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For almost 30 years Cole Landscaping has been making the North Shore a beautiful place, one season at a time. We want to share a few ideas for simple projects that you can do with your family in your own backyard to ease the stress of these uncertain times.

Planting Pansies

With our unpredictable New England weather, pansies are your best bet  for adding a splash of springtime color to your landscape. What better way is there to brighten up the day than to plant a bright patch of flowers in the ground or add colorful containers near your doorstep?

With social distancing as the new norm, gardening is something that you can do in the safety of your own backyard. Additionally, itâ€s great way to spend time with your kids. Pansies are one of the easiest flowers to care for this time of year because they can withstand colder temperatures. Since they do well in containers as well as planted in beds, they are quite versatile. From their bright yellows to their deep purples, pansies are known for their vibrant hues and will brighten up any spot. They bring new life to your garden after a long, dreary winter. Learn more about planting pansies.

Stay Positive

Spring is the time of year that our customers need us most and weâ€re committed to servicing your needs and keeping everyone safe. While weâ€ll handle the tough chores, weâ€re offering you some pointers to get out and grow your own garden. During these are uncertain times itâ€s important to stay positive and maintain a healthy outlook. What could be more nurturing than growing plants from seed?

Gardening Tips

If you have never planted a garden, now is the perfect time to start. Growing a garden is an engaging activity for children and itâ€s very rewarding on many different levels. First of all, everyone benefits from fresh air and exercise. Secondly, you would be enhancing your own backyard. Although gardening involves using some muscles that you may not have felt before, working with the land is a great stress relief. Youâ€ll experience the benefits when you harvest the fruits, vegetables and flowers that you have grown. The time you spend with your family working together is priceless.

Do Some Research

Decide what kind of garden you want. Choose vegetables that your family enjoys and flowers that will attract pollinators. Perhaps you would like to plant a tree to commemorate Arbor Day. Flowering fruit trees look beautiful in the spring and will reward you with fruit come fall. Get everyone involved in the research and make it a family affair. Consider plants that attract butterflies and honeybees to help your garden grow. Learn more about attracting pollinators.

LOCATION

Whether planting in the ground, raised beds or containers you have to ensure proper conditions are met. If you plan correctly now, you will reap the rewards later. Location is important. Make sure you choose a sunny location that is easy to keep an eye on. If your garden is out of sight, it can easily become “out of mind.” Make sure you are able to easily water your garden and that your hose reaches all areas.

SOIL PREP

Start with soil that is rich in nutrients and drains well. Ideally you should have your soil tested to check pH level; if you soil is acidic you will need to add limestone. Adding compost or manure will improve fertility, texture, and drainage, which will then create healthy, productive soil. If you plan on using containers for your garden, you may want to use a moisture management amendment. Garden centers offer a variety of products to complement your existing soil. If you would like help determining the best mix for your garden, one of our plant care experts would be happy to have a consultation with you. Learn more about garden soil.

WHAT TO GROW

Do some homework to choose the varieties of plants that will do well on your backyard. In New England our growing season is typically 4 months long. Start with something easy.

Growing Lettuce

If you are eager to sow some seeds outside right now, the easiest cool weather crop to grow is lettuce. Once your bed or container is ready, simply sprinkle the lettuce seeds onto your soil, approximately 10 seeds per square foot, and cover with ¼” of soil. Water and keep soil moist; youâ€ll see the seeds germinate in 7-10 days. If your plants seem crowded, you can thin them out, leaving about 4″ between each seedling. When you have a fair amount of leaves on your plant (7-10) you can begin to harvest. But donâ€t pull the whole plant – you can pick a few leaves from each plant as you need them. And you will be able to harvest lettuce until the plant starts to bolt (done producing.) Here are some more tips for growing lettuce.

Starting Seeds Indoors

While you can grow lettuce and vegetables like broccoli and spinach and peas outdoors now, it’s too early to plant vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, etc.These can’t go into the ground until late May/early June. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get a jump start on your garden. Try starting your own seeds indoors. Using eggshells and cartons to house your seedlings is an eco-friendly way to start your garden. Growing plants from seed proves to be a great educational experience for children, too. Encourage them to keep a garden journal to track the progress of seed germination. The journal can be as simple as a notebook with sketches or as elaborate as a 3-ring binder with pouches and sleeves to hold photos and seed packets. Learn more about keeping a garden journal.

