If you are thinking about a larger job which will require a building permit from your town or village and want it to be completed early enough for you to enjoy most of the year, we will have plenty of time now to complete the design and make any needed adjustments before filing for the permit. Most towns and villages now require permits for patios, retaining walls, driveways, and in some cases even drain tile work. In addition to expanding their permit requirements, many of villages have reduced their building department staff, which has increased the amount of time needed for getting a permit approved. The permit approval process, which previously was a simple 2 – 3 day process has now become a 2 – 3 week process in some villages that are requiring more and more specifications. Some towns are now even requiring engineering prints and seals for retaining walls over 24” – 30” high. I’m not telling you of these new requirements to scare you off of doing your project; I just want to inform you of what some of you may be up against. We here at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. have worked with a majority of the towns/villages here in the Chicago area and I have to admit, we have a pretty good working relationship with most of those building departments. We understand that they have limitations, as do most of us, and are willing and able to work with them and act as your liaison to get your permit approved. But, why not start this process as early as possible? The longer you wait on this, the longer the permit process will probably take.

I’m sure plenty of you are thinking about changing some things in your current landscape, but aren’t quite sure what to do. Where do you get “the most bang for your buck”? For ideas, there are plenty of publications and t.v. shows, but I think a great way to get ideas and/or meet contractors early in the season is to attend one of the week-end home improvement shows that occur just about every week-end somewhere in the Chicago area. Currently we are scheduled to be at two local home shows within the next few months. On February 25 – 27, 2011 we will be at the Home show in Arlington Heights and on March 12 & 13, 2011, will be at the home show in Palatine at Harper College. This is a great opportunity for people to come out and talk to us personally about you’re wants and needs for landscaping, look through our portfolios of before and after shots and of some of our completed projects. This also give you an opportunity to set up a free first appointment (with some restrictions) right then. We love taking part in these home shows as it gives us an opportunity to “show our stuff” to potential clients in the area.

For more information regarding planning for spring, check out our previous blogs from January, 2010, I think you’ll find them informative.

For more information regarding A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc., please visit us at www.agvangundy.com or call us at (630) 295-8190. We’ll be more than happy to go over the areas we service and the services that we offer.

Some of our most popular blogs have been about Topsoil, Firewood, and Planning for Spring. Other blogs have been about Permit Processes, Sales Processes, Lawn Renovation, Snow Plowing, and Mulching, just to name a few.

Today I just wanted to let you know about some blogs that I’ll be posting in the future:

Cleaning & Sealing of your brick pavers
Polymeric Sand vs. Fine Sand
Building your own retreat space
Permits & the many new regulations for a lot of the villages in the Chicagoland area

I’m looking forward to continuing posting blogs.

If you have a topic or subject you’d like me to discuss regarding landscaping or landscape materials, please don’t hesitate to submit it to me via my web site at www.agvangundy.com.

Have you thought about changing your landscape at all? We are more than happy to come out and work with you on installing plants or a new patio or walkway.

Do you have drainage issues on your property? We can come out and get the area graded correctly and install the drain tile so that your spring lawn and basement will be drier.

Once the leaves are down – do you have the time to rake them up and dispose of them? Here at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, we do. While we’re there we’ll be able to put down a layer of mulch, which is so very important to protect your plants against what could be a harsh Chicago-area winter. Installing mulch in the fall will help keep a consistent root zone temperature and help retain some moisture.

Don’t forget to call for your firewood. A.G. Landscape Materials carries both Mixed and Oak firewood. We sell it in a variety of quantities (30 pieces, 60 pieces, ½ Face Cords, Face Cords). We deliver throughout the Chicago-land area all year long. Don’t have a fire pit? Would you like one? How about an outdoor fireplace? Contact us and we can help. We have various sizes, styles and shapes available.

You can call us at (630) 295-8190 or e-mail us at www.agvangundy.com for details about any of the services we offer (from delivery of mulch, topsoil, gravel and firewood to installation of complete landscape projects).

Remember it’s not too late to get your outdoor projects done. Do them now and you may be one step ahead in the Spring.

