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A Guide to Outdoor Fireplaces or Fire Pits

November 10, 2020

As fire pits and outdoor fireplaces start to light up the dark yards across our area to add a bit of warmth to the cool evenings. Gathering around an outdoor fire roasting marshmallows, sipping a favorite beverage and talking about the events of the day is a favorite fall pastime of mine.

Safety should be front and center when using outdoor fire pits and fireplaces. That is why those of us a DiSabatino Landscaping thought these tips might come in handy this time of year.

7 Safety Tips for Outdoor Fireplaces or Fire Pits

1) A New Fireplace or Fire Pit Installations Needs a Little Extra Care

A newly installed fireplace or fire pits need a little bit of extra care in the beginning. We advise waiting thirty days before the first fire to let your outdoor fire pit or fireplace to cure. After thirty days, keep the fire small for the next fifteen days. Wait a full forty-five days before igniting a normal sized fire.

2) Flames at Should be kept at a Safe Height

The smaller the flame, the less likely it is the fire will get out of hand. Containing flames inside the fireplace or as high as the fire pit capping is always suggested. Common issues, such as back drafts or sudden gusts of wind can be hard to predict. Sparks and embers might go somewhere you do not want.

3) Avoid Using Water to Extinguish the Fire

Never use water to put out a fire with water unless it is an emergency. Bank the fire by burying flaming logs and smoldering embers with ashes. While this will not completely extinguish the fire, it will safely cause it to die out slowly.

4) Be Sure to Use Materials With a High Heating Rating

Build your fireplace or fire pit with materials suited to stand up to high temperatures. Don’t make the mistakes of using concrete block, stones or boulders found around the yard. These materials can crack, splinter or even explode.

5) Clean Out a Fireplace or Fire Pit After Each Use

Clean off any debris around the area. Use a clean cloth to keep the igniter and burner holes clear. Logs should be cleaned using a soft brush.

6) Check for Gas Leaks

If your fire pit or fireplace is gas run, systematically check for gas leaks. If you smell gas, turn off the gas supply. Contact your gas company for service. Have igniters and burners serviced by a gas company at least every two years.

7) Protect Your Fire Pit

Use the manufacturers cover or use one that allows moisture to escape. This will protect your fire pit from the elements and prolong its lifespan.

7 Tips for Outdoor Fireplaces or Fire Pits

Round Slate Patio with stone firepit and stone walls MILLER - artisan masonry

Fire Pit Installation by DiSabatino Landscaping and Esposito Masonry

custom fire pit by DiSabatino Landscaping

Patio with Fireplace Feature - artisan masonry

DiSabatino Landscaping teamed up with Esposito Masonry creates beautiful custom-designed fireplaces and fire pits for residences in Delaware and the surrounding area. If you would like to find out what we can create for you, please get in touch

302-764-0408 | DiSabatinoInc.com

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DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. We can help advise you what is best way to create outdoor fireplaces & fire pits Give us a call today! 302-764-0408

12 Great Features to Consider Adding to Custom Outdoor Swimming Pools

July 7, 2020

Custom outdoor swimming pools are a terrific way to have staycations throughout the spring and summer, sometimes into the fall months. Whether our clients opt for custom gunite pools, fiberglass pools or vinyl liner pools, they always ask us what added features are best.

While the answer to this question will vary depending on a client’s preferences and needs, we find that laying out all the options help focus on inground pool designs to reflect their vision. Once they get a feel for the custom features that they want, they will need to compare the costs of such features to their budget and prioritize the ones they really want.

With the summer in full swing, parents are facing unique challenges this year. We thought sharing a few features of our inground pool designs that can help keep your kids at home safe, healthy and more importantly, happy!

12 Features to Consider With Your Custom Swimming Pool Installation:

1) Pool Slide: A custom pool slide can add a little life to any inground swimming pool and make your custom pool the envy of the neighborhood. There are a wide variety of custom designed pool slides available with different sized flumes that will reflect your style and wishes.

2) Diving Board or Diving Rock: Diving boards can serve as an enjoyable recreational feature to your custom swimming pool provided your pool design is deep enough. If you have energetic pool goers that would enjoy doing somersaults and backflips, this might be a feature you should add to your pool.

3) Hot tub:Hot tubs or spillover spas that are raised above the pool level serves a duel purpose; that of being therapeutic and an added water feature to custom swimming pools.

