There are hazards in most people’s backyards that they are unaware of. Stop to take the time out to really look at your backyard area and you may be surprised at what you see.

Check for any standing water in your yard. Even the smallest collection of water can become a haven for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can carry the West Nile Virus and many other diseases. Make it a point to do a weekly check of your backyard to make sure there is no standing water anywhere on you property. It’s so easy to set a bucket down and forget it there.

Small buckets and pails can also hold enough water for a child to drink and get ill or to drown in.

Cut down on the amount of pesticides that you are use in your backyard. Pesticides can build up over time and make you and your pets very ill. Instead of using pesticides try putting up birdhouses on your property that will attract birds to eat insects. You can also plant certain types of plant that attract insects that are predatory of other insects. Also try combination planting and keeping the yard picked up and tidy. Insects like overgrown areas and places with rotting material.

And if you use pesticides, make sure they are locked up. This is particularly important if you have small children or children in the neighborhood.

Check to see if cement and stone walkways are even. Its only takes one small uneven area for a person to fall and get seriously hurt.

Make sure your plants are not poisonous. Certain plants are very dangerous if eaten by pets or children.

Waterproof your deck every two years. If you don’t water can saturate the wood and cause cracks. If this is not taken care of it can eventually lead to the wood collapsing under the weight of people on your deck.

If you have a swimming or wading pool make sure you keep it covered when not in use. Also have someone outside watching children at all times. It only takes a few minutes for a tragedy to occur.

Check the health of your trees. If they have bad limbs or an illness get them trimmed or remove them.

If you have electrical lines outdoors check them to make sure they are in good shape. Also make sure no one can trip on them

With observation and care, your backyard can be a safe place to relax or play.

Technorati Tags: backyard hazzards, backyard safety

As the summer progresses we want a quick change in our backyard. If a few quick changes you can add color and privacy to your home, often at a low price.

photo credit: hello-julie

Hang planters and hooks on the side of your home and place hardy plants in baskets. You will want hardy low maintenance plants that require less water than most plants. You don’t want to be running out watering these planters all the time. I often select geranium, ivy, marigolds, zinnias or a mix of herb plants. Garden art figurines will also look nice tucked in the planters for more color and interest.

Consider adding a collection of different size pots and containers and arrange them in a corner of a porch, patio, fence area or yard. This will give a feeling of height to the area and create a lush garden feeling.

Purchase a freestanding wrought iron plant hook for your garden and hang a basket filled with annuals. A planter placed high in a garden creates a focal point.

Consider planting climbing roses or clematis to wrap around deck posts. This will soften the sharp lines of your home and create a more private feel to the backyard.

Many for these tips can be done in a few hours at a reasonable cost. They will give your home and garden area a fresh look.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard ideas, hanging baskets, patio ideas, planters

While looking for gardening ideas I found a different gardening technique I had not heard for before. It’s a rather unique garden structure that looks like it would work well in small garden areas or a backyard that has certain uses if different areas of the yard.

photo credit: Cait Vaughn

The following you tube shows this garden and how it was laid out.

I see a lot of different uses for this style of gardening and think I may have to add a garden design like this just to try it out and see how it works.

There were also some nice tips for garden layout, planting certain vegetables, herbs and flowers and why certain plants were planted where they were.

Technorati Tags: backyard gardens, flowers, garden tips, gardening, herbs, vegetables

The backyard is usually the focal point for family activities because it’s more private. By adding plants you can create a more lush and inviting area for entertaining, relaxing to for children playing.

photo credit: a2gemma

If you’re an active family with many interests chose plants with low maintenance needs. Also chose plants that are not toxic if you have young children to pets.

You also need to consider your front yard as it ties into your home and backyard atmosphere. For the front yard I like to use flowering plants that remain groomed or shape themselves. For example Hostas provide a vibrant green perennial that requires little maintenance. I use them in the front yard and also include a few in the backyard to create a flow in design.

