What is hardscaping?

 backyard design  No Responses »
Jul 102010
 

Hardscape is a landscaping term for permanent construction that is added to the landscape and backyard.

Anything cast in concrete or built of stone is hardscaped. Wood structures and built-in waterfalls are also hardscapes. One easy way to determine hardscape is if it is more permanent it’s hardscape and if it can be moved easily, it is probably more likely to be considered décor.

completed wall
Creative Commons License photo credit: mccun934

If it grows and is alive, it is ‘softscape’.

Hardscape adds to a landscpae and you can get stunning effects, but it takes time, planning, space and often is not a possibility if you rent.

You also need to realize that hardscape, being more permanent, should be well thought out before adding to you backyard or lawn.

I have several hardscape plans going to the yard this year. They include a terraced garden and a wood and rock stairway in the front yard area. Raised rock beds that also serve as flood control are under way and dry creeks are in the planning stages.

All these plans have been carefully laid out and all extra considerations have been taken into consideration. Considerations were traffic flow to the house, parking, drainage, runoff, checking any underground lines, and the fact it’s permanent. I also considered cost and how much maintenance it will take for upkeep and general lawn care. I was looking for low installation cost and to make yard work less demanding.

My hardscape plans will take all summer as I am doing them myself. The supplies are mostly free. When completed I should have made my yard easier to care for, less prone to runoff flooding and much prettier. I think the plans will also create more privacy in the yard.

As the projects are worked on links will be provided. These ideas may be something you could add to your yard.

Posted by Denise at 5:36 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Gourd Information and creating a Gourd Birdhouse

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Jul 082010
 

Gourd birdhouses add to any backyard and yard décor. And most gourds can be grown in your climate. My growing zone is short so I start the gourds indoors so that I have a head start on the time a gourd takes to mature. (Usually 90 to 120 day, depending on variety and size)

If you have the time and space gourds are fun to grow and a great project for children.

Here is a you tube that has additional information on gourds.

The following you tube has information on how to create a birdhouse. This is a great project for children to help decorate. Gourds can be difficult to clean and carve so I usually do that part of the project and leave the final touches to the children.

A gourd that is cleaned out after each season will last for many years. And many birds prefer a gourd as a birdhouse.

Posted by Denise at 9:47 pm  Tagged with: , ,

How to Clean a Swimming Pool Filter

 backyard pools  No Responses »
Jul 062010
 

Keep the pool clean and ready to use at all times in the summer is important with a busy pool. A pool filter helps maintain a healthy pool in your backyard oasis.

There are several different types of swimming pool filters. They don’t take long to clean and the benefits of cleaner healthier pool are worth the effort.

The Young.
Creative Commons License photo credit: haleyloves

It’s best to clean a crushed sand filter by back flushing water through the system about once a month. Your system’s pump station will come with instructions on how to reverse the water flow to clean the debris from the filter.

You will need to replace the sand in a crushed sand filter completely every three to five years, depending on the amount of use the pool gets during each season. The kinds of large airborne contaminants your filter encounters will also need to be taken into consideration.

Replace the diatomaceous earth in a diatomaceous earth filter two or three times a year. This helps to ensure the grid-structured system filter is working at maximum efficiency.

Rinse a modern enhanced cartridge filter in the sink when the pressure gauge on your pump begins to show a rise in pressure of 10 or more lbs. After its rinsed place it back into the unit.

Replace the cartridge of these modern enhanced filters every two to three years. You’ll know it’s time to replace When the pressure doesn’t go back down to the normal range; it has become clogged with hard deposits that cannot be rinsed out. This is a sign that the cartridge needs to be replaced.

There are many changes in pools and pool care and a growing shift towards going green in pool care. This is one reason why rushed sand filter systems are being outlawed in a growing number of areas. When the sand filters are back flushed this water is contaminated and may mix in with groundwater supplies.

The new enhanced cartridge filters outperform the old cartridge type systems and the other methods described here. They do not damage the environment, making them popular and the new trend in pool care.

Posted by Denise at 7:43 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Use Swimming Pool Ionizers for a greener pool option

 backyard pools  No Responses »
Jul 052010
 

Going Green is an option more people are looking into for the home. And with swimming pools being a popular addition to many backyards, people are looking toward alternatives to the chemicals needed to keep a pool clean and healthy.

075
Creative Commons License photo credit: Coppell Pools

Swimming pool Ionizers are one answer to a “Greener Backyard.” Ionizers are a way to keep pools clean and healthy and reduce the dependency on chemicals.

Ionizers utilize copper, silver and zinc to safely kill water-borne algae and bacteria in swimming pools. An ionizer is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to the disinfecting chemicals used in many pools. Chlorine and muriatic acid, two such cleaners, can leave swimmers with red eyes, discolored eyes and dry skin. Many people will develop allergies to these chemicals in time.

A swimming pool ionizer sanitizes the pool through the use of a low-voltage electrical current. This current disperses positively charged metal ions in the water. Algae and bacteria are negatively charged so they bond with the copper, silver and zinc ions and are rendered harmless.

Most ionizers plug into the regular electrical outlets. But there are a few solar powered ionizers available. The solar units are usually about a foot long and float in the pool. They have a small solar panel that produces the current needed to discharge ions of copper, silver and zinc.

If you are considering purchasing a swimming pool ionizer, make sure that the model you select is designed for the size of your pool. Your local pool supply center will be able to help you determine the correct size you need.

Swimming pool ionizers typically cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500. And in the long run, ionizers are a less expensive option for keeping pools clean than chemical disinfectants. Another advantage of an Ionizer is it requires less frequent water testing. The positively charged metal ions will not evaporate or dissipate so keep a more balanced pool.

Ionizers will also eliminate chemical odors, dry skin, bleached hair and red, itchy eyes that swimmers often complain about in a chlorinated pool. But keep in mind; swimming pool ionizers will not completely eliminate the need for chlorine, especially in pools with temperatures in excess of 90 degrees. Ionizers have a difficult time combating dense growths of algae, which thrive in hotter climates so chlorine may have to be occasionally added to keep the pool sparkling clean.

So if the use of chemicals bothers you or you have a person sensitive to chlorine, you may want to check into the use of a swimming pool Ionizer. A healthier environmentally friendly pool will just add to the comfort of your backyard oasis retreat.

Posted by Denise at 10:48 am  Tagged with: , , , ,

Mosquito Control for your Backyard

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Jul 042010
 

Summer is one of the most active times for the family and entertaining. It’s also a time when you may have to try to fend off the mosquito population.

mosquito
Creative Commons License photo credit: CrazyCh3m

Some people have more of a problem with this if they live in a wooded area with pine trees or near a creek or river.

Here are a few tips that may help control mosquitos in the backyard oasis area.

  • Change the water in birdbaths and drain areas where water collects, such as tree stumps, buckets, mud puddles and gutters.
  • Use natural repellents like citronella lamps and candles to help to keep mosquitoes away.
  • Grow lemon-scented Asian grass or use a skin skin lotion that has this ingredient.
  • Hot-pepper-wax repellent is effective for organic protection.

And if you live near a creek you may want to consider building or buying bat houses and putting them up. Many people are not fond of bats (me!) but they do serve a purpose and if you place the bat houses away from the house they should help control the mosquito population and leave you and your family alone.

With a littel care you should be able to control mosquitos in your backyard

Posted by Denise at 9:05 pm  Tagged with: ,
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