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August 9, 2016

Drought & the Dog Days of Summer

It's officially a heat wave here in New Hampshire! By the looks of my yard, we're in a pretty good drought too! It's right about now that my clients start asking me what they can plant so that their landscape looks great, even during these long, hot, dry summer days!

Some days I want to suggest to forget the lawn and just put in a nice big patio! But I know that's not practical. Here's something to think about....did you know that in Los Angeles you can actually get paid for getting rid of your lawn? Check it out here! While I don't necessarily recommend that you rip out your lawn, there are lots of ways you can create a beautiful drought tolerant landscape.

Have you ever heard of xeriscaping? At its simplest, xeriscaping is about selecting plants that can thrive with as little supplemental water as possible. This means choosing a variety of native plants, as well as other well-adapted species. This type of low-water landscaping is great for the environment and your budget! If you are trying to minimize your irrigation needs or if you live in an area with water restrictions I advise you to select plants that can tolerate a drought.

The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension published an extremely helpful list of drought tolerant plants for NH landscapes. Click here to see their list!

Other helpful tips include:

* Stay on top of your weeding. Those pesky weeds are stealing valuable moisture from your plants! Be sure to pull your weeds out often and keep your plants happy!

* Mulch. You need to have 2-3 inches of much to keep your soil cool and to protect it from the direct sun. This will help maintain moisture down below.

* Deadhead your flowers. Doing so will save energy for your plants and they will need less water.

For lots more tips check out my Pinterest board, Drought Tolerant Landscape, by clicking here!

Don't forget that we are heading into the best season for planting! Not only will the temperatures begin to get cooler, so you will be more comfortable outside gardening, but nurseries are starting mark down their prices on their inventory. Take advantage of lower prices now and your yard (& wallet) will thank you later!

As we get closer to fall, it's the perfect time to plant, as it is easier on the root systems of your plants to establish themselves before winter hits! In fact, I just learned that according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, we're in for another long, cold and snowy winter! See the latest report by clicking here.

That being said, I might have to take a day off from the beach one of these days soon and tend to my own yard!

Transformations Worth Sharing

Clients who have experienced the transformative power of healthy interior design

Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!

Jim P.

Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!

Karen S.

Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.

Marla W.

We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.

Lisa W.

Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design.  Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it.  We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!

Kate S.

Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.

Bill H.

Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.

I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!

Pam O.

Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!

Mary S.

Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.

Ann R.

Rene is amazing!  Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.

Holly M.