Glen Ellyn Commercial Snow Removal

If you’re a commercial property owner in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, you’ve probably experienced the chaos and stress that piled up snow can bring. The humid, cold winters in Glen Ellyn often mean snowstorms and necessary snow removal for homeowners and businesses alike.

You shouldn’t have to risk traveling to your commercial property in inclement weather conditions, or spend countless business hours shoveling snow from your sidewalks, hardscapes, and parking lots.  

Stay warm and cozy inside and let the professional Glen Ellyn commercial snow removal team of Ware Landscaping take care of your winter property needs.

Commercial snow removal services often include snow plowing, shoveling, salting, and de-icing.

Why you need commercial snow removal services in Glen Ellyn

Illinois winter can usher in huge winter obstacles for commercial properties not seen in the warmer seasons. Unsafe conditions including hazardous walkways and parking lots, icy areas, and obstructed property entrances can prevent a commercial business from safely operating, and lower the curb appeal of rental properties.

With few exceptions, Illinois winters bring a lot of snow to Glen Ellyn. This can feel like a gift to kids who want to build a snowman and sled, but can quickly turn into a nightmare for commercial property owners. Even if your commercial property is vacant in the winter, you’re still required to remove any snow that may present hazards for others.

  • What you need to know about Glen Ellyn snow
  • How Ware Landscaping can help
  • Snow removal in Glen Ellyn is the property owner’s responsibility
  • Here’s what to expect with our snow removal packages
  • How you can prepare for snow removal in Glen Ellyn
  • How long commercial snow removal takes in Glen Ellyn
  • Contact Ware Landscaping for Glen Ellyn commercial snow removal

Effective commercial snow removal is crucial for maintaining the safety and accessibility of commercial properties in Glen Ellyn during the winter season

What you need to know about Glen Ellyn snow 

The greater Chicago area, including Glen Ellyn, typically sees an average of 38.4 inches of snowfall each winter and the sun may hide on even the driest winter days. This can prevent snow melt and turn older snow into dangerous ice. 

The beautiful white fluff of the first snowfall may turn into an unsightly grayish-black mound that detracts from a property’s aesthetics, too. Accumulated snow can act as a deterrent for customers or potential renters.

Snow removal is an excellent preventative measure, and it enhances the aesthetics of your property, as well.

How Ware Landscaping can help  

The snow removal specialists at Ware Landscaping understand how stressful and time-consuming winter weather can prove for commercial property owners. When ice and snow threaten the safety of your employees, guests, or renters, we can help to keep your property safe.

Blizzards, ice storms, and mild winter events may all require top-notch snow removal. Here are some of the reasons Ware Landscaping is equipped to help you:

  • We have top-grade plow trucks
  • We maintain heavy-duty, top-of-the-line snow removal equipment, including bobcats and commercial-grade snow shovels
  • We offer snow removal packages to help alleviate your stress through every winter month
  • We can remove snow from hard-to-reach areas on your commercial property
  • We will monitor the weather forecast daily to prepare to meet your snow removal and deicing needs 
  • We use Safe Paw, an eco-friendly and kid and pet-friendly rock salt alternative, to de-ice your slick parking lots and walkways. 

Snow removal in Glen Ellyn is the property owner’s responsibility 

The village of Glen Ellyn has snow management in place that takes care of plowing most residential and commercial roadways. However, any snow and ice removal within the boundaries of your commercial property is your responsibility.

You shouldn’t have to pay multiple employees or a high-earning property manager to take care of plowing your parking lots or shoveling and deicing your walkways and sidewalks. 

Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that if you fail to remove accumulated snow from your commercial property and someone falls and gets hurt, you could be held legally liable. A commercial snow removal team can quickly and efficiently handle your winter needs and keep your business operational.

Here’s what to expect with our snow removal packages

At Ware Landscaping, we understand that every client has unique snow removal and winter maintenance needs, and that you may need to reevaluate your contract from time to time. That’s why we have two different contracts for you to select.

What’s included in Ware Landscaping snow removal packages

Our snow removal packages come in one or three year bundles. Once you’ve contracted our services, you don’t have to worry about calling us every time inclement weather blows into Glen Ellyn. Our monitoring services mean that we’ll consistently manage and mitigate your needs.

Here are some of the benefits of our commercial snow removal packages:

  • De-icing of all sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots
  • Monitoring and surveillance of your property’s winter needs
  • Plowing of all parking lots
  • Shoveling of all sidewalks and walkways
  • Bucket loaders, Bobcats, shovel crews, and snow plows used to keep your commercial property clear and hazard-free
  • Safe Paw de-icer: This rock salt-alternative is salt-free and non-corrosive, unlike its standard counterpart. Safe Paw is eco-friendly and safe for kids and pets, too. We can also use Safe Paw as a preventative measure and cover your outdoor hardscapes and parking lot with it before an incoming snow or ice storm
  • Full snow removal service regardless of the size or purpose of your Glen Ellyn commercial property. Our contracts cover apartment buildings, churches, restaurants, small, medium, and large business properties, office buildings, and many more
  • 24/7 businesses can also rely on our services. At commercial properties with large storage capabilities, we may keep some of our snow removal equipment on-site. We can also use preventative measures and surveillance equipment to help make your property safe.

What are 2” trigger contracts in snow removal? 

When you’re researching snow removal services in Glen Ellyn, you may come across the phrase “2” trigger contract.” Essentially, a 2” trigger contact means that the services you’ve paid for do not kick in until at least two inches of moisture have fallen.

These contracts fail to account for the slippery and dangerous conditions that can be caused by a light dusting of snow or an inch of ice. 2” triggers mean that you’re on your own when it comes to de-icing and keeping your commercial property safe if less than two inches of moisture accumulates.

What zero-tolerance snow removal service means

The zero-tolerance snow removal service at Ware Landscaping doesn’t mean that our professionals hate and want to eradicate the beautiful snowfall that makes your landscape magical and welcoming in the winter.

Our zero-tolerance policy merely indicates that if any winter moisture should fall, we will plan on clearing your property for you. We won’t wait until your parking lot becomes an ice-skating rink to de-ice for you, either.  There’s no 2” trigger here.

How you can prepare for snow removal in Glen Ellyn

For any snow removal or maintenance that you perform on your own, remember to store your shovels safely inside a cool garage or shed setting. If a shovel blade is too warm, the snow you shovel can stick to its blade. 

You can create a DIY non-stick shovel blade too: just cover the blade in a waxy or oily substance such as cooking spray or floor wax.

Glen Ellyn commercial snow removal experts can also visit your property and cover your walkways and driveways. Safe Paw de-icer to ensure the ground below any incoming moisture melts or remains easy to remove from walkable property areas.

Remember, it’s important to maintain these surface areas in warmer seasons as well. Ensure that any driveway, sidewalk, or any other hardscape surfaces don’t have cracks and don’t collect excess water. Poorly maintained hardscapes, including driveways and sidewalks, can lead to yard drainage issues.

The professional team at Ware Landscaping understands the needs of every season, we offer packages for Spring, Summer, and Fall, too, and provide customized yard drainage solutions.

Businesses can minimize disruptions and ensure the well-being of employees and customers during snowy and icy conditions.

How long commercial snow removal takes in Glen Ellyn

In Glen Ellyn, the Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act is enforced. This law mandates that property owners have a duty of care to remove snow from their walkways and driveways. 

Although this law also applies to residential properties, it’s especially vital that commercial property owners intentionally remove any snow or ice that blocks accessibility. 

Within 48 hours of snow accumulation, your walkways and parking lot should be cleared, with exceptions made for “storm of the century” weather. Clearing your hardscapes is made easier by the equipment provided by snow removal specialists who can also provide insights on DIY preventative measures you can take. 

Contact Ware Landscaping for Glen Ellyn commercial snow removal  

For over two decades, the professional team at Ware Landscaping has helped property owners with Glen Ellyn commercial snow removal. We care deeply about our neighbors in the greater Chicago area and want to help them to realize the yards of their dreams.

Throughout the year, our landscaping services include care, design, implementation, and maintenance. You shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of commercial snow removal on your own, nor should your employees have to carve hours out of their days to take care of heavy snowfall.

Contact Ware Landscaping for a consultation today, and leave your heavy plowing and snow removal duties to us. Be sure to check out our website for insights and tips on landscaping and snow removal.

