Looking for the perfect fall decorating ideas? Here are 5 terrific ideas that can’t miss when you are wondering what to do to make your home more festive for Halloween, Thanksgiving and the fall harvest time.

#1 – Pumpkins & cornstalks. The classic fall yard decoration is cornstalks and pumpkins and gourds. It is so easy to do. Visit your local nursery or farmer’s market. This time of year they are sure to have everything you need. Buy an inexpensive sheaf of cornstalks, a couple of large pumpkins and some colorful gourds or giant squash and you have all you need for the perfect fall yard display.

photo credit: ED́WW day_dae

#2 – Construction paper cut-outs. Don’t overlook your windows when it is time to dress up the house for fall. Some simple decorative cut outs taped in the windows is a festive site for anyone inside or out of the house. Grab some construction paper in fall colors (orange, black brown, yellow, gold & green). Now draw or trace some simple fall outlines on them like leaves, pumpkins, tractors, bats, cats, witches (and other Halloween shapes). Cut out the shapes and tape them in your front windows to show off your seasonal spirit.

#3 – Gourds, squash & straw. How about the perfect fall table centerpiece? At this time of year there are many small colorful gourds and squash that are just fun to look at. visit your local supermarket to pick up a small armful and get a handful of straw to put them on. This little display in th center of any fall holiday table adds visual interest and charm at very little cost.

#4 – Goblins & ghosts. The kids favorite fall holiday is of course Halloween. And what would a Halloween be without a few ghosts and goblins around? An old white sheet, some newspaper and twine is all you need for the ghost. Stuff the middle of the sheet with a ball of newspaper for the head and tie the twine to make the neck. Hang your ghost from the nearest tree limb and let him float in the breeze for that perfect ghostly effect.

photo credit: ED́WW day_dae

Goblins are easy to make with some old cloths, shoes, hat and newspaper. Stuff the clothes with newspaper and put a basketball under the hat for a head. Sit him in an old chair or give him some backbone with some broom sticks and you have the perfect goblin to lurk around the shadows of your home and delight your trick-or-treaters.

#5 – A witch and her cauldron. Last but not least, why not invite your own personal witch to partake in the holiday festivities? All you need is an old black dress and hat from the costume shop, attic or local Salvation Army store. Stuff the dress with newspaper and broom sticks for support and cut out a cardboard face with a wicked grimace. Put her in a chair or prop her up in a dark corner of your front porch and watch the kids jump when they notice her.

The finishing touch is her steamy cauldron made from a tub or old pot and some dry ice. Place this at her feet with maybe a small paddle to stir her brew and the mysterious potion is ready for action. Just don’t let any of your kids fall in and become witch’s food!

photo credit: Heathers Miracle Dog

And that’s all you need to dress up your house and yard for fall festivities. Halloween, Thanksgiving and all fall long your house will be the hit of the neighborhood and the local children will flock to your door on on candy night.

Amy Aimsly loves writing about ways to decorate your home. She also has some simple and practical ways in her recent websites on the Wall Mount Ironing Board and the Wall Ironing Board.

Technorati Tags: backyard oasis, decorating, gardening, holiday decorating, kids, landscaping, outdoors, thanksgiving

An outdoor pond is a wonderful improvement to your garden or backyard, a place for relaxing and resting while observing your small part of nature. It’s no surprise that its popularity is becoming bigger and bigger.

photo credit: annrkiszt

Below you will find 7 essential tips to make sure your outdoor pond project is successful.

1. Inspiration from books, magazines and the Internet. You can find inspiring pond photo books in your local library or bookstore; also websites like flickr.com and youtube.com can be researched for images, tutorials and tips.

2. Inspiration is all over the place. Once you start looking you will find ponds and water features everywhere; parks and public buildings just to name a few. Take pictures of things you like and dislike, so later on, when designing, you can easily refer to.

3. Choose your pond location. Remember that a pond is not a mobile feature in your garden. Think of how close you want it to your house or neighbors property. Keep it away from sources of debris like a tree that looses many leaves. Place it in a spot where you can enjoy it from a window or at a relaxing corner of your garden.

4. Choose your outdoor pond style. If you would like to match the architecture of your house then a formal pond is probably your choice. Formal pond examples can be found in palaces and monuments both old and new. If you are looking for something more natural that will blend with the environment and your garden, then informal ponds are your choice. Informal ponds will imitate nature’s rivers and lakes with sand shores and lots of vegetation. The most important issue here is to keep your pond in harmony with your backyard design.

