Fall is officially here with the weather this week! We had 2 inches of snow, a hard freeze to 28 degrees and much cooler temperatures. As autumn finally begins to turn the pages of the landscape, we begin to assess and think about what we can do different in our gardens next year. Thi

There is something mysterious yet beautiful about a walk or drive lined with trees whose branches are intertwined at the top, forming a dense, almost impenetrable canopy of leaves. In summer, it provides shade and comfort; in winter it gives an eerie sense of something waiting around

I have been thinking a lot about prairie landscapes and using natives in our landscapes. For Father’s Day, I went hiking at the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve by Strong City, KS. This prairie is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and there is always something blooming

Grimm’s Gardens is dedicated to beautifying the rural areas of Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa.  Therefore, we offer a variety of services to our customers who are interested in adding some landscaping. Full Landscape Plan To have a landscape without all the sweat that goes into

There are many different options for landscape retaining and sitting walls.  Check out some of the ones we have built! Native Limestone Limestone is a favorite for rural settings.  The natural stone has a rustic but chic look that can be used for retaining soil or as a place to sit ne

“Look at those shrubs; they are way too big for that spot.” “They have no landscape at all!” These and other statements are often heard by my patient wife and kids on drives to the city. Being a landscape designer and lover of architecture encourage me to proclaim these ideas. This pa

Up and down lighting are the two basic techniques for any lighting design. If you think about it, all lights are either mounted on the ground and face up or are mounted up high and shining down. Within each of these categories are many, many different fixtures. Up Lighting Up lighting

Types of Fixtures: Path Path lights are one of the most familiar types of lights. Many people have seen the LED or solar powered path lights sold at big box stores. While these will successfully light a walkway so visitors do not trip, they have a lot lacking in terms of beauty. I’ll

Landscape lighting is one of my favorite parts of the landscape. This may seem like an odd comment coming from a horticulture graduate, but it is true. There is something about landscape lighting that finishes the look of a professional landscape if it is done right. This is especiall

Water features bring a landscape to life.  They tend to draw people outside, to listen, to watch, and to play with the bubbling swirls of water.  I know that I can hardly resist sticking my hand in a fountain, even in small ones. I have fond memories of when my mom bought a small wate

Natural Natural water features are very relaxing. They are perfect for larger properties and properties in the country. They can be used in smaller landscapes or in town; however, they just won’t blend in to the surroundings as well as they do in the larger landscapes. Elements that m

I struggle to sit still some days while browsing through water feature examples. I just get so excited that I want to go out and build each and every one! Combinations of water and fire excite me, and then images of frozen water features send me into awe. Some natural water features m

Alright, now that you have completed Part 1, Finding the Function, you have a good idea what you want to accomplish with your property. The next step is taking that function and deciding upon a form. Where will you place your garden, what produce do you plan to grow, how many people d

A good landscape design melds form with function. What this means, is that a good plan is not only pretty, it also serves a purpose. Nor does it simply serve a purpose, it is also beautiful. If you are looking to create a master plan for your backyard, you are in the right place to be

Planning your garden can be an exciting time. Here are some tips to start at home so that you have a plan when you come to the garden center! Make a Plan Carefully plot out large beds. Make allowances for height and proper spacing of each plant. Put the plan on paper and color it in w

For the creative-types like myself, there comes a point when you are tired of a standard square garden and everything planted in a row. This is the moment when it is necessary to combine garden and landscape into a seamless backyard beauty. My plan for this year is to plant strawberri

Winter weather is here again and my thoughts turn to dreams of lush, brightly colored landscapes, afloat with perennials, shrubs, and flowing water. I have known many landscapes through my work in Kansas and Nebraska, but none have seemed quite complete without a water feature. Water

What is it that makes a landscape a landscape? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a landscape as an area of land that has a particular quality or appearance. We, as landscape designers define it further as a grouping of outdoor rooms which display various plant materials and are a

In the last few years, edibles have taken center stage in many gardens as people try to grow chemical free, organic food for their families. Edible landscaping has resurged as a major design addition in many home landscapes. The use of edibles in borders, adding fruit trees and shrubs

Gardeners are romantics, dreamers, artists, composers, painters, wanderers, charmers, extremists, poets, sculptors, BELIEVERS. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and everyone is thinking about what to get for their special someone. St. Valentine’s Day got its history from ancie

There are many pros and cons to both rock and wood mulches. There is also a plethora of interesting opinions on both. You can find articles pointing to wood as the ultimate mulch and others who claim rock is the best. I hope to give you a good understanding of each so that you can mak

Wintertime for the gardener is planning time. When snow comes and the frigid winter winds keep us from tinkering in the garden shed, we curl up on the couch with seed catalogs, garden magazines, and design ideas. It is usually in the spring we start thinking about mulches and groundco

Garden Diversity-Cottage Gardens “I want more color.” Most of my customers want more color, and they want it to bloom all the time. The problem with many of our landscapes now is the “cookie cutter” design. I can pick out most designers’ landscapes just by the plant selection. Shrub r