Chicago Commercial Snow Removal

Commercial property owners in Chicago understand the many obstacles that winter in the Windy City can bring. Snowed in parking lots, icy walkways, and dangerous rooftop drifts can all quickly turn into safety hazards. 

If you don’t have a strategic plan in place for snow removal from your business, you might rapidly lose business and find your property riddled with costly issues. You shouldn’t have to deal with the headaches that snow can bring on your own. 

Let the professionals at Ware Landscaping take care of your Chicago snow removal so that you can focus on running your business.

Snow removal services offered to clear snow and ice from commercial properties during the winter months.

What you should know about Chicago snow and removal

If you own a commercial property in Chicago, chances are you’ve experienced the extensive moisture and freezing temperatures of Illinois winter. The winter of 2022-2023 was warmer than most Chicago winters, and we experienced less snow than our area typically sees. However, this is an anomaly for Chicagoans who regularly contend with a lot of snow.

The fluffy white stuff can transform into problematic accumulation, thick ice, and unsightly piles of sludge and become a huge stress for commercial property owners and homeowners alike.

Whether you own an apartment building, or an operational business, it’s vital that you protect your employees, your tenants, and your clients in inclement weather. For example, if snow blocks entranceways or piles high on rooftops, someone could get hurt, and you could be found liable for their injuries.

Snow removal companies specialize in clearing snow from parking lots, ensuring that businesses can remain open and customers can safely access their facilities.

Why you need Chicago commercial snow removal services

Commercial snow removal may prove vital to the health of your business. Chicago sees a yearly average of 37 inches of snow, and winter temperatures rarely exceed 38°.F. This weather can prevent complete snow melt — even on the sunniest of cold days. Snow that isn’t removed may partially melt before freezing into dangerous ice.

Accumulated snow also tends to collect debris and air pollution. Snow can transform a landscape into magic, but it can also become black or grayish sludge which can lower your curb appeal and deter potential tenants or clients.

Professional commercial snow services can provide top-of-the-line equipment and experience to consistently take care of your snow and ice, keep your property looking great, and make your commercial property safe for visitors.

How Ware Landscaping can help  

At Ware Landscaping, we’ve helped numerous Chicago commercial property owners with snow and ice removal services. We understand the headaches and anxiety snow can create, and we’ll work hard to ensure that your property is cleared and keep your walkways ice-free. 

If snow or ice present safety threats or hazards to your daily operations, you don’t even have to call us — we monitor the weather and your property and are available throughout your snow removal contract. Our snow removal specialists can help to keep your property pristine and safe.

Inclement weather shouldn’t come in the way of your livelihood. We understand that even a moderate snowfall may require deicing and plowing. Here are some of the reasons Ware Landscaping is ready to manage your winter weather issues: 

  • We’re ready to deploy our fleet of high-end snow removal equipment, including commercial-grade shovels, Bobcats, and heavy-duty deicer 
  • We have top-of-the-line plow trucks that can efficiently clear parking lots
  • We can clear your property after each snowfall or ice storm, and keep hazardous accumulation from piling on your property
  • We won’t neglect the hard-to-reach areas of your property. For example, if you have an area of your parking lot that a plow truck can’t reach, we will use our fleet of snow removal equipment to ensure it’s cleared
  • Our snow removal services are offered in one or three-year packages. You can test our services for a full winter, and then purchase a three-year package — each package allows you peace of mind through brutal Chicago winters 
  • We monitor both your property and the weather forecast to provide customized and expedient snow removal solutions 

We understand how vital preemptive deicing can be to ensure your property remains safe. We’ll deice your property with Safe Paw, a non-corrosive rock salt alternative that’s eco, kid, and pet-friendly

What our Chicago commercial snow removal packages include

At Ware Landscaping, we provide snow removal solutions for each of our commercial clients. We provide two different contractual options (a one-year package or three-year package) to allow you to select which option might best suit your needs. However, both packages give you the benefit of our full snow removal services.  

You don’t have to worry about contracting on a weekly or monthly basis — once you’ve chosen a snow removal package, you’re set for the entire season.

Here are some of the benefits of our commercial snow removal packages:

  • Shoveled entranceways, sidewalks, and walkways after a snowfall
  • De-iced parking lots, sidewalks, walkways — both preemptive deicing and post-weather event deicing
  • Plowed parking lots
  • Monitoring of both your property and up-to-date weather forecasts
  • A fleet of top-of-the-line snow equipment and snow removal specialists at the ready, including Bobcats, Bucket loaders, Safe Paw deicer, shovel crews, and snow plows used to keep your commercial property clear and hazard-free.
  • Safe Paw de-icer: Safe Paw is a fantastic alternative to corrosive rock salt. It’s great for the environment and safe for all loved ones, kids, and pets. Safe Paw works well as a preventative measure for accumulated ice and slippery sidewalks, too. 

We’ll cover your exposed walkways and parking lots with Safe Paw to help prevent any slip and fall accidents.

  • Monitoring and service capabilities for 24/7 businesses. If your commercial property boasts storage capabilities, we may keep our equipment on site to ensure prompt snow removal. We will also monitor your property to deploy our equipment as needed.
  • Full snow removal service for your entire Chicago commercial property. This includes apartment buildings, banks, churches, hospitals, restaurants, office buildings, warehouses, and any other commercial property, regardless of the size of the property. 

How to prepare for Chicago snow removal

In the warmer seasons, you can prepare for winter weather by ensuring that your commercial property is free from yard drainage issues (to prevent future flooding), sealing up any cracks in driveways or walkways, and by putting protective sealants on your hardscape areas.

During Chicago winters, preventative deicing can keep your driveways, parking lots, and walkways warm enough to avoid accumulated ice or hard-packed snowbanks. 

The definition of zero-tolerance snow removal

Zero-tolerance snow removal means that we won’t wait for many inches of snow to fall before we act on your behalf. The snow removal specialists at Ware Landscaping understand that even a slight accumulation may require removal and safety measures.

Why we don’t use 2” trigger contracts

Many Chicago snow removal companies include a 2” trigger contract before they will perform their services for your property. This means that at least two inches of snow must fall before they will deploy their equipment and team for your property.

The downside to a 2” trigger is that slick and hazardous conditions can occur after an inch of ice, or even a slight accumulation of snow. This trigger also leaves commercial property owners on their own to deal with any dangerous icy or snowy areas of their property. 

You should be able to leave all of your ice and snow removal needs in the trusted hands of a professional team. If you have to wait for two inches of moisture to fall, you may put yourself or your employees in dangerous situations with DIY, intensive labor. 

DIY shoveling tips for Chicago snow removal 

Although DIY shoveling isn’t recommended for commercial properties, it’s vital that you know the right and wrong way to perform snow removal by yourself. Remember, shoveling heavy snow can create health issues such as heart attacks and strokes, too.

The right way to shovel snow in Chicago:

  • Use a commercial-grade snow shovel. Heavy snow can ruin budget snow shovels  
  • Store your shovels in a cool shed or garage. Warm settings can cause your shovel to become too warm and snow will stick to the blade, causing problematic snow shoveling
  • Bend with your knees
  • Shovel and dump snow with the side of the shovel, rather than with the front end
  • Lift with your legs
  • Reduce strain on your back and chest muscles by maintaining a two-handed grip, with one hand close to the shovel blade.
  • Dump the shovel when it’s half-full of snow

The wrong way to shovel snow in Chicago:

  • Bend with your back
  • Shovel and dump snow with the front of the shovel
  • Lift the snow rather than push it
  • Shovel immediately after eating or smoking 
  • Fill the shovel before you dump it
  • Shovel heavy, wet snow
  • Work until you’re exhausted, and then keep shoveling

Reputable snow removal companies should carry liability insurance to cover any potential accidents or damage that may occur during the snow removal process.

Chicago snow removal laws 

The snow removal municipal codes in Chicago mandate that commercial property owners remove ice and snow from their sidewalks and walkways. It’s your responsibility to keep your property safe for passersby and customers alike.

Chicago takes the winter safety of residents seriously, and the city even suggests that people report businesses that fail to keep their sidewalks and entryways clear of snow and ice. You and your employees shouldn’t have to worry about taking care of snow removal on top of your full workday. 

