Yard Landscaping

After a cold winter, the warm weather of summer often inspires a bit of landscaping work, now its time to liven up the back and front yards with a few landscaping plants. There are a huge variety available, something you can figure out from a trip to the local garden nursery, so lets decide just where to begin.

The Effect of Landscaping Plants

Knowing what effect particular landscaping plants will have on the backyard landscape is quite important. Two of the main purposes, although they might overlap sometimes are landscaping plants that provide privacy, like bushes, and landscaping plants that are for aesthetics, adding a touch of color or shape to the rest of the backyard.

The ivy vine is one of the primary and easiest to maintain landscaping plants for privacy. It is most often used in quaint little cottages in movies and grows easily. It simply requires something to grow on, so placing it next to a fence will give it some direction. Ivys do grow pretty fast. It might be a small little thing when you first buy it from the store, but within a few days it will already have grown a few inches. It needs to be trimmed to make sure that it doesn’t take over.

When looking for flowers as landscaping plants the first concern in the environment and climate where they will be placed. Tropical flowers need to be placed outside if the climate is warm all year round. Otherwise they need to stay indoors where the temperature is usually controlled by central heating.

In areas where there are four distinct seasons, hardy plants are recommended. Impatiens and Chrysanthemums are very hardy and can last throughout the year. These two both require watering, but only on every other day. They also need a mix of sun and shade. Although this may sound like a lot of work, they will last for very long time and will certainly need less effort than replacing the flowers every year.

This may seem to limit your options with only two kinds of flowers available. However, both of these landscaping plants are available in a variety of colors. Pick and choose the color that you want to suit where they are going to be placed in your garden. The local garden store will carry a variety that are good for growing in your area. Choosing these will make sure that they grow well and give you the most pleasure from landscaping plants.

Visualizing the end product of a landscaping project can be one of the most difficult things in deciding what plants, bushes and flowers are appropriate to choose to give the best effects. Knowing the right plants to choose for any particular area can limit the choices that are available, making the decision making process that little bit more difficult. Landscaping software helps to make the visualization of the end result that much easier, allowing changes to be made more quickly and easier that just planting and seeing what happens.

There is a huge range of landscaping software, varying from free all the way to thousands of dollars, which take into account the climate, rainfall and landscape to help make the best decision. Spending a thousand dollars or more on a project may seem a little excessive, and is probably reserved for professional landscapers, for whom the expediated design process, and ability to use the software for many clients would make it worthwhile. For personal use, it is almost certainly out of the question, but there is value in cheaper packages too. The cheaper software is limited in its use and will probably only let you choose form a limited number of house layouts, but even so will give a fantastic amount of information on just how your backyard will look like after it’s done.

The learning curve to the software needs to be taken into account. Professional software might seem quite tempting, even with its huge pricetag, but that’s not the only thing to be considered. Professional design software has a big learning curve, but is extremely powerful once mastered. Simpler software is easier to use, but has more limited functions. However, those limited functions should be enough, as the important thing is just getting a bit of help in visualizing the end of the landscaping project.

Project Planning With Landscaping Software

For around a $100 you can pick up any one of a few packages that will allow basic addition of flowers and other plants in the garden. If you are familiar with computers there shouldn’t be too many problems in using the new software, but getting used to adding the right plants, both annuals and perennials will take a little getting used to.

Most landscaping software offers 3D views of the backyards that you design. The most expensive will allow live manipulation of the 3D image, allowing viewing of the backyard and house from any number of different angles. Taking these views from the most common views in your home will be best. If you hardly ever view your lawn from the back then don’t focus on that, perhaps focus on the view that guests would have when walking into the backyard. At any rate, landscaping software can add that bit of visualization and inspiration when ideas are running thin.

Landscaping stones help to fill out backyard landscapes without overfilling them, or making them look cluttered or untidy. Various shapes and sizes of stones allow separation of different types of plants and help with soil retention in wet climates. Other, more hands on benefits include making garden paths with flatter, larger stepping stones, they can even be used within a flower bed to allow easier navigation to those hard to reach spots that usually require walking through dirt and mud.

Landscaping stones are available in a huge variety of size, which can become as big as a small car if they are necessary. These can be useful for blocking access to certain areas of the yard. Make sure that before placing any overly big stones that you are not encroaching on areas that have been set aside for underground utilities and that no pipes or wires get broken when digging.

Mulch is commonly used in flower beds, but sometimes small marble chips can be used in their place to give a slightly lighter color, perhaps to brighten up a darker area of the yard. Stones, however, need to be moved whenever the plants need to be used, so should only be used, when all the plant and flower positions have been finalized. Also make sure that any weed growth has been stopped.

