When working with small spaces in your backyard, patio or balcony design every item counts and should serve two purposes. Another concern to keep in mind with garden design is time savers. After all, you have created an oasis to relax in, why add work?

photo credit: slideshow bob

Keep it simple.

Simple easy to work with designs and ideas will cut your time in half. You might want to mix artificial plants in the back and fresh live plants in front. Window boxes on a top window that is hard to water will do better with artificial plants, and no one will know the difference. I know I have been doing this for years.

Place any gardens near water or add a rain barrel. Lugging buckets of water or winding and unwinding water hoses takes time and energy.

Storage space

Having adequate storage space for tools, kitchen utensils and children’s toys will stop the running back and forth to get these items. A bench that serves as a storage space will add space and shelves on patio wall also add extra storage room. Pegs on the wall will get larger toys off the patio floor. If placed properly they can also decorate the wall space

Use all available space

When you space is limited it doesn’t take much to get a cluttered look that will make your space look smaller. Use trellises to give you extra space going up. Why place plants in containers on the floor when you can continue a lush green wall being the plants. And if these plants are vegetable you will have a mini garden within arms reach from the kitchen.

Hanging baskets will free up floor space and if you have an open rafter that can be used for storage.

Make you gardens work overtime.

• Combine vegetables with flowers. It’s a great look and will save space.
• Use more mulch in your gardens and backyard. You will save time mowing and watering the lawn.
• Drought resistant plants take less time and water. They also seem to have less insect problems.
• Consider using square foot gardening methods. You use less space and water. And with less space you will have less weeding.
• Hardscaping takes less time to maintain and will add interest to the backyard.

Each year I find I want more time to enjoy my backyard and take the time in the spring to look around a see how I can simplify my garden and backyard tasks.

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At this time of year the birds may be having a difficult time finding food. My backyard is snow covered and I would just like to see some activity in the yard to brighten the day.

photo credit: crabchick

This is a perfect time to make a suet bird feeder. It will attract birds to the yard; add entertainment while watching their antics and will also provide a break in the day.

This was one my favorite things to make when I was a child. And it was always late January or February when we made the suet bird feeders.

How to make a suet bird feeder

First down beef fat (suet) to get liquid. Be very careful at his stage of the project.

Next allow the fat to cool down to a pasty state. You do not want to work with this when it’s too warm. It will cook the seeds. Mix in nuts, seeds or sunflowers. The bags of bird food works well for this project.

Form the mixture into a ball about four to five inches in diameter. Place the ball inside a mesh bag.

To make sure the seed ball has solidified I will place ball into the freezer.

When you feel the seed ball is firm its time to feed your birds. Hang your feeder from a nail on a post, a tree branch close to the trunk or in shrubbery. This placement will allow woodpeckers and other insect- and seed-eating birds to feed.

Make sure that the feeder is high enough that cats cannot torment the birds.

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Landscape tools are very important when it comes to landscaping projects. Landscaping projects can help improve the look of your yard considerably, but there is a good deal of work required.

photo credit: quinn.anya

Many tools available can help make these jobs easier, or in some cases, even possible. There are a few basic groups of tools that can help you perform a multitude of task. They are listed below.

• Group 1 is the shovel.
• Group 2 is the rake.
• Group 3 is the lopper, shear or pruner.
• Group 4 is the garden cart or wheel barrel.

The first tool group is the shovel, which is a flattened piece of metal attached to a handle. The main use for a shovel is to move material from place to place. There are many different variations of the shovel. The main types are the rounded or pointed tip shovel. This type digs into material well, and is perfect for digging holes in the ground. The second type is the flat shovel. This one has a wider surface area, and is perfect for scooping from rock or gravel piles. The last shovel is the narrow shovel. These are perfect for digging in tight quarters or for making small holes in the ground.

The second tool group is the rake. There are two main varieties. The bow rake is a thick and sturdy rake, and is used to move heavier items around, such as rocks. The second type is the leaf rake. This has long prongs that flex, pulling leaves along without damaging things under, such as grass.

The third tool group is the pruner, shear or lopper. These cut, trim and clip things to size. Small pruners cut through small, but tough, material. Long grass shears are used to trim materials such as tall grasses or shrubs. Loppers are powerful tools used to cut through thick and tough material such as tree limbs.

photo credit: fotogail

The wheel barrel or garden cart is the fourth group of tools. Both of these items are used to transfer large amounts of heavy and/or bulky material around. Garden carts roll on two wheels, which reduce its maneuverability, but increase its stability. Wheel barrels are the opposite, balancing on one wheel and having better maneuverability and less stability.

If you plan to undertake any landscaping project, whether big or small, you will need some tools. The basic tool groups listed and explained above will give you the ability to perform many tasks outside, and successfully complete your project.

If you are working on any landscape project, make sure you have the right landscape tools and all the landscape supplies to do the job right. Jeremy Szechenyi’s blog, hubpages.com will give you all the information you need.

