The Manscapers want you to prep your outdoor space now for the year ahead
They say the best time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining. If you ask Mel Brasier, Garrett Magee and James Desantis—the talent behind exterior design and landscaping firm, Manscapers, and hosts of Bravo’s Backyard Envy—the trio would likely agree. The same anticipatory adage applies to your garden, rooftop or balcony. Now’s the time to plan and prepare your dream outdoor space for the year ahead.
Their new book Take It Outside: A Guide to Beautiful Spaces Just Beyond Your Door features strategies for getting your outdoor space ready for spring and for making the most of it year-round. Recently, we stopped by Mel’s Brooklyn backyard to see the team in action.
“Pillows, throws and rugs can turn an outdoor space into an outdoor living room,” says Mel. The best part? “These decorative details can be adjusted whenever the mood strikes—or the weather changes.”
Container Gardening 101
“Planter boxes are the unsung heroes of landscape design,” says Garrett. Here’s how to get it right:
■ Start with a large lightweight container. “We typically avoid stone planters—their weight makes them nearly impossible move.”
■ Opt for evergreens, like boxwoods, that retain their foliage year-round. “Think about textures and shapes more than bloom types.”
■ Let your planters work double duty. “These multitaskers can divide a space into zones, double as seating or a backdrop and even stand in for sculpture.”
“There’s nothing quite like a warm day in March, that first-in-a-long-time feeling of sun and fresh air that makes us want to run outside and stay there.”
—James
It’s a dirty job but…
Come spring, “you’ll be digging, cutting, weeding and shoveling,” says Garrett. He suggests buying tools “one by one, rather than getting a set of specialty tools, most of which you’ll never use.” Take the time to build your arsenal now to get your green thumb on with the first sign of spring.
Garrett’s must-haves? Hand-pruners, scissors, hedge shears and a soil knife, round point shovel, spade, row rake and firm-bristle broom.