A beautiful mulch bed can transform the look of your property, adding color, texture, and interest to your outdoor spaces. But creating a stunning and lasting mulch bed is a task that requires planning, and attention to detail. Consulting a landscaper with a personal touch can make all the difference in bringing your home’s gorgeous mulch bed to life.
Every homeowner has unique preferences and requirements when it comes to their landscaping needs. At Hidden Leaf Landscaping we aim to provide a personalized service, tailored to your specific needs, style, and budget.
Our Garden Design service specializes in creating mulch beds that showcase the best shrubs and plants suitable for the New Jersey climate. Here are some that we recommend:
8 Gorgeous Shrubs and Plants for Mulch Beds
Plant
Description
Zones
Barberry
A colorful and low-maintenance shrub that provides a pop of color in any landscape.
4 – 8
Daylillies
A perennial flower that comes in many colors and produces blooms throughout the summer season.
4 – 11
Mexican Heather
A vibrant, low-growing plant that produces small purple flowers all summer long.
9 – 11
Heuchera
A versatile plant with colorful foliage that provides interest all season long.
4 -9
Sedum
A hardy plant that comes in many varieties, all of which are excellent for groundcover in mulch beds.
3 – 11
Coral Bells
Another plant with colorful foliage that comes in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, and bronze.
4 – 9
Coneflower
Coneflowers (Echichnea) are a popular perennial flower that have recently grown in popularity, partly due to the numerous options of styles & colors. The coneflower produces bright, daisy-like blooms in shades of pink, orange, and purple.
5 – 8
Hosta
A shade-loving perennial that produces large, stunning leaves in a variety of colors and patterns.
3 – 9
Plant Type Chart – For more Plant options see ourBest Perrenials article
Mulch Types, Colors, and Uses
Mulch is an essential element in creating a lasting and gorgeous mulch bed. It helps regulate soil moisture, prevents weed growth, and protects your plants from extreme temperatures. Here are some of the most popular mulch types and colors that we recommend:
Type of Mulch
Color
Use(s)
Type of Mulch
Color
Use
Wood Chips
Brown
All-Purpose Mulch
Bark Mulch
Brown
All-Purpose Mulch
Rubber
Black, Brown, Red
Playgrounds, Walkways
Gravel
Brown, Tan
Low-Maintenance Areas
Rock
Gray, Cream
Low-Maintenance Areas
Pine Needles
Reddish Brown
Acid-Loving Plants
Mulch Type Chart ; For more Mulch options & Mulch comparisons see our Service Catalogue
Creating a Beautiful, Unique Mulch Bed
Hidden Leaf Landscaping – Providing landscaping with a personal touch to bring your home’s gorgeous mulch bed to life:
At Hidden Leaf Landscaping, we pride ourselves on taking a personalized approach to our landscaping services. Here is how we bring your home’s gorgeous mulch bed to life:
1. Consultation – We begin our process by meeting with you to discuss your landscaping vision and objectives, free of charge.
2. Design – We then create a custom design that incorporates your preferred plants, shrubs, and mulch types.
3. Installation – Our expert landscapers install your mulch bed with meticulous care, ensuring that each plant is in the right location and the mulch layer is consistent and aesthetically pleasing.
4. Maintenance – We can also provide ongoing mulch bed maintenance to ensure that your landscaping investment is well-preserved and continues to look stunning throughout the year.
Choosing a landscaper with a personal touch is the key to creating a stunning and lasting mulch bed that enhances your home’s curb appeal and outdoor spaces.
At Hidden Leaf Landscaping, we combine expertise, creativity, and personalized service to deliver mulch beds that reflect your style and personality, all while fitting seamlessly into your property’s existing landscape.
Contact us today to learn more about our landscaping services and how we can help bring your home’s gorgeous mulch bed to life.
Summers coming to an end, falls around the corner and with it comes Vibrant sunsets, blooming flowers, Garden harvests, Leaves and….bugs. There are simple ways you can keep bugs off of your property in order to protect your family, gardens & any upcoming harvests. One method is by adding plants that also repel insects. Learn how to rid your garden & home of pesky insects, while also adding color to your home with plants that repel insects.