Landscaping Stones Outline Planting Areas

Landscaping stones are very popular to outline the edges of flower beds that are either isolated from the rest of the garden, or are positioned next to the house. Stones that are meant for retaining walls, used in one or two layers can really set one part of the yard apart from the others. This can help to isolate it from grass and the driveway. When landscaping stones of the appropriate size are used they can totally separate them from the remainder of the landscape.

Landscaping stones can be chosen according to the color scheme of your outdoor living space, these can either compliment of contrast with the color of the home. Sometimes it is preferable to have the stones blend in with the surroundings, other time its good to create an obvious color separation. Brick colored stones, placed adjacent to the house can separate the flower bed while still blending in with the color scheme of the house.

Finally, creating paths in the garden is not only pleasurable for adults, but actually a lot of fun for kids. By making a few paths, and perhaps some that even go behind bushes and trees, a maze can be created. Rough stones are preferable outside, because smooth stones become too slippery when they are wet and might look a little artificial in a natural-looking outdoor landscape.

Landscaping with rocks can add that something special and unusual to a yard that has been well taken care of, but needs that little something to bring it back to life and make it a little bit exciting again. Landscaping with rocks will give a yard the boost that it needs.

About Landscaping with Rocks

Sure, rocks are usually one of the first things we try to remove from our yards, like they really get in the way. However, landscaping with rocks, using them to accent the different aspects of the yard is a far more creative way of using them to your advantage.

At the most simple, just picking up interesting rocks as you see them can start a collection of rocks for landscaping in the garden. Beach stones, of the variety usually found at rockier beaches, often have a light color and smooth texture that can be used to highlight different areas of the garden.

The front yard is probably the most obvious place to start, unless somewhere else really requires more attention. The landscaping with rocks should utilize larger rocks, ones which are big enough that they won’t get washed away or kicked out the way when people walk past.

Tree borders and path borders are two of the most popular uses for these rocks. Start with these and see how it goes. When creating a border around a tree, make sure to fill the area between the tree and the border with some flowers and bushes, that is unless the kids are going to be climbing the tree, then leave them a place to start climbing.

Pebble sized rocks can be used as a covering for the earth, in much the same way as mulch is used. These can help to brighten up the garden and help to keep weeks at bay.

Pebble rocks, on the downside, have the tendency to travel. During heavy rains they will tend to move if they are on a slope, and the same thing will happen when people are walking on them all the time, they will move aside to create a dirt path. In areas where people frequently walk, use flagstones to help keep the smaller stones being stepped on, and keep them in place.

Do some research of landscaping and rocks by going to the local bookstore and checking out the magazines and books on offer. The gardening and home section will give a lot of good ideas for free, as you can just browse and see what’s possible when landscaping with rocks.

Landscaping yards is not a piece of cake. It’s easy to be a DIY gardener and just change your own yard whenever you feel like, chopping and changing from one idea to another, but a completely different story landscaping yards that need to look good and look right once they are finished.

About Landscaping Yards

Landscaping yards is not a yard service. Mowing lawns and trimming hedges is only a small part of the grunt work involved with landscaping yards. Much of the brain work comes in the conceptual stage, where the outline of the lawn is done and the placing of all the plants, flowers and possibly trees is done.

A professional landscaper needs more than just these tools, there are also leaf blowers, weed wackers, seed spreaders and a whole variety of pruning tools. For a complete service a truck is needed to transport all these goods from one place to another to serve the needs of the gardens at hand.

Setting up a business office for your business is probably a good idea, unless you plan on doing it from home. At any rate you will need to get a business license to operate in your area. This will need to be inspected for approval. Being the brain behind the business is the best place to be, either you can design the landscapes that are going to be done, or get someone else to design them. At any rate, two employees will be needed to do the grunt work of putting the plans on paper into reality and making the lawn just like the plan. They also need to be able to make do when things on paper and reality don’t quite match up.

Place yourself in the right niche for your business. Are you going to specialize in a particular kind of garden? Are you aiming at the high end? Are you just going to do the basics and basically provide a yard cleaning service? Branch out and make connections with local business that do things like installing water fountains and electrical as you will need their help with some aspects of bigger landscaping projects. Gather clientele through flyers and advertisement in the local newspaper as most of your business will be close to your location, or pretty close.

Word of mouth is one of the biggest factors in growth of a landscaping yards business. People see others gardens, or if you do a great job, your client will not be able to help themselves from telling everyone what a great job you’ve done on their yard. Landscaping yards can be a lot of hard work, but will certainly be worth it in the end. The interaction with, and approval from clients and their recommendations to other make landscaping yards worthwhile.

There are many aspects to pool landscaping that need to be considered and the main one is plant choices. Having a pool above the ground or in the ground will affect which kinds of plants you need to choose, along with the possibility that they will be exposed to chemically treated water.

