Author: csDevTeam

Located on Bainbridge Island, WA, the Bloedel Reserve is a 150-acre nature preserve created by Prentice and Virginia Bloedel with the intention of bringing the beauty and essence of the Japanese garden to America. In addition to the Reserve’s Japanese and Zen gardens, the property also features several landscaped and manicured lakes and lawns. Today, the Bloedel Reserve is managed by the University of Washington and still contains the Bloedels’ home, which has been preserved as the property’s visitor center.

The Reserve’s Design

The Bloedel Reserve began as private property on which Prentice and Virginia Bloedel aimed to explore the techniques and characteristics of traditional Japanese gardens. Because Prentice Bloedel was colorblind, much of the Reserve’s design focuses on the contrast of shape, size, and texture, rather than on color. The Bloedels’ ultimate goal in creating the Reserve was to cultivate a tranquil and contemplative environment through landscape and garden design. Following their purchase of the property in 1951, the couple remained in their home on the Reserve until 1987, after which the property became public and management was transferred to the University of Washington.

The Reserve’s Renown

The Bloedel Reserve has been listed among the Journal of Japanese Gardening’s top ten Japanese Gardens in the United States. In addition to its award-winning Japanese garden, the Bloedel Reserve also features a fairyland-like moss garden with over 40 species of moss, a flower-filled glen, and a tranquil bird marsh. The Reserve offers unique self-guided strolls through the property, entitled Awareness, Reflection, Gratitude, and Transition. These quiet walks allow visitors to not only enjoy the physical beauty of the property, but gain the philosophical and spiritual benefits of spending time among Reserve’s peaceful gardens and paths as well.

This article is part of Santa Rita Landscaping’s blog series, The Most Spectacular Gardens in the World.

With fall and winter on the horizon in Tucson, people will start lighting up their fire pits and having a great time with friends and family. If you have ever thought about incorporating a beautiful fire pit with your landscaping, then continue reading for a few elements to consider.

Select an Open Area

It is best to look for an open, uncovered area of your landscaping to install a fire pit. You want to create a large area to accommodate the fire pit and various seating places. However, you must also remember to be safe with a fire pit. By keeping your fire pit away from a covered patio and a safe distance from the house or flammable parts of your landscaping, you can ensure that your home and family are kept safe while enjoying the fire pit.

Look at Seating Options

Part of installing a fire pit in your backyard is for the social factor. Your friends and family can gather around a large, warm fire to roast marshmallows and share enjoyable stories. With this in mind, you want to look at many different seating options. Many built-in fire pits are complemented with brick and stone benches surrounding the area. There are many different seating options your landscaping company can recommend.

Consider Adding a Footpath

Depending on where your new fire pit is located, you may want to add a paved footpath from your patio to the fire pit. Stone footpaths are a beautiful addition to any yard, and they can help direct your family and friends to the social area around the fire pit. Footpaths also create a safe area for people to walk on when it is dark outside. This is crucial to keep guests from tripping and hurting themselves in your backyard.

Call Santa Rita Landscaping to find out how great a fire pit would look in your backyard. We offer various landscaping services including irrigation, lighting, and hardscaping in Tucson, AZ. Please visit online or call us at (520) 623-0421 to learn more.

The country of China is known for its rich history, beautiful architecture, and stunning gardens. Among the finest Chinese gardens ever designed is the Master of the Nets Garden, located in the city of Suzhou. A recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Master of the Nets Garden allows visitors to step back in time nearly one thousand years to enjoy a unique blend of organic and inorganic elements that come together to create this lasting masterpiece.

The Garden’s Creation

The Master of the Nets Garden was constructed in the year 1140 by Shi Zhengzhi, who served as the Deputy Civil Service Minister for the Southern Song Dynasty government. Originally called Ten Thousand Volume Hall, Shi Zhengzhi’s garden design fell into disarray following his death and its subsequent transferal among numerous owners. In 1785, a retired Qing Dynasty government official named Song Zongyuan sought to restore the garden to its former glory. During this process, the garden underwent a significant redesign process, including the addition of several buildings. Despite these changes, Song Zongyuan aimed to retain the garden’s original spirit. He renamed the transformed masterpiece the Master of the Nets Garden, in reference to the simple fisherman’s life revered in the philosophical writings loved by its original creator, Shi Zhengzhi.