5. Additional design tips. Waterfalls and other features can be added to your pond but take its style into consideration. What kind of fish will you introduce and what are their needs? Does your ground allow easy digging for a below the ground pond or maybe you need to build it above the ground with a nice brick or stone wall?

6. Keep a close eye on your budget. Make sure you have the skills and resources to complete you pond building project. Sum up the materials, construction and maintenance expenses, including professional help if needed. If you need to cut building costs or reduce your efforts take a look at pre-made pond kits in the web or local stores.

7. Keep your pond Safe. Safety is your number one priority when it comes to children and pets playing around your garden. Also keep the stable surfaces around the pond and your electric installations water proof. A good quality liner is a must to avoid holes in your ponds due to rocks and ground movement. Clean and uncontaminated ponds are not only a maintenance issue but a safety one, both for your family and your fish.

Pond building is a complex hobby that can become very enjoyable if you take your time to plan and maintain it. Get your family involved in it from the very beginning making it a project enjoyed by everyone in your household.

Want to find out more about Pond Building, then visit Michael W.’s site on how to build the best outdoor pond for your needs and dreams.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, Backyard Pond, building a pond, garden, gardening, outdoor pond, pond, pond building, pond design

A garden landscape is a wonderful and relaxing place to be in away from the hassle and bustle of the noisy downtown. Garden landscaping is usually laid out in a large area but still some gardens are also made in limited space.

photo credit: gabrielsaldana

During the Renaissance and the 1880s in United States formal garden landscaping was popular. The basis of the formal garden landscape is on geometric shapes that has boundaries defined by stone walkways, walls, hedges, fences, fountains, and statuary. Today formal garden landscape still exist in Botanical gardens and large estate.

For limited space usually in urban areas the modern/domestic garden landscape are used.

The types of garden landscapes are Organic, Herb, Roof, Vegetable, Rock, Water, Flower, and Public gardens.

• The Organic garden landscape is highly emphasize nowadays because it will not use artificial pesticides and fertilizers that harms living things. This garden landscape they use only biological fertilizers and pesticides to keep the plants healthy.
• Herb gardens are found in botanical gardens and medieval garden. In this garden landscapes the plants have medicinal properties like parsley, fennel, thyme, marjoram, dill, and rosemary that is used in flavoring foods.
• Roof garden landscape are found in urban areas which have limited space. The plants are usually in small pots and containers.
• The Vegetable garden landscape is the healthiest garden landscape. This garden landscape needs open and sunny location. It is important that there is rotation of crops to prevent disease transmission between the plants. Being knowledgeable on the season to which to plant a vegetable is vital.
• In rock garden landscape, it mimics the rocky hillside or a slope. It is vital that in this garden landscape the look should look like a part of a hillside. A bit of large boulders looks better. The rocks must be arranged that it should provide exposures to sun-tolerant plants like rock roses and shade-tolerant plant like primulas.
• The next one is the Water Garden Landscape. In this Garden landscape it’s important to consider your location, culture, and climate. The shape of water garden landscape in Europe and North America are rectangular or circular pools that contain one or two water lilies and a fountain, or sometimes there are no flowers. Also in United States and Europe informal water garden landscape are irregularly shaped with profusion of water lilies and other plants that suit a watery habitat.
• Water Garden Landscape in Japan has a particular and beautiful patterns in them that they preserved for centuries. While in temperate countries, the water garden landscape is grown under the glass in which the pools are heated.
• Water Garden Landscaping represent some of oldest forms of gardening landscape. While based on Egyptian about 2000 BC the records and pictures showed the cultivation of water lilies.
• Flower Garden Landscaping is perhaps what really caught our attention due to its colorful blooms. The vital components of this garden landscape is the blending and contrast of colors as well as the forms that are stressed in the design. It’s important to know which flowers can be planted in the garden.
• The public garden landscape is the last garden landscape. The Japanese Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is an example of a world-famous garden landscape.

Now, there are many varieties of plants available. So choose whichever garden landscape you desire.

Technorati Tags: backyard oasis, flower garden, herb garden, landscape, organic garden, public garden, rock garden, roof garden, vegetable garden, water garden

Most planting is done in the spring, between the time the frost leaves the ground and the time the leaf buds break on deciduous trees and shrubs. You may plant evergreens a week later as they do not usually start new growth as early as deciduous plants.
photo credit: cliff1066™

In the fall, plant evergreens, herbaceous perennials and bulbs before the middle of September. Plant deciduous trees and shrubs a little later, when their leaves are ready to fall.

