Local Experts: Landscaping Trends for 2023

Local Experts: Landscaping Trends for 2023

As your local gardenologists, the team here at Early Up are well placed to showcase the new and emerging landscaping trends for 2023.

We see the personalisation of outdoor spaces and a connection with the environment becoming popular. During the lockdowns of COVID-19, most people spent more time at home and realised there’s potential to create their own outdoor sanctuary. Whether you’d like to create a beautiful outdoor space at your home or for use in a larger commercial setting, we’ll share what’s trending for the coming year in this blog post.

Here are 5 of the Emerging Landscaping Trends for 2023…

1. Outdoor Entertaining Areas with Firepits

In 2023, more people will be enhancing the ambience of their outdoor entertaining area with firepits and lights, to create a unique atmosphere that is both comfortable and inviting. With the warmth of the firepit and the soft glow of the lights, outdoor entertaining can offer an experience like no other. Whether gathering family and friends in a welcoming and cosy setting or simply taking some time to yourself, roasting marshmallows over an open flame is always enjoyable.

Many of our landscaping clients have been investing in striking furniture pieces, fire pits, pizza ovens and water features, as well as lighting that will make their backyard the perfect spot to unwind.

2. Rustic & Homely Looks

Creating a rustic garden brings a less clean-cut and more homely feel to your outdoor space. From weathered wood and vintage accents to native flora and natural stone, the rustic style combines charm and beauty with a sense of history. Planting various trees, shrubs and flowers at different heights gives structure and texture to complete the look. Furnishings such as handmade benches or upcycled furniture add the perfect touch to create a cosy environment where you can relax, entertain or just enjoy some quiet time.

By embracing the rustic vibe, you can create a unique backyard oasis that both looks good and also helps sustain wildlife in 2023 and beyond.

3. Native Plants that Wildlife Love

Turning your yard into a haven of native flora, pollinator-friendly flowers and bird habitats has become a popular trend, especially for younger gardeners. You can nurture nature by including native trees, herbs, shrubs and edible plants in your garden. Because these plants have adapted to the local climate, planting them helps produce a fantastic green space that is full of sustainable seasonal homes and feed for birds and wildlife.

Native plants can create an oasis where humans and wildlife can thrive as one. Fortunately, there is growing awareness around the importance of sustainability and the small part we can all play in our own environments.

4. Keeping it Simple – and Relaxing

Less is more when it comes to a calming space where you can cool down and relax.

Drawing inspiration from European influences, this sophisticated style captures the essence of elegance, history and tradition. Taking some time for yourself is always beneficial, and this trend gives you the feeling of being on holiday without ever leaving your house.

When creating simplicity and relaxation in your own outdoor setting, consider limiting yourself to a specific colour palette rather than too many colours, while repeating shapes through rows or mounds can provide an especially strong optical effect.

Property owners seeking a beautiful, simplistic and relaxing landscape often enlist the help of an expert for design and installation. Our landscaping experts are happy to assist you to create your outdoor oasis. (link to landscape design services)

5. Vegetable Gardens that Feed the Family

With grocery prices escalating to an all-time high, it is no surprise that edible gardens are among the landscaping trends for 2023. Besides saving money, nothing compares to the freshness of homegrown produce. From the juicy tomato plucked right from your garden to a wholesome vegetable salad, home-grown fruits and vegetables have no parallel. Veggie gardens provide the opportunity to live off the land and give you the satisfaction of growing your own produce.

 

Need help planning out your landscaped garden? Want to know more about the emerging landscaping trends for 2023? Speak to one of our experienced team. Call us today on 0448 300 736 to arrange a quote and find out why Early Up are your local landscaping and gardening experts!

These Self Sufficient Plants Will Help Redeem Your Neglected Garden

These Self Sufficient Plants Will Help Redeem Your Neglected Garden

 

Self sufficient plants guarantee beauty and appeal with little-to-no maintenance for any garden. They provide a much-needed solution for time-poor and neglectful gardeners.

The busyness of life often gets the better of us, leaving very little time for watering or pruning the garden.

Are you a Neglectful Gardener?

Do you long for a gorgeous garden? Does your busy schedule prevent you from giving it the attention it deserves?

Kids, work, and social commitments are part of a hectic daily schedule. It’s easy for us to become distracted and neglect our gardens. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for self sufficient plants to grow and bring colour while requiring little watering or maintenance.

Top 5 Self Sufficient Plants for an Easy-Care Garden

Check out our top choices of stunning and hardy plants:

1. Lily of the Valley

Blooming with blue or white bells in the spring, these beautiful perennials also have a lovely fragrance. Once established, the Lily of the Valley can easily be left to blossom naturally.

2. Russian Sage

Russian Sage thrives in dry conditions with their striking lavender-coloured flowers in the warmer months. Requiring minimal watering, they’re ideal for the busy gardener.

3. Oak tree

In Australia’s hot and dry climate, oak trees provide generous shade in any backyard. Enjoy autumn with its large leaves in shades of red and yellow.