The Garden’s Features

Today, the Master of the Nets Garden features three sections. Throughout the gardens, the placement of plants and rocks serves to represent the four main seasons and their coexistence in natural harmony. The main garden hosts a large pond surrounded by pathways and buildings, including the Pavilion for the Advent of the Moon and Wind and the Ribbon Washing Pavilion. A smaller inner garden, which covers only 660 square feet, is the inspiration for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Ming Hall Garden. The garden’s residential section includes four main halls, three courtyards, and a tower, all laid out in a linear sequence.

This article is part of our ongoing blog series, The Most Spectacular Gardens in the World.

Your home’s curb appeal, meaning what people see of your home when viewing it from the street, is important for a few different reasons. A home’s curb appeal and landscaping may influence a number of factors, such as following the rules set forth by your home owners association or increasing your home’s value.

Increase Home Value

When homeowners plan to sell their homes, they have to consider the exterior of their home, as well as the interior. A first impression can make or break a sale on a home. If landscaping maintenance is not continued, or the exterior painting is dingy, many prospective homebuyers will not want to walk through the front door to see the inside. Maintain your home’s exterior—the landscape and the house itself—to maintain and increase the value of your home for when you decide to sell it.

Impress Your Guests and Neighbors

In addition to increasing your home’s resale value, you can impress your guests and neighbors with a well-maintained yard. With professional landscaping and maintenance, your front yard will have a consistent and beautiful look to it that will impress your guests as they pull up to your home. Your neighbors will also enjoy seeing your front yard every day as they drive by or walk their dogs. Professional landscaping is a great way to make a name for yourself in your neighborhood and among your friends.

Please Your Home Owners Association

Many of Tucson’s residents are part of a homeowners’ association, also called a HOA. These neighborhood-run organizations maintain the neighborhood’s common areas and make sure the houses are up to a certain standard throughout the neighborhood. By hiring a professional landscaper, you can ensure that your home is up to the required look and standards set by your HOA. This is important to keep from suffering potential fines and maintaining your neighborhood’s beautiful design.

Santa Rita Landscaping, Inc. is your specialist in Tucson landscape design. We offer commercial and residential landscaping services, so do not hesitate to call us at (520) 623-0421.

The Villa d’Este is one of Italy’s most famous and impressive properties. Located just east of Rome in the town of Tivoli, this 16th-century villa was built in the 1550s for Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, for whom the property was named. While the villa itself is beautiful and breathtaking, the true gem of the Villa d’Este is its lavish gardens; these gardens and their role in historic garden design are largely responsible for the property’s current status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Gardens’ Creation

The gardens at the Villa d’Este were designed by Pirro Ligorio, who created the property’s 51 fountains with the help of Tommaso Chiruchi and Claude Venard. Prior to his work at the Villa d’Este, Chiruchi had played a part in the design and construction of the Villa Lante fountains, while Venard was a French manufacturer of hydraulic organs. Together, Ligorio, Chiruchi, and Venard created a garden full of water features that was rivaled by few existing properties and copied in many subsequent garden designs throughout the European continent.

The Gardens’ Water Features

Villa d’Este’s fountains and water features include a grand total of 398 spouts, 364 jets, and 64 waterfalls. The fountains are fed by over 2,800 feet of canals and channels, which provide water solely through gravity without the assistance of pumps. Today, the gardens’ fountains and features are supplied by the Aniene River, which has been partially diverted through the town. Among the named fountains featured in this beautiful garden are the Oval Fountain, the Hundred Fountains, the Fountain of Rometta, the Fountain of the Dragons, and the Fountain of the Organ.