Stay Healthy and Safe

We recognize that these are uncertain times. At Cole, one thing we know is that for our clients and community being outdoors is a force for good. We are excited about the upcoming season and we will continue to provide you with exceptional service and design.

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“Go outside for some fresh air!” How many times have we heard our parents say that to us? Maybe it’s not such bad advice… Everyone can benefit from being outside. Besides the benefit of breathing fresh air with fewer germs, being outside – whether you’re working, walking or just putzing around – has a calming effect.

As our company responds to COVID-19, the health and safety of our employees and customers remains our top priority. All of us here at Cole Landscaping, Inc. are following the guidelines set forth by the CDC, FDA, and State of Massachusetts regarding COVD-19.

Spring is our busiest time of year and weâ€re committed to being there when our customers and colleagues need us most.

Our offices will remain open for employees who need to work onsite, but we ask that employees take the necessary preventative measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing and preventative personal hygiene.

Cole Is Keeping It Real

Outside Spring Cleanups have begun and, weather permitting, will continue to run through the end of April. We have trained all our field crews to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines. Here are some safeguards that we put in place to protect everyone’s health and safety.

Precautions In Place

• We will continue to provide outside property visits, but will communicate via phone/email/communication app of your choice.
• We still provide quotes and estimates easily – you can send requests through our website: colelandscaping.com
• Our crew will avoid handshakes and limit close contact with individuals outside their work team during the workday.
• We have restructured start times to limit employees’ close contact at the beginning and end of each day.
• We implemented cleaning and sanitizing schedules for all our trucks and equipment.
• Our crew members have an adequate supply of gloves, hand sanitizer and cleaning items to use before and after touching doorknobs, gate latches or handrails as they work from property to property.
• All these new procedures flow through all our departments as well as our outside vendors, vendor sites, and delivery sites.

Benefits From Being Outside

Stay Healthy and Safe

We recognize that these are uncertain times. At Cole, one thing we know is that for our clients and community being outdoors is a force for good. We are excited about the upcoming season and we will continue to provide you with exceptional service and design.

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Preseason is upon us! Just as pitchers and catchers are packing up their gear for Spring Training, Team Cole is preparing to get your property in shape for your home opener. Here at Cole Landscaping, we understand the importance of your landscape. We are wholeheartedly committed to clients’ needs. We’re talking about Major League Landscaping. With our Signature Services you will never have to worry about your landscape. Our Core Values motivate us to ensure a winning season for your property. Making your property our priority drives our team. This is the reason for our continued growth.

A Day in the Park – We Make Work Fun!

When you do what you love every day, it’s never a chore. Whether installing a new hardscape or tackling Spring Cleanup, you can be assured that the Cole Crew will have all hands on deck to make you look good. We believe in having fun at work. We especially take pride in making your property stand out from the rest. Preseason is a great time for us to get our players in scoring position.

Staying Ahead in the Count

Perhaps you may have noticed our new trucks on the road. We are proud our state-of-the-art fleet. The right equipment gets the job done. From our 3-D design models to our powerful Bark Mulch Blower, the newest technology enables us to work cohesively and efficiently, like a well-oiled machine.

More importantly, we spend preseason “sharpening our blades of knowledge.” Our Spring Training includes breakout sessions for our team and seminars to keep up with what’s “cutting edge” in the industry. We have certifications from ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Paving Institute), NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association), CLT (NALP-Certified Landscape Technician) and Techo Bloc – Pro installation, just to name a few. Our staff is made up of experts in landscape design, construction, tree and plant care, lighting/electrical, irrigation, mechanics/welding and more.

Preseason Lineup

Team Cole

Meet our team of professionals. We have a passion for our brand that enables us to put our clients’ needs first –always. Our spring lineup assures that you are getting the best service possible.

• Greg Cole – our Ace. As President and CEO of Cole Landscaping, Greg’s focus is creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction.

• Barbara Cole, VP of Business Development. Barbara works closely with the administrative aspect of the company, allowing her to maintain a balance between clients, staff, and managers. Being involved in marketing allows her to use her creative side to help grow the business and the team.

