Hanselman Landscape

When Heinz and Eva were preparing to retire, they realized there was no place they'd rather be than in their own home. Instead of moving, they decided to "upscale" their garden, since they spend so much time outdoors. They enhanced and extended their patio, and added a Japanese-inspired tsukubai, a custom hot tub, a privacy fence, and plantings to grace their new living room!

GOOD EARTH Success in a garden is from the ground up--literally! The health and beauty of garden plants depend on the soil in which they are planted, so investing in high-quality soil, soil amendments, and the right type of mulch is important and justifiable. In many locales in Central Pennsylvania, new homes are built on soil that has been depleted of nutrients. This type of soil will inhibit rather than promote plant health. If this is your situation, when you begin to dev...elop your outdoor spaces we advise you to spend the money to add topsoil that is nutrient rich, loosely textured, and as weed-free as possible. Good topsoil will provide the nutrients plants need, allow for adequate water penetration and drainage, and reduce competition from weeds. If your garden is already established but not thriving, it may be that a fertilization regimen and an irrigation system will correct the nutritional and moisture deficits. Hanselman Landscape can provide fertilization, irrigation, and weed control to encourage healthy, robust plant growth. Contributed by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& advocate of nutritious dirt) This Lancaster County garden view shows a stepping stone path meandering through well-nourished and regularly-maintained Boxwoods, Pines, Spirea and Liriope to a lush emerald lawn beyond.

LIFE FROM LIFE: A Full-Circle Journey When James Hanselman of Hanselman Landscape needed containers for young nursery stock, he commissioned Jeff Hershey, his friend and a neighboring wood craftsman, with a sustainable option: build the new "grow boxes" from trees that had been removed from a nearby property. "In keeping with our traditional hand-crafted approach in every aspect of garden care, it seemed fitting that we find a local craftsman to help us build these boxes," ...smiles Hanselman. The photos below show the full-circle journey from live trees, through the milling and assembly processes at Jeff's lumber mill and workshop, to the final stage--as life-support structures in which saplings can receive nourishment and nurture in the HL nursery, until they are ready for installation in client gardens. Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife

Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful World, With the wonderful water round you curled, And the wonderful grass upon your breast-- World, you are beautifully dressed.... The wonderful air is over me, And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree, It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, And talks to itself on the tops of the hills. You friendly Earth! How far do you go, With the wheat-fields that nod and the rivers that flow, With cities and gardens, and cliffs, and isles, And people upon you for thousands of miles? Ah, you are so great, and I am so small, I tremble to think of you, World, at all; And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, A whisper inside me seemed to say, "You are more than the Earth, though you are such a dot: You can love and think, and the Earth cannot!" ~ William Brighty Rands Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& grateful grandma!) (Poem from my first "Childcraft" poem book) Wherever you find yourself this spring, I hope you take time to seek the wonder and beauty to be found in God's garden--the great outdoors!

Wishing you a joyous celebration of new life this Easter! "Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world." ~ Virgil A. Kraft (American minister, 1910-1988)... Azaleas in vibrant springtime color surround this custom-built swimming pool complete with nature-inspired stream and swim-in water fall, Manheim, PA.

"The day before April Alone, alone, I walked in the woods And sat on a stone.... I sat on a broad stone And sang to the birds. The tune was God's making But I made the words." --Mary Carolyn Davies Well-planted boulders add structure and beauty to a garden; they can also serve practical purposes as splash pads for water features, seats for contemplation, tables for eating, and natural playground equipment for climbing and exploration. Can we plant some rocks in your garden?

Whatever your cares or concerns, I invite you to set them aside for a few moments . . . and find rest and refreshment in the serenity of this beautiful garden and the expressive prose of Emilie Barnes (author of Time Began in a Garden). Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& fellow serenity seeker)

INSPIRING CREATIVITY AND CONTEMPLATION IN A PAPER MAKER'S GARDEN (Part 1) When papermaker, Betsy Miraglia, and her husband downsized and moved into a new home, one of her first tasks was to unpack her art supplies into the room that would become her new studio. Betsy soon realized that the view from her studio windows was anything but inspiring. The overgrown Yew bushes crowding the tiny courtyard next to my studio were downright ugly. They looked as if they hadn’t been prun...ed since they were first planted, remembers Betsy. She knew her imagination and creativity would suffer if she didn’t make a change in her surroundings. I’m an artist, Betsy states. So the place next to my studio needs to be beautiful. She remembers being enthralled with the courtyard gardens she had visited during a paper making tour in Japan. I brought home lots of books and pulled out photos I had taken during my visit to Japan. Since my artwork as a paper maker is Japanese in origin, it seemed that a beautiful Japanese garden outside my studio would be perfect! (Come back next time to find out how Betsy made this happen!) Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& Japanese garden enthusiast) A specimen Japanese Black Pine, Nobedan patio, seating rocks, and hand-shaped stepping stones provide space for contemplation and the creative inspiration Betsy was seeking.

