Read Dirt

Is there a best time to water outdoor plants?

2010-07-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

The best time of day to water the garden is early morning, before the heat of the day has set in. This reduces the amount of water lost through evaporation, and also provides water for the plants to help them get through the heat of the day. Every few days, water the garden with a deep soaking of water in the early morning, and use drip irrigation, watering cans, or targeted hoses, rather than sprinklers and other devices which diffuse the water all over the garden. Sprinklers are inefficient, and they can also cause plant damage. As a rule of thumb, try to water the garden with one inch (two and a half centimeters) of water every week, through a combination of precipitation and watering.
Do not water the garden during the heat of the day, because the water will evaporate, rather than penetrating the soil. The goal is to deeply soak the soil, encouraging the plant to put out more roots to search for water, rather than creating a shallow area of moisture and keeping it moist. A plant with ready access to water through daily watering will develop a shallow root system and become weakened. Plants which are used to the stress of less frequent watering will also do better in varied weather conditions, or when a gardener forgets to water the garden.
If watering in the evening, after the heat is passed, make sure to water early enough that the leaves of the plants will completely dry before night time. Fungal infections can colonize leaves which are left moist overnight, and roots will also suffer from being watered in the late evening. Being left moist and cold at night can lead to rot and fungal infections of plant roots, an undesired result.
If you are trying to conserve water, water the garden with reclaimed water and rainwater, and make sure to check your irrigation system for leaks frequently. If you have time, hand-water all of the plants to ensure the most efficient use of water, checking the soil for moisture levels. If you do not, invest in a quality irrigation system which will help your garden to flourish. Gardeners with less water concerns should still water the garden wisely, as extra water will not lead to healthier plants.

Why our mulch is better...

2010-05-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

As you may probably know by now, we are offering mulch sales and delivery. Have you seen our gigantic sign on I65N? We want to educate you on the benefit of using our mulch compared to other varieties out there.

We use Greendell AAA mulch. It is made from the bark portion of hardwood trees, not the interior wood. Because it consists of the bark, not the woody interior of the tree, it has a low cellulosic content. The low cellulosic content is absolutely critical in its role of feeding the landscape and enriching the soil for the surrounding plants. As the bark breaks down, it releases organic matter and nutrients to the soil, while maintaining moisture levels in the soil for root uptake. In stark contrast, mulch with a high cellulosic content (i.e. wood chips, recycled pallets, chipped up brush) pulls nitrogen, a key plant nutrient, from the soil as it decomposes, stealing this nutrient away from the plants, leaving the soil worse off than before. In addition, cellulose is the food of choice for termites, so spreading high- cellulose material around the foundation of your house should be avoided. When all things are considered, the AAA, while more costly, brings a ton of benefit to the health of your landscape, and ultimately is worth the investment.
We hope this helps give you a better understanding on the importance of using a high-quality mulch rather than other varieties which can be unhealthy for your plants.

Are your beds in bad shape? Give us a call today and consider using our premium hardwood mulch to bring your plantings back to life!

Time For A New Design?

2010-04-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for a refreshing change in your yard? Our designers are ready to revitalize your outdoor space and create something that will bring your property back to life. It's time to schedule a meeting with one of our designers to make your wish a reality!

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Gardens of Growth is a landscape architecture design/build firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We remain committed to acting as both designer and contractor for our projects. Many design/build firms are contractors first. Gardens of Growth is unique because we are designers first. We welcome design and construction challenges and approach everything we do as artisans. It is our belief that beautiful spaces are created when each and every component of the landscape is carefully designed and executed. The team at Gardens of Growth is responsible for building and maintaining custom gardens. We provide a variety of products and services including: planting, design, retaining walls, patios, decks, fences, pergolas, water features, sculpture, driveways, pools, site grading, landscape lighting, irrigation, masonry, mowing, pruning & landscape maintenance. Visit us at gardensofgrowth.com or call 251.GROW for more information.Gardens of Growth, Inc. 928 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46250

Spring Is Here!