4) Grotto: Adding a cave or grotto as a place to retreat from the glaring sun or the crowd to peacefully meditate is becoming a very popular water feature in many custom pool designs.

5) Pool Bar: If you’re planning on entertaining an adult audience that appreciate imbibing cocktails while relaxing in a pool, a swim up pool bar might be a nice feature to add to your pool.

6) Fountain: A cascading water fountain adds a peaceful ambience to custom swimming pools that are not only therapeutic but a great aerators that will keep the water cool.

7) Waterfall: Built with Real or Faux Boulders, cascading waterfalls add a naturalistic element to custom swimming pools and one of the most popular water features around. These too are great aerators to keep water temperatures cooler.

8) Rain Curtain: Young and old alike enjoy the cooling curtains of water falling into the pool from a pergola roof or some other overhang.

9) Bubblers: Small jets set in the floor of a shallow end of a custom swimming pool shoot streams of water that gurgle or bubble up to the surface.

10) Deck Jets: Thin arching streams of water shooting from the pool decking into the pool can be illuminated with color changing LED lights to make any night swim a fun event.

11) Mist Curtains: Having a fog or misting system around the pool can greatly reduce the air temperature making for a much more comfortable pool side nap.

12) Pool House: Want to keep everyone comfortable and close to all the amenities? Consider a pool house with changing and bathroom, refrigerator full of everyone’s favorite beverages and maybe even a comfortable sitting area to shelter from inclement weather.

Make summer at home this year full of fond memories of how your family chose to focus on what really matters in life, quality time with those you love in your very own custom swimming pool.

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Get in Touch

302-764-0408 | DiSabatinoInc.com

The Landscape Experts

DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. Give us a call today! 302-764-0408

7 Great Ideas for Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Living Area

August 14, 2019

Want to enjoy the outdoors anytime of the year by creating a beautiful outdoor living area?

Then consider adding a fireplace or fire pit to your outdoor living space. Don’t forget to get the kids involve by letting them cook their own food. There are plenty of campfire recipes to try. Of course there has to be s’mores!

Do you have pizza lovers? Consider adding a wood fired brick oven to make authentic pizza for a hungry crowd. Did you know brick ovens cook quickly and efficiently? Better yet, they are a great way to cook desserts, meats, veggies and more!

How about a full outdoor kitchen? An outdoor kitchen allows you enjoy an outdoor party while you cook! In addition, it makes you more efficient and lessens the need to run back and forth to the house. That is why we encourage clients to consider some sort of cooking options for their outdoor living area.

Check out some of our luxurious outdoor kitchens that will make your home the preferred party location. Likewise, be sure to create comfortable seating areas that will have you looking for every opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

Add one of these below unique features for creating an even better outdoor living space that will extend the usable square footage of your home. Not only will it increase your home’s value, it will give REAL value to your home life. Also consider the savings from staycations, a great way to bond with family without spending tons of cash!

7 Great Ideas for Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Living Area:

A pavilion to keep your seating area comfortable and dry
A pergola is a great way to add shade, privacy and ambience
Custom in ground pools and hot tubs are refreshing touches. Add special features such as waterfalls and ambient lighting
Ponds and other water features, such as a fountain is great way to add character to your landscaping
Create peaceful locations to relax and meditate
A deck off the master bedroom – connect with nature any time of day.
Utilize the front, side and back of house to add a custom made deck with gazebo, gorgeous pergola, pavilion or sun room

The possibilities are endless!

If you want a beautiful custom made outdoor living area created just for you, get in touch with DiSabatino Landscaping and Esposito Masonry. We create unique outdoor rooms and patios!

302-764-0408 | DiSabatinoInc.com

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DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. We can help advise you what is best way to create your outdoor living space Give us a call today! 302-764-0408

The Best Summer Blooming Shrubs

July 9, 2019

Blooming Shrubs This Summer

Looking for the best shrubs for your garden this summer? Check out these great summer shrubs to add some life to your garden!

Low Maintenance

There are many types of shrubs out there that produce flowers or attract birds and butterflies to your yard, but some of them are so high maintenance that many people tend to avoid them. Shrubs are the least of most summer concerns because it’s one more thing to look after and remember to take care of.

