Blog articles useful for your yard | Utah Landscaping

close-up of asphalt drying on country road

It is known by many names: bitumen, blacktop, tar, asphalt, and pitch. In the world of Utah landscaping, with U-carts, flagstone, and fire pit glass, we simply call it “asphalt.” Thanks to its common uses on parking lots, highways, and playgrounds, each of us has a connection to asphalt going as far back as childhood and will continue with us for the rest of our lives.

But how much does the average person really know about asphalt — what it is and how it can be used? There’s a science to the stuff that we consider each time we are hired for a job. Understanding that science — the behavior of asphalt, as it were — makes our team at Asphalt Materials one of the finest in industry.

flower growing from crack in asphalt road

We all remember the childhood warning: don’t step on the crack or you’ll break your mom’s back. Thankfully, as adults, we no longer walk around bearing the burden of such uncompromising stakes and yet pavement cracks still bear unhappy consequences whenever they show up.

No matter what type of pavement cracks you’re dealing with — and there are a lot of them, be they alligator cracks, joint reflection cracks, or upheaval cracks — leaving them untreated will leave yourself open to problems of a different kind, later, not the least of which is more cracking.

The writer-philosopher Ralph Waldo Emmerson is quoted as saying “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.” There are numerous benefits to becoming a gardener — the euphoria one feels when they see Spring’s first chutes; the satisfaction of toiling in the dirt and harnessing one’s strength to improve the land; the fulfillment of negotiating with Mother Nature to see things grow strong. Perhaps the best part of being a gardener is uncovering those latent virtues that are hidden from those who don’t understand the earth.

Most people understand the motivation behind moving to a more green lifestyle. At the end of the day, it isn’t much about politics — it is recognizing the privilege of inhabiting the earth. This manifests in different ways, from having the willingness to be active when the time calls for it — picking up trash, investing in sources of renewable energy, and more.

Landscape design with multiple levels and stone retaining wall

There is a certain satisfaction that comes from planning and completing a DIY project in the yard. Not only is the yard transformed, but you as the homeowner are able to leave your mark on the property in a positive way— breaking a sweat while working with your hands to create your own personal masterpiece. At Asphalt materials, we provide the materials needed for Utah landscaping projects large and small and there is no better time to start improving your outdoor space than right now. Summer is upon us and there are a number of worthwhile projects to start while the weather permits. Here are just a few.

Man pouring concrete into wheel-barrow from a U-cart tow-behind

There is an old saying among track and field athletes: “our sport is your sport’s punishment.” Running, jumping, and feats of strength aren’t things to be avoided for these people— they’re to be relished as chances to use their strength and expertise to overcome all sorts of obstacles. Similarly, for the home improvement aficionados among us, a do-it-yourself project is a happy way to spend the afternoon. Whereas the trappings of Utah landscaping﹘breaking rocks, putting up fences, clearing fields, and laying sod﹘might sound like a prison sentence to some, to the handymen and women who thrive by using the right tools to fit their job, it’s heaven.

The resolve to do more green initiatives in one’s life doesn’t have to be a commitment to a totally foreign and expensive lifestyle. While many people enjoy living according to renewable energy sources and feel like they have been worth the initial high cost, going green in your landscaping can be a decidedly less difficult transition and still yield incredible results.

What does “green gardening” look like? Isn’t that a bit of a redundant term? Essentially, instead of relying on waste management companies to haul away all of the organic trash that you throw away with the rest of your garbage, recycling that refuses into a compost pile and allowing that organic material back into your soil will accomplish a few environmental goals at once. First, it will enrichen the soil you use to garden, much like utilizing manure as a fertilizer. Secondly, it will spare the potential of those materials from being wasted as it is deposited out in a landfill somewhere.

well-paved driveway using quality landscaping supplies

Your landscape is ultimately an extension of yourself. That is to say, it is an extension of the atmosphere that you want to permeate the entirety of your property, from the attic to the basement, from the driveway to the backyard. And because the landscape work encompasses everything around your home, it is invariably the first thing that visitors (or you yourself) will get to experience before stepping across the threshold into your garage or entryway.

If you were to cast your mind on the landscaped property of homes or businesses you admire, could you be able to describe why you like them? What about the layout of the gardens, the design of the driveway or the outdoor amenities do you respond to the most? Finding that special “something” to define your property is an organic process, born from introspection, familiarity with landscape supplies, and consultations with professional workers.

Henry David Thoreau said geology is where we “discover the causes of all past changes in the present invariable order of society.” In so many ways science﹘be it chemistry, geology, astronomy, or biology﹘is the study of change over time; the intense pressure put upon a subject causing it to evolve from one state to another, and to grow from there. As a scientific species, we experience time travel not only when we send probes into space to experience the relativity of time and space, but each time we put a rock under the microscope.

At Asphalt Materials, we love the stories that rocks tell. Each one teaches us about what occurred in our valley millions of years ago and helps us appreciate the natural beauty found all over Utah. Over the years our customers have grown to value our various landscape supplies, and our various rock and sand options have elevated our asphalt company beyond just making blacktops.

Asphalt as a key landscaping material for a beautiful driveway

It’s true— there’s a lot of money to be saved by paving and patching your own driveways and lots. Contractors, though incredibly skilled, can exceed the home improvement budget. For that reason, it is important to know your options and the basics of application. While the task may seem daunting at first glance, there are some things to know that can help you along the way. Here are some helpful insights from your landscape supplies experts at Asphalt Materials.

1 2 3 … 11

All About Asphalt

All About Asphalt

Don’t Step on the Cracks! Repairing Damaged Pavement

Finding the Perfect Topsoil

Recycling Your Materials

Home Landscaping Projects to Undertake This Summer

All About U-Carts

How Compost Helps Plant Growth

Choosing the Right Materials for Your Landscaping Project

Set in Stone: A Guide to Rocks

Pave Your Own Way to a Better Driveway

Landscape Center

Rock & Sand

Soil, compost, & mulch

Digout, disposal, & recycling

Asphalt

Hours of Operation