January is a perfect time to select shrubs, trees, groundcover and any other ornamental for the backyard and garden areas.

photo credit: skypilot2005

Today I have been selecting shrubs for the yard. I will probably need to remove the trees by the road. I want a tree or shrub that will provide more privacy and act as a noise and wind barrier. It also needs to be tougher than the average plant.

I think I will go with Spartan Juniper. It grows 15 foot tall and 3 foot wide. I need a shrub that will not interfere with electrical lines and this should do well. It will also provide more privacy and act as a break for noise. My first search has not found any problems with this shrub but I will look one more time. It’s best to really research a new plant, shrub or tree before you add it to your yard.

photo credit: dougww

I also want to get a few Mountain Laurel shrubs. I have always liked the colors and look and they will be good for naturalizing the backyard down by the creek.

I will place my order this weekend so that my selection will still be available. They will ship my order in April.

I also started Rose of Sharon shrub seeds a few weeks ago. They are about one inch tall and look healthy.

Tip: for Rose of Sharon seeds I place then in a wet paper towel and let set for 3 days then plant in soil. This softens the seed casing and the seedling usually emerges in a week. My success rate is very high using this method.

Around the Spartan Juniper shrubs I will be growing a few ground covers so that will be my next backyard garden project this weekend. Selecting a few groundcovers that will grow well with junipers.

photo credit: cliff1066™

And after I have groundcovers and shrubs selected, its time to get the few fruit trees I need.

Even in the winter months there are garden projects that can be planned and taken care of.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard oasis, backyard oasis planning, selecting shrubs for backyard

My front yard has a 90-degree angle or slope, from the road down to the house. Now normally that’s not a problem and the slope look nice when its mowed.

photo credit: brewbooks

But this year our abundant rain created quite a problem and when the drain directly across the hill filled with rock from a rockslide my yard turned into a waterfalls.

Four and one half hours of water crossing the road and bringing rocks, branches, dirt, garbage and anything else that fell in it path into the yard created quite a mess. The water current also uprooted a shrub and ripped out all my perennials.

After the chaos was done, I had a rock pile in front of the house, no yard and the beginning of an idea of how to make sure that this would not happen again.

How would I do this? With a raised shrub bed up near the road, a garden area just below that and a retaining wall at the end of the garden on a hill and before the new drive way.

photo credit: mikeporcenaluk

The driveway would also have drainage and a dry creek, just in case I ever had water again. I drew my ideas on paper, started accumulating my needed supplies and knew that a project this big would take a year to complete, if I wanted to keep costs reasonable.

You may also need a garden on a hill to divert or slow water or to create an area that does not need mowed. You can add color and beauty, cut down on yard work and make sure your soil is stabilized in case of a flood or water run off.

To prepare my yard I picked up the biggest rocks that washed in the yard, tried to find what perennials I could salvage then laid down heavy cardboard to kill the grass. I had such a mess this was the easiest way to deal with the problem.

You may want to prepare the soil by removing weeds or any undesirable large rocks or boulders. It is good to leave some large rocks, however, for interest and for ground stability purposes.

photo credit: stereogab

Next I Mixed organic mulch and compost in topsoil and layered it on the cardboard base. If your mixing a the mulch into the ground two to four inches will be sufficient. I used 10 inches of my soil mix.

Next I studied my plant and shrub plan, lightly sprayed the soil to make it firm and let it set for a day. Then I tamped it in place and prepared to lay out my garden plan.

My plan involved shrubs, perennials, and rocks to help direct any excess water.

Next I Dug furrows along the contour of the hill to allow water to flow between the plants rather than running straight down the hill. This will direct the water to flow along the plants, then down and away from your home.

My next plan was to make sure the drive was put in the way I wanted it. Then on to the shrubs and plants.

Part two will follow in a few days

Technorati Tags: backyard design, hillside garden design

Reading gardens or rooms are taking root across America. Many towns are actually creating reading gardens in parks and community centers.

photo credit: David Masters

Why not create a reading garden in your backyard where you can escape from the stress and pace of today’s society?

Take a look at your backyard. Do you have an area that is not in use or could be revamped to include a clear area and a hammock or bench. And by adding shade or light, flowers and plants, you can create a personal getaway that inspires you.

Will you also want to use this area at night? Proper lighting and a fire pit may also add to your reading area. Color, shape and contrast are also important to take into consideration when planning your design. They all add to the comfort that you are trying to create.

Start your reading room project by clearing out debris, sticks, stones and weeds. Mow the area well and trim around any shrubs and trees. At this time I look to simplify my area by mulching around trees and shrubs so that trimming is not an added chore to the backyard.