Let a professional, caring team take care of these services for you. The right Chicago commercial snow removal team can efficiently handle the impact of winter weather on your property.

Contact Ware Landscaping for Chicago commercial snow removal   

The professional team at Ware Landscaping has helped countless property owners create and protect the landscape design of their dreams. For over two decades, we have lived and worked alongside our Chicago-area neighbors and understand the obstacles that heavy snowfall can present.

Our Chicago commercial snow removal specialists have strategized, customized, and implemented solutions to ensure we can meet your needs in inclement winter weather. You shouldn’t have to take on the dangers and stress of commercial snow removal on your own. And, long after the weather of a long, bleak winter ends, we can help you to create the yard of your dreams.

Our Spring, Summer, and Fall landscaping care and maintenance packages include vital services such as clean-up, top soil erosion protection, and lawn mowing. We can also help you with yard grading, yard drainage solutions, and creation and implementation of hardscapes and landscapes, among other services.

Connect with Ware Landscaping today, and leave the heavy labor of snow removal duties to us. You can also check out our website for resources and tips on landscaping, yard drainage solutions, and snow removal. 

Residential Landscaping Ideas – Home Landscaping Tips 

Your home’s landscape has a major impact on your property’s curb appeal and functionality. With the right residential landscaping ideas, you can increase your home’s value, provide privacy, help manage stormwater runoff, and give your family beautiful areas to relax, play, or entertain. 

Whether you’re looking for a total landscape makeover or just want to spruce things up, creating the right residential landscape for your needs and style takes careful planning and expertise. 

Home landscaping tips and ideas for residential lots

Ware Landscaping has been helping Naperville’s homeowners create beautiful, long-lasting landscaping for more than 20 years. We have designed gorgeous, functional landscapes for small and large lawns, front and back yards, side yards, courtyards, patios, walkways, pool decks, outdoor dining areas, gardens, and much more. 

We love to create designs that are on trend but also timeless. Most importantly, your home should feel like home to you, which means that we customize each design to your specific needs and wishes. 

As we have designed countless landscapes for today’s homeowner, we have a wealth of ideas and knowledge about what works in today’s residential landscape design. 

35 Residential Landscaping Ideas for Your Home

Let’s take a look at 35 of the best residential landscaping ideas that you can implement into your home’s exteriors. 

Simple and elegant fencing for a residential lot

Elegant or Simple Fencing

A simple wooden or beautiful wrought iron fence can add charm while also creating a boundary around parts of your yard. If you need a fence for practical reasons, such as privacy or keeping a pet in your yard, you can choose a design that matches your home’s aesthetic and adds to the ambiance of your yard.

Structured Greenery

Add formal structure with sculpted boxwood spheres, hedges, and topiaries throughout your garden beds and boundaries. It contrasts beautifully with loose, informal plantings.

Stone Walls & Partitions

A partial stone wall that flanks a patio or seating area can define the space in a natural-looking way. It provides a lot of visual interest, as well as a practical division between walkways and gardens.

Flowers with Big Blooms

Lining your front walkway or driveway with a border of flowering shrubs, hedges or perennials creates colorful curb appeal. Hydrangeas and lavender work well for this!

Intentional Paint Colors

Use earthy green paint colors on fences, structures, and furniture to make them recede into the plantings. If you have any frustrating eyesores that you can’t remove, you can disguise them with colors that blend into your landscaping.

Gravel on garden soil

Gravel

Gravel comes in lots of shapes, sizes, and colors, which makes it a versatile landscaping option for yards, gardens, walkways, and driveways. Gravel provides a great backdrop for lush potted plants and trees.

Window Boxes

Add charming window boxes brimming with flowers and trailing greenery to play up your home’s architecture. They instantly boost curb appeal, too!

Native Plants

We always recommend that you choose native plants suited for your climate and environment to create a lush yet low maintenance landscape design. Many native plants are drought-tolerant too.

Faux Plant Wall

Using faux plants to create the look of a living plant wall without the maintenance. You can install these plant walls on fences, walls, and more. It’s inexpensive, easy to install and easy to take down, and great for adding a trendy look.

Flower-Lined Driveway

Line your driveway with grasses, big blooming flowers, groundcover, evergreens, shrubs, or other visually appealing plants to soften the hardscape and add colorful interest. 

Outdoor landscaped garden dining and lounge area

Outdoor Dining

Extend happy hour outdoors by adding a fun outdoor bar, kitchen, or dining area. Whether it’s portable or built-in, you can create a stylist outdoor dining space that is practical and gorgeous. Don’t forget to add great exterior lighting to extend your use of this area in your yard into the evening hours.

Deck or Patio

Create a designated seating area without grass by installing a platform deck or patio surrounded by hardscape and ornamental plantings. Wooden decks are one option, but so are pavers and tiles!

Shaded Pergola

A pergola offers a gorgeous ornamental focal point while also creating shade and the potential for a seating area or garden. Pergolas can be decked out with exterior lighting to stand out at night, too.

Integrated Design

Choose plants, building materials, and features that seamlessly integrate with your home’s existing architecture, style, and setting. This prevents glaring contradictions 

Outdoor Play Zone

Create a dedicated entertainment area with an outdoor games zone on a covered patio with items like pool or foosball tables, dartboards, TVs, or bar game tables.This is such a fun way to turn your backyard into a popular hangout spot for your family and friends.

Your Own Private Retreat

If you have a woodsy area in your yard, consider building an off-the-grid camping or glamping hideaway! You can add a deck, a yurt, outdoor furnishings, and all of the creature comforts – all while home is just a stone’s throw away! What a great way to escape from it all while staying comfortable.

Water Fountain in in a residential garden

Water Fountains, Small Ponds, and Birdbaths

Even just a small water fountain, pond, or waterfall feature can add both visual and auditory interest! Placing these near seating areas creates a more relaxing environment. Placing them farther away from lots of activity turns them into a delightful bird and wildlife-attracting feature.

Ivy Canopy

Fig ivy and other vine varieties that attach to surfaces create beautiful canopies overhead when grown on arbors, pergolas, or fences. These are beautiful and shady!

Hedges

Use strategically placed hedges and screens to delineate different functional areas within your overall landscape, like dining spaces, lounging zones, garden beds, and more.

Dining Area Right In the Middle of Your Garden

Carve out a special dining or seating space right in the midst of your garden beds and plantings for an immersive outdoor experience.

Trees With Interesting Silhouettes

Choose trees with unique silhouettes, bark textures, heights, or weeping branches to create living sculpture and drama even in small yards. Just a few different kinds of trees will offer some great contrast.

Multi-Level Landscapes

One of the best ways to make your landscaping unique is to incorporate multi-level patios, decks, and landscaping into your yard’s design for visual interest and expanded usability. If you are lucky enough to have some natural hills, you can take advantage of them with this method!

Stylish Garden Shed

Garden sheds don’t need to be eyesores! Tuck a cute, customized garden shed into the landscape to stash tools and bring additional character to your green spaces. For the best results, build or buy one that matches the existing design and aesthetic of your home.

Beautiful Fire Pit

It’s a great feeling to gather around a fire pit or chiminea to warm up outdoors on chilly nights. Place it on a patio or natural stone area, and make sure it blends in well with the overall landscape design.

Outdoor Shower

Indulge in an invigorating outdoor shower experience surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature through strategic layout and plant screening. Outdoor showers may not be an option for every home, but if you’re lucky enough to have the space and the privacy, an outdoor shower can be a really cool exterior feature.

Climbing Vines

Strategically place climbing vines on fences, walls, arbors, or trellises throughout the yard to add vertical greenery and privacy.

Conversation Pit

An intimate sunken gathering area around a fire pit or fireplace using materials like stone and gravel will give you a perfect place to entertain, socialize, and relax. For a traditional conversation pit look, add curved seating.

Pops of Bright Colors

In addition to blooming flowers, you can add pops of color in the form of paint, stained glass, pottery, and furniture. This energizes yards and gardens that are a bit too neutral in their coloring.  

Zen Garden

Create a peaceful zen garden with raked gravel or sand, stone accents, and minimal plantings to evoke an Asian-inspired design.

English Garden

Go with a traditional English garden by planting roses and classic cottage flowers, plus hedges. This romantic look is always in style.