Speaking of wet weather, it’s sometimes a challenge to get things to grow. I do have some suggestions for you. Certain trees do really well in wet areas and are a great way to add to your landscape and help the environment. Fall is a great time to plant trees and now is an excellent time to start planning. I have listed a few of my favorites that I think might be worth your consideration when thinking about adding to your landscape. I have also noted the trees that do well in wet, poorly drained soil.

Arborvitae (Evergreen)
Emerald Green – Foliage is emerald green and it grows in a narrow, pyramidal
form. It grows to be approx. 20’ X 4’. Tolerates moist soils

Mission (Techny) – Foliage is a dark green and it grows in a broad, pyramidal
form. It grows to be approx. 12’ X 6’.

Nigra – Foliage is dark Green and it grows in a pyramidal form.
Appox. 12’ X 3-6’.

Birch (Deciduous)
River – Pyramidal & Oval in shape. Multi-Stemmed. Light Green Foliage in
summer. Yellow/Gold foliage in fall. Exfoliated tan/white bark.
Approx. 45’ – 30’. Tolerates wet/moist soils.

Whitespire – Pyramidal in shape. Multi-Stemmed. Dark Green foliage in
summer. Yellow foliage in fall. White Bark. Approx. 35’ X 25’.

Hawthorne (Deciduous)
Thornless Cockspur – Glossy, deep green foliage in summer. Orange/scarlet
foliage in fall. White flowers in spring followed by red fruit.
Approx. 20’ – 30’ X 20’-35’.

Maple (Deciduous)
Autumn Blaze – Bright Orange/Red fall foliage. Oval/Rounded growth habit.
Approx. 50’ X 40’. Tolerates moist soils.

Marmo – Orange/Red fall foliage. More of an upright oval growth habit.
Appox. 70’ X 40’. Tolerates moist soils.

Red Sunset – Glossy Dark Green foliage in summer. Brilliant Red/Orange fall
foliage. Upright/oval growth habit. Approx. 50’ X 40’. Tolerates moist
soils.

Superform Norway – Green foliage in summer. Yellow foliage in fall.
Upright/round growth habit. Approx. 45’ X 40’.

Pear (Non-Fruit Bearing) (Deciduous)
Chanticleer – Glossy green foliage in summer. Red/Orange to Purplish in fall.
White flowers in spring. Approx. 30’ X 15’. Tolerates moist soils.

Serviceberry (Deciduous)
Autumn Brilliance – White flowers in spring. Purple fruit. Yellow to Bright
Red fall color. Available in Tree form or Shrub (Multi-Stem Form).

Spruce (Evergreen)
Black Hills – Pyramidal Shaped with short Blue/Green foliage.
Approx. 30’ – 40’ X 25’.

Colorado Blue – Narrow-Broad pyramidal growth. Blue, prickly needles.
Approx. 30’ – 60’ X 20’.

Colorado Green – Narrow-Broad pyramidal growth. Green, prickly needles.
Approx. 30’ – 60’ X 20’.

Remember when planting a tree to dig the hole about 1.5 times the size of the root ball width and 1” – 2” shallow so that the ball of the tree creates a slight crown. When placing the tree in the hole, just set it in, larger trees may have to be rolled in. When rolling, take care not to loosen the root ball. Once it’s in the hole, stand back and take a look at it. Is it positioned the way you want it? If not, turn it until it is. Now is the time to take this step. If the root ball, has twine or string around it, cut it or loosen the string. It’s a good idea to back fill the hole with a topsoil/compost mix either by purchasing new topsoil and compost mixed or just adding compost to your existing soil or garden mix, all of which is available at A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. A lot of people will come in to buy a 30 gallon container of it when they have planted 1 tree. You may want to consider sprinkling a little starter fertilizer around the tree at this point. Once the hole is back-filled, be sure to water the tree as it has been through a lot. Next, I would recommend placing approx. 2” of Premium Hardwood Bark Mulch around the tree. The mulch will help retain moisture and will help control the root zone temperature. An added benefit of installing the mulch is that it will break down over time and create an almost compost-like soil around your tree which will aid in getting nutrition to the tree. Finally, cut off the tags, sit back and watch it grow.

