New York is a state with great duality. On one hand it is the most famous metropolis in America, while upstate conditions are strikingly rural. In the city itself homes vary from townhouses with postage stamp yards, to high rises with expansive roof gardens. Here each inch of ground costs a fortune, so it's worthwhile to invest in maximizing the usability of that rich ground for outdoor living.

Head out to the boroughs such as Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens to find the real back yards of New York. These working class neighborhoods are a griller's paradise and even the smallest spaces are turned into outdoor dining enclaves. Here too we see the first food gardens emerging within pricey landscapes proving that this is a region of foodies who value freshness over all else. Many excellent contractors serve these boroughs, creating outdoor spaces that are both economical and extravagant depending on the client's desires. They are highly aware of the climatic challenges from very cold winters to intensely humid summers.

To the east down Long Island lies an entirely different milieu in the Hamptons. Here tycoons and old families maintain beach house estates for the summer months to share the social lifestyle of the rich and famous. Keeping up with the neighbors means the best contractors are in demand year around as they build elaborate outdoor playgrounds for the well heeled, often sequestered within protective compounds. The saltbox homes as well as larger mansions spread out over large lots with beautiful landscaping that is ideal for a highbrow party or impromptu get-together after a day at the beach.

Now the other New York is far to the north, where the influence of Lake Ontario creates snowy winters and cooler summers than on the coast. This is where the capitol, Albany, and nearby Rochester are filled with great old homes, a legacy of earlier manufacturing and industry. These homes in old cities like Buffalo are elegant, and their landscapes even more beautiful, but here too are neighborhoods much like the boroughs where more modest outdoor living spaces make it easy to spend time around the pool, spa or sports lawn. With plentiful summer rainfall, homes here prove lush and green within the woodlands and forests that cloak much of the north state.

New York in many ways reflects the various lifestyles found throughout America. From high density urban penthouses to farms turned residential upstate, landscapers here can do it all, but only when well proven and recommended for creating that outdoor getaway you always dreamed of.

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