Sculptures

Add unique sculptural accents like decorative pots, statues, gazing balls, animal topiaries, or garden art for whimsical flair.

Privacy Trees

A number of fast-growing evergreens (like arborvitae) or hedge-friendly deciduous trees (like American Hornbeam) can be planted close together to form a living screen between you and the rest of the world. Get privacy from your neighbors and the public by creating nature’s fencing. 

Vegetable & Herb Garden

Many vegetables and herbs work very well in pots and raised beds, which means you can use attractive planters to enjoy growing some of your own food.

Outdoor solar lamps to illuminate the garden walkway

Garden Lighting

Use creative lighting like lanterns, spotlights, and string lights to illuminate your walkways and gardens. This accentuates the landscapes that make your property special.

Sustainable Choices

Choose native plants, efficient irrigation, permeable hardscaping, and recycled materials to increase sustainability and reduce environmental impact.

Ready to see these ideas come to life? 

With these 35 amazing residential landscaping ideas to spark your imagination, you’re probably feeling inspired to create the outdoor oasis of your dreams

Bring your vision to life by contacting the experienced team at Ware Landscaping today. Whether you need a total yard transformation or just want to add some special touches, the team of landscaping professionals at Ware is ready to make your ideal residential landscape a reality. 

Schedule a consultation with Ware Landscaping now to get the conversation started and turn your property into your own private paradise! 

7 Tips for Improving Yard Drainage

Having problems with a waterlogged lawn or standing water in the wrong areas? You’re probably dealing with poor yard drainage. If this is the case, then look for drainage specialists in Naperville who can help you by providing solutions. There could be several reasons your lawn has too much water, like soil compaction, debris, and poor slope.

The next time you have ongoing drainage issues, try these seven yard drainage tips for improving drainage in your lawn.

Front yard with dry creek bed

Why doesn’t my yard drain well?

When it comes to diagnosing your lawn’s drainage problems, it could be a variety of things. Your soil might be in poor condition, your lawn’s slope is bad, you don’t have enough downspouts — or plenty of other problems. 

Some of the most common reasons for poor yard drainage are:

  • Too much clay content – Clay in soil helps retain nutrients and moisture. But if it’s too dense, it retains too much water.
  • High water table – The water table is an area where the soil is completely saturated with water, causing the water to fill all the gaps between sediment, rocks, and particles. If the water table is too high, it may take in more water than it can drain.
  • Buried debris – If your yard has areas that look dead or discolored, check for underground wood, rocks, and other debris that can impede the drainage of your soil.
  • Compacted soil and hardpans – When heavy machinery and foot traffic push down the soil, it reduces pore spaces for water and air. Too much compaction can lead to hardpans, which are hardened layers of soil or clay just below the surface. Hardpans don’t absorb water, making the top layer of lawn waterlogged.
  • Slope – Areas at the base of hills or slopes tend to have drainage problems because stormwater collects there.
  • Gutter downspout – The downspout is the vertical pipe that attaches to your gutter and channels water down to the ground. If the downspout is not long enough, it could release water into the soil too quickly, causing muddy pools to form in your garden.
  • Walkways – Pathways near your home can obstruct runoff from making it to a storm drain, leading to poor landscape drainage. This causes the water to collect in the soil, potentially damaging plants and grass.

Now that you know what causes drainage issues, let’s look at 10 yard drainage tips to address drainage problems.

Puddle in a flooded lawn with green grass

Install a french drain

A French drain is a trench dug in your yard that is filled with gravel or rock. It redirects surface water and groundwater away from one area and toward another. Choosing the right spot for a French drain is critical because it relies on gravity to draw the water downward toward it.

Putting in a French drain isn’t a simple task — you’ll have to take a lot of measurements and determine the depth of the drain pipe. If you want a French drain installed properly, and in the right spot in your yard, you may want to contact a professional for help which can help you with French drain installation in Naperville.

Build a rain garden

A rain garden is an area of your lawn that’s been dug out or is naturally depressed. It collects rain water from your roof, driveway, street, or wherever water tends to gather. You fill your rain garden with plants that help absorb and filter the excess water. This prevents it from flooding your lawn.

To build a rain garden, you’ll need to remove about two or three feet of soil, make sure your base is level, build a berm, and install a catch basin for any overflow.

Grade your landscape

When your lawn has a natural slope to it, it’s common for rainwater to gather and flood the base of the slope. To correct this problem, you may need to have your lawn regraded. This involves leveling out the land so water flows properly, without flooding.

Leveling your landscape can be a big job, so you might want to call a professional landscaper to help you with this yard drainage tip.

Install permeable pavers

A permeable paver is a specially designed paver to help promote good drainage. They’re usually made of a porous material so that stormwater can flow through them or between the gaps in between pavers. They also tend to be wider than normal pavers.

Installing permeable pavers in areas where there tends to be a lot of storm runoff can help prevent the water from flowing to your lawn.

Cement drain basket for french drain with grate on top

Clean your gutters and add downspouts

One of the simplest things you can do to promote healthy lawn drainage and prevent water problems inside your home is cleaning out your gutters. It’s not a fun chore but it’s necessary to do about one or two times per year.

When gutters and downspouts are full of leaves or other debris, it can cause them to overflow and release excess water on your lawn. This can lead to a situation where the basement will become flooded, and you will require a team who specializes in Naperville flooded basement maintenance.

Aerate

Lawn aeration is piercing your lawn with a lot of holes to help break up the soil and let it breathe. It allows more air to get into your soil and can also help resolve compaction problems. Additionally, it also encourages the growth of worms and other tiny plants and animals that need oxygen and can enrich your soil.

The best time of year to aerate your lawn is usually late spring or early summer — during peak growing season so that it recovers quickly.

Build a dry creek bed

A dry creek bed is an area of your lawn where you add rocks or gravel. When it rains, water flows through the bed, turning it into a small creek. It helps with redirecting water in a quick, controlled way, thanks to the use of river rock.

When you build a creek bed, you’ll want it to lead to a drainage area such as a catch basin. By running over the rocks rather than seeping into your soil, a dry creek bed is an esthetic way to deal with lawn drainage problems. These are just some ways that make your drainage beautiful.

Solve drainage problems in your yard

When your lawn has too much water, don’t lose your cool. Try one of these DIY yard drainage tips to see if the problem goes away. You can opt anytime for a Naperville professional landscape drainage. Or, you might consider calling a professional landscaper to help with your drainage issues. It is important to solve your drainage problems before winter.

At Ware Landscaping, we’ve been helping homeowners and business owners in Naperville and Chicago with their lawn drainage problems. Contact us today for a free consultation for your lawn.

Gardens Made Easy: Low-Maintenance Ideas

What if you want to have a beautiful garden but don’t have a lot of time to spend planting, weeding, edging, watering, landscaping, and doing all of the other essential gardening tasks? 

That’s when you need some of our favorite low-maintenance garden ideas! As professional landscapers, we love to tackle big projects, but we also know the value of having a beautiful and manageable home garden.

An elevated wooden garden box for plants

Why are low-maintenance gardens a good idea? 

Low-maintenance gardens are great for so many reasons! There are plenty of people who benefit from a simpler approach to gardening. 

Let’s think about some of the excellent reasons why homeowners may choose an easy-to-maintain garden instead of some kind of expansive landscaping plan. 

Limited time

Plenty of people have big demands on their time, and little room to add gardening tasks to their daily or weekly responsibilities. Maybe you have an intense work schedule or a long commute. You might spend a ton of time taking your kids to school, sports, and other activities. 

Physical limitations

Some gardening ideas are easier and more accessible for people with disabilities or physical limitations. Mobility issues don’t have to take away your option to have a beautiful or fruitful garden. If you have physical limitations, look for ideas that reduce the need for lifting, bending, and other strenuous activities. 

Experience level

Beginner gardeners often benefit from starting with a more attainable plan for gardening. You don’t have to know how to do everything at once! In fact, learning a little bit more every year is a great strategy. 

Tight budgets

Low-maintenance gardens require less of a financial investment. You don’t have to skip the benefits of a garden just because you need to stick to a budget. You can have a simple but attractive garden through many of these ideas! 

