Monmouth County homeowner Tom Morahan discusses how GreenWorks made his home the envy of the neighborhood.

We’re proud to announce that GreenWorks was recently awarded the distinction of Certified RainXchange™ Professional (CRP) by Aquascape, Inc. The CRP is a rainwater harvesting professional certification program created in June, 2009.

Rainwater recycling is a natural extension of the eco-friendly services we offer. It’s a great way to have a positive impact on the environment and save money at the same time.

GreenWorks is working exclusively with Aquascape, Inc., North America’s leading water gardening industry innovator and the inventor of the low-maintenance, naturally balanced ecosystem pond.

Certified RainXchange™ Professionals such as GreenWorks are the most qualified and informed RainXchange™ rainwater harvesting system installers in the water gardening industry. We are required to attend continual training and education seminars and maintain a proven record of outstanding work and dedicated customer service.

Ready for your complimentary rainwater harvesting consultation? Give Victor and the GreenWorks team a call (732-223-2073) to get the most out of the rainwater falling on your property!

Monmouth County residents are facing sever water restrictions, near-drought conditions plague much of our state and many people’s lawns and gardens are an ugly shade of beige due to the lack of recent rain in the Garden State. Using water wisely is an absolute must, especially when facing the type of conditions we’re seeing now.

In fact, water quantity issues and challenges will be a growing challenge for New Jersey residents and folks around the country in the coming years. Our current levels and patterns of water usage are simply not sustainable. We use drinking water for our lawns, drink bottled water from plastic bottles and let rain water run off our lawns and into the sewer.

Highest consumption patterns are highest in summer; Here are a few things homeowners can do to use water more wisely, reduce their water bills and ensure lush landscaping regardless of rainfall levels.

Evaluate Water Usage, Needs and Goals – How do you and your family use water on a daily basis? How much water do you use in an average week? Do you use water to wash cars with? Do you drink tap water? These and other questions must be considered in order to best understand how you use water, how you could use water and what makes the most sense for your family and your home.

Increase Water Efficiency – Consider using low-flow shower-heads and toilets. These are two of the largest water wasters in most homes. Low-flow equipment is affordable and can be installed by many DIYers. Evaluating your water usage and increasing basic water efficiency in your home are good first steps to using water wisely.

Install a Rain Barrel – Rain barrels are usually the most cost-effective way to start saving water at your home. They can be used to for irrigating plants and shrubs close to the home. Rain barrels are prone to low water pressure so if you want to deliver rain water to parts of your landsaping further away from the barrel, an accessory pump can be added to improve water pressure. Newer rain barrels come in various colors and styles, some that can be aesthetically pleasing and combine well with your lawn and landscaping.

Use Greywater – Greywater systems are experiencing a surge in interest and increased installations across the country. Greywater recycling filters and re-use shower, laundry and dishwater water for irrigation and other non-potable uses. They require a larger up-front investment but will pay big dividends for many years to come. The best time to install a greywater recycling system is before the home is built.

Evaluate Drinking Water Usage – Evaluating how a home uses drinking water for consumption and other applications is crucial to saving and better using water. Many homeowners use drinking water to water their lawns simply because they don’t think that there are other options. Additionally, many families are buying plastic bottles of drinking water,most of which comes from the same municipal sources as the water in their home. Buying and drinking water in plastic bottles is extremely expensive and comes with huge environmental impacts. Whole-house treatment systems, water filtration systems, potential health effects – how you feel; glass bottles – does not taint or leech, Testing/screening could be important. Treatment measures and technology are continuously evolving. Depends on what your level of comfort is, what you and your family want.

Become a Rainwater Recycler – You already recycle plastic, glass & paper, why not rainwater! Storm-water sheet flow is already touted by many as being the primary source of non-point source pollutants. So why not capture that rainwater that falls on your house and put it to good use by re-using it for irrigation, topping off your pool or as part of a water garden. There are many types of larger-scale water storage devices that are affordable, easy to install and do a wealth of good for the environment and your property.

Save Money, The Environment and Our Children – Our pocketbooks and wallets feel the impact of our water usage decisions first where using less water means lower water bills. But long-range planning and thinking about how you’ll use water in the months and years ahead can be educational, enlightening and help preserve our environment. In many cases, it can also mean a more comfortable home and a happier, healthier family. But ultimately, it’s our children who will benefit from good water stewardship now. That’s the best reason to help conserve our most precious natural resource.

Check out this video of a Burlington County, New Jersey couple who hired GreenWorks to update, enhance and improve their backyard. It’s fascinating how backyard improvements lead to quality of life improvements!

This project is a great example of GreenWorks’ commitment to providing exceptional design & value, working with the environment and materials conservation. The project design was broken into phases to accommodate the Client’s budget and provide economies which, when completed, exceeded our client’s expectations and launched them into being advocates of green.