TREE LESSONS One of the best ways to learn about trees is to visit and spend time with them in beautiful settings. In these "classrooms", you can observe the shape, growth habit, size, bark texture and color, and--depending on the season--leaf shape and leaf colors of various species of mature trees. On sweltering summer days, you can refresh in the shade of leafy canopies; on blustery winter days, you can take in the structures of leafless branches and their silhouettes agai...nst the sky. And in any season, you can appreciate the beauty, grandeur, and value of mature trees in the landscape. In fact, you may even begin to imagine the possibilities and benefits of adding one or several to your own garden. We certainly hope so, and look forward to hearing from you and learning together which trees are best suited to your particular situation. (Call us at 717-653-1273 to get started!) Some of our favorite "tree classrooms" are the University of Pennsylvania's Morris Arboretum, Swarthmore College's Scott Arboretum, Mount Cuba, Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, and old growth forests everywhere. Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& perpetual learner of all things lovely)

Here dies another day During which I have had eyes, ears, hands And the great world round me; And with tomorrow begins another. Why am I allowed two?... ~ G.K. Chesterton Gratefully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& ever-thankful for the blessing of life) Campfire circle provides a breathtaking view of a magnificent sunset.

72 SEASONS OF THE YEAR? Here in the Northeast, we observe four seasons and either celebrate or rue the seasonal changes that dictate our wardrobe, our activities, and our house and garden projects. In Japan, however, the traditional Japanese calendar divides the year into 24 major divisions which are each split again into three for a total of 72 k (or micro-seasons) that last around five days each. These 72 "seasons" offer a poetic journey through the Japanese year, exemplif...ying a culture infused with deep sensitivity and appreciation for the nuances of nature. Here are a few of the beautifully lyrical descriptions of Japan's seasonal changes: Spring wind thaws the ice Brush warbler starts singing in the mountains First Cherry blossoms Distant thunder Wild geese fly north Bamboo shoots sprout Rotten grass becomes fireflies Hawks learn to fly Evening cicadas sing Maple and Ivy turn yellow North wind blows leaves from the trees Gratefully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife With inspiration from: http://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00124/ and http://www.kurashikata.com/72seasons/ Enjoy each of the four (or 72!) seasons of the year in your very own garden paradise, carefully planned to surround you with close-at-hand beauty! Whether it be brilliant fall foliage, evergreen diversity for winter interest, spring-blooming trees, shrubs and flowers, or a swim-in waterfall for summer refreshment, our team of designers, craftsmen, and plant care-givers is ready to bring year 'round garden joy to life for you!

THANKSGIVING 2020 "The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest light to all the world." ~ Ann Voskamp (Canadian author and memoirist; 1973 - ) In an unusually challenging year, it has not been easy to focus on the good, beautiful, and true. But this Thanksgiving, let me not add to the darkness with an atti...tude of despair. Instead, let me bring light into the room by seeking and speaking of the lavish goodness, beauty and truth around me. Gratefully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& hopeful "light-carrier") To start, here are a few snapshots of some of this year's grace gifts: snow in the Dawn Redwood grove, granddaughters delighting in forest discoveries, Rhododendron blossoms, baby Freyja's birth in AK, trail and swamp walks with James in WV, vibrant autumn "flowers", baby Marlowe's birth in Canada, and a glorious 2020 sunset over a custom-crafted stone patio. What has brought you joy in this difficult year? Feel free to share a comment! See more

"Chase your dreams but always know the road that will lead you home again." ~ Source Unknown Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman Gardener's wife (& recent 'empty nester') ... Lights along a rustic stepping stone path create ambiance and provide safety as daylight fades. (We also happen to think night lighting is one of the coziest ways to say "Welcome home!")