By Vic LeBlanc

The winter months are the both the perfect dreamtime for that idyllic backyard oasis and the perfect planning time, according to agronomist Lou Kobus.

President of Mount Vernon, Virginia-based Village Turf, this country gentleman, former career Marine and 2004 Lawn & Landscape Leadership Award winner is glad to share the following seasonal bits of industry wisdom and tricks of the trade with the LandscapeNetwork.com community...

Lou Kobus - President of Mount Vernon, Virginia-based Village Turf, this country gentleman, former career Marine and 2004 Lawn & Landscape Leadership Award winner says that winter's the time to rouse your landscape dreams out of hibernation.

"Basically winter is a great time to decide what you want to do. Get some pictures from magazines, or go to some home shows that are prevalent this time of year and take pictures," Lou advises. "Make sure you have a good idea of the total square footage of the area you want to work on. Make a list of any particular plants you want, or don’t want. Think about hardscape features you might want, such as a deck, patio, walkway, pond, lighting, etc., and put these on your list. Make a note if you have children or pets that will use the area. Then, when you talk to several different contractors, you won’t forget items, and each contractor will be estimating the same basic work, even if their artistic interpretations and their suggested materials might be different."

Contractor Comm 101

Above all, Lou cautions, "Be honest. Tell each contractor that you are getting several prices. Ask for contractors' opinions about what can be done, and make sure when you're having them price out services you are comparing 'apples to apples' to keep it real. Remember, too, that prices may differ for a number of reasons, including skill levels and the kinds of work some contractors may want to suggest."

"If a contractor doesn't want to do this, then you probably don't want them working for you."

He is quick to add, "We're talking about proposals here, not design plans where the contractors bid on very specific items or work to be done. If there's a design involved, then, of course, you need to be ready to pay for that."

Lush quiet places, complete with fountains or "bubblers" and seating are becoming more popular with homeowners across the country and is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's latest emerging trends, according to Lou Kobus, president of Mount Vernon, VA-based Village Turf, Inc., a full-service landscape design/build and maintenance company. Photo courtesy of Village Turf.

"Be aware of the difference between a design and a request for a proposal. People get confused. Their own ideas are one thing, but when they ask for professional assistance such as a formal design and plant list they need to be aware of what they are asking for (and what might involve additional design costs)."

A 'turf king' grows his own legacy

Lou worked in an uncle's landscaping business on and off for 50 years, then purchased it and renamed it Village Turf when he retired from active military service in 1992. Already holding a degree in civil engineering, Lou attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute to earn his degree in agronomy.

Since then, Village Turf has grown exponentially, its scope of work ranging from small residential projects of about $2,000 doing limited planting and replanting, to major projects up to $2 million. A developing niche market for the company is working with older homes to improve their street presence.

It's not unusual for a town home owner in the Washington, DC metro area to want his or her unit to have a unique presence. This, Lou says, can be accomplished in a number of ways ranging from an exotic ornamental tree planting in front to creating a backyard "escape." He recalls one recent client who spent approximately $40,000 on a landscape design that incorporated exotic plantings, a hot tub and even a champagne cooler.

'Hiving' Mid-Atlantic homeowners want backyard havens

Current trends Lou notices in his region include backyard water features, not just ponds but a variety of fountains and bubblers in all sizes to create "quiet areas," even in densely populated neighborhoods.

"I also see people wanting more flat surfaces, so we cut into inclines to install children's swings, and build retaining walls and steps to give homeowners level activity areas." Lou's civil engineering degree is put to good use in these instances, designing plans that incorporate proper drainage as well as making sure foundations are properly poured and that soil hydraulics are correct.

Referred to by his colleagues as "a Virginia dirt farmer," agronomist Lou Kobus confides that the best-laid turf is probably an optimal combination of sod for the hilly areas and seeding across the flats. Here, a lawn receives optimal watering from an underground sprinkler system. Photo courtesy of Village Turf.

"I think that the introduction of mortarless retaining walls such as Versalock or other engineered wall systems has been a real boon to the industry and public because they are very functional and aesthetically appealing. The same goes with the use of pavers instead of poured concrete. People can now use pavers as part of a sidewalk or patio surface, and even for driveways. Stamped concrete is also growing in popularity."

'Deck-adent' activities and exotic landscaping reign

In the Mid-Atlantic region, according to Lou, people seem to be spending more time in and around their homes, although the colder temperatures have more people buying portable grills than installing outdoor kitchens for entertaining. "The allure of the beach house or vacation home has been diminished by the hassle of spending three to five hours of the weekend sitting in traffic, and certainly taxes and maintenance costs of a vacation home are going up.

"People are taking vacations at home; here in Northern Virginia we have about eight months a year that people can be outside so, there is a lot of 'deck living' and grilling out on the deck, and I install a lot of hot tubs on decks."

In the past 50 years that Lou has been involved in the industry he has seen landscaping change from an activity relegated primarily to parks and commercially designed areas to one that many homeowners embrace in order to improve their quality of life and enhance the curb appeal of one of their biggest financial assets.
He chuckles, remembering the traditional "two up and three down (vertical and horizontal shrub plantings) in the front yard that was pretty much the 'cookie cutter' approach, with the lawn for Dad to cut every weekend.

"These days we have smaller lots, 150' by 100', 75' by 100', not much land. Plants have changed...there are more varieties and hardier exotics to create interest and personalize the look of homes in developments that are built using the same four or five models.

Winter time is a great time to work with your landscape contractor on a design plan that will bring your landscape dreams, like this idyllic garden path, to reality in time to enjoy the summer blooms. Photo courtesy of Village Turf.

With a name like Village Turf, it is both easy and correct to assume that Lou and his crew work on a lot of lawns and sports playing fields. In addition to his residential and commercial landscaping, he works with schools, sports clubs, and recreation areas to help build, renovate, and maintain ball fields.

A 'Lawn Whisperer's' sage advice

Referred to by his colleagues as "a Virginia dirt farmer," Lou is a true turf expert. He confides that the best-laid turf is probably an optimal combination of sod for the hilly areas and seeding across the flats. "In sod work, the biggest part is the preparation. Like painting, if you do the prep work, the sod will grow magnificently and the same goes with seeding."

Lou estimates that in his region, current prices for sod, installed, run from $10 to $12 per square yard; seeding runs anywhere between $4 and $5 per square yard and is best done in the fall.

While many homeowners around the country are still looking for lush, manicured lawns, others living in dry and drought-prone areas seek the low-maintenance lawn and look to ornamental stone, naturalized plantings and non-plant groundcovers for different reasons.

"Around the country," Lou points out, "you’ll find different situations. People in some areas of Nevada actually get money back from the government for not planting seed or sod lawns. Then there are people using artificial grass in where maintenance is a problem."

He cautions that local peer pressure is yet another consideration to take into account. "I know of a homeowner in Florida who couldn't get an occupancy permit after installing artificial turf around his new home. There were numerous complaints from neighbors who wanted him to have natural grass instead of an artificial lawn."

For more information on Village Turf, go to villageturf.com. You can contact Lou directly at (703) 765-3100 or email him at louk@villageturf.com.