Blog - Phoenix Landscaping Design & Pool Builders, Remodeling | Phoenix Landscaping Design & Pool Builders, Remodeling

October 7, 2020

How To Make The Most Of 2020 UNIQUE Halloween

Make 2020 the year that your kids remember for family fun and a pumpkin carving party in your outdoor living space.

2020 has turned into a year fulfilled with UNIQUE and unexpected events. Kids were out of school early, most summertime fun and travel were canceled, and kids looked forward to starting a new school year that has been a virtual challenge for most. But there can be a few fun and somewhat normal activities for your family to look forward to this fall. Halloween is just a few weeks away, and while parties and trick or treating might not be on your agenda, carving pumpkins could become a spotlight event.

Plan For 2021 As Well

2020 could be your last trip to the pumpkin patch if you plan ahead and plant your seeds next spring!

While it is too late to grow your pumpkins for this year, consider it for next year as many varieties will thrive in a large container. And with the warm climate here in Phoenix, your children are sure to harvest a few massive specimens for next year’s carving event. Picture a 25-gallon tree bucket or even a small baby pool filled with soil. Just be sure that you have the space to allow the vines and foliage to explore and expand. Add a few drip emitters, and your kids will have a great time seeing the fruits of their labor mature. Just be sure to put a reminder in your phone to begin gathering your gardening materials in the spring!

Know Your Options

The Goosebump and New Moon Pumpkins are easy to spot. But the Sugar Pie and Jack O’ Lantern are also great options for carving.

For a fabulous pumpkin carving event in 2020, you will need to locate pumpkins at the store or a pumpkin patch near you. But first, you will want to brush up on the varieties that will turn a plain old jack o’ lantern into a UNIQUE work of art that your kids will remember for years. Some of your options include:

CORNFIELD PUMPKINS- These are an heirloom variety and offer a traditional, more muted shade of orange. The size and shape vary from very bulbous to a tall and more trim oval. And the biggest bonus is that these are perfect for making a decadent pumpkin pie after the holiday.

JACK O’LANTERN PUMPKIN- As the name implies, these are the pumpkins we all picture when thinking about a carving party. They are pleasantly rounded and have a festive, rich orange color.

SUGAR PIE PUMPKIN- This name is truth in advertising. These smaller pumpkins top out at 6 to 7 pounds but have a much sweeter flavor if their second life will be dedicated to cookies, cakes, or pies.

NEW MOON PUMPKIN- This is the ghostly white pumpkin that can reach a size of 75 pounds! Most are flatter than traditional spherical varieties, but the thick white flesh will provide an ominous glow when carved.

GOOSEBUMP PUMPKIN- If you are looking for something more interesting than a smooth-skinned run of the mill pumpkin, Goosebump is the ticket. These are perfect for the witch or zombie that you want to have ready-made warts and facial irregularities.

PORCELAIN DOLL PUMPKIN- This pumpkin is far from traditional. The soft pink to peach-colored skin could be out of a Victorian painting. When carved, the delicate color adds a sense of old-world charm to your holiday.

Create Your UNIQUE Work Of Art

The best part about carving pumpkins is that there are no rules. Your family can collaborate on one pumpkin, or everyone can display their own sense of creativity independently. But the fun comes from a family-friendly activity that will provide great memories and fun, even in 2020. Think about adding some funny or scary music to the event, and of course, remember to have some Halloween themed snacks on hand. The best place to enjoy this activity will be your outdoor living space. This location makes clean up easy and stress-free.

Call the UNIQUE design team if your outdoor space is not living up to your hopes and dreams. They will be sure to put a smile on your face.

If you discover that your outdoor space is lacking during this fun family time, call 480-969-1911 or click here to schedule a free consultation with a UNIQUE designer to create a howling great space for next year’s Halloween festivities.

October 1, 2020

4 Common Pool Building Mistakes And How UNIQUE Avoids Them

Precision engineering and attention to detail are necessities when building a pool like this one. Fortunately, the team at UNIQUE offers both, along with decades of experience and expertise to turn your dream into reality

The first step in any successful pool construction project is knowing what the customer wants. At UNIQUE, our design staff has decades of experience asking the right questions to create a very clear image of our customer’s wants and needs for their new swimming pool and spa. You might not even realize that you have ideas and expectations already. But our pros will help you think through your pool, spa, and outdoor living space to decide precisely what it will take to create your dream backyard.

As your discussions get more specific, our designer will point out a few critical areas of focus so that we can guide you around these annoying pitfalls. One or two of these somewhat simple or obvious mistakes could turn your UNIQUE pool and spa project into a nightmare. And that is something that we DON’T want to happen. Instead, we want this process to be fun, exciting, and stress-free for every client. The common issues that we work diligently to help you avoid include:

IMPROPER SOIL– The problem here in the Phoenix area is that the soil is not consistent from one location or neighborhood to the next. And the only way to know what we are dealing with is a professional soil analysis. Many pool builders will try to estimate or ignore this potentially severe issue and also the cost associated with professional soil testing. But the result can be catastrophic. Without knowing the type of soil and correcting any problems before the construction begins, a pool could crack, float out of the ground, or even slide down a slope. All of these issues could lead to flooding of your house or property or flooding of a neighbor’s home or property.

The only solution acceptable here at UNIQUE is a professional soil analysis to KNOW your property’s conditions before we begin installing your swimming pool. This is the only way to provide you with the quality construction and warranty that you deserve.

You can never guess what you will find underground. But when installing a pool on the side of a mountain, you can expect some challenging soil conditions. The pros at UNIQUE have the experience needed to build your perfect swimming pool.

