So get out there and marvel at a magnolia, gaze at a gazania or rest your eyes on some iris!

The Kauffman Memorial Garden is a haven in Kansas City.

Right here in the center of town is the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden.  A gift from the Kauffman family, this 2 ½ acre walled, English-type garden features 7,000 plants, with more than 300 varieties including vintage and modern perennials, annuals, shrubs, bulbs and trees. A spectacular and hidden gem in the Plaza area it’s free of charge and open year round. Don’t miss the spectacular Christmas display with hundreds of poinsettias and fragrant bulbs.

How about a going a little native? The Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center is just across the street from the Kauffman Garden and is a fitting complement to the structure and orderliness of the Kauffman. An outreach service of the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, The Discovery Center focuses on plants, shrubs and trees native to the Missouri landscape of long ago and uses its educational programs to teach urban children and adults the beauty of nature and the gifts of preservation.

Head south and west and land at The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.  A 300-acre preserve founded to promote ecological and environmental awareness. A fabulous idea generator for dedicated gardeners and homeowners alike looking for landscape inspiration. The arboretum showcases a huge variety of native plants and trees and also offers educational and recreational resources. The majority of the location is given over to eight natural ecosystems to highlight the vast possibilities of Midwestern horticulture.

Looking for a day trip? Powell Gardens located outside the KC city limits in Kingsville, Missouri, has over 915 acres of rolling hills, serene gardens, meadows and ever-changing seasonal displays. The garden hosts multiple events, festivals and installations year round including a butterfly festival, a family-friendly Halloween jack o’ lantern display and ongoing educational classes. The latest addition is the Heartland Harvest Garden, the nation’s largest “edible landscape” that delights garden tourists with a magnificent variety of fruits, veggies and herbs.

The Kansas City Metropolitan area is truly blessed to have such a variety of spaces dedicated to conservation, environmental awareness, landscape inspiration and just plain family fun. If you’re looking for some bright ideas for your own garden be sure to take your camera and notepad and then call Olympic Lawn and Landscape. We can deliver those plants, make a new home for them in your yard and leave behind a little (or a lot) of color, serenity and beauty to enjoy all year long.

The best thing about summer cooking is the bounty of fresh and delicious ingredients. From peaches to blueberries, tomatoes to peppers the variety of colorful and yummy delights can supply you with endless evenings of fun, friends and family.

A watermelon cooler is the perfect end to a warm summer day.

And now that you have the outside ready it’s time to focus on your insides.  We’ve put together a little summer evening menu that you can share with your friends. You may even talk them into each bringing something and you have the recipe for a fabulous sultry summer evening.

Recipes For Summer Entertaining

Honey Soy Appetizer Ribs

Curried White Bean Dip

Rosemary Mustard Pork with Peaches

Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Neely’s Lemon Pasta Salad

Grilled Banana Splits

Blueberry and Nectarine Cobbler

Fire Pit S’mores

Peach Julep

Watermelon Cooler

If this little summer sampler sounds wonderful but alas, you just don’t have the right setting for summer entertaining call us at Olympic Lawn and Landscape. We have just what you need to create your new outdoor living space, from patio kits to fireplaces to beautiful tables and chairs so you can call the family and friends and get cooking!

Curbing adds order to flower beds.

Landscape curbing is an attractive way to increase your curb appeal and decrease your yard work. They are a weed stopper and an erosion barrier and because they don’t rust, degrade or shift they’re the sensible alternative to conventional edging.  And if you’ve ever tried to convince that big roll of plastic landscape edging to conform to your wishes you’ll be glad you chose concrete curbing.

What are the uses for curbing?

Concrete landscape curbing uses are almost limitless. From lining a driveway to a patio border they can be used for more than just landscaping.  But they really do shine when you outline your beds with curving, sweeping lines that immediately highlight the area in a neat and upscale fashion.

Landcaping curbing adds curb appeal.

How is concrete curbing made?

The best thing about curbing is that it is completely customizable. Each piece can be colored, shaped and stamped to your specifications to make your curbing just your style. Olympic recommends spending time in your yard and making notes on the shape, texture and color that you like best.

What are the benefits of curbing?

