Chinook Landscaping and Design – Landscaping Calgary Specialists
Calgary, Alberta
403-452-8552
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Chinook Landscaping Calgary

Category: Landscaping Calgary

Chinook Landscaping CalgaryLandscaping Calgary BlogLandscaping Calgary
09 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david fences and decks, Landscaping Calgary

Cedar Privacy Fence

In this video we discuss the unique and beautiful look of a cedar privacy fence.  A cedar privacy fence adds warmth and visual appeal to your property.  Check out the video to learn more.

Horizontal fence boards are key to a cedar privacy fence

Traditional cedar fences or pressure treated fences are often built with their fence boards running vertical.  For our cedar privacy fence we install our fence boards horizontally.  Horizontal fence boards are key to a cedar fence.  This board placement gives your fence a semi transparent look that keeps your landscape backdrop looking light and open.  Traditional vertical fence boards can feel more wall like and less visually attractive.  The cost for installation of this fence will be higher than a traditional fence as the there is more labour involved with this kind of fence project.   This style of fence is a great addition to your modern landscaping project.

4 x 6 fence posts are best for a solid fence.

Using 4 x 6 or even 6 x 6  fence boards for your cedar privacy fence will help give your fence the strength it need to withstand our freeze and thaw temperatures here in Calgary.  Many contractors or homeowners use 4 x 4 posts to build their fences.  The fence post is the spine of your fence and therefore a 4 x 4 post will not be adequate.  We have replaced many fences with 4 x 6 or 6 x 6 fence posts because they were leaning or falling over.  Along with the fence post it is important to add at least two bags of concrete.

Heavy duty gate hardware is a necessity

We are often called to repair gates installed by other contractors.  The number one issue with their gates is the quality of their gate hardware.  Flimsy hinges and latches have to carry the load of a very heavy gate and they will not withstand the stress over time.  Using heavy duty gate hardware is a necessity if you want your gate to stay in position and open and close easily.  If you are going to spend the money on a beautiful fence it is well worth it to spend a few more dollars for proper gate fixtures.

Semi transparent stain protects while still showing off the natural wood

Semi transparent stain is the best stain to use when staining your cedar privacy fence.  There is enough protective coating to give your fence protection against the sun but at the same time it still shows off the natural wood grain of your cedar privacy fence.  A cedar privacy fence is one of the most additions you can make to your Calgary landscaping.  To keep it looking great make sure to stain your fence annually.

There are many styles of fence and deck products to choose from.  Check out our fences and decks page for more.

09 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david Landscaping, Landscaping Calgary, Outdoor kitchens Calgary

Modern Landscaping Calgary project

Many of our Calgary clients are looking for more modern landscaping components for their Calgary landscaping.  In this video David Abbott from Chinook Landscaping Calgary discusses some of these components including:

Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are becoming more and more popular in Calgary.  Even though our winters can be long and cold don’t let that stop you from enjoying outdoor cooking.  For this landscaping project we used a Techo bloc outdoor kitchen The Techo bloc outdoor kitchen is made of precast stone and includes a electrical outlet, double burner and granite counter top.  Granite counter tops are ideal for outdoors in Calgary because they can handle the cold and stay looking great year round.

Kayu hardwood deck

We installed a beautiful kayu hardwood deck next to the outdoor kitchen.  Kayu is a beautiful mahogany type hardwood that is much more durable than cedar.  Natural woods like Kayu can really warm up your outdoor space and are especially important if you have a lot of cold landscaping components like concrete or paving stones.  Placing the deck boards on a forty five degree angle gives your deck a sleek modern look.

Basalt bubbler water feature

Basalt bubbler water features are low maintenance water features that don’t require much for winterizing like ponds or waterfalls.  These subtle yet soothing water features give you a realizing calming element to your landscaping.  The water flow can be adjusted to increase or decrease the amount of water coming out of the top of the basalt bubbler.  This in turn increases or reduces the volume of the feature.

Cedar Pergola

This simple cedar pergola creates a cozy feel to the back yard and compliments the kayu hardwood deck very well.  It is built with basic cross beams that are not too ornate and therefore they don’t take away from the rest of the landscaping.  The cedar pergola provides some shade but not too much to block sunlight to the plantings underneath the Pergola.   Cedar Pergolas are a wonderful addition to any modern landscaping project.  Both the pergola and the deck will require annual staining each spring for fall in order to maintain their rich natural wood tones.

Learn more about our modern landscaping wood structures by visiting Pergolas and arbors .

You can also visit our arbors, pergolas and privacy screens page

Ask us about what components to use for your modern landscaping Calgary project.