Best plants to repel Insects & add color to your home (2020)
Chyrsanthemums
Take Chrysanthemums for example. A vibrant annual flower and one of the best plants to deter bugs. Deters:
Ants,
Japanese beetles,
Roaches, Bed bugs
Spider mites, Ticks,
Silverfish, Harlequin bugs, Lice
These annual flowers can help keep your backyard a fun, safe, and vibrant place this season:
Marigolds
One of the most well-known plants for repelling insects, growing African marigolds or French Marigolds around vegetable gardens to repel harmful insects, rabbits and deer is a gardening habit that goes back for centuries.
French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill bad nematodes. Mexican marigolds are known to offend a host of destructive insects and wild rabbits as well. Fun fact: The Marigold was regarded as the flower of the dead in pre-Hispanic Mexico and is still widely used in the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Petunias
This perennial is sometimes known as “nature’s pesticide,”. It not only deters some common garden pests, this plant adds a burst of color with its puple hue and keep bugs at bay. Note: Petunias requires very little maintenance, making them great for garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers.
Deters
Tomato horn worms,
Aphids
Leafhoppers,
Squash bugs
Asparagus beetles
Herbs
Thyme
This herb will help repel harmful pests like whiteflies, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, tomato hornworms,, and small whites.
useful in the garden as shrubs or groundcover. The best-known species, garden thyme is usually cultivated for ornamental use or a culinary herb. Its a bushy wood based evergreen shrub can reach grow 6-12 inches tall, and spread 16 inches wide.
Mint
Some varieties of mint, such as peppermint and spearmint, also have insect repellent properties. Note that not every type of mint causes a reaction in the same insects. Spearmint and peppermint are reputed to work well against insects like mosquitoes, flies, and spiders, making them ideal for the backyard garden.
Lavender – Bay leaves – Citronella – Lemongrass
Note- Article is still in progress. This list will be updated soon with more info
Sprays & Traps
Household items Methods
Fortunately there are ways to rid your plants (indoor&outdoor) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
Fortunately, there are ways to rid your plants (indoor and outdoor!) of bugs without using chemicals. The following methods contain products readily available in your home.
1. Spray soapy water
Soap dehydrates aphids and spider mites. Mix 5 TBLspoons of dish soap w/ 4 cups of water in a bottle and spray plants with the solution.
2. Neem oil spray
Made from the seeds of neem trees native to India, this age-old, natural insecticide and anti-fungicide repels aphids, mites, scale and other small, soft-bodied insects.
3. Pyrethrum spray
This natural insecticide is made from dried chrysanthemum flowers. Mix the powder with water and dish soap to create a spray. Pyrethrum spray paralyzes flying insects on contact, so many pest control companies use it to control mosquitoes.
4. Beer trap.
Beer is a favorite for Snails & slugs specifically. Place a few saucers of beer to trap and prevent these bugs from reaching your plants leaves / roots. An alternative to beer is Grape juice; grapefruit or orange rinds also make good traps.
5. Garlic
Garlic’s strong smell repels bugs & vampires. Consider putting a garlic clove into the soil of plants to keep bugs away.
6. Herbal water spray
Essential oils from sage, thyme, basil, rosemary, mint, rue and lavender repel some insects. To create a spray, take crushed leaves or trimmings, soak in a bucket of water overnight and strain. Or, dilute store-bought essential oil with water. You can also plant these herbs in your yard to detract insects.
7. Alcohol spray
Create a solution by mixing 1 or 2 cups of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol with a quart of water. The solution will repel insects from houseplants and tropical foliage.
8. Nicotine
To repel leaf-chewing insects, make a nicotine tea by soaking 1 cup of dried, crushed tobacco leaves in 1 gallon of warm water and one-fourth teaspoon of dish soap. Strain after 30 minutes, and spray the mixture directly on the leaves.
9. Water
Much like a heavy downpour, a strong spray of water from a house can remove bugs from plants
10. Tomato Leaves natural insecticide
Tomato plants are part of the nightshade family that contain alkaloids such as the aptly named “tomatine,” which can effectively control aphids and other insects. To make tomato leaf spray for a natural insecticide, chop 2 cups of fresh tomato leaves (which can be taken from the bottom part of the plant) into 1 quart of water, and let steep overnight. Strain out all plant material and spray the solution on plant foliage.
