Well it finally seems as though winter found us here in Central Florida, at least for a few days! After an unusually warm December and holiday season, January greeted us with a taste of what cold feels like! Most people weren’t

Photo courtesy of www.forums.gardenweb.com

prepared for it, and much less our plants. Here are some helpful tips from John Madison Landscape on how to protect your plants and yard from potential freezing and unpredictable temperatures this month.

• Frost or freezes are likely to occur in January and February. Be ready to cover your tender plants in order to minimize damage.
• This month, it is not necessary to mow your grass, but do remove rocks, sticks, and leaves.
• If you have Zoysia grass, do not fertilize it at this time. You can water occasionally if a drought occurs. Temperatures may be higher than normal with little or no rainfall.
• January is the time to plant deciduous fruit trees. It will give roots time to develop before the warmer spring months.
• Apply broadleaf herbicides as necessary to control winter annual weeds like chickweed. Use a nonselective herbicide this month to control annual
  

  Photo courtesy of www.chiotsrun.com

  bluegrass and various broadleaf weeds.

• Go ahead and prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees this month to improve their form. If you have crepe myrtles, they do not require pruning, yet by removing seed pods, crossing branches, and small twiggy growth, you will improve the appearance and form of the plant.
• To control scale on citrus, shrubs, camellias, and deciduous fruit trees, apply horticultural oil while plants are dormant.
• Don’t forget! Florida is celebrating Arbor Day on January 18th! To celebrate, plant a tree in your yard or neighborhood.

If your yard took a hit from the cold temperatures, or if your new year’s resolution is to finally spruce up your landscape, click here or give us a call at 407-935-9151 to set up an appointment for a free estimate with one of our experienced landscape designers.

Since we’re smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, we here at John Madison Landscape wanted to quench your thirst for Christmas tree knowledge. We love this time of year because Christmas trees are like having landscaping inside your house! Whether you’ve had yours up since before Thanksgiving, or are waiting to purchase and decorate it on Christmas Eve, we thought there are some good facts you should know about the most popular types of Christmas trees that are available in Central Florida.

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  Fraser Fir. Photo courtesy of www.hagueschristmastrees.com

  Fraser fir: The Fraser Fir may be the perfect holiday tree. Dark green, flattened needles; its attractive needles are ½ to 1 inch long and soft to the touch; dark green on the top and silvery underneath; they have good form and good needle retention; and have pyramid-shaped strong branches which turn upward. Because there is space between the branches, the Fraser is easier to decorate than some trees. The firm branches hold heavier ornaments and the trees grow to almost perfect shapes. They have a pleasant scent, and excellent shipping characteristics as well. Fraser fir is the balsam fir of the southeastern United States, grown on well drained but fairly moist soils. It is named for a botanist, John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700’s.

• Douglas Fir: Douglas Fir is a beautiful Christmas tree with soft shiny green needles. It has a good fragrance; holds blue to dark green; 1” to 1 ½” needles; can live for a thousand years; and their needles have one of the best
  

  Douglas Fir. Photo courtesy of www.hagueschristmastrees.com

  aromas among Christmas trees when crushed. It may be difficult to decorate if the branches have been sheared into a perfect conical shape, leaving too little space between branches to hang decorations. If this variety of tree is available, you might want to take an unbreakable ornament with you when you buy a tree to see if you can put decorations on it. Choose a Douglas Fir that is freshly cut and keep it well watered. It is named after David Douglas who studied the tree in the 1800’s.

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  Noble Fir. Photo courtesy of www.christmastree.org

  Noble Fir: The Noble Fir is deep green in color and has an unusually lovely branch shape. It has one inch long needles with a silvery appearance; great for heavier ornaments; keeps well; and the boughs of this tree are often used to make fresh wreaths, door swags and garlands. Its branches are short and sturdy, yet the needles are not too sharp to decorate easily. Like the Fraser Fir, the Noble’s branches have good spacing between branches so it’s easy to hang ornaments on them.

Hope this helps! If you want to prepare your outdoor space for holiday visitors, or if your New Year’s resolution is to take care of that unsightly yard, give us a call at 407-935-9151 or click here. Happy Holidays!