 

07 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping, Landscaping Calgary

Chinook Landscaping Calgary

In this video David Abbott discuss various key components of landscaping in Calgary. Chinook Landscaping and Design has been involved in and created some unique and interesting projects.  Landscaping is our passion and Chinook Landscaping Calgary loves to landscape and it shows!

In this video we discuss:

Front steps, more than just something to step on

Typical concrete front steps are everywhere in Calgary and quite frankly they can be quite boring.  Considering the front step is the entrance to your home it is important to dress it up a little and welcome visitors with something other than boring cold sterile concrete.  The front steps we built for this project were built with tumbled roman Pisa stone.  Inset in the steps are roman euro paving stones.  The front paving stone patio approaching the steps where made with similar matching materials as the steps.

Roman Euro mowing pavers help define your borders.

Using a paving stone border around your garden beds is a great way to define your borders.  Defining your borders is key to a great looking landscape.  Mowing pavers make it easy to mow right over your lawn without the hassle of having to trim around raised border edges.  Our paving stones are installed with a compacted gravel base that helps prevent frost heaves in the winter time.  It is very important to have a proper base under your paving stones or you will end up with uneven pavers in a very short time.  We install polymer sand in-between our mowing pavers to help keep the weeds and grass from growing in between the pavers.

Trafalgar Paving stones make for a great looking paving stone patio

A beautiful paving stone patio is the focal point to most back or front yard landscapes.  Paving stones are more costly than concrete and exposed aggregate but the look is much more attractive.  For this project Chinook Landscaping Calgary installed Trafalgar paving stones and implemented a unique application of cutting the paving stones around the beautiful backyard tree.  The trafalgar paving stones have a classic timeless look that will not become outdated in the future.  Again, we used polymer and in between the paving stones to prevent weed growth.

Fences are the back drop to your landscape.

Many people focus on their landscaping and forget about one of the key components to their landscaping.  The backdrop of your landscaping is your fence so make it a beautiful, long lasting fence that will compliment your existing landscaping.  Most landscaping companies use 4 x 4 fence posts for their fence installations but at Chinook Landscaping Calgary we insist on either 4 x 6 or 6 x 6 posts.  The fence posts are the spine of your fence and installing flimsy 4 x 4 posts will mean you have a weak fence, especially in Calgary’s freeze and thaw climate.  Installing 4 x 6 or 6 x 6 fence posts will insure your fence will stay upright and solid for years to come.  Fences are a very important part of your landscaping both for aesthetics and for security.

Chinook Landscaping Calgary is your one stop for unique, long lasting and beautiful landscapes.  Call us today for your free onsite consultation.  Ph: 403-452-8552 or visit our estimates page.

 

07 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping Calgary, Wood landscaping features

Arbors and Pergolas for your front or back yard

Wood features are a great way to soften the look of your landscaping.  Arbors and Pergolas can give you that soft touch and arbors and pergolas for your front or back yard can be a practical landscaping feature too.

Whats the difference between an Arbor and Pergola?

Some of our Calgary clients are confused by the difference between an arbor and a pergola.  The differences are quite clear really.  An arbor is typically much smaller than a pergola.  An arbor is often used for a garden accent or as an archway over your front or backyard entrance.  A pergola is normally used over top of a patio or siting area to provide shade and/or privacy.  A pergola normally has numerous large cross beams whereas an arbor may only have a two or three.  Read more about arbors and pergolas for your front or back yard.

Pergolas for shade and More

Pergolas for shade are quite common in Calgary.  They are very useful in blocking much of the sunlight that shines onto your patio or sitting area.  You can choose to have a greenhouse like fibreglass roof on your pergola to keep out the rain and reduce sunlight or you can leave the roof open for partial shade from the cross beams.  Pergolas being used for privacy is another common application.  Often we find that neighbouring homes have high decks that overlook our clients properties so in this case a pergola can provide excellent privacy over top of your patio or hot tub area.

Arbors can aid in drainage solutions

Did you know that arbors can be a great aid for drainage solutions?  We often use cedar arbors to straddle a front or back walkway.  Instead of running your drain pipe underground you can choose to run your drain pipe over top of the arbor and therefore over top the walkway and down the other side of the arbor.  This allows you to avoid underground drainage.  Overland drainage is always preferred over underground drainage because underground drainage can freeze up in spring and cause your eavestrough to over flow.  We can hide the drain pipe in the arbor beams so they are not visible.  You can visit our page on drainage solutions to learn more about using arbors for drainage issues.

Arbors for beautiful landscape accents

Arbors make beautiful landscape accents.  The warm look of cedar can help to soften your landscape while providing an ornate accent to your property.  We can build arbors in a variety of styles and they can be stained or painted according to what matches your landscape best.  The soft look of cedar arbors is particularly helpful when you have a lot of concrete or cold landscape components.