2010-04-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

We hope you are enjoying this warm weather now with the blooming bulbs and budding trees. We had a great turn-out this year at the 2010 Flower & Patio Show. Thanks to those of you who had a chance to stop by our display.

The time is here to start planning your outdoor space. We are currently offering discounts on mulch and delivery, so give us a call today to schedule a spring clean-up. We are excited about how this year is going, and hope to hear from you soon!

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Gardens of Growth is a landscape architecture design/build firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We remain committed to acting as both designer and contractor for our projects. Many design/build firms are contractors first. Gardens of Growth is unique because we are designers first. We welcome design and construction challenges and approach everything we do as artisans. It is our belief that beautiful spaces are created when each and every component of the landscape is carefully designed and executed. The team at Gardens of Growth is responsible for building and maintaining custom gardens. We provide a variety of products and services including: planting, design, retaining walls, patios, decks, fences, pergolas, water features, sculpture, driveways, pools, site grading, landscape lighting, irrigation, masonry, mowing, pruning & landscape maintenance. Visit us at gardensofgrowth.com or call 251.GROW for more information.Gardens of Growth, Inc. 928 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46250

Time for the 2010 Flower & Patio Show

2010-03-04T05:13:00.000-08:00

Spring is almost here, and we have been very busy preparing for the Flower & Patio Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Be sure to check out our display and remember to invite your friends and family! The show takes place March 13-21. Mon-Sat 10am - 9pm, Sun 10am - 5pm

We hope to see you there!

Roses for Valentine's Day?

2010-02-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

When giving cut roses as Valentine gifts, we adhere to a time-honored formula that takes into account rose color meanings. The formula matches a rose's color to its intended meaning as a gift. Valentine's Day is primarily a lovers' holiday, and red roses are traditionally for lovers. "Valentine roses" and "red roses" go hand in hand, even though other colors have their place on the holiday. Our close family members may also be treated to red roses for Valentine's Day, but we avoid giving roses of this color to friends on Valentine's Day - that would simply convey the wrong meaning. The following are the meanings traditionally attached to the most popular roses, according to colors; use this list as a guide when selecting Valentine roses:

Red roses mean romantic love; they're the "Valentine roses," par excellence.

Purple, coral and orange challenge red as the color for Valentine roses. The rose color meanings for these 3 are as follows:

The specific purpose of purple roses is to signify that the giver has fallen in love with the recipient at first sight.

Meanwhile, coral signals desire.

And orange roses, along with apricot, connote enthusiasm.

The meaning of yellow roses is joy and friendship.

We express our gratitude and appreciation with pink roses...

While feelings of admiration and sympathy find words with roses that are light pink in color.

Peach is more ambiguous, as it can signify either sympathy or gratitude.

Their purity naturally enough lends to white roses the meaning of reverence and humility.
Remember, absolutely NO black roses...

Happy Valentine's Day from Gardens of Growth!

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Gardens of Growth is a landscape architecture design/build firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We remain committed to acting as both designer and contractor for our projects. Many design/build firms are contractors first. Gardens of Growth is unique because we are designers first. We welcome design and construction challenges and approach everything we do as artisans. It is our belief that beautiful spaces are created when each and every component of the landscape is carefully designed and executed. The team at Gardens of Growth is responsible for building and maintaining custom gardens. We provide a variety of products and services including: planting, design, retaining walls, patios, decks, fences, pergolas, water features, sculpture, driveways, pools, site grading, landscape lighting, irrigation, masonry, mowing, pruning & landscape maintenance. Visit us at gardensofgrowth.com or call 251.GROW for more information.
Gardens of Growth, Inc. 928 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46250

Winter Maintenance Schedule

2010-01-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

We hope you all are attending the 2010 Flower & Patio Show. It takes place March 13 - 21 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Please stop by our display and talk with our designers!

Here is a maintenance schedule for the upcoming months. It is important to have these done every year to insure healthy and beautiful growth.