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A good backyard landscaping idea is one that everyone can make use of. There are many different backyard landscaping ideas and most of them are pretty good but to find the one that is right for you and that is just what your yard needs may take some reading. This article will help you to find the perfect backyard landscaping idea for your home.
photo credit: magnusfranklin

A good backyard landscaping idea is to use evergreens. The use of these fabulous trees will do o much for any yard. They will add a stately nature to the feel of your home while keeping it welcoming and warm. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is always a good idea but it is the evergreens that will give the yard the structure and the stability that it needs for a good backyard landscaping idea and design.

You need to look for a backyard landscaping idea like the one above that will benefit you all year round. Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find a backyard landscaping idea like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.

Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all of the seasons. You can have climbing plants on it in the summer and spring and pretty trees around it that will look great in the winter. When looking for a good backyard landscaping idea you need to look for other options besides just plants. There is much more to landscaping than just plants and trees.
photo credit: greenbroke

Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is such a great backyard landscaping idea because they will just accent all of your other wonderful backyard landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Look at this kind of backyard landscaping idea as well in your search for the one.

Your backyard landscaping is going to have to be about many different things but the most important one of these if your well being. Most people get into backyard landscaping because they want to change the look and feel of their home, they want to make it a wonderful place where their family can feel safe and comfortable at all times. Backyard landscaping is a great way to add some more peace to your life whether you are alone or you have a large family and tons of kids. You will be able to create a sanctuary with your backyard landscaping that you have never had before in your life.

Backyard landscaping does not have to be drastic or hard. You can do your own backyard landscaping or you can hire a contractor to do it all for you. The choice is yours but doing it yourself can be a lot of work, especially if you do not have any experience in this type of thing. There are all kinds of things that you will need to learn about before you start doing your own backyard landscaping. You will have to take a crash course in landscaping and this course will be jammed packed with all kinds of info that you never even knew was out there. You may be able to save some money on the work if you do your won backyard landscaping but if you screw things up too badly you may end up paying even more to get everything fixed.

If you want to get some backyard landscaping done you should only do it yourself if it is going to be a simple and straightforward job. If you need irrigation things dealt with and planes and elevations leave it to the professionals that do it for a living. These things may be over your head entirely. You need to watch out how you go about your backyard landscaping or you could end up with quite a mess on your hands.

There are a couple of great places for you to learn some more about backyard landscaping such as the local public library and the internet. You can get many backyard landscaping books out of the library and these will help you to make the best decisions as to your landscaping needs. You can also get many do it yourself tips online.

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The words “Backyard landscape design” can sound daunting if your backyard needs a fair amount of work or a total overhaul. But with a few small steps and planning the task will be easier than you first anticipated. It may actually turn into a family event that adds fun to your weekends.
photo credit: Ganymedes Costagravas

The first step in redesigning your backyard is to consider the uses of the family. Many of these are obvious such as entertaining or a children’s play area. Other such as a backyard theme, focal points, sun, shade, hardiness zone, pets, drainage and maintenance are equally important. And finally color; contrast, texture and soil affect the plants, trees and beauty of the backyard.

So take you time and plan what your immediate needs are to turn the backyard into a functional area. Then work on smaller projects. When planning use paper and lay out a rough design. It’s always easier to change a plan than redo a started or finished project.

As you are planning some of your bigger projects such as a pool, pond, children’s play area or patio check on some of the overlooked landscape design areas that play an important role in the success of your backyard oasis.

Most important: Check for any City or State building codes. Also check any Home Association rules if they apply to your housing area. And as basic as this sounds, make sure you know your property boundaries. My neighbors built the corner of their house extension onto the corner of my property so accidents do happen and it can create a serious problem.
photo credit: brewbooks

Surface Drainage is important in any yard, even for adding a garden. It becomes a bigger concern when installing retaining walls, large areas of concrete or a hardscaping project. And when altering your existing grounds analyze how the water will drain. Make sure that the water will flow away from your house and any low-lying areas in your backyard. The best time to notice your drainage and making notes is after a heavy rainstorm.

Your hardiness zone and climate will influence your larger projects. Is your summer long enough for a pool? If your nights are warm and the summer long you will more than likely want a larger outdoor entertainment area. If the nights are colder you may want a patio that can be partially enclosed for extended use.

Climate will also guide your plant selection. Most plants will have a tag that will tell you the hardiness zone and care the plant will need to grow successfully. Your local nursery will also be able to help you select plants that will thrive in your backyard. A good plant encyclopedia and the Internet will also provide helpful information.

One more important point to consider while planning is maintenance. In today’s hectic lifestyle a low maintenance landscape may be essential. You will also have more time to enjoy your backyard oasis paradise if it’s easy to care for.

There are still a few important area for backyard design but these basic needs will get you started in redoing you backyard and making the perfect family retreat for entertaining and family fun.

Check out part two of Backyard Design Ideas for ideas on focal points, selection of color, lighting, backyard areas and seasons in the backyard.

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