4. Nandina

Originating from Japan, this multi-stemmed shrub brings out stunning-coloured leaves ranging from gold to pink. Nandina is durable in extremely low and hot temperatures, adding colour to your outdoor space all year round.

5. Peace Lily

As a low-maintenance indoor plant, the Peace Lily is perfect for apartment dwellers. Bringing warmth and charm to your home, they don’t need sunshine and are happy in a brightly lit room.

 

Expert Tips to Help Revive the Neglected Garden

Beyond using self sufficient plants, the following simple steps will help restore life and beauty to your yard:

  • Take a look at the different areas and conditions of your garden, and decide which plants will work best
  • Prune and trim existing plants and give them a new lease of life
  • Rejuvenate your soil with fertiliser – organic is best
  • While it can be a dreaded chore, weeding is essential to give your new plants the best start
  • Self-sufficient plants still need some attention in the beginning – water them thoroughly and add slow-release fertiliser
  • Place a generous layer of organic mulch to ensure water retention

 

Gardening doesn’t need to be too time-consuming or difficult. By establishing a low maintenance garden based around self sufficient plants, you can have a beautiful display without all the hard work.

 

Early Up’s team of gardenologists specialise in landscaping design, garden maintenance and garden makeovers that will have your garden thriving in no time. We are your local landscape garden designers in Murwillumbah, the Tweed Coast, Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers and the Far North Coast areas. Let us help you with all your landscaping and gardening requirements.

Are you too busy to create a low maintenance garden? We can help…  Give us a call on 0448 300 736 to chat about your garden or backyard landscaping ideas today.

Related tag: landscaping services

Plants as Gifts for Christmas

Plants as Gifts for Christmas

Presenting plants as gifts at Christmas time, birthdays or any special occasion, is a unique and thoughtful option. Loved ones and friends will appreciate the life and colour it will bring into their homes now and in the future.

Give Your Loved Ones a Living Gift

Whether the lucky recipient is an avid gardener or someone who can only manage to maintain a cactus, plants as gifts symbolise friendship and connection. It’s also a meaningful way of expressing that you care about their health and well-being.

Plants make fantastic Christmas presents because:

  • Plants bring happiness and joy with their natural green beauty
  • You help add a touch of nature into their home and surroundings
  • Offering something beautiful lightens and brightens up living spaces
  • As natural air-purifiers and oxygen providers, plants promote a healthy lifestyle
  • Nurtured properly, plants are long-lasting and sustainable

Beginners or Plant Lovers – Does it Matter?

Green thumb or not, plant gifts are suitable for everyone across all gardening levels. If you are concerned about giving a plant to a friend who has never owned one, we suggest looking into low-maintenance indoor options.

For friends or relatives who are keen gardeners, the choices are endless. You could even look for a rare type of plant that may require extra attention and care.

Top 5 Plants to Give As Gifts

Every plant is unique and different. With so many types and categories to choose from, we have compiled a list of top plant gift ideas for inspiration:

1. Spider Plant

Easy to care for and only requires weekly watering, Spider Plants are perfect for the gardening newbie.

2. Peace Lily

As an ideal indoor plant, the Peace Lily brings charm to a home with glossy green leaves and stunning white buds.

3. Monstera

A vibrant large houseplant with low maintenance, the Monstera needs minimal sunlight to flourish. Best suited for larger homes.

4. Fiddle Leaf Fig

This trendy indoor tree is ideal for experienced gardeners as it requires constant watering, plenty of natural sunlight, pruning and fertilising.

5. Calathea ‘Medallion’

Nicknamed ‘prayer plants’, their leaves will open and close throughout the day. Cathalea owners will only need to water it once a week, while placing it in moderate light.

 

We highly recommend giving plants as gifts this Christmas. What better way to provide the gift recipient with an ongoing reminder of how much you care about them?

When making your choice of plant, our team can advise on the level of care required and the most suitable location for each type of plant.

As your local gardenologists, we’re the plant experts. We specialise in garden maintenance, raised vegetable gardens, garden makeovers and landscape design in Murwillumbah, the Tweed Coast, Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers and the Far North Coast areas. We love helping your plants and garden thrive!

 

Still wondering which plants to give to your family and friends this Christmas? We can definitely help you …  We invite you to call our friendly team on 0448 300 736 to chat about plants as gifts, or your garden and backyard landscaping ideas today.

The Key Benefits of Using Native Plants in Your Garden

The Key Benefits of Using Native Plants in Your Garden

Australians love a low maintenance garden, so using native plants is a great option to consider when planning your front and back yards. Aside from their resilience to our harsh climate, a native garden has many more benefits. Here at Early Up, our team of landscape garden designers have compiled our list of reasons native plants make an excellent choice for your backyard landscaping.

What are the Advantages of Planting Natives?

Most native plants are wonderfully unique to Australia. They are also invaluable to our environment, wildlife and much more.

Plant Survival

For those who don’t have a naturally green thumb, native plants may be your saving grace. Highly resilient in Australia’s ever changing and extreme conditions, native plants can survive through droughts and excess rain. They require minimal watering in their first year of growth. After that, native plants can thrive on rainfall alone.

