Category Archives: Blog

Spring may feel a long way off, but fall is one of the best times to begin planning larger landscape projects. By this point in the season, you have had months to see how your property functions. You know which areas feel underused, where privacy is lacking, which walkways or patios no longer work well, […]

Privacy is one of the most common goals homeowners have for their landscape, but the best solutions rarely come from planting a single row of identical evergreens. A well-designed privacy planting should feel like part of the landscape, not a barrier added to it. The goal is to create screening while also adding beauty, structure, […]

Landscaping by J. Michael will be joining the community at Lobsterfest on Saturday, September 19 at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, and we hope you’ll stop by and say hello. Lobsterfest is a family-friendly celebration of everything coastal and local, featuring local food and seafood, drinks, live entertainment, artisans, local vendors, children’s activities, coastal education, nonprofits, art […]

For many homeowners, the best part of the landscape is not simply how it looks — it is how the space is used. A thoughtfully designed outdoor living area can make the yard feel like a natural extension of the home, creating places to relax, entertain, gather with family or simply spend more time outside. […]

As summer begins to wind down, September is one of the best times to take a fresh look at your landscape. You have had an entire season to see what works, what doesn’t, and what you would like to change. Perhaps you need more privacy, better outdoor living space, improved drainage, refreshed plantings or an […]

Some landscape projects are measured in square feet, materials, and finished details. Others are measured in something far more meaningful: the life that will happen there. Recently, Landscaping by J. Michael received a note from a client, Jackie Sullivan, about a project designed by Keith and brought to life by the J. Michael team. Her […]

Foundation plantings do more than fill the space around a home. They help frame the architecture, soften hard edges, create seasonal interest, and make the property feel finished. But over time, even a well-designed planting can outgrow its original purpose. One of the most common signs is scale. Shrubs that once fit neatly beneath windows […]

By late summer, your landscape has had an entire growing season to show you what is working—and what is not. Plants have reached their mature seasonal size, lawns have experienced heat and drought stress, and planting beds have settled into their summer form. That makes August one of the best times to take a closer […]

By July, most gardens across the South Shore have settled into their summer rhythm. Perennials are blooming, shrubs have filled out, and lawns have reached their peak. It’s also the time when weeds seem to grow overnight, mulch begins to thin, and garden beds can quickly lose the crisp appearance they had in spring. The […]

Beautiful landscapes are about much more than colorful flowers and healthy lawns. The most memorable outdoor spaces combine living plants with thoughtfully designed hardscape features that provide structure, function, and year-round beauty. Whether it’s a welcoming front walkway, an inviting backyard patio, or a natural stone retaining wall, hardscaping creates the framework that brings a […]