A Family Affair
Skilled remodeler Brett King along with his son Nathan, wife Kim, and his daughter-in-law Kara together remodeled and transformed what was once a village creamery into a dreamhouse for Nathan and Kara King....
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Randl Bye
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Winter Shrubs & Trees
What do witch hazel, Japan, basket weaving, and Vaudeville have in common? And, to make this mystery a bit more difficult to solve, what do they all have to do with winter landscapes? On a blustery day in early spring, I was stopped on my way to... Read more
Renovated Doylestown Second Empire
The blueprint for renovating this classic three story Doylestown house included the removal and rebuilding of an older addition while saving the original structure Read more
Building the Great Outdoors
At Environmental Landscape Associates design and building outdoor structures begins with a vision that encompasses the purpose and views everything as an extension of the home... Read more
Combining Tradition & Modernity
A Bucks County farmhouse is transformed by the creative work Period Architecture, a company that specializes in building new houses to look old and renovating and modernizing old houses... Read more
Worthington & Shagen Celebrate 100 Years
To everyone who calls Bucks County home—our friends & family, fellow residents, and business community, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and loved ones during this time. Read more
Yankee Barn Homes
What comes to mind when you envision a barn home? Is it a traditional American barn with classic clean lines and lofted spaces, a lakeside cottage, a mid-century modern, or a mountainside retreat with vaulted ceilings and exposed post and beam? Read more
Little’s Makes Owning a Deere Easy This Summer
Little’s showrooms are open and stocked with residential and commercial zero-turn mowers, tractors, gator utility vehicles, landscaping equipment, walk behind and premium riding mowers. Read more
Bold Annuals
I am mostly a shrub and perennial person, but there are certain annuals that I simply must have somewhere in my garden each year. I use them to fill in gaps in borders, or to star in their own spectacular shows. These annuals are versatile, easy... Read more
Creating A Light Openness
John and Amy Blakeley were living in Jamison, in a contemporary style home situated in a development, but wanted more living space and a quieter neighborhood. They wanted a home off the beaten path. The decision to start looking for a new home... Read more
Eden In Furlong
It was just over twenty years ago that our own Margo Aramian Ragan visited with young Derek Kehler. He was twenty-three years old at the time, and already an accomplished and award-winning gardener and garden designer, having won first prize for... Read more
Diabase Farm—Past, Present and Future
Diabase is the tongue-in-cheek name of a bucolic farm located in Upper Makefield. It’s named for the regionally common igneous rock from which the house was built. But the name isn’t at all indicative of the property, because as you wind your... Read more
Spring Bulb Gardens
Everyone, I am sure, would like a garden that has color through all the seasons, but the fact is that few of us have the time or the resources to maintain a picture-perfect ornamental garden during every month, which is why I always put my best... Read more
Creating Mass Plantings
It was William Wordsworth, the famous British poet, during a walk beside a lake, who captured the drama of viewing a mass planting of daffodils when he wrote: “Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in spritely dance.” Recently I was... Read more
Robust Roses
To be truthful, my property Cedaridge Farm is not ideal for growing roses. The ground in winter is generally too wet, causing root rot among all but the most robust varieties and we are plagued with rodents such as field mice that make a feast of... Read more
Randl Bye
Drumbore's Hidden Changes
Drumbore Farm's history has been preserved throughout the years with a seamless execution of renovations. It would be difficult see where the original home ended, and the newer spaces began. This preservation of the farmhouse's past is appreciated... Read more
A True Labor Of Love
Set back from the main road, this 1840s Bucks County stone farmhouse sits on a parcel of land in Sellersville, Hilltown Township. The land, encompassing 55 acres, was sold to Samuel Sellers (for whom the town of Sellersville was named) by William. Read more
Back to Creativity
Chris Corey, founder of Corey-Built, Inc. Custom Building brings a host of creative talent, including being a fine artist, to the building and remodeling of homes Read more
Colorful Autumn Gardens
Bucks County gardeners are fortunate to have a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs that not only produce vibrant rustic colors as their leaves drop but also produce generous berry displays as a bonus. Add to this beautiful bark colors as a... Read more
Rain Gardens, What Are They?
The dictionary definition goes something like this, “A rain garden is a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces, like roofs, driveways, walkways, decks and patios, to slowly infiltrate back into the soil as the plants, mulch and soil naturally remove pollutants from the runoff”. The working definition goes more like this, “You want to build a deck or patio but the township requires a drainage solution to offset the additional impervious space”. A rain garden can be the solution. There are alternatives. You could choose a gravel pit with drains, but rain gardens are a lot cheaper, easier to install and certainly more visually appealing. However, rain gardens can be aesthetically challenging. The best method is to integrate the rain garden into an existing landscape. The project shown here started with a new deck. The rain garden is part of the larger landscape and captures water from the pool decking and run-off from the roof. The property had a lot of mature, formal plantings that had to make visual sense with the naturalistic vibe of the rain garden plantings. To get started, we used transitional plants to meld the styles. Hydrangeas in the foreground are effective with both moods and a sturdy, green backdrop of evergreen Viburnums also helps to screen the pool equipment. The shrubs provide a structural framework for the perennials and ornamental grasses, keeping everything looking surprisingly neat. The rain garden added fun splashes of color and made the pool area feel like a vacation property. The colorful variety of native perennials thrive in the rain garden environment and add summer color and seasonal interest. The gardens’ plants also attract birds, butterflies and pollinators. Natives have the added benefit of being deer resistant. Rain gardens can be added to your property at any time and are great for the environment. You might find that you’re a rain garden convert! GLDesigns is located at 1122 E. Welsh Rd., Ambler, PA. For more information, call 215-628-4070, email sales@gldesigns.net or visit www.gldesigns.net.