If you’ve ever tried to add soil to raise a flowerbed you’ve probably seen it slide and shrink away until it’s level again with the rest of your yard. Concrete curbing keeps that soil in place so you can build up your beds and increase the interest in your yard. Curbing keeps weeds away from your flowers and shrubs so your ongoing battle can be eased a bit as the creeping Charlie is sent packing.  It also gives your home that all important curb appeal so when the time comes to sell your home you already have a lovely landscape to show it off.

Can curbing be lighted?

Lighting in your landscaping not only improves its look by night but it also reduces your chance of theft. LED lighting can be tailored to follow the curve and flow of your concrete curbing to create a professional and modern look to your yard. It’s a lovely highlight for spring flowering trees and adds a depth and serenity to a snowy evening.

Who can help me with landscape curbing?

Funny you should ask! Olympic Lawn and Landscape is Kansas City’s premier curbing dealer. Our professionals can create and install landscape curbing or a driveway skirt and the lighting to show them off. We can also help you complement your curbing with attractive paths and walkways that add to that all-important curb appeal and increase your property value. So call us today at 816-875-9296 to learn all about the possibilities of curbing.

Starting a children’s garden doesn’t require extensive gardening knowledge so don’t worry if you think you have a black thumb. There are many simple ways to get started and without a large investment you can start a garden in pots or in the ground.

Packets of seeds are an inexpensive way to begin your garden. A sunny south-facing window in late winter is the perfect spot to plant. Go online or browse a gardening catalog during the winter to select the plants you want to grow. Look for plants and flowers to start indoors as well as those to plant directly in the ground. Checking on the little seedlings as they emerge from the soil is a wonderful way to start your day. Don’t forget to label them so you know what’s what.

Start a journal about your gardening adventure; paste seed packets and photos of the emerging plants. Have your children write, draw or dictate their impressions of their gardening experiences.  Don’t forget to write down your own thoughts as well. Not only are you spending time together talking and creating, you’re making a family heirloom you’ll treasure for a lifetime.

When the weather warms up head outside! If you have a little garden plot begin working the soil to loosen and aerate. Don’t disturb the soil if it’s overly wet, as you’ll create rock hard boulders that little roots can’t penetrate. Add some compost if needed, and measure the space to plot your garden. Buying kid’s size gardening tools is the perfect way to encourage them to help. They’ll probably just dig around in the same spot but who cares. This is all about fun and dirt.

When the soil warms up direct sow any flowers or veggies you’d like or transplant your window garden. Let your child plant the larger sized seeds and don’t worry if they’re not perfect or if they plant 25 seeds in the same spot. This is where perfection can be thrown out the window. You can thin out the mass seedlings later. Mark the rows and plots with popsicle sticks you decorate together. Or get creative and make fun markers from clay or paint. This can be a fun family project on dark winter days.

If you don’t have the space to plant in the ground you can always use containers. Almost anything can be grown in pots and you can direct sow or transplant your seedlings. Don’t forget to record this momentous day with more photos and thoughts in your journal. Add a smudge of dirt to make it authentic.  Go to the library and find books about insects and caterpillars and how they help your garden grow. Not all bugs should be squashed (most shouldn’t actually) so teach them how to appreciate all living creatures. Feel free to squirm behind their backs.

As your garden matures and you begin to harvest your bounty make bouquets for a neighbor or press the flowers in your journal. Use the veggies and herbs to cook; this is the time to teach them where pizza comes from. If you’ve planted sunflowers explain how they’ve provided the birds with food for the upcoming winter.  You’ll create hours of fun, family time and if you’re lucky plant some great future habits for your kids.

At Olympic Lawn and Landscapes we love growing things. And we especially love helping you grow things. From landscaping to beautiful curbing to patio kits we can help you and your family enjoy your time outdoors. So call us today at 816-697-2720 for more information.

These days a house can be on the market for longer than we might want so your best bet may be to consult with a landscaping company. They can recommend the kind of plant types, both annual and perennial, that will last a long time if necessary. Planting pansies in March will result in sad, wilted and heat blasted flowers if your home is still on the market in June.

