Keeping Your Outdoor Spaces Safe for All
It’s the month of goblins and ghouls, mummies and zombies, witches and ghosts—but let’s leave all that scariness to the creatures who do it best. Fall provides a host of not-so-safe things that homeowners must contend with to ensure that everyone stays safe this October. You certainly don’t want to be responsible for things that go bump in the night … or the day! Whether it be trick-or-treaters, your postman, other visitors to your home or your very own family, maintaining safety in your yard and along your pathways should be priority No. 1 for any homeowner. And if a crumbling walkway is your biggest fright this season, the team at Castle Point Landscape Design is the premier choice for hardscape design and installation in New Jersey.
Hocus Pocus: Bringing Your Yard Into Focus
Knowing that toward the end of the month, you may have lots of visitors (including those who are just learning to walk!), let’s get a head start on checking the safety and accessibility of your outdoor spaces. After all, toddlers gonna toddle, so here are just some of the ways you can make your premises more inviting and less spooky. Taking on these small tasks now will ensure that your Halloween is a Hallo“win” for all involved!
- Light it up. We don’t say this “lightly,” but hands-down, the most important aspect of outdoor safety is having your most traffic-heavy areas well-lit. So, your walkway, driveway and front porch should have sufficient lighting so that everyone can see where they are going. Even the greatest of obstacles can be solved with proper lighting.
- Walk the walk. Make sure your walkway is a place where you can actually walk! Ensure there are no overhanging or protruding tree branches or overgrown shrubs encroaching upon your walkway. You want the full width of the passageway to be accessible for visitors. Otherwise, people may have no choice but to walk on your lawn, risking a host of issues from trampled grass to increased tripping hazards.
- Even Steven. How’s the condition of your pavers? If they are uneven, loose or broken, you could be sitting on a hazardous situation. Even the slightest height differential between paving stones can result in a tripping threat. And loose pavers? Forget about. That’s just an accident waiting to happen. If this seems like an overwhelming task, leave it to the pros at Castle Point to restore your pavers to their former glory!
- Turning over a new leaf. While falling leaves are an enjoyable telltale sign that autumn is in full swing, if they cover your walkway or driveway, they can become hazardous. Not only do piles of leaves obscure the confines of your walkway, thereby increasing the chances for a fall, if the leaves are wet, well, you might as well be on a Slip ‘N Slide. Use a leaf blower or rake to keep areas clear of these slick hazards.
- Guilt trip. No one wants to feel responsible for someone they know getting hurt on their property! So, be sure to keep commonly traveled areas free of tripping hazards such as hoses, gardening tools, strollers, toys, bikes and the like. The only trips we want to hear about this season are to cider mills, pumpkin patches and hayrides!
- Hole in one. Now, it’s time to check out your lawn. While you may hope that visitors stick to paved areas, you can’t always guarantee it. If your lawn is riddled with holes, either from critter activity, rotting roots or poor irrigation, you may want to fill those cavities to keep everyone safe. No twisted ankles on your watch!
Easing Into the Holi”daze”
As we revel in the unofficial kickoff to the holiday season, Castle Point wishes you and yours a safe and happy autumn and Halloween! We know it’s just a hop, skip and a jump into the craziness of the holidays, so take a moment for yourself while you still can. And if you’re looking to brighten up your property, let the experts in landscape lighting professionally illuminate your New Jersey property. Contact us online or call Castle Point Landscape Design at 908.512.2267 to request a free consultation for your NJ home today!