Aesthetic preferences

Some prefer a large, impeccably maintained garden with exotic plants and unusual trees and shrubs. But that’s not for everyone! There are many people who prefer the wild, natural look of native plants and grasses. Less maintenance lends itself perfect to some aesthetics! 

The bottom line is that low-maintenance gardening makes the passion of gardening more enjoyable for many people. This approach to gardening focuses on strategic plants and methods to limit work and maximize rewards.

Perennial garden flower bed during spring

8 of Ware Landscaping’s favorite low-maintenance gardening ideas

We are excited to share 8 of our favorite low-maintenance gardening ideas that can work for just about anyone! Let’s talk about how to make it easy to create a garden you can enjoy. 

Raised Beds

A raised bed, sometimes called a garden box, elevates the soil so that you don’t have to bend down as far when you take care of your plants. 

Raised beds are available in many styles and materials. They can be built right on the ground, or they can be elevated so that you don’t have to bend over at all to plant, weed, or harvest. Common materials include:

  • Cedar 
  • Other sturdy wooden planks
  • Recycled plastic
  • Bricks
  • Corrugated metal

If you are on a budget, you can even use scrap material from other projects, such as cinder blocks, patio pavers, fallen limbs, and straw bales. 

Because you don’t walk in a raised bed, the soil avoids becoming compacted. This means a less labor-intensive process to get ready for spring planting! Raised beds are great for flowers, vegetables, herbs, and almost anything you want to plant. 

Drip irrigation

A drip irrigation system takes some effort to put together, but once it is installed, you have to do far less watering of your garden. Drip irrigation systems deliver water slowly but directly to the plant’s roots. 

It’s a great strategy for water conservation, too! The water goes directly to the roots of the plant, and you waste a lot less water overall. 

We like to recommend drip irrigation to people who travel a lot or are frequently away from home. All you need to do is connect your irrigation system to a timer. That way, you know exactly when your plants are getting water, and how much water they are getting. 

Gardening tools and utensils on a lush green lawn

Native plants 

If you are trying to figure out what will thrive in your garden, look no further than the list of native plants in your area. A plant is considered native in the US if it grew in a place before the colonization of North America. This means that native plants have had hundreds of years – if not more! – to adapt to the area’s ecosystem, climate, and other environmental factors. 

Native plants are hardier, require less water, and are easier to grow. They are a great option for people who are new to gardening and want to start with some particularly accessible plants. 

Some native plants that do particularly well in Illinois are: 

  • White Yarrow: Perennial flower that thrives in full sun and drier conditions. Has fern-like leaves and flat-topped clusters of small white flowers. Attracts pollinators.
  • Sweet Flag: Clump-forming, grass-like herb that grows well in moist soil and shallow water. Has a sweet, spicy fragrance. Provides habitat for birds.
  • Northern Maidenhair Fern: Delicate fern with lacy, light green foliage. Requires consistently moist, humus-rich soil and partial to full shade. Goes dormant in winter.
  • Anise Hyssop: Upright perennial with fragrant, licorice-scented leaves and purple flower spikes. Thrives in average to dry soil in full sun or part shade.
  • Ladies Leek: Early spring wildflower. Bell-shaped, nodding flowers on a thin stalk. Grows in rich, moist woods and floodplains. Dies back by summer.
  • Prairie Serviceberry: Large shrub or small tree with white flowers in spring and edible red berries in summer. Tolerates variety of conditions but prefers full sun.
  • Blue Star: Clumping perennial that blooms with light blue flowers in spring. Does best in well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Remove spent blooms.
  • Meadow Anemone: Delicate white flowers on plants 6-12″ tall. Grows well in moist prairies, meadows and open woodlands. Spreads by rhizomes.
  • Canadian Columbine: Attractive perennial with red and yellow bell-shaped blooms. Self-seeds readily. Thrives in light to moderate shade.

Perennials

Do you want to avoid the stress of replanting your flower garden every year? Then the answer to your gardening woes is perennials!

Although investing in perennials has a higher initial price point than annuals, you get the benefit of seeing them return year after year with minimal work on your part. Some of our favorite perennials for low-maintenance gardens include: 

  • Daylilies: Spread rapidly and come back with almost no work
  • Russian Sage: thrives in rocky soil where other plants struggle to grow
  • Lavender: needs little water and looks great in a border or hedgerow
  • Sedum: looks like a succulent and is lovely even when it’s not in bloom
  • Salvia: comes in a great variety of colors
  • Iris: great if your yard is shady

Containers

Containers, like raised beds, allow you to have plentiful flowers without too much effort. For an easy garden, give this strategy a try!

Soil quality is key, so fill pots with a premium potting mix that drains well and nourishes plants. Choose compact annuals or perennials suited to containers that don’t require frequent watering or pruning. You can arrange pots on patios, walkways and entryways for a pretty pop of color. 

Container plants are perfect for those with limited space, poor soil or inability to tend traditional beds. Just make sure to use containers large enough to help retain moisture. With the right plants and soil, container gardening is an effortless way to add beauty.

Low-mow grass

For a lush lawn that doesn’t require frequent mowing, select a slow-growing grass variety. Fescue is a great option that looks lush but only requires mowing 4-5 times a year. If you don’t mind a shaggy look, you may be able to get away with even less mowing. The types of lawn you choose are also important, so you should find out if organic lawn is better and you can take care of it.

Gardening tools 

Investing in quality tools makes gardening so much easier and more enjoyable! When it comes to bypass pruners, garden spades and forks, trowels, hand cultivators, shears, and rakes, choose ergonomic handles that fit your hand comfortably. This will reduce strain. 

Cushioned grips feel better than cheaper ones without any sort of comfort cushioning. Lightweight hoses are easier to move around your garden than heavy ones. High-quality tools that you keep sharp will require less force and effort. 

Sturdy, well-designed tools make tending your garden so much easier! 

The easiest solution to low-maintenance gardening: hire the team at Ware Landscaping to do it for you! 

If you are ready to enjoy the beauty of a captivating garden without the hassle, contact Ware Landscaping today for a free consultation. 

Discover how we can transform your Naperville-area home or business into an enchanting oasis that demands low or even no maintenance! You don’t have to have endless amounts of time, energy, experience, or ability to get your dream garden, because we can do it all for you. 

Commercial Landscaping Ideas – Commercial Landscape Tips

No matter what industry you are in, first impressions are crucial. 

Beyond offering top-notch products and services, successful companies understand the importance of a captivating physical environment. This is where commercial landscaping ideas that can inspire your creativity become a powerful tool for enhancing your property’s aesthetic, improving your company’s image, and ultimately boosting business.

Let’s explore innovative landscaping ideas that will transform your outdoor space into a mesmerizing landscape. From sustainable elements to strategic plantings and functional hardscaping, discover how thoughtful landscaping can set your company apart.

Before we get to our favorite landscaping ideas for your commercial property, let’s take a look at some basic rules and guidelines for designing excellent commercial landscaping.

Landscape surrounding commercial buildings

Tips & Tricks for Commercial Landscaping Design

Here is some insider knowledge about making your office, shop, or other facility look amazing.

Pay attention to how colors, textures, and design elements can evoke emotions. What do you want people to experience when they visit your business? Landscaping can create a sense of positivity and enthusiasm, just like it can create anxiety and doubt. 

Look at how successful businesses in your area are landscaping their properties. Do your competitors offer a sparse, minimalistic design? Or is your industry more likely to be a maximalist’s dream? Think of it this way: a real estate office is probably going to have a different landscaping aesthetic than a whimsical little gift shop. What kind of designs would fit into your neighborhood, and what would stick out and make you look outdated or overwhelmed? 

Consider the importance of sustainability. It feels great to be able to live up to your values when it comes to sustainability, and customers appreciate knowing it, too. Don’t forget that sustainability also means that you can sustain the landscaping. Don’t splurge on an incredibly complex landscape design if you are not going to invest in its upkeep.

Complement the architecture and appearance of your building. Choose plants, materials, colors, and design elements that enhance the existing design, rather than overwhelming or clashing with it. 

Keep sightlines open to the business entrance and all important signs. Don’t let overgrown landscaping prevent customers from being able to figure out how to get into your business. 

Use native, drought-resistant plants to reduce maintenance and water usage. Here in Illinois, some great drought-resistant plants are huckleberry, purple beautyberry, red twig dogwood, big bluestem, side-oats grama, hackberry, yarrow, rock cotoneaster, blue false indigo, purple coneflower, and bundleflower. 