These shrubs are low maintenance and still attractive to the eye and birds and butterflies:

Bluebeard Shrub
Butterfly Bush
Carolina Allspice
Hydrangeas
Oleander
Potentilla
Rock Rose
Rose of Sharon
Shrub Rose
Smoke Bush
Spirea
Summersweet

These shrubs all have a low-maintenance care regimen for their summer blooming, creating an easy, yet beautiful, addition to your landscaping for the summer months. Visitors and passersby can enjoy the beautiful colors of these amazing shrubs and you can be happy with the lack of effort it takes to have them.

Size

Some shrubs are larger than others and can take more room from your yard. While they are beautiful, they can take away from other plants and flowers you may want to keep. It’s important to know what size a plant or shrub will be before you decide to add it to your garden.

These plants will grow to be no more than 3 feet max and will still look amazing in your garden:

“Becky” Shasta Daisy
Black-eyed Susan
Blue Mist Shrubs
Coreopsis
Daylilies
Late-blooming Astilbes
“May Night” Garden Sage
Pinks
Sedums
St. John’s Wart
Yarrows

With no more than 3 feet of growth, these plants and shrubs could be your choice. Or perhaps you’d like something slightly larger, but nothing to take over your garden. Try these, as they grow no more than 6 feet:

Bee Balms
“Bonica” Rose
Foxgloves
“Knockout” Rose
“Martha’s Vineyard” Rose
Michaelmas Daisies
Oriental Lilies
Purple Coneflower
Russian Sage
Summer Phloxes

If you are still seeking to go larger, these plants and shrubs can get up to a maximum of 10 feet:

Butterfly Bushes
Hollyhocks
Hydrangeas
Rose of Sharons

There are so many others out there that could provide the color and style your garden seeks. Be sure you know what you want before you purchase.

Conclusion

If you don’t know what will fit your garden best, do some research. Find plants and shrubs that grow to just the right size and have just the right colors. Most places for research will even tell you if, and what kind of, birds or butterflies are attracted to each plant. This could provide some extra color and fun to your garden.

DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. We can help advise you what is best way to maintain your landscaping! Give us a call today! 302-764-0408

Fire Pit and Fireplace Maintenance Tips

December 18, 2018

Winter is the perfect time to use that fireplace or fire pit. Letting the warmth of a nice roaring fire bask over you as you sip a hot toddy or yuletide drink while inhaling the brisk winter air is invigorating, yet soothing!

Don’t let you fireplace or fire pit sit idle this holiday season. Check out our video on fireplace and fire pit maintenance so you can safely enjoy the great outdoors this winter.

Fire Maintenance
Here are a few tips to keeping your fire burning this fall and winter.
Posted by DiSabatino Landscaping & Tree Care, Inc. on Thursday, November 8, 2018

Whether you are enjoying the warmth as you listen to the crackling of the fire, sipping on your favorite beverage or toasting marshmallows with the kids, there’s nothing like relaxing in the comfort of your own backyard.

The benefits of fire pits are many –they make the outdoors a year round gathering spot. The winter night sky is a beautiful thing and being able to gaze at the vibrant stars by the warmth of a roaring fire is perhaps the biggest benefit.

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DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. We can help build a outdoor fireplace or fire pit to keep you warm over the winter months ahead. Give us a call today! 302-764-0408

How to Create an Outdoor Oasis in Your Own Backyard

August 28, 2018

Outdoor rooms that extend the living area of your home have become all the rage. Full kitchens, fire pits or fireplace with plenty of comfortable seating are perfect for evening garden parties or fun-filled family nights.

Modern day living has evolved since the turn of the century. Many homeowners are looking to express their styles through creating outdoor living spaces that fit their lifestyle and extend their square footage of usable space.

Imagine the kids lounging outside enjoying nature instead of cooped up in the basement or separate bedrooms playing video games. No matter what climate you live in, there are ways to make a comfortable and inviting outdoor living space to suit your family’s needs.

Creating outdoor rooms into living areas, recreation areas, and more are a great way to bridge the interior and exterior of the home. There should be some real thought as to how to create a space that will work within your parameters and flow properly.

HERE ARE 5 TIPS FOR CREATING AN OUTDOOR OASIS IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD:

1) Create a Master Plan

One thing to avoid is haphazardly creating outdoor spaces casually without a real master plan. You’ll want to concentrate on functionality, as well as style. Look at the big picture and create goals and a plan for accomplishing those goals.