Edge your gardens with complementary stones or bricks to delineate and draw attention to your flowers. But don’t overpower the garden with an elaborate edging design. By keeping your landscape simple you will create an effective look that requires minimal maintenance. That means more time to relax and enjoy the family.

Consider hanging planters and hooks on the side of your home. You can place hardy plants and even vegetables in hanging baskets.

A collection of different size planters and pots arranged in a corner or along a patio or walkway will give a feeling of height to the yard. And by moving these around you can change the look of your garden areas in minutes.

Purchase a freestanding wrought iron plant hook for your garden and hang a basket filled with annuals. A plant that vines and hangs down also looks good on a wrought iron hook.

A pot filled with ornamental grass, a fruit tree or fern placed at the corner of your fence or backyard provides height.

Gardens and plants add change and color to your landscape. With all the plant varieties available you can always have a fresh new look to your home.

New hardscaping has that bright look that can be rather stark when the sun shines down on it. Stone can be dazzling in the light and wood may appear too new for the softscaping or the house. Even garden ornaments like birdbaths, statues, and outbuildings may look too clean to fit into the surroundings. But with a little planning there are ways to make your landscaping blend in more naturally. It will look like its been part of the landscape for years.

photo credit: maskroskurbits

One way to create an older look is when creating the hardscape. Select old but quality materials. You can scour salvage companies for stones, bricks, fountains, benches, gazebos, and other materials and structures that have been removed from antique and vintage homes. Besides selecting materials that are aged you may save money and you will definitely have stories to tell about the scavenging adventures. Weathered materials will help make your hardscaping look like it’s been there for years.

Choose natural materials that are found in the area. For example, I live in an area rich on slab rock and polished river rock. By adding these rocks into my hardscape design they look like they have been in place for years. I also used recycled posts from a 13-foot wood fence that was torn down. The posts are weathered and fit in well with my raised beam flowerbed and the rock walls that were recently added. I will add a little natural moss in the rock walls for more of an aged look. All areas have some sort of natural materials. Just study your landscape to see what’s available.

You can paint concrete or new stone with equal parts buttermilk and plain yogurt. While this mixture is still wet, rub moss over it. This will encourage an aged, mossy surface. This takes about two weeks to start to grow. During this time keep the area moist by covering it with heavy clear plastic until the moss is established.

My neighbor drizzled latex paint over new areas of their concrete. They used a grayish-green color of paint. Dilute the paint with equal parts water and mix well. Use a large paintbrush and use a sloppy style to apply the paint. You try to create a natural look. While the paint is still wet, wipe off areas with a clean rag. Next rub down the surface with green grass or weeds for an old mossy look.

Plant mosses, lichen, rock cress and creeping plants between rocks, on walls or among stones on pathways. They will grow quickly and give your hardscaping a softer, older feel.

Partially bury the larger rocks that you place in the yard. Setting large rocks on top of the soil gives them an unnatural look and they could even move under the right circumstance. But if you dig a hole and bury the rocks a quarter of the way into the soil, they’ll look like they’ve been there many years

You can age wood by hammering it, painting it a grayish-tan color or grayish green, and then adding another layer of darker gray paint. After you apply the darker paint, wipe away areas with a clean rag. Make sure to leave the dented and grooved areas in the wood with plenty of dark paint. This will give an antique look to the wood.

And if you live in an area with old barns you may be able to harvest unwanted wood for you hardscape projects. Just make sure its weather proofed so that it will hold up the climate.

One way to make your hardscape fit right into your landscape is to surround it with larger plants. Use mature or nearly mature plants around your hardscaping to create an aged look. If you can’t afford to buy or don’t already have such plants, try planting younger, cheaper plants, but plant them closer together than you normally would. (You’ll have to thin out the plants in a year or two, but in the meantime, your hardscaping will have that “grown in” look.) You can also add perennials and annual flowers to soften a new landscape look. Blend the same flowers and plants around the yard to create a flow in pattern and design.

Technorati Tags: backyard design ideas, Hardscaping, landscaping