POOR PLUMBING– The plumbing for your pool provides some essential functions such as circulating the water and operating the pool’s cleaning and sanitation. But as a homeowner, you never really see the plumbing or know what you are getting for your money. You need to trust the professional that you have hired to build your pool. And also trust that the person is honest and reliable enough to install appropriately sized plumbing. A less than reputable pool builder can cut corners and cost with lower plumbing standards and save a lot of money. But you will be stuck with a pool that does not function correctly.

The solution for all plumbing issues is very simple at UNIQUE. All hydraulic questions go through Chris Griffin, the owner of the company, and a civil engineer. Not only does Chris bring decades of hands-on installation experience to the table, but he also has the formal education to back up his construction methods and processes. If you have any questions or concerns about your pool’s hydraulics, please voice those concerns to your designer or Chris to put your worries to rest.

All of these water features look amazing thanks to a lot of long and boring calculations. But because of those hydraulics formulas, Chris and the UNIQUE team are able to create these fabulous walls of water and calming fountains.

OVERSIZED PUMPS– Bigger is not always better, and that is a fact of hydraulics that applies to pump sizing for sure. An oversized pump can result in excessive noise, friction loss, wear and tear on piping and pool equipment, excessive electrical bills, and the pump’s early failure. In short, when a pool builder installs an oversized pump, it will result in you wasting money on the purchase price if the pump, our monthly electric bill, and the premature replacement of all of the piping and other components in the plumbing system and pool equipment.

The solution for customers is to work with a trustworthy team of professionals like the UNIQUE crew. We understand hydraulics and also the value of the trust that you are placing in us. We would never betray your trust and oversize a pump just to sell you a more expensive item. We select the pump that will provide you with the optimum cleaning, circulation, and sanitization for your pool.

Even a slight miscalculation can be devastating when you are perching a massive negative edge swimming pool on the side of a mountain. But clearly, the team at UNIQUE has the experience and expertise to do it right!

IMPROPER ELEVATION– Determining the elevation of your pool is critical for future drainage. But improper elevation can also cost you a substantial amount of money during the installation process. There is no room for error or guest work when establishing the elevation of a swimming pool. Even a slight miscalculation can result in flooding of your yard and home.

The solution for UNIQUE is the experience, expertise, and education of our staff and our owner. Chris Griffin’s civil engineering degree is proof that he knows what he is talking about when it comes to determining the proper elevation for your pool to avoid flooding issues or high costs during the construction process.

The elevation of this pool is critical to the perfect visual appearance and the function of the water flow over the edge and into the recirculation system

To learn more about the benefits of working with the award-winning team from UNIQUE, call 480-969-1911 or click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.

October 1, 2020

How To Prepare Your UNIQUE Landscape For Fall

Fall is the perfect time to evaluate your current landscape and determine where you would like to replace plants or add updates.

With Monsoons coming to an end and hopefully the 100 plus temperatures also leaving the Valley of the Sun for the year, it is time to take advantage of our perfect autumn climate. Fall in Phoenix is absolutely pleasant for outdoor living and for establishing new plantings in your yard. This ideal season will extend until at least November when temps could begin to drop and slow plant growth.

An Honest Evaluation

A variety of colors and textures keeps your landscape visually appealing. If your plantings are lacking variety, consider adding some pops of color this fall.

The first step in sprucing up your yard with new plants is evaluating what you have, what you will remove, and where you would like to see some expansion of your plant palette. The obvious removals will include anything that is dead or has been severely damaged by the intense heat of the summer or the thrashing wind of monsoon season. Removing these plants first will provide you with a clear image of the space you have to fill.

If you are not sure what you want to plant in the new barren area, sketching the space with notes labeling the other plants can be helpful. This design can be kept close by when exploring your options on the Internet or at your local nursery. If possible, note the blooming season of the existing plants and the colors so that you can increase the blooming season and create a complementary color scheme for the space. Also, pay close attention to the amount of sun the area gets during the summer months so that your new plants will thrive year-round.

Other Factors To Consider

Removing large shade trees can completely eliminate a microclimate in your yard and cause substantial stress to the plants in that area.

If you have removed a large plant or tree from your yard, carefully consider the amount of shade it provided for other plants. The removal of a large shade tree can impact the success of all of the plants that were once shaded. Now they are suddenly living in a drastically hotter environment. Conversely, if you choose to add a tree in a full sun area, the plants that will now be living in the shade could have an adverse reaction. You can learn more information about the needs of your plants with a quick search online.

Trimming And Shaping

If you want to maintain more formal plant shapes over the winter, trim in the early fall, before the cold weather arrives.

Early fall is also an excellent time to complete one last round of trimming and shaping before cold weather arrives. Long, leggy branches and overgrowth can be removed without stressing the plants unnecessarily. But be careful not to remove too much outer growth. Cold weather is not far away and could damage the newly exposed central portion of the plants. And once cold weather arrives, do not give in to the temptation to immediately trim off frost damage. Leave that dead material to act as insulation and protection for the undamaged part of the plant.

Watering

Summer watering schedules should remain active until the daily high temps are below 100 degrees and the nights are substantially cooler. Reduce the number of days that the irrigation runs rather than reducing the run time on each zone. This will provide deeper, more substantial watering on a less frequent schedule and encourage deeper root growth.

Adding raised planters and pots are perfect ways to create pockets of color that are easy to maintain and add a substantial impact to your outdoor living space.

If fall landscaping projects are not how you are hoping to spend your weekends in the coming months, remember that the UNIQUE team is here to assist you. Our professional designers have decades of experience evaluating existing landscape, determining what should be removed, and creating a plan to update and rejuvenate your plantings. Call 480-969-1911 or click here to schedule a free initial consultation for fall landscape projects. And with the holidays just around the corner, think about adding a new fire pit, fireplace, or outdoor kitchen. These functional and fun additions will turn your patio into a true outdoor living space that you will enjoy for years to come.