• Shaun Powers –MVP, Senior Account Manager. Shaun works with his squad to develop new service approaches and processes that streamline operations to ensure a win for the team.

• Jackie Guyotte, Office Manager. Jackie is busy running the bases handling all the day-to-day needs to run the Front Office.

Our Starters

• Ken Burke, LHC/PHC Manager. He is a certified arborist with deep knowledge of plants and turf grass, their environments and growth habits. Ken’s responsibilities include overseeing all lawn renovation work, conducting service calls, and more!

• Shawn Fenerty, Account Manager DB Construction.  Shawn organizes production schedules for all landscape construction clients, assesses projects and provides clients with estimates.

• Chris Sidebottom, Account Manager for Maintenance. Chris monitors the activity of our crews, working closely with the production team regarding training, scheduling, quality control, and customer service.

• James McInnis, Irrigation Manager. James maintains, and installs irrigation and lighting equipment and systems for clients.

Go Team!

• Kacey Anderson, Project Administrator.  Kacey runs the clubhouse. She’s your go-to person for project administration, construction communications, client liaison and material purchasing.

• John Tassinari, Commercial Sales Manager. John has the best RBI in our sales department – he’s always hitting homeruns. He is the point of contact for commercial clients and handles all transactions from the initial contact through the project completion. John goes beyond the scope of the project/contract by proactively presenting site enhancement ideas.

• Joel Tyack, Field Operations Manager DB Construction. Joel handles both residential and commercial jobs for the team. He is our jack-of-all trades with certifications in refrigeration, auto & diesel mechanical equipment, and structural welding.

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There’s no denying that fall color in New England is a sight to see. In addition to mother nature’s magnificent foliage display, there are many ways to add bold splashes of color to your fall landscape. By this time of year summer annuals are waning, but it’s easy to enhance your outdoor palette with plantings and container gardens in rich autumn hues. There are no right or wrong colors to use for your garden design – just think about the colors that you like most. What fall color are you?

Bright Marigold

Beautiful and Bold – gold adds richness and warmth to everything around it. It will certainly catch your attention. In addition to being associated with luxury, gold is the color of wealth, status and success. Gold and orange flowers radiate positive energy and signify endless possibilities. They bring a message of hope and friendship.

Marigolds resonate the warm hues of fall – varieties cover the spectrum from gold and yellow to orange and red. Marigolds are drought resistant and tolerant of heat and pests. Many gardeners plant them next to their vegetables because their scent to keeps away bugs and pests and their roots deter harmful worms. In Central and South America marigolds are sacred. They are used to decorate household altars to celebrate All Saints Day and All Souls Day

Other flowers with warm golden fall color include rudbeckia, helenium, and varieties of dahlias and mums.

Sunflower Yellow

Yellow radiates cheerfulness and happiness.  In the psychology of color, yellow is uplifting and illuminating – it symbolizes knowledge, optimism and hope. Yellow pairs well with bright orange and blue, its complement on the color wheel. If you have hydrangeas that bloom well into fall, try pairing them with yellow fall annuals.

When you have a small, narrow area to work with, yellow will increase your sense of space. It will brighten up dark, shaded areas and illuminate your gardens at night. Yellow flowers are cheery and exude positive energy.

Besides sunflowers, you can add fall color to your garden with varieties of mums, pansies, violas and black-eyed Susans.

Kale Green

The color green relates to balance and harmony; it is the color of growth, prosperity and abundance. While green is not the typical fall color for, there are ways to add more green to you autumn garden. Besides evergreens, most of the greenery in your landscape is transitioning. For cool season ornamental beauty, flowering kale – and cabbage – are good choices. Not only do they bring interesting color to your containers and garden beds, they require very little care. As the season gets cooler, the color of the inner rosettes intensifies in varying shades of white, purple and green.

People that love green tend to have a love of nature. Green evokes strong feelings of family, friendships, love of pets and home.

Hortensia (aka Hydrangea) Purple

Purple has long been associated with success and royalty. By nature, it demands attention and more often than not gets it. Apparently, Hortensia is another word for Hydrangea, so Pantone chose to use the French name for its color swatch. Hydrangeas in the fall will display varying shades of this magnificent color. To add violet hues to your fall color you can choose varieties of pansies, roses, asters, coneflowers, sage, alyssum and dahlias.