If you need more information or would like a quote from A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. please contact us at www.agvangundy.com or call us at (630) 295-8190.

Reference Material used: N.C. State University
Wilson Nursery
Dirr, Michael, J; Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses

Why not fix the problem?  It can be as simple as hiring a landscape contractor, such as A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. to fix it or you can do it yourself.  If you choose the latter, you will need to assess the problem and decide whether or not installing a drain tile system is the way to go.  You may decide that re-grading your yard is the option for you.  However, if you decide to go the drain tile route, the first thing you’ll need to determine is where the water is coming from and where you want it to go.  Once that is figured out, you’re on your way to a drier yard.

The first step will be to decide how you want to install the drain tile and where you want it to exit on your property and if you are connecting to the sump pump exit or downspout exits.  One thing you will need to consider before making this determination is the freeze/thaw cycles.  It may not be beneficial to hook up directly to the exits.  You may want to have a 3” – 4” space between the exits and drainage system to “free fall” the water into the drainage system.  When it comes to the actual installation, I would highly recommend using a non-perforated type of tile for the first 10 feet after passing the house and then connect a socked perforated tile for the remainder.   We’ll discuss the actual installation a little later.

O.K. now you’ve made the decisions you need, the next step is to check with your village/town to find out if a Permit is required for this type of work.  Although I’m not sure of all towns, I do know that Schaumburg does require one.  If your town does require one, apply for it as soon as possible.  They will probably require a plat of survey with any/all additions and/or outbuildings located on it, where the proposed drain system is going to be installed, the type and amount of materials you will be using and a small fee.

Once you receive your permit, be sure to contact JULIE to mark your property at least 2 business days prior to beginning your digging.  You might want to check out my blog on Locate Utilities Prior to Digging.  After your property is marked you’ll be ready to go once you have the materials you need.

Here’s a quick checklist of the recommended materials:

            1.  Drain Tile (both Socked Perforated & Non-Perforated may be needed)

            2.  Any connections you may need

            3.  Landscape Fabric

            4.  Grates for exits

            5.  Topsoil for repairing the yard from trench work

            6.  Sod and/or seed

Contact a company such as A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. @ www.agvangundy.com or at (630) 295-8190 and we can deliver the materials to your driveway or you can pick them up at our yard.

Now that you have your permit, your property is marked, and you have the materials, you’re ready to start the trench work.

The trench you need should be a minimum of 12” wide and 18” in depth.  Your pitch within the trench may vary depending on your specific needs.  Once the trench is dug and you’re ready to install the drain tile.

As I mentioned earlier, I would recommend using a non-perforated drain tile for the first 10 feet after passing the house when you’re connecting to the sump pump and/or downspout exits.  This will usually allow for the water to sufficiently pass the home and not find its way back toward the house.  This type of drain tile can be installed directly into the trench with no additional gravel or fabric. 

For the socked perforated drain tile, you will need to install landscape fabric in the trench to wrap the gravel and the tile within it.  Be sure to leave enough fabric on the sides to accommodate this.

Once you have the trench lined with the fabric, you need to install drainage rock (usually ¾” washed round gravel).  You will need to install this gravel at an approximate depth of 4” around the circumference of the socked perforated drain tile.

Now that you have the fabric liner, and the first 4” of ¾” washed round gravel installed, you can lay the socked perforated drain tile.  Finish installing the rest of the gravel and then fold over the landscape fabric.  This will inhibit the topsoil from leaching into the gravel and the drain tile.

To finish off the trench in the yard, you will want to install approximately 4” of topsoil atop the non-perforated drain tile and atop the fabric around the socked perforated drain tile.  Then install sod or seed to repair the grass in the yard.

At the exit end of the drain tile, I would suggest a minimum 3’ deep by 2’ wide exit pit.  This pit should be lined with fabric and the same gravel you used in the trench.

Normally, we at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. place an elbow from the socked perforated tube to the top of the pit with a perforated grate sealing the top to allow water to exit and keep gravel out.