Add one or two unusual specimen plants to add interest to your foundation landscape. A Weeping Norway Spruce or Blue Atlas Cedar aren’t as common as yews or boxwood so your landscape will make a statement. Unusual or uncommon specimens aren’t difficult to find and you’ll be impressed at how much they improve the look of your home.

Put flowers in pots on your porch. They can be changed out as they fade or become overgrown. This might also be good place for a small shrub in a pot with flowers at the base. The shrub won’t grow as fast and won’t be as susceptible to changing seasons. If you’re selling in the fall an evergreen will make a great little Christmas tree in December.

Plant a tree. A small tree will add interest to an open and empty landscape for just a small investment. Make sure it has both spring and fall interest, either flowering or attractive foliage and good color in the fall.

Maintain your lawn. This is key as no amount of decorative plantings can disguise struggling turf. It’s worth investing in a landscaping company that can both improve and maintain your yard at least for the short term to get it looking great.

And lastly everything looks better with a nice layer of mulch. Planting beds look refreshed and cleaner and it will help keep the weeds to a minimum. Landscape curbing will also add a good, clean definition to your beds and increase their beauty.

If you’re looking for more advice on keeping your home’s landscaping looking great at all times contact Olympic Lawn and Landscape. Not only can we recommend and install the best quality plantings but we can also improve the look of your patio, adding another great feature to impress a new buyer or just for you to enjoy.

But how about camping in your own backyard? It’s easy, cheap and all it takes is the desire to do it and bam! you’re outside under the stars. But what about the campfire? Camping isn’t the same without weenies a’roasting and s’mores a’toasting. Your neighborhood association probably frowns on bonfires in your backyard so what do you do? This is where the fire ring saves the day (or night)! Do it yourself fire ring kits are an easy way to ensure you’ll always have a place to roast, toast or just relax.

And along with your new fire ring it’s time to liven up the classic s’more.  The s’more loyalist will always enjoy chocolate bars, graham crackers and marshmallows but how about mixing it up once in a while? Try these new and improved recipes and top off those tummies before you head into your backyard campground. Or just back in the house when you realize mosquitoes also live outdoors.

Nutty Banana S’mores- Graham crackers, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, sliced banana, and marshmallow. Substitute Nutella instead of Reese’s for the extra mile.

Strawberry and Chocolate S’mores- Add strawberry slices to graham crackers, dark chocolate, and roasted marshmallow.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter S’mores-Spread peanut butter onto the graham cracker, or chocolate wafer, and then add the chocolate and marshmallow.

Spicy S’mores- Graham crackers, marshmallows, milk chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Snowy S’mores-White chocolate, chocolate wafer and marshmallow with a drizzle of caramel.

If you’re looking for the perfect complement to your outdoor lifestyle the Fire Ring kit from Olympic Lawn is the marshmallow to your chocolate. They’re easy to install, last a lifetime and provide warmth, comfort and beauty for all your outdoor entertaining. Call us at 816-697-2720 for a free estimate and design assistance!

Thanks to Sunset for some of the delish recipes!

Lawns are normally grouped into a couple of catagories; warm season or cool season.  Warm season grasses such as  bermudagrass, zoysiagrass or buffalograss are good for the southern areas of the US where summers are hot and winters are mild. Some such as zoysiagrass will tolerate our northern Missouri climate but will go dormant when temps go below 50 degrees and are among the last of the grasses to green up in late spring. However, they tolerate our burning summers very well and may be the only green on the block when Independence Day comes. It does need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight so avoid planting in large shady areas as the turf will be as thin as a bald man’s head.

Cooler season grasses are best for areas with warm summers and cold winters such as Kansas City. These grasses include fine and tall fescues, bluegrass and bentgrass. They’ll grow well in the spring and fall and then slow during the summer heat. Fescues are a good all around choice as unlike the majority of cool season grasses they are shade tolerant and perform well in the transition areas that bisect Missouri into cooler and warmer zones. It becomes more wear tolerant when mixed with a small amount of rye. Bluegrass is another fine choice and is more wear tolerant than fescue or buffalo grass so is great for high traffic areas. Golf courses love it for fairways, tees and roughs. It has runners that allow it to  spread and fill in bare spots.Cool season grasses can also be seeded in the fall over warm season grasses. This provides a green cover during a period when the warm season lawn goes dormant and turns brown.