Purple will add a sense of depth and contrast to your landscape. It mingles well with yellows, pinks and deep reds. Purple creates the impression of luxury and wealth, but it also represents imagination and dreams.

Wild Aster

The color magenta evokes welcoming and friendly feelings. It helps create harmony and balance while encouraging compassion. Although it’s a bold color in your garden, magenta mixes well with other pinks and purples. Asters come in a variety of colors, magenta and purple being the most common. However, there are other ways to add this cheerful fall color to your garden. Sedum turns to deeper shades of magenta as the weather gets cooler. Varieties of mums, celosia, dahlias, amaranthus, cosmos and dianthus will fill in nicely as well.

Chrysanthemum Pink

There’s no doubt that the Chrysanthemum, aka mum, is the king – rather queen – of fall flowers. Mums come in a rainbow of colors, but Pantone has lovingly chosen a pink hue for its namesake. In the psychology of color, pink is a sign of hope – it’s positive, warm and comforting. Exposure to pink can halve a calming effect.

The hardiness and versatility of mums make them the go-to flower for both container and in-ground plantings. Other pink blooming flowers include varieties of asters, roses, dahlias, verbena, Japanese anemones and sedum.

Red Dahlia

It is a well-known fact that red is the color of love. It is warm and positive, associated with our most physical needs and our will to survive. Red in your garden can be tricky because it’s such a dominating color, but it definitely grabs your attention. Who doesn’t love red roses? In terms of fall color, our eyes immediately turn to the red foliage in the treetops. However, in the garden we can turn to the ever-popular dahlia and varieties of mums to get our red on. Other fall reds for our flower beds and containers include celosia, canna, red salvia and dianthus.

For a rich look, pair red flowers with deep purples. To get a bolder effect, pair with bright orange or cornflower blue. Either way, red will energize your garden.

Need Help?

Whether you’re a business or a homeowner, if you would like help sprucing up your property for the fall, Cole Landscaping will be happy to help you with your color scheme.

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CURB APPEAL WORKSHOP

284 Bay Road, South Hamilton, MA 01982

April 4, 2019

7:00–9:00 PM

Order Your Tickets Today

Register: $20/person

All proceeds go directly to The Community House.

Each ticket holder will be eligible to win a Gardening Gift Basket including a $250 certificate towards landscape design services at Cole Landscaping

Make a Great First Impression!

Boost your Curb Appeal with Cole Landscaping and The Community House in our spring Charrette Series Workshop.

Come to Wine & Design and learn about landscape design. You take pride in your home, you want to make a statement.  You love your neighborâ€s house and landscape and want something beautiful too, but you are stumped as to where to begin. This charrette will focus on improving your home’s curb appeal through landscape design.

Meet Mara Robinson, ASLA at Wine & Design

Join Mara Robinson, ASLA for another fun-filled evening of Wine and Design: Curb Appeal Workshop. We will learn how softscape and hardscape ideas can make a statement in your neighborhood.  We will analyze the site, consider the direction of sun travel, topography and location, natural site features, style of home, level of maintenance, and budget.  Sometimes even the smallest changes go a long way, so letâ€s sharpen our pencils and think something AMAZING!

What you Need to Bring

Come with a plan of your house (tax map from assessorâ€s office or survey), and/or photos of your home and ones you admire. Even a Google Map overview may be helpful. Feel free to bring along photos from magazines that inspire you or Pinterest posts that you’ve pinned.

Letâ€s get the wheels turning and think about what we really want for our home, and how simple ideas can go a long way with some guidance. Grab a glass of wine and settle in for a fun and informative charrette on the exciting process of designing outdoor living space. If you are looking to sell your home and want to maximize your profit, or you just want a landscape do-over or enhancement, sign up today!

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Landscape Design for The Community House

284 Bay Road, South Hamilton, MA 01982

November 15, 2018

7:00–9:00 PM

Order Your Tickets Today

Register: $20/person

All proceeds go directly to The Community House.