Photo courtesy of www.rockshelterldc.com

Here are some simple tips from John Madison Landscape to prepare your yard for next year’s beautiful landscape:

• You won’t have to water your lawn much once it is dormant (has turned brown), but do water if the soil is powder dry.
• Apply preemergent herbicides to control winter annual and perennial broadleaf weeds like chickweed and henbit. Apply postemergence  herbicides only when weeds are present.
• Fertilize trees and shrubs (that have been planted for at least a year) when they turn dormant.
• Water broadleaf evergreens on warm days.
• Check for and control any white grubs. Now that temperatures are lower, use dormant oil sprays to control scale insects.
• Protect plants from rabbit or other animal damage in the winter by enclosing them in a circle of chicken wire or hardware cloth. Some plants that are favored by rabbits in the winter include: small Common Witchhazel, Fothergilla, Burningbush, Flowering Quince, smaller Korean and Japanese Maple, Canada Hemlock, Japanese Kerria and Clethra.
• To keep your yard healthy with just enough water, it is important to set your timer with a watering schedule that suits your area considering the amount of rainfall you usually get. For example, here in central Florida, a suggested watering schedule is two days a week (such as Monday and Thursday) with an irrigation run time in November of 32 minutes.
• If you wish, create a display of fall colors with cool season plants. Some to try are calendula, pansies, and ornamental cabbage.
  

  Photo courtesy of www.bbgardens.org

• Many bulbs like to get their start in cool weather. Bulbs to plant this month include amaryllis, crinums, and daylilies.
• Divide and replant overgrown perennials and bulbs now so that they establish before the coolest weather arrives.

If you are thinking about getting a landscape design for the upcoming spring, November is the perfect time to contact us for a free estimate on a professional plan. A quality design will give your landscape efforts focus and direction. Plus, contacting us earlier in the season means faster turn-around time! If you would like to set up a free estimate with one of our landscape designers, call us at 407-935-9151 or click here.

Now that Central Florida is finally beginning to see signs of autumn, many people are excited about the beautiful weather that is upon us. It’s the perfect temperature to do outdoorsy things, and if you are running out of ideas, or don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, John Madison Landscape has put together a list of fun, inexpensive outdoor activities you can do with your friends and family.

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  Photo courtesy of www.grillnation.com

  Have a BBQ or picnic. Everyone loves getting together and sharing great food when it’s nice outside. Whether it’s a Football Sunday or just a lazy Saturday evening, call up a few friends, tell them to bring their favorite dish, and have a relaxing time with laughs, food, and drinks.

• If it gets especially chilly one night, gather outside around your fire pit and have a bonfire. If you don’t have a fire pit, look into one from El Dorado Stone or Belgard, two of our fine contractors we work with for fire pits or outdoor kitchens.
• Tell ghost stories if you dare! Putting a flashlight under your chin while telling a scary story never gets old. If you happen to love s’mores, Kraft has now come out with a new product, StackerMallows, that we absolutely LOVE. They are flat marshmallows that are ideal for s’more-making! You’ve gotta check them out!
• One of our personal favorite outdoor ideas is to hold your own football tailgate in your backyard! Set up some corn hole  boards, throw a couple footballs around, and have the games showing inside or if you’re lucky enough, on an outdoor television! Guys, gals, and kids alike will have fun whether or not they’re football fans.
• Everyone enjoys a Sunday brunch! Have some people over and do a light and easy breakfast like bagels and fruit. It doesn’t take a lot of money or planning. With nice
  

  Photo courtesy of www.elizabethannedesigns.com

  weather like this, nothing feels better than starting the day off outdoors and discussing the weekend. Don’t forget the mimosas and bloody marys!

• Birdwatching!  Set yourself up for some serious bird-watching with a bird guidebook, binoculars, and a chair. You might just catch a robin building a nest or hummingbirds fluttering in front of the trees. Slather a wooden birdhouse or even just a pine cone with peanut butter for more bird action.
• Wash the car! Washing the car can be lots of fun, and will often turn into playing with sponges and water going everywhere. You could make it into a money making enterprise by asking around the neighborhood whether people want their cars washed!
• Garage Sale! Clean out your house and make money at the same time! Gather some gently used items from in and around your house and set up a few tables out front. Get your whole neighborhood or family involved to make it as large or as small as you want. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

If you want to find out more about how to create an outdoor room in your yard that is perfect for entertaining, give us a call at 407-935-9151 or click here.

Building Homes for Heroes and John Madison Landscape is proud to announce another 2011 homecoming celebration to welcome Army Sergeant Joel Tavera to his new home in Tampa, Florida! On Saturday, November 19th, 2011, after more than 75 surgeries,and nearly four years of hospital care, this extraordinarily courageous young man and his family will be moving into a beautiful 4-bedroom, 4-bath home that meets all his needs. Joining in the celebration will be high-ranking military personnel, local dignitaries, community members, etc. Tavera will be welcomed home in patriotic fashion. The event will begin with a magnificent procession along flag-lined streets leading to Joel‘s home. The procession is scheduled to step off at 10:00 am.