Create visual interest by varying the heights, textures, and colors in your landscaping. You should try to avoid landscaping that is all one height or type. Having some diverse plants with a variety of appearances will help create a more intentional and attractive space. 

Integrate hardscaping with your landscaping. Hardscaping includes sidewalks and walkways, patios, benches, sitting areas, and retaining walls. Landscaping isn’t just about plants; it is also about creating a usable outdoor space to showcase your company’s professionalism. 

10 On-Trend Commercial Landscaping Ideas That Will Last for Years

When it comes to commercial landscaping ideas, there are good reasons to balance trendy and timeless elements when designing commercial landscaping. 

On Trend:

  • Captures attention and interest by using popular plants, materials, colors etc. This can help attract new customers and clients.
  • Creates a sense of modernity and conveys that a business keeps up with current tastes and styles. This can enhance their image.
  • Takes advantage of the newest landscaping innovations in sustainability, technology, materials. Keeps things fresh.

Timeless:

  • Prevents the need for costly renovations when trends change. Landscaping is a big investment that companies want to maximize over time.
  • Establishes the business as reliable and enduring rather than fleetingly fashionable. Promotes stability and wisdom.
  • Often incorporates natural materials like stone, wood, foliage that retain timeless beauty and don’t appear dated.
  • Allows for flexibility to add trendy accents over time without uprooting entire schemes.

The ideal commercial landscaping has visual interest that captures attention and projects modernity, paired with classic elements that stand the test of time. Well-chosen plants, materials and design can balance current relevance with enduring style for maximum return on investment.

Let’s talk about 10 ideas that will help you achieve that perfect blend of trendy and timeless. 

Use lots of color

Using a vibrant, diverse plant palette creates visual excitement and interest for your business. Bright flowers, foliage, and landscaping materials reflect energy and dynamism. Color also attracts attention from passing traffic and pedestrians, which helps with brand visibility. Choose both trendy tropical tones like vibrant orange along with classic colors like peaceful blue or white for timeless impact.

Create an outdoor seating area

An inviting outdoor seating area provides a functional space for customers to relax and enjoy the landscape. Many employers also use outdoor seating areas to give their employees a chance to relax, socialize, and feel comfortable in the workplace. 

A beautiful outdoor seating area promotes community and connection. You can use trendy materials like modern outdoor furniture paired with natural elements like stone planters or vines climbing on trellises. All of these strategies encourage customers to stay longer – which, of course, boosts business! 

Improve your outdoor lighting

Thoughtful lighting extends the beauty and functionality of landscapes into the evening. Uplighting trees or illuminating architectural features creates dramatic ambiance. LEDs are an energy-efficient trend, and you can ppt for timeless fixtures that maintain a classic, elegant look over time. Lighting improves safety and makes spaces more welcoming. Nighttime visibility makes your workplace more secure

Fix any irrigation issues

Faulty irrigation wastes water, allows plants to decline, and creates unsightly issues like flooding and erosion. Meanwhile, fixing it improves both sustainability and aesthetics. Drip irrigation and smart sensors are useful trends that promote precision watering. 

Proper irrigation is a timeless foundation of healthy landscapes. It’s a wise investment for longevity and curb appeal.

Commercial building with landscaping and hardscaping

Combine hardscaping and landscaping

Blending hardscaping like patios, walkways, and fencing with soft landscaping creates a cohesive look. It’s also practical: trendy permeable pavers allow water absorption, classic materials like stone and wood pair beautifully with plants, and hardscaping directs foot traffic and defines functional spaces. The combination of hardscaping and landscaping certainly boosts the visual appeal of your property. For this, you will need effective landscape contractors that will get the job done.

Think about seasonal changes

It is important to plan landscaping that provides year-round interest. Landscaping that only works in one or two seasons of the year is not going to work for a business that is open year-round!

Evergreen shrubs retain color in winter while plants with fall flowers, foliage or berries add seasonal variety. Trendy tropical plants mix with conventional bloomers for extra color in the summer. In the fall, trees with branching patterns and bark textures stand out when leaves drop. Planning for all seasons makes landscapes dynamic yet consistent. 

Create visual interest and focal points

Curate a diversity of colors, textures, heights and shapes to develop engaging vignettes. Visual complexity attracts and holds your customers’ attention. 

You can use trendy succulents in the summer, which contrast with bold tropical leaves or delicate ornamental grasses. Interesting features like sculptures, water features, and large statement planters will direct visitors’ eyes to your property. 

Use dramatic elevation and terracing for hilly sites 

Is your business located on a hilly site with varied topography? You can take advantage of these natural contours to create visual drama. Terraces, retaining walls, and multi-level design elements are commercial landscaping ideas that can provide the structural “bones” of your landscaping. 

Trendy materials include gabion walls and wooden retaining walls, and these pair beautifully with classic stone staircases, carefully selected plants, and beautiful flowerbeds. 

Direct the flow of traffic

Strategic landscaping can subtly guide visitors to and from parking areas, entrances, exits and other destinations. Carefully placed planters frame the pathways and establish those clear sightlines we mentioned earlier in this article. 

Develop a maintenance plan

Maintaining your landscaping is essential. After all, unkempt landscaping is stressful for business owners and unappealing to customers. Additionally, proper maintenance protects your investment and prevents safety hazards. 

Consistent upkeep keeps your landscapes looking pristine. It’s rare for business owners to have enough time to manage their landscaping entirely on their own – and that’s okay! You have a business to run. Instead of worrying about landscaping, hire a team of professionals who can manage your design, implementation, and maintenance.

A commercial building with landscaping at the front entrance

Ware Landscaping can create beautiful and functional commercial landscapes

Let Ware Landscaping bring your business landscape visions to life. As we have demonstrated in this article, thoughtful commercial landscaping elevates your company’s image, boosts curb appeal and brand identity, improves sustainability, and helps attract new customers. 

With over 20 years of experience and commercial landscaping ideas that can give any property a major upgrade, Ware Landscaping can expertly manage the design, installation, and ongoing maintenance of innovative landscapes tailored specifically for your business. Every design is unique and customized to your business needs. 

Whether you need eye-catching focal points, wayfinding for improved traffic flow, or a combination of trendy and timeless elements, Ware Landscaping has the skills and knowledge to make it happen. We handle all aspects of commercial landscaping, from dramatic terracing and elevations to lush plantings, striking hardscaping features, and even snow removal in winter. Our full-service capabilities also include irrigation, drainage solutions, and landscape lighting to extend your exterior ambiance into the evening.

Bring your commercial property to the next level with a landscape that reflects your brand story and engages customers. 

Contact Ware Landscaping today for a complimentary consultation. Let’s start a conversation about how our experts can design, construct, and maintain outdoor spaces that will impress clients and boost your bottom line. We look forward to breathing life into your business landscape vision.

11 Ways to Make Your Drainage Ditch Look Beautiful

Your yard drainage system is vital to the care and health of your yard. Yard drains allow rainwater runoff to distribute evenly throughout your property, prevent flooding and soil erosion, and keep your yard swamp-free.

However, without a little TLC, the drainage ditch can prove to be an unsightly feature of your garden.

You probably don’t dream of the french drains or dry wells that you can add to your yard, but implementing the right yard drainage system will be one of the most important decisions you can make for your property. The right landscaping team can help you integrate your drainage ditch to actually improve your property’s aesthetics. Naperville French drain installation is one of the benefits of hiring a team that can help you in creating the drainage you want.

Below we list some ways to help create a drainage ditch system almost as beautiful as your favorite plants and flowers.

Drainage ditch in a garden

11 Tips to Make Your Drainage Ditch Look Beautiful

Use your existing landscape to beautify your drainage ditch

One of the easiest ways to make your drainage ditch beautiful is to use rocks you already include in your landscape design. These rocks can create unique borders to direct water flow to the ditch and prevent flooding.

You can quickly implement a simple redesigned landscape by utilizing existing pebbles, small and large rocks, mulch, and plants to create the borders. A professional landscaper can work with you to ensure the borders promote correct water flow direction and assist in drainage.

