LOW-MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING

We could all use a little more free time. That’s one reason low-maintenance landscaping is becoming more popular, says Aaron Lutz, a landscape designer at Outdoor Escapes of Long Lake. “Most people are busy and don’t want to put a ton of extra effort into their yards,” he says. To lower your workload, Lutz recommends asking questions about maintenance before installing any new hardscaping or plants.
    When selecting plants, find out whether they require extra water, extra fertilizer, spraying, or trimming. “All these are things are extra work,” says Lutz. To decrease labor, he recommends looking for drought-tolerant, disease-resistant, perennial plants hardy to zone 4. These plants need less water, limited or no chemicals, and are likely to make it through tough winters.
    Daylilies and hostas certainly fit the bill and they are easy to care for. But because so many people have them, they can seem a little boring, says Lutz. He prefers native plants, which have unique beauty and are well-adapted to our climate. “Native plants can also attract little insects, bees and butterflies, which are super cool for the environment.”
    Rain gardens, created by making depressions in yards where water can collect and filling them with water-loving plants, are a great way to harvest water and limit run-off. They can be beautiful when planted correctly. But when installed incorrectly, Lutz says, they look awful. If you’re considering one for your yard, it’s worth studying up or calling in professionals.
    When planning your hardscaping, look for materials that don’t require a lot of upkeep. “Wood structures, like decks, pergolas, and arbors, for example, can require a lot of maintenance,” says Lutz. “You have to regularly paint or stain them.” Instead, it might be worth considering less labor-intensive materials. Azek decking, for instance, is a wood alternative that doesn't have to be painted or stained.
    Over the long run, buying better quality materials can save time and money. Take light fixtures. Inexpensive fixtures are more likely to break and to have their surfaces damaged by weather and the sun, requiring refinishing or replacement. “In general, the better the materials, the longer they’re going to last,” says Lutz. That means less work, and more time, for you.

ARTISTIC CONCRETE FINISHING

A stone floor. Terra cotta tiles. Old world brick. These surfaces can give a home an inviting, natural feel. But you don’t necessarily have to haul in piles of rock to get the same look. Getting creative with concrete stamping and staining can give patios, pool decks, sidewalks, driveways, front entries, main level floors, basements, and even garage floors the feel of natural stone.
    Concrete stamping is a method of putting texture into concrete to give it a natural feel of stone or brick. “You might have a slate or brick pattern or a random field stone design. Concrete stamping is fully customizable,” says John Welsch, owner of PetroGlyphs, a Forest Lake–based company that specializes in artistic and decorative surface finishes. “There are unlimited possibilities for design.”
    Stain can be used to create a stone pattern design in concrete or to make it look like tile. Color can be washed evenly across the surface or applied for a mottled, old-world look. “In one of my favorite projects I was able to do multiple colors and artistic embellishments—including Celtic crosses,” says Welsch.
    Any concrete can be stained, but both staining and stamping work best in new concrete. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need old concrete replaced. If you have existing concrete in good condition, you can add a thin new layer of concrete on top or a cement-based overlay. “Overlays are usually easier to install and less expensive than replacement,” says Welsch. “They hold up as well as the original concrete.” A simple way to get a fresh surface—and a fresh look.

HOME FRONT

Cottage Sale Love

When we moved into our house last year, we puzzled over how to decorate. Then we discovered cottage sales, which have been popping up all over the Twin Cities this year. The people who operate them comb through rummage sales then sell their great finds—usually cleaned up or even restored—about once a month. Going to a cottage sale is like having someone pre-shopping for you. It’s super inexpensive—and fun. Everything is original, so you don't end up with the same thing 1500 other people bought at the mall.

At a monthly cottage sale in downtown Excelsior, we’ve found old wooden toolboxes that we use as a bookcase, a trunk that holds Tryg’s toy cars, and a wooden “S” we painted purple and green for Skylar’s room. We hung old shutters on the walls in our bedroom and a wagon wheel above our fireplace. Jam jars filled with silverware serve as the centerpiece on our dining room table. And a ceramic Rottweiler—which looks just like our two real Rottweilers—sits out on the deck. We love decorating like this. 

Here's to summer time and feeling free to play,
Matt and Erica (and Skylar and Trygve)