Specialties
Water features, stone, thousands of flowers, dwarf and specialty trees, shrubs and more.
Artistry and Aesthetics
Each project is a unique creation. Your landscape will go beyond the ordinary. We use colors, textures, and structures to meet your
needs for beauty and function. We want your environment to be distinctively beautiful!
Knowledge and Expertise
We have over 30 years of experience. Our experience and significant knowledge base enables us to build landscapes of unique interest,
reasonable maintenance, and exceptional value. I invest hundreds of hours each year researching and learning. I grow thousands of plants
in my own garden and nursery to give you the best.
Materials
We utilize a diverse range of plants and stone. Many of these are not generally available in the local trade. In fact, we grow many
of our own plants to provide you quality material including many rare, new, and difficult to find items.
Soil
We incorporate tons of organic materials and special soil amendments* by tiling deeply with our spading machine – a method superior
to any other. This is so important in Colorado.
Environmental Sensitivity
Water can be saved through careful design, plant selection and construction. We make extensive use of compost and organic growth
aides because a healthy environment produces strong, beautiful plants, with less work and without chemical inputs.
Fertilization
I think the key to successful gardening is to help build fabulous soil. I would love to discuss this topic at great length;
however... In our garden, years ago I was plagued with grasshoppers, mites and aphids, deer and rabbits, some lawn diseases, etc.
I have very few of these now. A brief summary of my plan is: lots of compost: make sure it's mostly from yard waste not from cow
manure so as to avoid excessive salts. On an ongoing basis we are using Bio-Sol which is a very slow release, granular, organic
fertilizer, and liquid applications of a biologically active blend of humic and fulvic acids and other organic goodies. More info
is available at www.biolynceus.com/ and www.biosolusa.com. Also see: www.bioflora.com
The products from Biolynceus have had tremendous beneficial effects in Front Range locations including city of Aurora, some sod farms, and
other locations. These have the added benefit of helping to break down the mulch to nourish the gardens. Strongly recommended. The best
way to fertilize it is using an injector. This approach has been used by commercial operations, and now moderately priced homeowner units
are available. Check out: www.ezflofertilizing.com.
Soil Preparation
We prepare the existing soil and add additional amendments. Top quality soil preparation is essential in Colorado. The goal is to
recreate, as best as possible, natural soil, which is a living ecosystem. Most Colorado soils are very low in organic matter, high
in pH, and often heavy clay that has been compacted. Other soils are quite sandy. Adding tons of organics is the single most important
thing to do. We believe our method is superior for these reasons:
1. We have a huge Gramegna spading machine that we imported from Canada. It took four years to find a machine that will
do what this does, and we don’t know of anyone else who uses a machine of this capability. It breaks up and tills the soil to 12”
deep. This is 2-4 times deeper than other tillers can.
2. We add tons of organics (at least 10 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet). Because we till so deeply, we can add more organics.
3. Compost and organics provide tilth, beneficial microorganisms, and water holding capacity. The result is stronger roots
and plants. This will permanently improve the soil quality. Our primary amendment is tub-ground recycled yard waste, which we find
is superior to many manure based products which are too high in salts and pH.
4. We add Realite which is calcined clay from TXI south of Boulder. It is a highly porous sand-like material made by heating
shale to over 2,000 degrees. It has enormous surface areas of micro pores, which provide spaces for oxygen, water, nutrients, and
microbes. This permanently improves the soil.
5. We add other nutrients as necessary. We use BioSol an organic fertilizer that is very slow release and has shown excellent
results in many applications.
6. We treat all plants with proprietary blend from BioFlora which includes humic and fulvic acids and seaweed extracts in
suspension with a biologically alive, organic compost tea saturated with beneficial microorganisms. This process has proven to improve
the fertility of the soil, increase its cation ion exchange ratio, function as organic surfactant and thereby lower the pH which causes
the soil to release nutrients, especially iron, that are typically present but unavailable in our alkaline clay soils.
7. All these materials are thoroughly mixed through the soil. We rototill at least two and sometimes up to 4 times depending
upon site conditions.
8. When planting, we use MoistureIn and Roots; both are state-of-the-art anti-desiccants to reduce transplant shock.
A note from Paul
I love rocks, plants and good soil. Even as a child planting flowers in my mother’s garden, I was drawn to create beautiful
landscapes. At eighteen I started my own stone business and began landscaping commercially, building stone walls and rock gardens.
The stone business allowed me the flexibility to cater to customers’ needs while providing unique materials to make each project a
work of art.
Working with South Creek Gardens offers you many benefits. We focus on only one or two jobs at a time, staying there until it is
finished. We brainstorm with you to create your own unique design. We put in the extra quality (even if you don’t see it) that makes
our work stand the test of time. We have fun along the way. You will be thrilled with the results!
South Creek Gardens - Landscaping in Boulder, CO