Regardless of what type of grass you use in your lawn they will all GROW. And if you have a busy summer schedule you know how mowing can get away from you. We’ve all seen how one good rain can seem to make your grass grow an inch overnight. So if you find yourself coming home after dark so your neighbors can’t gang up on you or you wake up one morning to find your lawn mower sporting a bow on the front porch call us at Olympic Lawn and Landscape. We mow and trim your yard so that it’s clean and crisp. Our professional mowers take time to mow in straight lines and attractive patterns. We understand how to mow grass to encourage healthy grass growth. In short, we know grass!

Flowering Dogwood. The Missouri State Tree is a fine place to start. Blooming in colors from white to the softest pink and bold rosy red this stunner can reach a height of 20 feet. In the fall the trees again treat us with pink, red or purple foliage.

Ornamental Pear is another showstopper with tall upright branches covered in white blooms. Planted in groups by many municipalities the Bradford Pear gave city dwellers a lovely spring recharge but they are susceptible to wind and hail so many of them are being replaced by heartier varieties to ensure a lovely sight for years to come. They can reach a height of up to 35 feet depending on the variety

Redbuds are almost as representative of Missouri as the Flowering Dogwood. Longtime residents remember the redbud from childhood as the blooming trees are breathtaking. They most commonly come in colors of pink or deep purple and can reach a height of 25 feet. They are known to reseed so you may have little babies to transplant or give to friends.

A lesser-known but wonderful spring flowering tree is the Serviceberry. A multi-trunked and slow growing tree it produces lovely pink-tipped white blooms that develop into edible purple or red fruit in the fall. Leaves turn a beautiful deep red as winter approaches.  It can reach 15-25 feet tall and 10-15 feet wide.

The Crabapple is another tree that graces the Midwest with thick, heavy blooms that are sometimes fragrant. Long limbs rise up and when the breezes blow they release showers of white, pink or red petals. Look for varieties that don’t bear fruit and are disease resistant. Average height is only 10-25 feet so this is an ideal ornamental tree.

If you’d like to add trees to your landscape just give us a call. We offer professional landscaping services that will complement your house and make entertaining outdoors a treat for you and your family. Consider adding curbing to your garden beds or rejuvenate your patio and complete your outdoor transformation.

Unfortunately a vegetable garden requires yard space, may interfere with landscaping or just be difficult to maintain. This is where the container garden steps in. Most any summer veggie can be coaxed into growing in the proper pot and the bounty can be delicious. Watering becomes easier, fertilizing is simple and they can actually add to the beauty of a patio or deck. So if you want the privilege of the backyard side dish there are lots of plant varieties that love the container.

Container Gardens Bring The Garden To You

I Say Tomato!

The granddaddy of the summer garden and the number one pick of all vegetable growers the tomato is very happy to be contained. A full size plant need a container with a soil capacity of at least 20 quarts and a water capacity of at least a gallon or more to keep up with this water lover. Patio varieties are also available for smaller spaces and produce smaller but just as yummy fruits. Buying tip: You may be tempted to buy large plants at the garden center with blossoms already set. Avoid this and buy smaller plants with dark green leaves and few or no blossoms. Blossoms can be a sign of stress in a plant that sits in a tiny pot. Give a small plant a big home and you’ll get a happy plant.

Wouldn’t You Like to Have a Pepper, Too?

Green, red, yellow, orange or even purple. Sweet, spicy or fiery. Large, small or just decorative. Pepper plants come in all kinds of delightful varieties and are well suited for containers. They love heat and consistent moisture and some varieties are compact enough to grow well in medium containers or even mix with other small plants in a larger one. Growing tip: Peppers need lots of light and heat so don’t be discouraged if they take a while to get going.

Lettuce Entertain You!

Lettuce is a fabulous container vegetable with almost as many choices for color, texture, size or taste as stars in the sky. They need constant moisture so a self-watering container is ideal. And because they are an early season plant that won’t tolerate summer heat you can use the container again for flowers after your lettuce season ends. Leaf lettuces are wonderful for “cut and come back” harvesting as you can cut the whole plane an inch above the soil and it will grow a new set of leaves.