Materials used for building Arbors and Pergolas

Arbors and pergolas are almost always built out of either cedar, Meranti hardwood or pressure treated wood.  If you want a rich wood look for your arbor then cedar or meranti is best.  If you plan on painting your arbor then pressure treated wood be appropriate and is also the least expensive option.  Using arbors or pergolas for your front or back yard are is a great idea regardless of what material you use.

Have a look at our Arbors, Pergolas and privacy screens page for more

 

 

 

06 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david Landscaping Calgary

Landscaping with Cedar shrubs in Calgary

Many of our clients request cedar shrubs for their landscaping without knowing the negative aspects of landscaping with cedar shrubs in Calgary.  Cedars are a beautiful shrub and there are many different varieties.  The size of cedars can very to small compact globe cedars to tall tree like cedars.

Most Cedars don’t really like our Calgary climate

Most cedar shrubs don’t grow well in Calgary.  They do grow very well in British Columbia or areas where the climate is milder without the very cold winters that Calgary experiences.  Cedars need warm moist and/or humid climates to thrive and Calgary just doesn’t have that kind of weather.  If you visit areas of BC you will see cedars everywhere in shrub and tree form.  They thrive in the rainforest type climate that BC has and some cedar trees there can grow to be huge.  Unfortunately you won’t be able to grow a large cedar tree in Calgary but you may be able to grow some smaller cedar shrubs. Although landscaping with cedar shrubs in Calgary can be challenging there are some cedar options for you to consider.

Some Cedar shrubs do grow well in Calgary if planted in the right areas

Some cedar varieties do grow well here.  The variety that we have had the most luck with is the Holmstrup Cedar.  This is a shrub Cedar and it grows quite will if it is planted in a protected area of your yard.  Holmstrup Cedars particularly like growing next to houses where there roots can enjoy the warmth from the homes foundation.  Once the cedar becomes established it can benefit from the warmth of the foundation as the cedars roots grow deeper into the soil.  The Holmstrup cedar can reach heights of 15′ over a long period of time.

Junipers are a great substitute for Cedars

We are often asked what a good substitute for cedar shrubs are.  We always recommend Junipers in place of cedars because overall they are more hardy and the chance of winter kill is far less than with Cedars.  Cedars look very much like some Junipers especially upright pyramidal cedars.  Some great juniper choices are Moonglow, Wichita, Medora and Skyrocket.  Medora Junipers look most like a cedar because of their dark green foliage.  See our Shrubs-photos page for more shrub ideas

If you are interested in Landscaping with Cedar shrubs in Calgary consider Junipers instead.

Call us today to discuss great planting options for your garden beds.  Ph: 403-452-8552

06 Mar 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping Calgary

Chinook Landscaping is now open for spring estimates!

Chinook Landscaping is now open for spring estimates.  We provide free landscaping estimates and consultations to Calgary Homeowners.  The estimate includes a walkthrough of your property and a consultation on your landscaping needs and requirements.  We will also take time to explain our company history to you as well as show you pictures of our work and explain the landscaping process clearly.

We can provide you with an estimate on all of your landscaping needs including:

Landscape Design
Patios and Walkways
Retaining walls
Sod installation and removal
Tree and shrub removal and installation
Paving stones
Fences and Decks
Underground Sprinklers
Landscape Lighting

We love to explore new landscaping ideas with our Calgary clients and take great pride in creating beautiful spaces for your front or back yard.  Visit our estimates page Call us today for your free estimate.  403-452-8552

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22 Feb 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping Calgary

Growing Strawberries in Calgary

It is never too early to start planning your summer gardens.  Strawberries are a great addition to any garden in Calgary.  Growing strawberries in Calgary is much more fruitful than it used to be.  There was a time when growing strawberries in Calgary was difficult because there were very few hardy strawberry varieties to choose from but that has all changed in recent years.  Thanks to new varieties primarily from Washington and the East Coast of Canada, hardy, bountiful strawberry varieties are now available.

Many new strawberry varieties to choose from

Older strawberry varieties like Tristar were ever bearing strawberries that would produce fruit throughout the summer.  But the fruit form this variety was sparse with small berries and low yield.  Now new varieties like Kent allow Calgary gardeners to enjoy June bearing strawberries.  The Kent strawberry is a large juicy and very sweet berry that has excellent yield.  Combining a June bearing strawberry with ever bearing strawberries is a great way to produce strawberries from June until October.

Grow your strawberries in the ground or not?

