April Showers Bring May Flowers
We all know the phrase, “April Showers Bring May Flowers”. It’s an ode to Spring, new life, new growth, and new beginnings. Here in Minnesota, we brave through a long cold winter, and seeing the first above-freezing day in the forecast ignites a spark in us to pack away our down jackets, bring out our shorts, and get outside. Spring brings excitement in many ways, and one of those ways is the excitement and anticipation that comes with planning and preparing our landscaping for the warmer months. What flowers will we plant? How will we arrange our patio furniture? When will we be able to have our first grill-out? Should we invite the neighbors? Even typing those questions makes us excited for the upcoming season.
April is filled with many Spring-inspired national and international holidays like Earth Day, Easter, and Arbor Day. Not only is this month filled with plenty of holidays that make us want to be outdoors, but the entire month is officially known as Keep America Beautiful Month. Having April be Keep America Beautiful Month inspired us to show you all just how beautiful Spring is. We at Nor-Son Custom Builders have the wonderful opportunity to build beautiful homes that complement their yard’s unique trajectory and landscape, and we want to share some of these amazing landscapes with you!
On the flip side of April bringing newness and excitement, there is always the long list of spring maintenance duties that must be done in preparation for Summer. Check out our Spring Home Checklist for tips on what you need to do to ensure your home is maintained and performing well this summer season! Some of the main themes of this checklist include checking the HVAC systems, seeing if the winter weather damaged the roof, cleaning and checking all windows, properly directing water drainage, and much more! There is plenty to do and we want to make sure you are all prepared.
When planning and building these amazing homes, Nor-Son Custom Builders puts forth the utmost attention to ensuring the design coexists with the landscape of the property to reduce problems that may develop later down the road. Whether that be properly surveying the land or using the right materials, it is necessary that these details receive proper attention. Here are a couple examples:
A variance was needed for this Modern Log Renovation since the original home was built prior to new setback requirements. The existing patio was multi-level and posed a tripping hazard for the owners’ grandchildren. Since it was within the bluff impact zone, a storm water plan was developed to redirect water runoff away from the bluff impact zone to a new rain garden. This drainage solution allowed for a new single level patio the homeowners could enjoy without any hesitation or concern. Not only that, but this project also resulted in a beautiful rain garden for the family to enjoy!
The Summer Kitchen was built on a meticulously manicured lakefront estate. Plywood and mulch were placed around the building site to protect the existing grade. Native trees were tied back and wrapped to avoid damage from construction equipment and traffic. One cannot deny the beauty of well-manicured grounds and pristine waters and maintaining the natural beauty of the property before building is essential to our work here at Nor-Son Custom Builders. Enjoy this connection to the outdoors with expansive glass bi-fold or lift-and-slide doors.
With Spring in the air, flowers starting to bud, and warm weather creeping in, it’s time to get outside and gear up for another wonderful summer season.
