to leading a healthy and happy life.

That’s where a small and serene meditation garden comes into play.

These unique garden areas often encompass only a small area of your outdoor living area, but can be as big as you desire. Start by selecting your plants with some consideration and make sure that they possess a therapeutic quality that speaks to you.

blue hosta in garden bed

Hostas – a perennial workhorse

Hostas are one of my favorite plants. A plain, common hosta can look stunning when it is planted among the right plants and an expensive, showy hosta can look disappointing when it clashes with its neighbors. The key to getting the most from your hostas is using the concepts of balance and accent as you weave them into your garden design. Balancing the colors and sizes of your hostas will help them work with the rest of your design. Accenting them with the appropriate companion plants will help them get the attention they deserve.

Dicentra Bleeding Heart

Dicentra Bleeding Hearts

One look at this plant and it’s easy to see where the old-fashioned Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) got its name. The pillow-like flower is heart shaped with a single dangling pendulous drop. Bleeding Hearts are shade loving woodland plants that bloom in the cool of spring. Although they stay in bloom for several weeks, the plants may disappear for the rest of the summer, if planted in too much sun or heat.