Pools in the ground don’t lend themselves to shrubs and trees. The expense of swimming pools that extra care should be taken to make sure they last for a long time. With pool landscaping, shrubs and trees can often cause problems because of their roots that will grow into the pool’s foundation, which could lead to very expensive repair work.

Pools in the ground are often surrounded by a fence, either one purely for safety, or one that is also designed to give a bit of privacy, or even add some good looks to the pool area. Plants can be chosen for the perimeter or any open areas inside the fence. If a pool is inside, the plants should be non-deciduous, so that they don’t lose their leaves every year, usually accumulating in the water. Leaves are inevitable, but avoid planting big trees that will drop lots of leaves into the pool. Evergreen shrubs will also drop some needles, that will then get blown into the pool during stormy weather.

Simple, low-blooming plants are the best for next to the pool. Annual plants will wither and die if they get any of the water from the pool. Creeping plants can help to create some cover for fences, but watch out that they don’t take over. They will need regular trimming to keep them where you want them.

Pool Landscaping Protection

It may be tempting to plant lots of flowers around the fence of the swimming pool, but remember that every extra plant is a little extra work. Keeping plants that are low on maintenance, that will not grow higher than the height of the fence will allow minimal garden work and allow more time for using the pool, rather than maintaining it.

Small groups of flowers, with open space between them can be used to add a dash of color to the pool landscaping. Shrubs placed in strategic positions around the fence’s exterior contribute to the height of the fence.

Finally, make sure that any plants that are added do not attract flying pests. This may be easier said than done, but if too many come along your time by the pool will be rather unpleasant. Plants that attract bees should especially be avoided for pool landscaping.

The swimming pool is in and you are imagining pool parties and the neighbors coming over and marveling at your swimming pool landscaping. But the current reality of your swimming pool landscaping is that it needs some work, actually, a lot of work. The blank outline of your swimming pool landscape can seem a little off putting, but few basic steps can get things on the right track to enhancing your swimming pool landscape.

Fences and Decking

Fences are at their most basic, for safety. They need to be there and depending on the area where you live, may actually be required by law. If you have to have one, you are stuck with having an ugly wiry fence, take your time to choose one that will accent the look of your swimming pool area. The fence must be placed far enough from the pool to allow a few plants to be planted around the fence, but not so far as to leave lots of empty space around the pool.

When installing a pool, pay attention to the kind of bricking used. Good bricks are enough to enhance the look of the pool, without having to add anything. If you plan to add a deck, then make sure that it compliments the pool. Adding a deck just for the sake of it might turn out to be a waste of money. A deck can extend all the way to the pool if you desire.

Swimming Pool Landscaping And Plant Choice

Choosing the right plants is very important. Trees around your pool, even ones that were there before the pool was put in, will contribute to the mess in the swimming pool when they start to shed their leaves. If trees are planted then make sure that they have big leaves, rather than lots of little ones. The bigger ones are easier to scoop up. Evergreen shrubs like junipers will keep your pool cleaner as they don’t lose all their leaves.

Flowering bushes are certainly pretty. They can add a lot of extra color to a duller section of the lawn. The insects attracted by these bushes are not wanted around the pool area, bees will sting when provoked, which will be when you are having fun around the pool. Avoid these bushes to keep from being stung.

Potted plants offer a valuable way to add some plants around the pool without having to plant them permanently. Get some plants in pots and use them to add color to the swimming pool landscape. They can be moved around for different effects, or planted at a later stage when their position has been set.

Sometimes a glance out the back window can leave you in a state of shock, a lawn that needs mowing, weeds making their home in every little place they can find. Should you take it on yourself, exercise your green thumb and work some magic to your backyard landscape? Perhaps a professional could do something fantastic with it? Well, whatever your final choice, here are some things to consider.

The Basics of Backyard Landscaping

The basic involve mowing the lawn and weeding. In even the most neglected garden, mowing the lawn is always part of the routine. As it gets longer it become harder and harder to mow, and you will often become less and less likely to do something about it. If you are up to the task and have some free time, then go ahead and do it yourself. If you are not quite in shape for doing it, let a landscaper take care of it.

Grass quality is something that goes unnoticed, or neglected. The kind of grass will make a big difference to how the lawn will look generally, how often you will need to mow it, and how it will feel. Some grasses grow much quicker than others, and there are varieties of width bladed grass and narrow bladed grass. There are also varieties that are hardier than others, so if you live in an arid region, bear that in mind. You can either sew a new lawn yourself, using a seeding machine that you just push up and down your garden or hire someone for this aspect of backyard landscaping.

Vegetable and flower gardens are a viable addition to any garden. Although they might be a bit out of place in show gardens, or in smaller gardens where space does not permit it. The upside of having a vegetable garden is that you can eat what you grow. These alternate plants will give a slightly different something to your backyard landscape. Many vegetables take a very long time to grow, so exercise a lot of patience. You need to tend them very well too. Vegetables need the right amount of water, shade, nutrients and sunlight to grow well.