JANUARY

Review garden plans.
Perform dormant pruning on shrubs.
Ornamental Round 1 through January and February – Deep root fertilization of trees and shrubs. Designed to increase the plant’s natural resistance to insect and disease damage and to initiate growth.

FEBRUARY

Branches, leaves, and other garden debris picked up and disposed of.
Fruit trees pruned.
All garden machinery serviced.
Tools cleaned and repainted.
New gloves and tools ordered.
Garden furniture cleaned, repaired, or replaced.
Garden ornaments purchased.
Lawn Round 1 applied in late February – A blanket application of granular fertilizer and pre-emergent weed control to promote early spring green up and long lasting crabgrass control.
Order seeds for vegetable garden.

MARCH

Complete pruning.
Lawns blown of dead leaves, aerated, and bare patches seeded.
Take soil tests of future or existing beds. Test for organic matter content.
Press back into the ground any perennials that frost heaved over the winter.
Fertilize gardens (end of March or early April). All gardens fertilized with super phosphate; flowers served additional 10-20-10.
Fruit trees sprayed with dormant oil to control scale.
All evergreens fed.
Cut back plants that were left for winter interest (especially watch Calamagrostis, Pulmonaria, Epimedium).
Check evergreen plants for removal of dead leaves.
Roses unwrapped; dead wood pruned; mulch removed from crown.
Mow Liriope.

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Gardens of Growth is a landscape architecture design/build firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. We remain committed to acting as both designer and contractor for our projects. Many design/build firms are contractors first. Gardens of Growth is unique because we are designers first. We welcome design and construction challenges and approach everything we do as artisans. It is our belief that beautiful spaces are created when each and every component of the landscape is carefully designed and executed.
The team at Gardens of Growth is responsible for building and maintaining custom gardens. We provide a variety of products and services including: planting, design, retaining walls, patios, decks, fences, pergolas, water features, sculpture, driveways, pools, site grading, landscape lighting, irrigation, masonry, mowing, pruning & landscape maintenance.
Visit us at gardensofgrowth.com or call 251.GROW from more information.

Gardens of Growth, Inc. 928 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46250

Client Testimonials

2010-01-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

We thrive on the feedback from our clients. Here are a few recent comments that we've received. Please keep them coming!

"Thank you for a really beautiful job. By the way, we've gotten lots
of compliments about our circle of flowers." -Mary K. Buckner

"Hi Casey, I am pleased with the workers you have. They work
steady and are very thorough. It is so nice for a change to hire someone
who actually works hard." -Linda Lau

"Dear Adam, thanks so much for all your help. We are truly
grateful!"
Best regards, Lisa Haynes

2010 Flower & Patio Show

2009-12-23T05:17:00.000-08:00

We are currently preparing for the upcoming 2010 Indiana Flower & Patio Show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Mark your calendars for the week of March 13 - 21. This annual event will feature many of the area's top landscape firms and vendors. It's a great way to see the latest and greatest innovations in landscape design and construction.

Our space will focus on the conceptual idea of a very popular poem by Shel Silverstein, 'Where the Sidewalk Ends'. Silverstein’s words set the mood for our imaginations to take over and think of an amazingly perfect place. We believe that gardens have the power to heal and we strive to create a garden oasis for our clients. Allow us to help free your imagination and create that special place on your property by visiting us at the 2010 Flower and Patio Show to witness what we see where the sidewalk ends. We hope to see you there!

Where the Sidewalk Ends
By: Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends and before the street
begins, and there the grass grows soft and white, and there the sun burns
crimson bright, and there the moon-bird rests from his flight to cool in the
peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black and the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow we shall walk with a walk that is measured and
slow, and watch where the chalk-white arrows go to the place where the sidewalk
ends. Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, and we'll go where
the chalk-white arrows go, for the children, they mark, and the children, they
know the place where the sidewalk ends.

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The team at Gardens of Growth is responsible for building and maintaining custom gardens. We provide a variety of products and services including: planting, design, retaining walls, patios, decks, fences, pergolas, water features, sculpture, driveways, pools, site grading, landscape lighting, irrigation, masonry, mowing, pruning & landscape maintenance.