The 20 year old pool was rehabilitated, grading corrected, natural bluestone coping custom cut and old decking recycled to provide patio base material or re-used. What started out as an eye-sore that the client wanted “filled-in”, became the focal point of the project. In fact, using feng shui principles, a sun-spot area was identified that was also incorporated into the layout to serve as the Client’s landing area for their lounge chairs adding fire-energy to the water landscape.

Pool Rehab and Transformation

The patio area was designed to accommodate gatherings, entertaining and cooking yet preserve the wild / natural feel provided by mature dogwoods and native landscapes. To accomplish this, pavers with blue stone edge accents were used to tie into the pool area + irregular blue-field stone was used to break up lines posed by excessive paver use and complement the natural feel of the site.

Bringing Together the Pool, Patio and Entertaining Areas

The terraced steps from the rear yard to the front were laid out to double as access to raised planting and vegetable bed borders, working with the natural grade and space constraints posed by the mature landscape.

Terrace Steps & Pathway with Raised Plant and Vegetable Beds

Whenever possible, GreenWorks adds value and strives to exceed our client’s expectations. In this case, we were able to restore a hidden rear yard shed area into a garden-prep area complete with potting benches and storage. The decking area was accomplished by re-using found tables where the old 70’s masonry pool bricks were once acid-washed added to the charm of the space.

Well, spring is just a few weeks away! For those folks who still can’t see the ground due to all the snow, we promise…relief is coming soon! Temperatures are starting to inch upwards, a few of the very first spring buds are appearing and GreenWorks is ramping up its spring schedule. If you’re interested in spending more quality time in your backyard this spring and summer, now is the time to start planning. We’ve done initial consultative visits at a number of local homes in Monmouth and Ocean counties and have found a few common challenges in getting backyards ready for the spring and summer seasons.

1. Drainage – The grade of a plot of land has major impacts on drainage issues. Of course, drainage and moisture issues can have a major impact on dampness inside the home, maintaining a green, robust lawn and a healthy, vibrant backyard property. The bottom line: get the water away from the home. Unfortunately, gutters and other basic drainage and water-handling systems have been stressed to the max this winter which means some of those systems that just needed maintenance now need to be replaced. Such failures lead to escalating water and moisture issues that can turn into expensive headaches for homeowners. Avoid long-term structural issues involving moisture by checking your drainage system before spring hits and heavy rains come.

Finished Pool & Backyard in Monmouth County

2. Patios – Let’s face it – people spend a lot of time relaxing, entertaining and simply enjoying their backyard patios. That simple pleasure usually goes beyond the design quirks we usually see on-site. Many homeowners are not getting the most enjoyment our of their backyard surroundings due to improper space planning, recreational and entertaining activity not correctly accounted for or just a design and layout that doesn’t make sense for the homeowner, their property or the patio’s intended use. For instance: does someone who cooks outside 2-3x during the summer need a fully-installed backyard kitchen? Probably not. Does someone who has no kids and often entertains in the backyard need more pavers? Quite possibly.

3. Pools, Ponds & Water Features – Nothing says “Ahhhhhhhhh” like the sound of moving water or a cool dip on a hot summer day. Whether you’re thinking of a pool or already have one, GreenWorks can help. If you have a pool that’s a bit tired, worn-out, needs a new liner or some concrete restoration, asses and begin to address the situation when we come and open your pool for the season, making sure it’s ready to go when the summertime fun heats up. Want a pool? Then let’s sit down and show you how to plan for that perfect backyard oasis. No one does water like GreenWorks!

Front Yard at a Home in Allenwood

4. Overgrowth – It’s easy to let trees, shrubs and hedges get overgrown without noticing. After all, they don’t grow very fast! The collective impact of such overgrowth can be hard for some homeowners to see or fully appreciate. Typically, when we conduct a spring backyard cleanup, overgrowth is one of the biggest issues we face. It leads to backyards that appear crowded and untidy, but for the overcrowded plants, it could be much worse. Typically, overcrowded plants fight for sunlight with neighboring plants, end up with portions of the plant getting choked out and grow unevenly and unattractively. Allowed to continue, such overgrowth will eventually lead to the death of many plants, an unkempt and ugly yard, and, in many cases, complaining neighbors. Don’t let it come to that this year. Call GreenWorks today.

Keeping your backyard and property properly drained, ensuring it is correctly designed for your needs and desires, having the perfect oasis and planting and maintaining greenery in such a way that it provides coverage, shade and enjoyment without being a burden are only a few of the reasons to call GreenWorks soon. Spring will be here before you know it. Enjoy it in a backyard you love!

We’ve known Doris for years and it was a pleasure to finally be able to transform her backyard into the perfect oasis for her and the her family.