A flower garden follow the same rules as a vegetable garden. If you yard is pretty large, you might devote quite a lot of space to a flower garden. The bonus of flowers is that there is no mowing required with flowers, although they require more attention to make sure that they stay healthy and grow well and beautiful.

Your local gardening shop will be able to give the most useful information on backyard landscaping. They will be familiar with what works in your area and what doesn’t. They will be able to point you in the direction of plants that can be used successfully in a backyard landscape. You could also check out the website for the gardening center in your area. Just make sure you’ve done enough backyard landscaping research before starting.

A permanent inground swimming pool is an absolute dream, especially when the mercury starts to rise. However, despite how wonderful a pool is, they sometimes just stick out, when they should really mold into the surroundings. Lets look at some backyard landscaping ideas that can add a dash of elegance to your pool, and really make it fit with the rest of the yard.

Some Backyard Landscaping Ideas

Having an inground pool is a lot of fun, but can also be quite a lot of work. One of the first backyard landscaping ideas is to make sure that the area around the pool stays clean. This not only keeps it looking nice, but keeps as much dirt out of the pool as possible. In order to make your pool blend better with the rest of your yard it is best loosely stick to a theme to help decorate the pool area.

Long, tall lampposts most often come to mind when thinking of barbecues. The permanent kind can add a lot of light to your swimming pool area. You can go for a light that needs to be fitted in the ground, which is a more permanent solution, or you can get a non-permanent kind, but will have to watch out for the weather.

You can do a lot for the backyard landscaping by adding a few tall lights around your backyard. At night they will add to the ambience of the yard, and during the day they still add that little something to make you yard more elegant. But you do need a little more than just a few lights to really give your backyard real personality.

Adding a spot of color here and there can bring the best out of your backyard, breaking the monotone that can quite easily take over. The easiest way to do this is to get potted flowers. They come in a range of size, some of which are big enough to hold many different kinds of flowers. Smaller potted flowers can also be placed around the backyard and pool. Flowers at the four corners of your swimming pool can be a good start. Then have a look at your backyard as you would see it from your backdoor, place the flowers to break up the garden into segments.

Weeds are a constant battle, but with vigilance can be kept at bay. Make sure that the backyard is mowed for a start. The weeds may start to grow between the tiling around the swimming pool, so deal with it when you first spot it and don’t let it get too strong a hold as damage can be caused when they get out of control.

Backyard landscaping ideas vary greatly from small lawns up to massive yards that require a team to deal with. The approach to decorating a pool that takes up most of the garden is quite different to that of decorating one that is a small fixture in a much bigger backyard. To get the most backyard landscaping ideas you can make sure that you do your research and consult with your local garden nursery to see what ideas they have.

So deserts are not the most hospitable places, images of boiling hot days, cacti, dry heat and sand. Deserts aren’t just the hot places with very little life, they are also really cold. Desert landscaping mostly involves dealing with the dry and hot aspect, but your desert landscaping can look like an oasis.

The Hot and the Cold of Desert Landscaping

Plants in desert landscaping have to be extremely hardy. They have to deal with scorching hot days, and what can sometimes be bitterly cold nights. Evergreen shrubs and trees survive well in high terrain deserts, because the can take the heat and the cold. A cactus is well able to withstand both of these extreme temperatures. Despite being thought of as hot weather plants, cacti can tolerate the cold very well too.

Of course, as always, the best place to look for information is your local desert landscaping shop. Simply because they know the area and what grows well, they will have a range of plants that can take the heat. Finding plants that are native to your area where you want to do desert landscaping can save you a whole lot of grief. Firstly, these plants have survived there before, and helping them to grow will not take too much effort on your part. Picking the right plants will help to add the color or blends to your desert landscape.

Not Too Much Water

The lack of water is the main problem for many plants. Often you can make do with plants that like cooler weather by putting them near a wall, or somewhere that gets shade. You need to make sure however, that these plants get plenty of water if they are not native to your area. Vegetable gardens for example, will take a lot of effort to maintain, and they will need quite a lot of water, or at the very least, good planning. You need to check for water restrictions in your area before you start. Decide how much you want to spare. Watering by hand might be an option, but the most ideal is to have a watering system that is set on a timer. A timed sprinkler system will allow you to get water to your yard at the most effective time, which is early in the morning. At this time it is much cooler, and the ground has cooled from the day before. You will loose less water from evaporation. A drip irrigation system will make sure that you see minimal waste from the water you use.

Gravel and rocks, although not plants, can help to give contrast and color to your desert landscaping. They are low maintenance and look attractive when set with other native desert plants. Choose darker colored gravel if you like, to help keep the glare down in the afternoon, which will help you to enjoy your desert landscaping a little more.