Grates can cover your drainage system

If your drainage ditch isn’t incorporated into your landscaping design, it can become an eyesore. Our team specializes in Naperville landscape drainage design and can help with your drainage being incorporated. Exposed sediment, debris, and standing water will be exposed for all to see and could attract unwanted insects, such as mosquitos, which can be dangerous according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Commercial grates may not sound visually appealing, but they offer a simple and quick cover for a drainage ditch, and still allow for disbursement of water runoff. Grates can also be aesthetically enhanced as you can use a variety of grate designs and colors, which allow you to match the grate to the look of your garden area.

River rocks will make your drainage ditch beautiful  

River rocks are small, smooth, and round, and are a popular choice for landscape features. They can be found at most landscaping and garden stores, and allow water to be absorbed into your topsoil. These rocks can quickly transform the appearance of your drainage ditch.

For example, river rocks can be used to fill a drainage ditch and create the appearance of a riverbed in your yard. You can also express your creativity by adding plants to the edge of your drainage ditch to complete your personal riverbed, or you can use bricks and paving stones to create a more formal aesthetic.

Rocks walls can enhance your landscape

If your drainage ditch is located near the end of your driveway, a rock wall can provide a beautiful ditch cover. A rock wall can simultaneously act as a container for the garden bed and cover the drainage pipe.

For an additional personal touch, add mulch and your favorite plants to a garden bed above the rock wall and drainage area.

Eclectic looks reflect your personality

If you’re looking for a more interesting and eclectic look for your drainage ditch area, you can create a unique look to reflect your personality. Consider incorporating this look into your entire landscape. If you’re a commercial property owner, eclectic looks can thematically reflect your business brand.

For eclectic coverage of drainage ditches you can combine:

  • Pebbles
  • Large rocks
  • Mulch
  • Ferns
  • Ornamental mosses
  • Asymmetrical and symmetrical design
  • A natural, beautiful landscape flow

Drainage ditch set up professionally

Waterfalls can make your drainage ditch beautiful

Waterfalls are an excellent feature to add to any landscape design. However, the benefits of a waterfall go far beyond the aesthetic “wow” factor. Waterfalls can promote excellent drainage by utilizing and absorbing excess runoff water.

A garden waterfall can blend in with your drainage ditch and naturally incorporate it into your garden. Fountains and other water features work well, too.

Japanese gardens promote understated elegance

Japanese gardens are famously beautiful, can work well with your drainage ditch, and can increase your commercial or residential property value. These features also provide an excellent outdoor space for mediation.

Traditional Japanese gardens combine raked gravel, sand, and various trees and plants to create elegant beauty. They can have natural borders and appear to seamlessly blend in with the rest of your yard. However, they can also use concrete edging, pebbles, and paving stones to make their borders more distinct. Remember that we must combine the aspect with functionality so there will not be any case where you might need a Naperville flooded yard repair service.

Potted plants can add beauty to your yard

Potted plants are a great and cost-effective approach to make your drainage ditch look beautiful. Surround the ditch with your favorite potted perennials or annuals for a gorgeous and environmentally-friendly feature.

Bridges and walkways create amazing appeal

For larger yards, small bridges or walkways can run atop a yard drainage ditch and add fantastic depth to your property. Consider adding a floral-covered or wrought iron arch over a bridge or walkway for additional elegance.

For example, a wooden bridge might work well with your rustic landscape, and a cobblestone walkway could enhance a country theme.

Bird and squirrel feeders attract incredible wildlife

If you’re a homeowner with kids who love nature, you can dress up your drainage ditch with bird and squirrel feeders. Kids will delight in watching birds and squirrels up close. Installing a bird bath could attract cardinals, robins, chickadees, and even the herons known to populate the Chicago area in summer months.

A butterfly garden is another amazing option to incorporate around your drainage ditch, and a project that could involve the whole family.

Rain barrels add a decorative touch     

Consider adding rain barrels to the edge of downspouts to increase the appeal of your drainage ditch area. You can also conserve water by using what the barrels collect to water your garden or indoor plants.

Drainage ditch infographic

A neglected drainage ditch can become an unsightly eyesore. We need drainage systems to keep our yards healthy and thriving, but how can we beautify a drainage ditch? Here are several yard drainage creative tips you can implement to enhance the appearance of your drainage ditch.

Contact Ware Landscaping for Drainage Ditch Help

At Ware Landscaping, our Naperville and greater Chicago area clients are more than just numbers — they’re neighbors and feel like a part of our family. As yard drainage specialists, we understand the importance of discovering ways to make your drainage ditch look beautiful.

We can work with you to create customized solutions to build the yard of your dreams and allow you to enjoy its benefits. Whether you’re a commercial or residential property owner, your yard is a direct reflection of your investment. Your yard drainage system is vital to the health of your lawn — let’s come up with ways to increase its appearance.

Connect with us for a landscaping design consultation, and check out our website for our service areas, and insights into ways to get the most out of your property.

How to Create the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen

Have you ever dreamt of a beautiful outdoor kitchen? If you’re a homeowner, you can leverage your home’s interior design and exterior space to create a beautiful and highly functional outdoor kitchen. Some families love cooking pizza in a brick oven, and others love grilling wings while watching the game on an outdoor TV, and some prefer having dinner outside nearly every night.

Outdoor Kitchen

(AndyG / pixabay)

Whatever your family’s preference, below are six tips to make your outdoor kitchen the kitchen of your family’s dreams.

Designing the Zone Layout

The same way you would think through designing the layout of a traditional indoor kitchen, you’ll also need to think through the layout of your outdoor kitchen. This plan is great to discuss with those who will be helping you build it.

The layout of the outdoor kitchen will require what’s called zone planning. When you plan for a zone, you’re looking at how you can increase both the flow and productivity in an area. Thinking this through and planning it out will help you ensure food prep is pleasant, that there’s enough seating space, and so on.

Zoning Areas to Plan for:

Prep Zone: The prep zone usually includes a sink, an area to cut, and possibly a refrigerator to store cold items. It should be located next to the cooking zone, allowing for food to go back and forth between the two areas with ease.

Cooking Zone: This is where your grill and burners will be. Or, if you prefer, it could house your brick, tandoori (clay or metal) oven. If the area is big enough, it can include a couple of options for cooking food.

Plating & Serving Zone: You’ll also need an area in-between the cooking zone and the area where your family or guests are. Usually, this zone includes warming trays, drawers for utensils, and a place for garnishes. This space is where you put the final touches on the burgers or pizza that you just pulled off the grill.

Entertaining Zone: This is where you truly have all the fun. Ideally, it has some separation from the mess of food prep and cooking areas. It usually includes a small refrigerator and a bar area.

Planning for Utilities

Like your indoor kitchen, your outdoor kitchen will need access to some utilities if you plan to prepare and cook meals there.

Using Your Home’s Utilities

It’s key when designing your outdoor kitchen to ensure that you can access your home’s utilities such as electricity, plumbing, and gas. It’s important to think about utilities as the key items they are, as they will ensure that your outdoor kitchen is fully functional. You’ll need electricity for your lights to cook at dusk, freshwater and wastewater lines for a sink, and gas if you select a gas grill. It’s also important to check local codes for the area and any HOA requirements. You may need to get a permit to build your outdoor kitchen.

Picking Out the Right Appliances

Outdoor appliances will vary greatly from the indoor choices. Many would be considered too dangerous or complicated for an indoor space. You have some intriguing options that can make selecting the perfect appliances for an outdoor kitchen area a lot of fun.

Most people use their outdoor kitchen to entertain guests, so outdoor appliances can include a beer fridge, wine cooler, as well as wood-burning pizza ovens, tandoori ovens mentioned above, and gas or charcoal grills. Although gas is the most popular choice, some homeowners prefer cooking over hot coals. Depending on your personal preferences, your outdoor kitchen can be your place to finally let loose and enjoy all the appliances you can’t safely use indoors.

Furnishing Your Outdoor Space

Furniture can allow you to pull out all the stops on creativity. Since your outdoor kitchen will be where you prep, serve and entertain, it can be a great location for a second living room, an outdoor dining area with benches or seat wall seating, a stand-up bar, a custom fireplace, or it can even be a minimalist area. It can be whatever you dream up.