On March 12, 2008, Sergeant Tavera was riding in an armored SUV inside the Tallil Airbase in southeastern Iraq when it was struck by five rockets. The blasts killed three of his buddies, and Tavera was thought to be dead as well. He lost sight in both of his eyes, his right leg, four fingers on his left hand, and suffered very serious head trauma and critical burns to 60 percent of his body. At the time, his parents were told that their son was the second most severely injured Army soldier to survive since the war in Iraq began. Joel received The Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

The ground was broken on March 25th, 2011, for the home, which is in the Grand Hampton community, for the severely injured Iraq war veteran who turned 24 the day before the ceremony. The $450,000 home, with special modifications, was made possible through the nonprofit BuildingHomesforHeroes.org, along with contributions from the builder, William Ryan Homes, and local firefighters, contractors and others. John Madison Landscape was proud to provide the landscape for the exterior of the home. For more information on Sergeant Joel Tavera’s Homecoming, contact Carolyn Paszke at (516) 684-9220 or Carolyn@Buildinghomesforheroes.org. For all media inquires please ask for Andy Pujol.

John Madison Landscape is proud to be a part of the Southern Women’s Show once again! The Southern Women’s Show takes place Thursday, October 13th- Sunday, October 16th at the Orange County Convention Center. The Southern Women’s Show is filled with the things that every woman loves: jewelry, purses, make-up, food, and much more! In addition to these, there will also be runway fashion shows, cooking classes, and entertaining speakers. Women all across Central Florida will be flocking to the Convention Center for 4 days of jam-packed fun geared especially at women! Tell your moms, wives, sisters, and best friends, and make sure they visit our John Madison Landscape booth!

Admission for the event is $10 at the door, or click here or visit Walgreens for advanced tickets for only $9. Groups of 10 or more that purchase advanced tickets online can get them for $7.50. Youth ages 6-12 are $5, and children under 6 are free with a paying adult. Also, if you plan on attending more than 1 day, there is a readmission special, where your second day admission can be purchased for just $5 during your initial visit (with your ticket stub) at the show entrance. The hours of the show are Thursday-Saturday 10am-7pm, and Sunday 10am-5pm. Parking is $8.

Our booth at last year's show

The Southern Women’s Show also includes some great networking events and speakers. Friday morning, October 14th, there will be a “Rock Your Brand” Meet the Media networking breakfast. Guest speakers Kristy Villa from Lifetime Television’s The Balancing Act and Martha Pullen, founder of Martha Pullen, Inc. will be mingling and networking with attendees. You can also click here to win $100 to spend at the show courtesy of American Laser Skincare. This show is going to be one that you’re not going to want to miss, and you have to be sure to stop by their fantastic home and garden section. That’s where you’ll find the John Madison Landscape booth, along with a  ton of other vendors with ideas for both you and your home to look great. We can’t wait to see all you lovely ladies there!

Photo courtesy of www.dayflowers.blogspot.com

Did the first day of fall come and go without you even noticing? Perhaps it has something to do with Central Florida’s 90 degree temperatures through the end of September. Even so, the weather for boots and scarves (yes, even in Florida) is just around the corner! Is your yard ready? Or is it still recovering from the heat of a harsh summer? Even in Florida there are some plants that will give you a change of color, berries, or flowers during the autumn months. Here are some tips and ideas for landscaping for the fall from your friends at John Madison Landscape.

• These plants are Florida-friendly and will add some interest to your yard during the fall months: Goldenrod, Beach Sunflower, Cigar Plant, Lion’s Tail, Beautyberry, Muhly Grass, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Mexican Sage, Forsythia Sage, and Silver-Leaved Aster.
• If you have ornamental grasses, go ahead and prune them back if they are looking bad. If they are still flowering, or about to, make sure and wait until they’re finished. When pruning, we recommend using electric hedge pruners or large clippers
  

  Photo courtesy of www.shobb.com

• You may want to divide up your ornamental grasses as well. After pruning, use a sharp shovel to divide grass, or any other plants that you wish to divide. Perennials such as liriope, African iris, flax lily, bulbine, and herbs such as rosemary and tarragon are easy to divide.
• Did some plants get a little overlooked during the summer? Now is the perfect time to move plants that may have overgrown into spots where they will be better suited. Find a new spot for the plant that has more room than its current location.
• It’s a good time of year to re-mulch. Remember that you need three to four inches of mulch in your beds. This will help reduce weeds and erosion, and keep the soil moist.
• After your yard is all cleaned up, you may decide you want to add some new plants to the mix. Fall is a great time for planting in Central Florida. Add some plants like the ones we listed above to increase color and diversity to your garden area.