One way to ensure success for the space and still maintain good design is by breaking the area into smaller rooms. Do not forget to take into account the effect of outdoor elements, since the climate will have a big role in how inviting your outdoor space turns out to be. Observe how the sun looks at different times of day and how the wind blows in different areas of the space to get a feel for your optimal arrangement of the space.

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2) Consider Your Entertainment Needs or Aspirations

The whole point of an outdoor space is to make it inviting and functional to your personal style of entertaining. For one, consider the distance from the cooking to the eating area when planning for a dining pavilion, porch or pergola. You don’t want to end up with a beautiful entertaining space that’s rarely used. Also consider the flow from the indoor to the outdoor area. Make access easy and seamless

3) Put a lot of Thought into the Outdoor Kitchen Design

Look at an outdoor kitchen the same way you would an indoor kitchen to make sure you create a workable space. Consider what kind cooking appliances and refrigeration units you will need. Determine how often you will be entertaining and typical size of your events. Think through the function and style of your cooking area.

4) Do not Skimp on the Details

Take into consideration all the details such as landscaping, lighting, and materials. Lighting and landscaping are an excellent way to enhance a great pool or barbecue. While these are not expensive upgrades, they enhance an outdoor space and extend the value into the evening hours.

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5) Sit Back and Enjoy

Above all, hire a local design professional with a great reputation to create the space you really want. Even if it cost a little more, your outdoor space can be your stay-cation spot that is relaxing and rejuvenating – ALL in your own backyard.

Want to extend your living area by creating an ideal outdoor spaces to meet your recreation and entertainment needs? Get in touch with DiSabatino Landscaping.

DiSabatino Landscaping is Delaware’s #1 Hardscape and Landscape Specialist. We can design an outdoor living environment that will add quality to your life and value to your home. Give us a call today! 302-764-0480

Why Less is More: The Beauty of Mass Plantings

July 10, 2018

Mass planting embodies simplicity because it reads as one large element instead of a wide variety of individual plants.

As a lover of plants I often become bogged down when trying to decide how many types of plants to use in a design. When I go to a nursery or garden center, I start thinking how many of each different plants I can get into my personal garden. Then I stop myself and wonder, “Do I really want to take care of all those different types of plants? Do I really need that many different types?”

Most of us have limited amount of time to spend on tending our gardens. That is why scaling beds back to a limited palette of long lasting, animated perennials that are low maintenance or grasses that offer a different look for each season makes for the easier way to go.

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Mass planting embodies simplicity because it reads as one large element instead of a wide variety of individual plants.

The first step is to decide on an overall look of your landscaping. Do you want a variety of small shrubs, simple groupings of different grasses, or maybe you’d like an assortment of large herbs, small flaxes and shrubs?

Don’t forget to take into account colors. Are you looking for a bold and dramatic contrast of colors or do a variation of complimentary colors?

Finally, choose mass plantings suitable for your climate. This will mean a better look with less maintenance and budget-friendly.

NATIVE PLANT FINDER

Over the years my designer’s eye has come to appreciate simple, effective and minimal different types of plants in a garden. Planting in masses leads to a larger splashes of color & interest. No matter the size of the space I have found less varieties of plants actually compliments their surroundings more. Less is more!

How to Have Success With Crapemyrtles in Your Landscaping

June 5, 2018

Anyone who has travelled in the south during mid-summer has surely taken note of the Crapemyrtles throughout the area. The crapemyrtle, often referred to as the ‘lilac of the South’, boasts showy blooms that attract bees and provide habitats for a wide variety of birds.

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The common crapemyrtle is a native of China and Korea. Crapemyrtles come in a variety of sizes and colors. Thanks to the hybridizing efforts on the part of the National Arboretum and several Crapemyrtle enthusiasts, this colorful specimen has made its way north for the last several decades.

From luscious colors of blooms to smooth bark and dense foliage, the crapemyrtle is the center of attention in any landscape. The tree is not only known for its beauty, but also for it hardiness and dependability.

Those of us at DiSabatino Landscaping would like to share our knowledge with you on have success with your Crapemyrtles in the mid-Atlantic region (zone 5-6). Below is a list of the basics when caring for this hardy tree in your landscaping.