Some people prefer outdoor benches with fluffy indoor/outdoor pillows, while others prefer taller stools and wooden chairs. Whether you prefer a warm, inviting wooden look or a more traditional cushioned lounge area, the options are endless. You can also have a space dedicated to outdoor decor such as plants and designer landscape lighting.

Enjoying the Outdoor Kitchen Year-Round

The last major thing to consider is our weather here. We can help you create a custom solution for our various weather conditions in this area. While some people prefer the open-air kitchen look, with a simple roof cover, other people ask for a pergola. A pergola can be built with a retractable canopy which can keep both your appliances and furniture safe, as well as provide protection from the sun, rain, and snow. Want to use your outdoor kitchen in the winter? Have a Wheaton hardscape contractor install a fire pit to keep everyone toasty warm.

Whether you want to cook wings on a gas grill under a pergola while watching the Superbowl or enjoy a wood-baked pizza dinner with your family on a warm summer evening, the space can be designed to be used year-round. No matter your preferences, the key is designing the space to fit your personality, incorporating the best functionality to accommodate and the dreams you have for entertaining.

Green Landscaping: Cut Carbon Emissions with Strategy

Landscaping and maintaining your yard can range from planting and trimming a few shrubs to mowing acres of grass, raking leaves, and controlling weeds. Larger jobs that could take hours of back-breaking labor are easier and faster using powered landscaping equipment. These efficient tools also allow professional landscaping companies to serve multiple customers in no time.

While mowers, blowers, and weed whackers are necessary tools for landscaping crews, they come with a catch – carbon emissions. Like other motorized equipment, many landscaping tools burn fossil fuels such as gas, oil, and propane. The two and four-stroke engines that power this equipment do not burn as cleanly as we would like to think. Because the fuel burns incompletely, they release emissions such as carbon dioxide into the air and contribute to our overall pollution.

Reducing Carbon Emissions Produced in Landscaping

(Lisa Fotios / pexels)

According to a recent EPA study, average lawn mower use over the course of a year can release 89 pounds of carbon dioxide and 32 pounds of other emissions. Additionally, a 2017 study by the California Resources Board concluded that one hour of operating a leaf blower was equivalent to driving a 2016 Camry about 1100 miles, prompting the state to require only electric equipment after 2024.

What can landscapers and homeowners do to reduce carbon emissions while keeping their yards looking great?

Become Aware

The gas-powered engines used in landscaping equipment have been around for many years and are primarily ungoverned by regulations. Professionals and homeowners alike buy gas-powered mowers and trimmers without a second thought. They are robust and reliable and get the job done.

The environmental cost is largely unknown, unseen, and accepted. The first step to making measurable changes is becoming aware of the impact these activities have on the environment and being willing to take action to change.

Invest in Fuel-Efficiency

Landscaping companies regularly transport equipment from one location to another. Clients may live in different neighborhoods and even across town. Driving many miles over the course of a week, towing equipment on a trailer is not uncommon. Choosing to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles is a great first step. Hybrid or all-electric vehicles not only burn fewer fossil fuels but produce fewer carbon emissions as well.

Scheduling Wisely

A thriving landscape company in Naperville may have clients in many different neighborhoods, from Aurora to Downers, Hinsdale, and Glen Ellyn. Scheduling customers in the name area for the same day helps to cut back on the number of miles driven using company vehicles. Using GPS to find the fastest and most efficient route from one job to another can help crews avoid burning excess time and fuel wading through traffic or detouring around road closures.

Upgrading Equipment

The two-stroke engines common in many landscaping tools burn a mixture of oil and gas. Because this fuel does not burn completely or efficiently, the process results in more carbon emissions than we would like. While four-stroke engines are more efficient, they still fall short of the efficiency standards that govern the modern engines in our cars.

While upgrading all of their equipment at once would cost a small fortune for a landscaper, small changes over time can make a difference in their company’s carbon footprint. If your lawn equipment needs an upgrade, consider these possibilities:

  • Low emission blowers
  • Battery-powered trimmers, edgers, and mowers
  • Electronic fuel injection engines for riding mowers
  • Propane-powered mowers

Replacing aging equipment with more efficient versions can slowly reduce your carbon footprint without taking a huge chunk out of the budget. It is also worth noting that battery-powered equipment runs much quieter, making it less likely to cause hearing damage and create noise pollution. You might enjoy using it more than your old noisy gas-powered tool.

Use People Power

Yes, power equipment can make quick, easy work of jobs of any size. However, small jobs are still easily completed with the proper hand tools and a little elbow grease. Investing in all types of tools allows you to choose the best one for each and every task. This could help you reduce carbon emissions while creating landscaping harmony.

Getting Started

Regardless of the industry, adopting green business practices takes time. Making a difference in our carbon footprint takes the efforts of every business and individual. Small choices to do things differently and better improve our air quality and the world we live in every day. Working together, we can make the world a greener place to live.

7 Landscape Lighting Ideas to Enhance Your Outdoor Space

Are you looking for ways to upgrade your home and take its curb appeal to the next level?

Do you love your backyard but think there may be something missing?

Are you feeling the itch for landscape renovations in the Naperville area?

Landscape Lighting

Beautiful outdoor lighting can be the cherry on top of a good landscape. It’s often the last puzzle piece to complete the beautiful picture. And, much like placing that last piece of a puzzle, standing back and enjoying the view complete with lighting will bring a satisfying smile to your face.

There are a variety of ways to light up your space and bring its appearance to the next level. Here are seven reasons to invest in outdoor lighting for your property.

1. Extends Outdoor Usage Passed Sunset

The sun may have gone down, but that does not mean the fun has to stop. Bright outdoor lights to illuminate your outdoor spaces can extend get-togethers long past sunset. With the help of a lovely lighting system, you can host outdoor dinners, late-night parties, night swimming and so much more. Outdoor lighting is easily installed on porches, decks, balconies, and other outdoor structures.

2. Updates Curb Appeal

Who doesn’t want their home noticed from the street? Lighting can make a good home look great. Some gorgeous lights will add a level of attractiveness to your home that you didn’t even know was possible. Maximize the look of the exterior of your home with light – you will not regret it. Plus, maximizing the curb appeal will also increase the value of your home. It’s a win-win.

3. Creates Ambience

There is no better way to set the mood than with lighting. You can set the tone for outdoor events with lighting, and there are endless options to choose from when designing your landscape. Lights can even create your ideal ambiance in your pool for night swimming. When it comes to setting the mood, it is all about the lights.

4. Adds a Measure of Security

A burglary is less likely to happen in a well-lit home. Bright lights will deter burglars away because a brighter area means an increased chance of being seen and getting caught.

Lights also provide a safer outdoor area for your friends and family as they navigate the outside in the dark. Lights help to avoid potential accidents such as tripping over a sprinkler, falling in a pond, or running into a wall.

5. Brings Focus to Architectural Elements

String lights, lanterns, personalized lanterns…your home is your masterpiece, and your outdoor space is a part of that masterpiece. Everyone has their favorite elements of their home and lights are a perfect way to highlight them at night. Whether it’s a gorgeous stone wall, a pergola, or trellis, certain elements deserve special lighting. Light up your favorite areas.

6. Can Be Used for Holiday Decoration

Are you as festive as it gets when it comes to holiday décor? Then you may want to change out the bulbs in your outdoor lights to add a red or green flare for Christmas. Or maybe a pastel color for Easter. Orange would look spooktacular for Halloween and blue would beam perfectly for the Fourth of July. Once the lights are installed, the options are endless. Bulbs are easy to change out or replace. Experimenting with lights can be a lot of fun.

7. Can Be Put on a Timer

There’s a smart version for everything these days – even lighting systems. With modern lighting systems, you can set it and forget it, so your lights turn on every day when it gets dark. The time can be changed whenever you want and many systems can be controlled from your phone. The lights can be put on a timer or sensor to make it convenient for you and to deter thieves while you are out of town.

Whatever your vision may be for your outdoor space, there’s a lighting system for it. Enhance the space with beautiful lights and enjoy outdoor living past daylight. Highlight your favorite hardscaping features, your outdoor walkways, your terraced garden, or your new pergola. Or, keep your property safely illuminated. Lighting is a great way to incorporate your style and enhance your outdoor spaces. If you’re looking to update your landscape in any way, our landscaping professionals can help you design and install a lighting system to meet your needs.