Each ticket holder will be eligible to win a Gardening Gift Basket including a $250 certificate towards landscape design services at Cole Landscaping

Meet Mara Robinson, ASLA at Wine & Design

Come to Wine & Design and learn about landscape design. Grab a glass of wine and settle in for a fun and informative charrette on the exciting process of designing outdoor living space. Meet Mara Robinson, ASLA, Cole Landscapingâ€s own landscape designer. Mara is a graduate of the UMass Amherst School of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. With over 18 years of experience in the field of landscape design and construction, Mara will provide us with insight into the process of design. She will also discuss how you, the homeowner, are an important contributor to the creation of your dream landscape.

What is a Charrette? (pronounced /SHaâ€ret/)

In the world of architecture, Merriam-Webster defines a charrette as the intense final effort made by architectural students to complete their solutions to a given architectural problem in and allotted period of time. Outside of the industry, it simply means a meeting devoted to planning a project or solving a problem relevant to all stakeholders. It’s safe to say that here won’t be any assessments at the eveningâ€s workshop, but collaboration and conversation are highly encouraged. The charrette will focus on the Community House Front Garden Project.

The Tools of the Trade

Landscape Design is about shaping functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces where we can create long-lasting memories with family and friends for generations to come. The landscape designer really needs to understand their clients†needs and ask all the right questions. Your outdoor space is an extension of your home, and it should reflect the same level of beauty and comfort as is within. At our Wine & Design event, you will learn the value of having a landscape designer to guide you through each phase of your project.

Important Considerations

Who will use the space and how will the space be used? At the Wine & Design event Mara will review the importance of scale and proportion. She will address minimum requirements for setbacks, driveway widths, walkway widths and patio sizes. The focus of this charrette will be to create a sustainable space for the Wenham/Hamilton community. This community space will be inclusive of all ages, cultures, economic and social groups. The goal is to create an area that is beautiful, meaningful and engaging for the people that will use it. Below is an example of steps involved in a particular detail for a client project.

The Process

As Mara walks you through the redesign of the Community House front garden, you will get an idea of how you as a homeowner could collaborate on your own dreamscape. You will learn to ask the right questions to ensure that your project will fulfill its intended purposes.

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Nothing announces the change of the season from summer to fall in New England more than the sight of chrysanthemums — more commonly known as mums — decorating doorsteps. These hardy autumn favorites come in a variety of colors, including the traditional yellow, rust orange, barn red and white as well as other softer color hues such as purple and pink. While mums are hardy and will tolerate cool, almost-freezing, temperatures relatively well, they are not immune to frost, and just one frosty night can do them in. Read on for tips on how to make mums last longer.

Select a Healthy Plant

Choose mums that are not in full bloom. Although mums in bloom may be more attractive at the garden center, they are already well into their life cycle. There is no way to tell if the blooms have just opened or have been open for a few weeks. Mums with closed blooms indicate that the plant is in an earlier stage of its lifecycle, and when they do bloom, they will last longer than those already putting forth flowers. Also check to make sure the stems on the plant are not bent or broken and that the leaves are green.

Choose the Right Container

A sturdy container will anchor the top-heavy plant and support the clusters of blooms. A container that is approximately 1/3 larger than the root ball on all sides is ideal for re-potting a chrysanthemum.

Re-Pot Your Chrysanthemum

Gently remove the mums from the temporary container. Moisten the root ball to aid in removal if necessary. Line the bottom of the new pot with clean potting soil (approximately 1-2 inches) and place the root ball on top of the soil lined pot. Fill the remaining open areas loosely with potting soil.  Do not pack the potting soil. The roots need aerated soil to expand.

General Care for Mums

Place the newly potted plant in a sunny area and keep the soil moist, but do not saturate. Overwatering will result in long stems and mushy, decaying blooms. Deadhead as needed by removing any dead or damaged flowers, leaves, and stems when necessary to keep your mum looking fresh and healthy.  If a frost is expected, move the mums to a protected inside area such as a garage, shed or barn in the evening, before the temperature drops. Place the plants back outside when the temperature rises above 50 degrees the next day. Alternately,  you can cover the potted plants with old towels or sheets to protect from the frost, taking care to cover all exposed areas of the plant.

Cole Landscaping, Inc. offers unique, one-of-a-kind fall landscape display services. See your property burst into color as our designers decorate your home or business with all the hues of the season. Contact Cole if you would like assistance with your fall decor.

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