Strawberry gardening is not just limited to in ground plantings anymore.  You can choose to grow strawberries in containers, hanging baskets or even in straw bales.  The highest yield will likely still come from in ground or straw bales but if your growing area is restricted then container gardening is a great choice.

Wider strawberry rows equals more fruit

If you are planning on creating a strawberry garden then don’t just plant single rows of plants.  Instead, plant a single row and then allow the plants to runner.  The runners are shoots that come off the mother plant and eventually these shoots become baby strawberry plants. You can train the runners by hand or hoe and place them in areas where the soil is open and the plants will have room to mature. Be careful not to cut the runners as these long stems provide nutrients to the baby strawberry plants.  Once the runner plants take root they will start to create a wide row of strawberries.  We recommend about a 2-3′ wide mat of plants for high yield.

Strawberries need protection during our cold winters

Wintering you strawberries correctly is very important especially in Calgary’s very cold climate.  In the fall after the frost starts to hit your plantings you can start to cover them up for the winter.  You can choose a variety of covers for the plants protection including wheat straw, leaves or mulch.  Make sure you create a good think protective layer over top your strawberries of at least 8-12″.  This protective covering will insure you have much less winter kill and a much greater yield of fruit come summer time.

Your local Calgary will have a good selection of June bearing and overbearing strawberries plants.  They are typically available in early May.

For more information on growing strawberries in Calgary see these links:

How to grow strawberries in hay bales

Strawberries in Alberta

 

14 Feb 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping Calgary

Lots of snow is hard on the back but great for trees and shrubs!


We all grow tired of shovelling snow during our long Calgary winter season but your trees and shrubs are happy as can be under all that white stuff!. Lots of snow can be hard on your back but its great for trees and shrubs.

Some think snow is bad for plants

Clients often ask us if a heavy snowfall with be detrimental to their plantings. Calgary is famous for its warm chinook winds that blow in throughout the winter months. Temperatures can change by 20c in a matter of hours. This constant warming and thawing followed by freezing can be very hard on trees, shrubs and perennials. It can expose them to root damage if there is not enough snow fall. This is why a heavy snowfall and thick layer of snow over your plantings is a very positive thing and vital to your plant health.

A blanket of snow is a blessing for your shrubs and perennials

The more snow the better the protection will be to your plants. If you are running out of places to pile your snow then you could choose to pile it on top of your plantings to give them some help during the winter months.

Shrubs don’t like lots of salt

If the snow you are removing is mixed with salt then it is best to avoid putting it on top of plantings. The salt can damage the plants come spring time when the snow melts. If you have several feet of snow on top of your plantings then it would be helpful to move some of it once the very cold weather is over and spring is getting close. Leaving a foot or so on top your plants will ensure they are protected in case there is a last minute big freeze.

12 Feb 2019
0 Comments By david Gardening, Landscaping Calgary

Yardsmart and the Calgary horticultural Society.

We wanted to let you know more about Yardsmart and the Calgary Horticultural society.  The Calgary Horticultural Society is a place where horticulturists, amateur gardeners and anyone who is interested in gardening can meet to learn more about landscaping and gardening.  They have weekly meetings, workshops, how to seminars on everything to do with horticulture and plants.  Not only are they a great resource for homeowners interested in gardening but they are also a great place to network and meet other people who have similar interests.  You can learn about planting trees and shrubs, ,   Plantings and lawn care and many more aspects of gardening in Calgary.

Yardsmart and the Calgary Horticultural Society promotes organic gardening and water wise landscaping.

Organic gardening and gardening without the use of pesticides is becoming more and more popular in Calgary and across North America.  Yardsmart and the Calgary Horticultural Society promote organic gardening and water wise landscaping.  They offer tips on growing your own vegetables, organic composts that you can make yourself and great ideas for producing large yields from your organic garden. Yardsmart and the Calgary Horticultural Society also focus on water conservation and some creative ways to minimize water use for your garden and landscaping including the use of underground sprinklers and rain barrels. You will also learn how to avoid common landscaping mistakes

To learn more about Yardsmart and the Calgary Horticultural Society visit The Calgary Horticultural Society website

07 Jan 2019
0 Comments By david Landscaping Calgary

Chinook Landscaping wins 2019 Consumers Choice Award!

For the fourth year in a row Chinook Landscaping has won the Consumers Choice Award. In this new Alberta economy we have worked harder than ever to work with our customers and bring them excellent value while maintaining a high standard of quality workmanship. All of the staff at Chinook Landscaping would like to thank our loyal customers for their repeated business year after year.  And thank you for voting us the #1 landscaper in Southern Alberta again this year.  We look forward to serving our existing customers and new customers in 2019.  Check out some of the other awards we have won here.  Landscaping Calgary Awards