Basic Care of the Crapemyrtle:

Plant in Well-Drained Soil:Planting your Crapemyrtle in a raised bed, berm or sloping area is ideal. Beware of planting flush with the ground, ESPECIALLY if your soil has a high clay consistency. Areas of your landscaping that tend to puddle or stay damp after a rain will inhibit a crapemyrtle from surviving the winter, as the stem tissue will not harden off properly. Crapemyrtles are naturally drought tolerant.

Crapemyrtles Love Heat: A sunny spot in your landscaping is ideal as Crapemyrtles easily abide extra heat that occurs near a south-facing wall or fence. If full sun is not available, they will thrive with ½ day sun.

Fertilize in Spring: A crapemyrtle blooms on current year’s growth, it is suggested to use either ‘Plant-tone’ or ‘Flower-tone’ or a comparable product. Mature plants tend to need less fertilizing. Do not fertilize after July as the resulting new growth will not harden off properly before frost hits and will die back in the winter.

Trim in Early Spring: It is best to trim from mid-March to early May before the new growth appears. While later trimming will not hurt the plant, it may delay or eliminate flowering. A trimmed branch will take 6 to 8 weeks of hot weather before it will bloom. It stands to reason, anything trimmed after June will most likely mean no blooms for the season. A big NO-NO is to trim after July, as the new growth will not be ready for winter.

Treat for Japanese Beatles: Treat for Japanese beetles in June or July if they become an issue in your area.

Except for newly planted Crapemyrtles, do not water or fertilize in the fall. It is best to have drought stress versus too much lush soft growth, as you want the stems to harden off for the winter. Crapemyrtles are the most accommodating plants, thriving in dry, full sun and requiring less maintenance that most trees and shrubs.

The Side Effects of a Late Spring on Your Plantings

April 17, 2018

Is Spring Here Yet?

By Adrienne Angelucci

As many of you may have noticed, Mother Nature has not quite made up her mind as to whether she wants to continue the blustery saga that characterized winter 2017-2018 or allow us the pleasure of an actual spring.

As a result, we along with the plants in our gardens are frustrated and not quite sure how to dress and how to react. With colder temperatures, random snow showers, and blustery winds, expect the signs of spring and plant emergence from trees to perennials to annual flowers to be arriving later than usual.

Although difficult, we will need to be patient with plants this year and give them time to react to warmer temperatures and weather that is more consistent.

One easy way to help determine if plants are simply slow to emerge or dead are a simple scratch test. Using a small knife or even your fingernail, scratch the bark to reveal the internal stem. If green, the plant remains viable; if brown, this portion of the plant may have died back.

The important thing to do is to make sure you test numerous branches in the plant in various locations. This will give you an overall sense, as it is normal for plants to have some dieback here and there. The scratch test may reveal that only the upper portion of the plant is damaged and the internal portion is viable. For this situation, a light pruning will help to promote rejuvenation.

In addition to an overall delay, the highs and lows of this winter were especially hard on broadleaf evergreens (any plant that maintains its leaf in the winter that does not fall into the conifer category). Many plants, including Nandina, Laurel, Azalea, Boxwood, etc.. , subjected to the constant undulation in temperatures, freeze/thaw cycle and harsh winds, are showing signs of winter burn and or defoliation.

EFFECTS OF A LATE FREEZE ON BLOOMING SCHRUBS AND TREES

You may notice this as some of the plants have brown and rust color areas with plants appearing like they have been singed in a fire. Essentially, the plant is showing damage from dehydrated plant cells.

Unfortunately, there is very little can do to treat winter burn. Recommendations will depend on the severity of the burn. For mild burn, proper feeding (fertilizing) and watering will help.

The reality of winter burn is that patience comes into play again. Waiting to see if the plant pushes new buds and seeing how the plant regenerates is the ultimate answer. Unfortunately, successful rejuvenation can sometimes take an entire season if not more.

At this point, it may be more beneficial to remove the plant and consider replacement. Proper planning is key for winter burn protection; the installation of wind breaks, burlap, or application with anti-desiccants prior to winter can help.

Unfortunately, these methods are not the end all, depending on how Mother Nature is feeling. So a little patience, TLC and fortitude will be needed heading into this growing season. If you have questions, DiSabatino Landscaping has answers. Call us to assess your plantings – we can help identify what ones to nurture and which ones need replaced.