Landscaping

There’s more to mulch than just making things look neat and tidy. It also serves several purposes, including water retention, weed suppression, temperature control, and restoring some nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.

Today, Roger Cook is lovingly remembered through his family, his work on This Old House, and the landscaping business he started with his wife, Kathy, K&R Landscape. The young men he trained and mentored are now running the projects, bringing the same attention to detail and passion that Roger brought for all of those years.

Most business owners reach a point where they’d rather pass off the dirty work to their employees. While Roger Cook could’ve easily done so, he stayed in the trenches with his employees—literally. Roger was often found soaked in sweat, rain, or mud, happily working until the job was done.

Roger Cook was always a hard worker. He was never afraid to show up early or stay late. The team remembers times when he would work for 10 hours to prepare the site for a two-minute segment. Roger had a reputation for showing up, taking the wheel, and getting the job done. He worked tirelessly for his family, but he also simply loved what he did.

It was hahhd to ignore Roger Cook's distinct accent. The This Old House experts reminisce about that unmistakable voice.

While the yard sloping away from a home is great for the foundation, but it can create landscaping issues. Severely sloped grades make garden beds look sloppy and bare, especially if there's a downspout nearby. When a homeowner struggled with her sloped garden, she called mason Mark McCullough and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada for the solution: a garden retaining wall.

Aaron Smith is a landscape contractor by trade, but a staple in his community through love. He’s helping restore what he loves about Detroit, Michigan through his many programs and organizations. He deserves to be celebrated.

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada visits Detroit Hives, a nonprofit in the Detroit area, to learn more about bees, their hives, and what beekeeping involves. Spoiler alert: She sneaks a taste of those bees’ hard work before she leaves.

When homeowners run out of space in their homes and garages, they often turn to a shed for a bit more flexibility. But, these outdoor structures need a sturdy, level base that sheds water for longevity’s sake. When a pair of homeowners needed a gravel foundation for their new shed purchase, mason Mark McCullough was happy to help out.

Arborvitaes are great privacy trees and they were once in style. But, old, overgrown arborvitaes are no one’s idea of a handsome fixture. When a homeowner bought their home equipped with some overgrown green emeralds, he called the team at Ask This Old House for help.

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada tells us what it was like to grow up in Florida amongst the citrus groves. From enjoying fresh grapefruit to selling picked fruit from the basket of her bike, she cherishes her time in The Sunshine State.

Host Kevin O’Connor meets with landscape contractors Jenn Nawada and Lee Gilliam to talk about what homeowners should do to transition their yards from spring to summer.

Brothers and fourth-generation landscapers Donald Jordan and David Jones work together every day, celebrating their love for landscaping and family tradition.

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey steps (carefully) outside his normal trade to show us an eco-friendly way to clear overgrown yards: goats with an insatiable appetite.

Learn how to firescape your yard with our guide and expert insights from TOH's Jenn Nawada to help protect your family and community.

Learn how to manage invasive plants and take back your yard with expert tips from This Old House's Lee Gilliam and our detailed guide.

Find out what you need to prepare for the worst this upcoming snowy season. Here's all that you need to know.

The newest member of the Ask This Old House team takes us for a ride to tell us about himself and how he started his business, and offers some advice to budding entrepreneurs.

Do you have a yard on a slope? Learn how to landscape a sloping yard with our video and guide from expert landscapers.

Mason Mark McCullough shows how to remove organic stains from hardscapes such as bluestone and limestone blocks and pavers.

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada helps a homeowner design a garden that will work with their half-sun, half-shade yard perfectly, turning the homeowner’s backyard into a little oasis.

Learn more about wetlands from This Old House expert Jenn Nawada and our detailed guide so you're ready for this habitat.

Mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner keep her driveway from washing away by replacing an old brick edging with big, bulky cobblestone.

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada helps a homeowner restore their backyard pond to its former glistening glory.