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.
You can take the kid out of work however you cannot take the work out of a Kid. Well what does that mean? In a nutshell, sixty-five hours a week is not unusual for this business owner to put in and maintain throughout the growing seasons. Even when I’m not working I really am.
This small backyard in Teaneck NJ was quite unruly, overgrown, and old when we arrived. The existing plants were planted with no rhyme or reason. None had been properly pruned or trimmed and years, some had dead branches throughout the interior growth, and some were plain dead.
Who says shade gardening can’t be interesting? This HoHoKus residence located in northern New Jersey was just that. The front of this house had sporadic patches of ground covers which weren’t very attractive and numerous areas of bare ground. Many shade and deer resistant plants have been selected so that this install flourishes with time. Some of the material’s selected were, Ilex Steeds, Variegated and other species of boxwoods, leucothoe, and vinca, a great ground cover for dense shade gardening.
Do you like the color blue? Well this client who lives in Ridgewood NJ wanted nothing but blue in the front of his house. He loved the color blue so much he decided he wanted Colorado Blue Spruces planted.
Teach your children. Working in a garden, a child can experience the satisfaction that comes from caring for something over time, while observing the cycle of life firsthand.
So a few weeks ago I was asked by an associate of mine Rebecca Leer if I would be interested in posing for an art class at the Ridgewood Art Institute. Rebecca is a pronounced artist who is one of the best art instructors I know.
These are landscapes specifically designed for “winter color”. One example of a plant that provides winter interest is the Firethorn, Pyracantha, which is an evergreen plant that is easy to grow and provides seasonal interest and berries.
One of the great things when it comes to landscape design and build makeovers is that no matter how small an area is or how confined a space may be; it can always be designed with simplicity and elegance in mind. By utilizing the appropriate species of planting materials, any look can be achieved.
Fall is a great time for planting. There are numerous advantages that you don’t have in the spring. Not only is the weather cooler and easier on the plants, but planting in the autumn with rain on the horizon has its advantages too. Plant’s leaves aren’t stressed by scorching sun and with cooler temps there is less demand for water from the roots.
Pennsylvania Bluestone is dense, strong, fine-grained sandstone quarried only in the northeastern tier of Pennsylvania, parts of northern New Jersey and the southern tier of New York. It is an excellent material for decks and patios as it resists cracking and won’t discolor. It easily can be separated into slabs of varying sizes, making it suitable for other architectural details such as steps, walls, entrance walkways, building facades, interior floors, and fireplaces.