Cukes Are Cute!

Cucumbers from the garden are a world away from the waxed and dry variety from the supermarket. They need heat, a consistent amount of food and lots and lots of H2O so this make them great for containers that can be tended just outside your door. They’ll need something to climb so if you don’t want that to be your patio furniture provide them with a trellis. Make sure your container is deep enough to sink support stakes into to secure the trellis as the vine can become heavy. Harvest when they’re smaller then the store variety as they will taste better. Beware of powdery mildew and cucumber beetles.

Squash Isn’t Just a Sport.

Summer squash is actually a bush rather than a vine so they can be grown in containers without invading your patio or everywhere else. Plant in the largest container you can manage, self-watering if possible, and deep. Like cucumbers summer squash in the garden should be harvested well before the size you see in the supermarket. Whether green zucchinis or yellow banana yellow squash you’ll be pleased with how well these container plants taste.

Herbs Are Well Seasoned.

Don’t forget the huge and wonderful varieties of herbs that can be container grown. Basil is the champ with colors from dark green to vivid purple and widely varied in taste. Rosemary is a wonderful, pungent Italian herb with a smell that will follow you anywhere once you’ve brushed against the silvery leaves. Thyme, sage, oregano, chives and parsley offer many choices of color and flavor. They can be planted together or separate and add a lovely foliage complement to annuals and perennials. Sneak a pot of chives into the house for the winter and clip the leaves as needed.

If you’ve never planted vegetables or herbs in containers you’ll be amazed at how easy it can be. And it can truly be a pleasure to step out of the kitchen on a lovely summer evening, collect a fresh selection of edibles and serve them for dinner. Entice your guests at a patio party with tiny orange peppers, striped tomatoes and edible nasturtium flowers in a fresh salad at the table.

Spring Planting

If you didn’t get around to planting your bulbs in the fall, have no fear, you can still produce great color in your landscaping by adding flowers that can be planted in early spring. From perennials to annuals, there are plenty of beautiful flowers that can be planted in just a few weeks.

Once the ground starts to become soft again, it will be the perfect time to start digging and planting the flowers of your dreams!

Best Spring Flowers

If you want your lawn to get some attention and curb appeal try adding some of the following beauties to your landscaping design this spring! These flowers are perfect for early spring planting.

Calla Lilies

The calla lily is a beautiful flower that takes minimal effort to maintain. Usually blooming in yellow, pink or white, these distinguished and elegant flowers will take your landscaping to the next level.

Gladiolus flowers

Gladiolus are also elegant flowers. This tall wonder takes up little space and produce bright colors. Try planting multiple gladiolus flowers three or four weeks in a row to have a staggered bloom in late spring and summer. Having a staggered bloom in various colors will definitely get the attention of people passing by.

Dahlia

Dahlias should be a standard for all gardens. These curvy pompom type flowers produce hardy blooms that with proper can last through the summer. Coming in multiple varieties of colors and shapes, this plant can make a home anywhere in your garden.

Nerine

If you want to mix things up, try adding nerines to your garden. These festive plants are tall and thin but produce fun blooms. And when their blooms die, the leaves on the flower produce luscious greens. Plant in an area with color so that the green leaves can pop when the petals fall. These plants fully bloom closer to fall so planting them around color in the spring is ideal.

Begonia

A little more maintenance may be needed with these beauties, but the result is well worth it. The begonia is not bought as a bulb, and is best started in pots. The great thing about potted begonias is that they can be taken in and kept as house plants in the fall when it begins to frost.

Get the Most Use Out of your purchase

With so much great color blossoming in your yard, you should take full advantage of its beauty. Since most of these flowers don’t last long, try snipping off a couple of blooms a week and making bouquets for your house. The smells and colors will liven up any room and grace your house with the fragrance of spring.

As the days start to get warmer start planning your perfect flower arrangements. Consider hiring a local landscaper to help you plant your flowering beauties in the the most ideal spots for thriving. Take advantage of this springs top picks and start turning heads with your color combinations.