Birds and Bees Love Them

There’s a beautiful harmony that exists between Australian natives and local wildlife. Using a variety of different native plant species in your garden offers different food sources for native birds, bees and other local animals.

Native flowers provide sweet nectar, attracting pollinators such as:

  • Hummingbirds
  • Native bees
  • Butterflies
  • Moths
  • Bats

Nuts, seeds and fruits sourced from native plants can also entice wildlife including:

  • Reptiles
  • Small mammals
  • Frogs

Your native garden also provides shelter, protecting wildlife from predators. Sit and watch your backyard flourish as a beautiful and functional wildlife sanctuary.

No Chemicals Required

Regular fertiliser and pesticide treatments are necessary for maintaining exotic plants and lawns. The main ingredients in fertiliser include phosphorus and nitrogen, which can cause excessive algae growth. This will result in a significant reduction to oxygen content in water, risking serious harm for aquatic life.

Chemical pesticides can be equally detrimental to the natural environment and wildlife. When used excessively, the toxic elements in pesticides are prone to contaminating soil and waterways.

Native gardens, on the other hand, are generally chemical-free. By using native plants in your garden, you’re helping protect remaining native vegetation, which is a vital source of food and shelter for local wildlife. Also, native plants help preserve biodiversity.

Overall, native plants contribute to thriving eco-systems which help to:

  • Clean water
  • Purify air
  • Maintain healthy soil life
  • Regulate climate
  • Provide natural resources for food

Your native garden will also be your significant contribution to a healthy, natural environment. There is no reason more meaningful and valuable than to keep native plants and animals alive and well in your backyard.

Early Up are your local Gardenologists. With our extensive experience and knowledge in native plants, we will help you create your native Australian oasis. Providing expert gardening and landscaping design, our services are available in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, Tweed Coast and across the beautiful Far North Coast of New South Wales.

Would you love to have a native garden, but don’t know where to start? Do you need more information about using native plants and which ones are best suited for your backyard conditions? Let us help! Call us today on 0448 300 736.

Top 5 Gardening Trends for 2022 on the NSW North Coast

Top 5 Gardening Trends for 2022 on the NSW North Coast

Image credit Sanctum Screens

Top 5 Landscaping and Gardening Trends for 2022

Not that we’ve settled into the new year, we want to give you a preview of the upcoming gardening trends for 2022. While the lockdowns of the past two years forced many of us to stay home, it’s been a busy time for landscape garden designers. Homeowners have turned to their immediate surroundings for inspiration, resulting in some beautiful ideas and emerging trends for gardening and backyard landscaping.

From alfresco dining spaces to gardens featuring stunning native plants, here’s our list of what’s hot and on-trend for this year. Get ready to discover your next garden project.

1. Hot right now: Stunning screens 

No more sitting on fences! Garden screens are proving to be a hugely popular option for outdoor spaces. Whether you want to add a subtle touch of privacy, create a separate section in your yard or bring some unique wall art to your property, garden screens are practical and stylish. If you’re looking for some screen inspiration, Sanctum Screens offer a vast range of stunning designs made with specialised materials of premium quality. There’s a perfect screen for just about every garden.

2. Kid-friendly Gardens to Keep Them Entertained

Gardening makes a great family activity and will encourage kids to be out in the fresh air. Why not start a weekend project together? Or create a unique fairy garden for your little ones? They won’t even notice they’re away from their screens. Most of all, you will help them discover nature and build their love for the outdoors while creating special family memories.

3. Outdoor Escapes – Find Your Sanctuary  

Since 2020, we’ve experienced a series of lockdowns, restrictions and many of us have, at some point, been in isolation and restricted to our homes. During this time, our backyards have provided a break from the mundane.

In post lockdown life, many homeowners are creating their dream alfresco dining or entertaining space or a BBQ area to help them continue enjoying the sunshine and greenery in an inviting outdoor space.

4. Indigenous Planting – Go Natural and Native! 

For a low-maintenance and sustainable garden, look no further than our indigenous and native plants. Many native plants can survive on rainfall alone.

Your garden will naturally flourish while conserving biodiversity in creating a home for native wildlife like butterflies, lizards, bees and birds.

5. Vegetable Gardens – From the Ground, Straight to the Plate

Want to make healthier, fresher meals? When you plant your own vegetable garden, you can reap and harvest the nutritional rewards of home-grown vegetables and herbs. Raised vegetable gardens will help control the soil quality, guaranteeing top-notch produce straight to your kitchen. Keep your vegetables and herbs well-watered with an irrigation system installation. As a fantastic investment, it will keep water bills down while saving you time and ensure your plants thrive.

As your local Gardenologists, we provide expert gardening and landscaping design in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, Tweed Coast and across the beautiful North Coast of New South Wales.

Are you inspired by what you see? Keen to have one of these amazing garden trends for 2022 in your backyard? Make this year at time of growth and creativity for your garden.

Let us help you create your next backyard landscaping project. Call us to learn more on  0448 300 736