Visit us at gardensofgrowth.com or call 251.GROW from more information.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

We hope you have a safe and fun holiday season. Please tell your friends and family about us so we can make this next year better than ever. Now is the time to start thinking about your outdoor projects. Spring will be here before you know it!

Gardens of Growth, Inc. offers full service landscape design, construction and maintenance for residential and commercial properties in the Indianapolis area. Give us a call at 317.251.GROW (4769) and let us help you get started on your project!

Inspiring Design

2009-11-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

Winter is almost here, and now is the best time to start thinking about your outdoor space. Here are some design ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Enjoy!

Gardens of Growth, Inc. 928 E. 38th St. Indianapolis, IN 46250

Landscape Design, Construction & Maintenance Services

What is Lawn Aeration?

2009-10-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

Lawn aeration is the secret weapon in making your lawn healthy. Aeration involves making holes in the lawn either by pushing a rod into it or by "coring", extracting a plug of soil. By aerating your lawn you provide the following benefits to your lawn and its root system:

Oxygen gets to the roots and the soil allowing it to "breathe"
Organic fertilizers and nutrients get access to the root system
Water is able to better soak the soil and reach the root system
Helps to break up thatch
Tight, compacted soil is loosened up allowing the root system to grow

Lawn aeration is one of the many lawn services we offer. Early Fall is a great time to have this done. It will bring life to your lawn and allow for a healthy root system and a beautiful yard!

Fall Services

2009-10-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to our blog! We plan on updating this on a more regular basis (once a week). We would like to offer you some of our Fall services.

Leaf Removal
Holiday Lighting Program
Snow Removal
Lawn Winterization

Tired of the leaves constantly piling up on your beautiful lawn? We are offering leaf removal services at this time and would like to add you to our schedule. We are also offering Holiday light installation to accent your home and property this season. Snow removal is another service that we are starting to schedule this year. Give yourself a break and have us take care of it!

We hope you are enjoying this Fall season!

My Favorite Garden Quotes

2009-01-14T18:07:00.000-08:00

“To plant and maintain a flower border, with a good scheme for colour, is by no means the easy thing that is commonly supposed.”
~ Gertrude Jekyll

“Fortunate gardener, who may preoccupy himself solely with beauty...A useless member of society, considered in terms of economics, he must not be denied his rightful place. He deserves to share it, however humbly, with the painter and poet.”
~ Vita Sackville-West

“Good bones are important, so it is wise to go slowly and get your plan right before launching into a vital project.”
~ Rosemary Verey

“Even the most irresistible flowering plant, one that I call a ‘key’ performer, is part of a whole cast; it has to be considered as a component in an overall look as well as for its individual charms.”
~ Penelope Hobhouse

Check our web site for more quotes about landscape design and gardens.

Garden Maintenance is Important

2009-01-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

Garden Maintenance is very important. If you decide to invest in a garden or professional landscape, be sure to ask about maintenance and allow time in your schedule.

Professionals at Gardens of Growth develop and refine a customized management program for each client. A site specific supervisor is assigned to each project to oversee all aspects of the landscape maintenance for years to come.

There is no such thing as a maintenance free garden. Every garden requires tending and care or it ceases to be a garden.

Check our web site for annual maintenance schedule by month.

Who we are

2008-11-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

Gardens of Growth is a successful landscape architecture design/build firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm was founded in 2003 by husband and wife team Adam Garvey and Casey May, who met while studying landscape architecture at Ball State University.

We remain committed to acting as both designer and contractor for our projects. While most design/build firms are dominated by contractors, Gardens of Growth is unique in that we are designers first. We approach the design/build process similar to the ‘Master Builders’ of Ancient Greece, where the process of landscape architecture is a holistic approach, with careful attention paid to each phase of the design and construction process. This holistic approach to design and construction provides greater financial and aesthetic control. Beautiful spaces are created when each and every component of the landscape is carefully designed and executed.

Keep checking back to learn more about our projects and read landscape tips.