To learn more tips for landscaping in the fall, or to schedule an appointment for a free estimate, click here or call us at 407-935-9151.

John Madison Landscape is a busy bunch! This Friday-Sunday, September 23rd-25th, we will be participating in the very first Daytona Beach Home and Garden Show presented by East Coast Consumer Shows. We are thrilled to be branching out to our neighbors to the north, and not to mention spending the weekend in beautiful Daytona Beach, FL! This year’s show will feature Brandie Malay of HGTV‘s “Hidden Potential” and NBC‘s “Today Show.” Both the 2011 Daytona Beach Home and Garden Show and the Daytona Boat Show will be under one roof, so it’s sure to be a great time!

HGTV's Brandie Malay

The show will be held at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. The hours are Friday and Saturday 10am-7pm, and Sunday 10am-6pm. Cost for adults is $7 per day; children under 16 years old are free. Seniors 60+ are $2 all day, every day. There is a $3 discount coupon available in Hometown News and all weekly publications, or click here to download a web coupon!

Whether it is a small home improvement project, new construction or a major renovation, the Daytona Beach Home and Garden Show is the best place to improve your greatest asset, your home. The Daytona Beach Home and Garden Show will present to you the area’s most elite contractors in all categories under one roof. This show offers everything for in and around your home. Exhibiting 100′s of new products, 1000′s of great ideas! The show will feature celebrities from HGTV as well as local pros to guide you through your home improvement projects. Hope to see you there!

Photo courtesy of www.sunset.com

One of the most common questions we get asked here at John Madison Landscape is, “How can I have a yard that is safe for my dogs and my children?” Very simple actually! Just because you have pets doesn’t mean you have to compromise having a beautiful yard. Here are some helpful tips from your friends at John Madison Landscape!

• Artificial turf: Our artificial turf is completely safe for pets! The infill system will not harm children or pets if swallowed.
  
• Paths: Like people, dogs and cats make a beeline to where they want to go. If your dog wears a dirt trail into the lawn, install a permanent path with pavers or stepping-stones.
• Gentle hardscape: Smooth flagstones set in pebbles form a dry creek bed dogs can comfortably tread.
• Comfy mulch: Small cedar chips are easy on paws yet large enough so they won’t cling to silky coats. Use inorganic mulch such as potato stones or pea gravel where appropriate.
• Sensible plants: Plants near paths should have soft foliage but be sturdy enough to stand canine rough-housing. Larger-sized trees, shrubs, and perennials are more likely earn respect from your pets than little sticks that resemble chew toys.
  

  Photo courtesy of www.home.howstuffworks.com

• Mass planting: Bundling shrubs or ornamental grasses can help keep pets on the right path (literally). Most would rather go around than through such plantings. Grasses are particularly tough plants that are unlikely to be injured by the most rambunctious of dogs.
• Cat plants: Cats go wild for catnip (Nepeta catoria). They love rolling around in it and getting very playful. To discourage neighborhood cats, avoid growing these plants.
• Border control: Edging persuades dogs to stay away from planted areas.
• Soil: Try to avoid having bare soil – it’s a perfect invitation for cats and dogs to dig. Plant perennials close together, and choose tough pet-friendly plants – for example, ground covers like periwinkle between larger plants.
• Fencing: If you have a dog, your pet-friendly yard needs a solid fence. Four feet is high enough, but for some athletic dogs, fences will need to be five or six feet high.
• Vegetable gardens: If you’ve planted vegetable seeds into the ground, keep the seed bed moist, as cats prefer to dig in dry, loose soil. Or you could try growing vegetables in containers.
• Running track: A long, winding path provides dogs with plenty of exercise.
• Marking post: A sculptural piece of driftwood gives dogs a suitable spot to mark their territory.
• Digging problems: If you really love your dog, the most pet-friendly solution here is to consider giving a stubborn canine a fenced digging pit.

For more information on dog-friendly landscaping, or if you are interested in getting a free estimate on making your yard pet-friendly, click here or call us at 407-935-9151.