As you can see, installing drain tile isn’t necessarily a difficult job to perform and is a job that is absolutely a do it yourself type project, if you’re at all on the handy side.  But, as I’ve mentioned earlier, hiring a Landscape Contractor such as A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. is another option for you.  Contact us at www.agvangundy.com or call us at (630) 295-8190 and we’ll try to help you decide the best way to alleviate your drainage problem so that you can enjoy your spring in a dry yard.

Over the past few weeks, I have posted blogs on topics from Firewood Purchasing to Marking the Utilities on your Property. I hope that you have found them informative and helpful and that you use them as a point of reference when it comes to your landscaping.

The next few months will be very interesting as I plan on posting blogs relevant to specific projects you may be considering to do on your own. For instance, if your lawn really needs a make-over, look for my 5 part blog on lawn renovations; it will take you step by step on how to achieve a great looking yard. If gardening is something you’re looking forward to, make sure you check out my future blogs on planting Annuals, Fill Dirt vs. Topsoil vs. Compost, Mulching, and General Plantings. I know a lot of you will be interested in Do-It-Yourself Hardscaping Projects, so I plan on publishing blogs regarding Brick Paving, Retaining Walls and Firepits. I’ll also include blogs on Polymeric Sand vs. Jointing Sand for those installations as well as a blog discussing the maintenance of the brick work once it’s installed, specifically cleaning and sealing of the brick. There are also some misconceptions out there regarding Mulches (Hardwood, Premium Hardwood Bark, Dyed…). Hopefully, I’ll be able to clear up some of those when my Mulch blog gets posted. Many of you will experience drainage problems with the arrival of spring. Don’t get too worked up about it. One of my next blogs will take you through the process of how to solve this issue.

These are just a few of the blogs scheduled to be published during the next few weeks/months. Of course, if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear from you. You can forward the contact form found on our website at www.agvangundy.com with your ideas.

Finally, although the next few blogs will be geared toward doing it yourself, hiring a contractor such as A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. is always an option. Go to our website at www.agvangundy.com and forward a quote request to us and we’ll be happy to start working with you.

Here’s hoping for a great spring!!

We received a request for a quote for landscaping work to be done in Roselle. The work is for a brick patio and some minor landscaping. Because we know that the work will be performed in Roselle, we already know of a couple things that will need to be accomplished before the work can begin. For instance, sometimes, it’s a good idea to have your underground utilities marked prior to beginning the design stage of the project. It’s best to know ahead of time if there is any underground wiring that will be affected by the project. We do know that this work will involve procuring a permit from the Village of Roselle. We also know that we, the contractor, will need a contractor’s license to work in Roselle. These are a few factors that can cause kinks in the flow of the work progression; however, if known about prior to beginning the job, these are things that can be taken care of without causing a problem. Once the design is completed and agreed upon by the contractor and our client, the plan will need to be submitted to the village for their approval and receipt of the permit. Most villages, including Roselle, require a scaled drawing and a plat of survey with any out buildings and/or structures drawn on the plat.

We have also received a quote request for drain tile work to be done in Schaumburg. Schaumburg is one of only a few villages that we know of that require a permit for drain tile work. Therefore, plans will need to be submitted to the Village and a permit obtained prior to this type of work beginning. Contractors will also need a contractor’s license to perform the job in Schaumburg.

Different towns, villages, townships, counties have different requirements. That’s another reason now is a great time to start planning. Now is the time to educate yourself about the permit process in your town. Don’t take for granted that just because you have an Addison or a Roselle mailing address that all you need is a permit from that town. You may actually be under the jurisdiction of the township or county (i.e., Addition Township, Milton Township, DuPage County…). Check with your contractor, if he doesn’t know then check for yourself.

Sometimes it can take a while to get the requirements necessary to perform your work and I can tell you from experience, it’s a lot easier and much smoother when you can give the village and the contractor a little bit of time to work together to ensure that the proper paperwork has been submitted.

Finally, planning now will undoubtedly result in a less stressful process for everyone involved, including yourself, your contractor & your governing bodies. So, now is the time to do some homework and get your dreams working to become your realities.