Other:
Spices Repel Insects
Draw a boundary line along door frames or windowsills with a mixture of turmeric powder and cinnamon or cayenne in equal quantities to keep ants from entering the house.
Baking Soda Kills Cockroaches Red Wine Vinegar Kills Flies
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a bowl and set it in a place that is frequently visited by flies.
Note:
Killing off all of the insects in your garden is not the desired result here, as any healthy ecosystem requires an abundance of beneficial insects, microbes, and fungi, both in the soil and on the plants themselves, so introducing other predatory insects (ladybugs, praying mantis, etc.) or creating good habitat for them, as well as building soil fertility, can also be an effective pest management approach.
Contact Hidden Leaf Landscaping for your next home project
That’s it for Hidden Leaf Landscapings guide to repeling insects with colorful plants & household spray remedies ” for now. Thanks for reading & get to planting! Check back with Hidden Leaf Landscaping for more Gardening, lawn care, & landscaping help and don’t forget to contact us for your next home project or lawn care needs.
Note: This Article is unfinished & still in production phase.
Flower gardens add a burst of color to your home. A fountain adds a tranquil feel to your yard. Check out our guide for creating a beautiful flower garden for under $150!
What you’ll need
Item
Style
Cost
Outdoor Water Fountain
3 tiered resing barrel fountain (Ours was from Lowes)
$60.99
Edging
Wooden Edging For tiered click here, striaght click here
$9.98 /3FT
Tools Required
Edging Shovel
Metal Rake
Thatcher or Tiller
A walkthrough of of our flower garden. From grass – garden
A Hoe and a Wheelbarrow are not required but will speed things up. The budget for this DIY flower garden is < $150 (depending on what plants you choose).
Border / edging. We went with tiered Brown wood edging. Measure the perimeter of your garden to figure out how much edging you’ll need. For a tiered look go with this style. For a straight look use these.
Adding edging border brings a garden together & stops your garden from growing into your lawn.
Complementary Style Buy products with the same style like this Tiered Edging & Fountain
Where do I start?
Take a good look at your lawn. Note which areas get the most sunlight & take note of the natural slope of your lawn. Your garden should be on relatively level ground. Make sure the area you choose gets at least 6 -8 hours of sunlight a day. Sunlight & level are important to a gardens health, Proportion is key to making a garden look natural. Don’t be afraid to make your garden extend into your lawn. Long, skinny beds that hug your home or fence-line are a common mistake when designing a garden
Sunlight & level are important to a gardens health, Proportion is key to making a garden look natural
Pick a spot in your lawn that gets adequate sunlight. Start by raking & removing grass. Remove Grass, Thatch soil, Edge, Add top soil, select border, Raise the center of your bed to make your water piece pop.
The border, centerpiece & layout should compliment eachother, matching the design oif your garden
Keep it simple.
Having a clear, simple vision when planning your flower garden is key. Every piece should flow with the next. Leave room in between features/plants for a natural look and to keep your garden from looking “cluttered”. Purchase multiples of the same plant to keep your gardens layout consistent. The earthy tones of the Water Centerpiece compliment the wooden border. Tree canopies & green grass surround the garden creating a rich tapestry of color and texture. The flowers we used evoke the same earthy / zen style that’s reflected in the design.
This garden starts square in the middle of the chain link fence which divides the front and back yard. We’re going for a “zen” look here, so it’s important to keep the layout proportionate with your Fence / Property Line. The fencing made keeping our proportions right simple.
Where do I place my garden in my lawn?
You’ll want to make the garden bed in an area of your lawn that’s easy to access. Our garden has a rectangular shape with curved edges. Its roughly twelve – feet long and five-feet-wide. The water piece is placed in the center (About 1′ foot out, leaving 2′ 1/2 feet in front for flowers). leaving enough space on either side for accents. This yards fencing made keeping things proportional easy. There are 3 sets of chain link fencing and the garden takes up one set of chain link
Note: Article draft ends here. Will be updated & finished soon. Thanks for Visiting HiddenLeafLandscaping!