Care on Arrival

When the shrubs arrive from the nursery, unpack them and report immediately any discrepancy in the order or condition of the stock.

If the material cannot be planted immediately, dig a trench and pack the roots close together in it, covering them with earth packed down firmly to exclude air. Evergreens that have the roots tightly balled and burlapped may be stood in the shade and sprinkled with water but not soaked.

Digging and Filling the Holes

Dig the holes before you prepare the plants to go in them. It is very important to keep the roots moist at all times, and they will dry out if you have them lying in the sun or wind while you dig the hole.

Dig the holes wide enough that the roots can be spread out naturally, and deep enough that 3 to 4 inches of good topsoil can be placed in the bottom and still allow the plant to be set about 1 inch lower than it grew before.

Hold the plant in place while you fill in good topsoil over the roots. Gently shake the plant up and down two or three times to help settle the earth around the roots. Then tamp the soil down firmly.

Soak it with water and as soon as it has settled fill the hole with soil; leave a saucerlike depression around the plant to hold future water, which it should receive at least once a week until it is established.

When planting evergreens do not remove the burlap from the roots. Place topsoil in the bottom of the hole to hold the ball at the right height. Remove the cord or nails that hold the ball together and roll the burlap back gently into the bottom of the hole, where it will rot in time. Then add soil and water as above.

Bracing

Small trees should be staked and large trees guyed with wires at the time they are planted to avoid being swayed by the wind. Make sure that the stake does not rub the tree and that wires and ties do not chafe it.

For small trees from 8 to 10 feet tall, drive a 2 x 2 inch hardwood stake (about as long as the tree) firmly into the bottom of the hole before planting the tree. Place the tree 2 to 3 inches from the stake so that the roots are not scraped. After the tree has been planted, tie the trunk to the stake about a foot from the ground and again every 3 feet, using a piece of rubber hose between them in a figure 8 and then making a loop around the two.

For guy-wiring larger trees, drive three or four short stakes into the ground about 5 feet from the tree on opposite sides. So that the tree will not be scraped, run the wires through a piece of hose placed around the tree 8 to 10 feet from the ground.
photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Pruning

Prune deciduous shrubs and trees at planting, to balance the roots they have lost and to train their shape. When pruning  trees remove some of the branches close to the trunk. Leave the main leader going straight up, with branches 6 to 12 inches apart ascending but alternating evenly around it. Remove broken branches and any that are crossed.

When pruning shrubs, remove weak, twisted or broken branches at the base. Also, cut back the strong canes to a point just above a leaf bud that points outward, so that the new branches will not cross.

Technorati Tags: garden, home improvement, landscape, landscaping, plant care

Swimming Pool Landscaping for either a residential or commercial application for a pool should be carefully designed and constructed in order to be visually appealing and add property value to your home or business. You and your guests should have an enjoyable experience while using the swimming pool. 
photo credit: Chrispitality

Although many successful landscape applications for swimming pools are provided by professional landscapers and other designers, a homeowner or business owner can do this with a little research, time, and effort. You can produce your own beautiful landscape.

Typically, landscape applications for swimming pool landscaping will suggest specific plant types, but it is important to focus on trees, shrubs, and grasses that will adapt well in your specific environment.

Vegetation and plants that can survive and thrive in a specific location should be selected for sustainability purposes. Successful landscape applications flourish due to the plants ability to grow and live in a specific environment.

This is typically based upon climate, rainfall amount, sunlight, and soil parameters. Since the designer cannot control many of these elements, it is important to select plant material that will successfully grow given these elements of the application.

Plant selection guides are available in hard copy, audio, and online. They can help the designer select the best material for your landscaping project.

Successful landscape applications include a variety of plants, shrubs, and grasses. They are usually native or adaptable to the location. When selecting plants, you should include material that is visually appealing, and can also be functional.

Most plant functions not only include visual purposes, but also guide pedestrian traffic and provide screening for privacy. Specific plants and trees can be purchased to perform these useful functions.

Other types of applications for swimming pool landscaping include fencing, patios, and furniture. While these elements are important and can add value to your landscape design, the focus of any application should always be on your plant material.

Usually, multiple designs are considered to provide different planning ideas. Once a final design is chosen, you can begin implementing construction and installation. This can be done either by professional landscaping contractors, or by the homeowner or commercial property owner.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard ideas, backyard landscape, backyard oasis, landscaping, swimming pool landscaping