When creating your reading room, remember its for reading and enjoyment so choose low- maintenance flowers and plants. And to create privacy and quiet, try a hedge or screen of ivy. Annual and perennial vies and a screen will also help add privacy and create almost a secret garden reading room.
photo credit: mrhayata

A border of flowers, plants, stones or shrubs can set off your outdoor “reading room.” If there’s no tree for shade, try taller shrubs, bushes or ivy on a trellis or a canopy if shade is essential.

And an arbor would add color, shade and privacy if you have the room and want to take on a larger backyard project. Add grapes and perennial flowering vines to the arbor for a unique look and added privacy.

Your reading room design is all about fitting you and your families needs into a space when quiet and resting can be achieved. Open up a book and experience the beauty and inspiration of your reading garden.

Technorati Tags: a reading room, backyard design, backyard oasis, create a reading room, reading garden

As I walked around my property today and took in the large amount of storm damage caused but this summers excess rain I realized I should redo one pond. And I need to add two more ponds as quickly as possible to prevent more property damage.

photo credit: pondelegance

One pond needs to be cleaned out from silt caused from flooding and two new ponds will help me to control excess runoff from heavy rains. One new pond is more of a runoff pond and I think the other could be used as a wildlife pond.

All ponds have a use, its just deciding what is and how to accomplish adding a pond successfully.

But when you are planning a pond there are many considerations to take into account. Here are two that you should consider before even planning a pond.

Local Building Codes for ponds

Contacted your municipal building authority to ensure that your plans abide by the local building codes.  Will you need to build a fence around your water pond?  Ponds built with a certain depth require fences for safety). You also need to how large of an area your water pond can be, and other legal considerations? Also check with the utility companies to make sure there are no buried pipes or right of way restrictions.

Pond Safety

Safety is something that normally doesn’t immediately pop into your mind when building a water garden pond. But it today’s society it should be your number one concern.  It’s impossible to ensure that your pond will be completely safe, however, will that be any consequences for your lack of planning if something were to happen? Plan ahead and make sure your water garden is easily accessible for the purpose it was made for. Friends and family should be able to enjoy the pond but it should be safe for children and anyone who wanders onto you property.

photo credit: CJ Sorg

Even a small decorative water pond in your backyard garden or patio area can be a hazard with a small toddler!

Ponds add beauty and relaxation to any backyard and home. But they need to be planned to fit the families need and provide safely and beauty to the property.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard ponds, planning your pond, pond safety, water garden, water ponds

The most popular type of outdoor pond is without a doubt a fish pond, with clean waters and filters. The much less common option, requesting a more adventurous spirit, is to build a wildlife outdoor pond.

photo credit: Martin Pettitt

First let’s define what is a wildlife pond. A wildlife pond is a natural environment hosting a self-sustaining ecosystem. A spot in your property backyard where nature has regained full control and you are merely an observer.

What are the steps to create wildlife backyard ponds?

1. Your pond must be located where wildlife has a free and undisturbed access. Best spots are the very edge of your property and close to nature.

2. Follow the building tips described below.

3. Borrow water from an existing wildlife pond, naturally occurring ones are best.

4. Let nature take control.

5. Eventually the environment will take care of the rest.

What can you expect? Well, if you take care of the details, you will have an autonomous ecosystem filled with a variety of living creatures and with little need for maintenance at all.

Building a wildlife pond.

A wild life pond is built using any informal outdoor pond plans, but your equipment list will be smaller as there is no need for filtration or aeration, nature will take care of this tasks. An important point to add is that fish will destroy your insect population, the basic food for other wildlife animals, so this kind of pond won’t host any kind of fish in it.

The best place to locate your wildlife pond is at an edge of your backyard, as close as possible to nature. But avoid problems, far from your house and neighbors property as the pond will attract insects, toads and other animals.

To create natural hiding places for the wildlife you want to attract, keep the vegetation around your pond as high and untidy as possible, but allow human access to enjoy and take care of it.

A secret ingredient that will make the difference. Find a naturally occurring wildlife pond, take some water from it and introduce it into your pond. The organisms you got from the natural pond will populate your newly created wildlife pond.

What kind of animals can you expect? The water borrowed from the natural pond will start an insect population. Your first visitors will probably be pond skaters and eventually dragonflies. With insects in place yo will start attracting their predators, toads and birds. If your site won’t let easy access to animals you can by some toads and introduce them to your backyard. But if your pond start growing mosquitoes or other undesirable insects you can add snails to keep the water clean.

Pond building have a large number of options, and wildlife ponds are not always the most popular, but if well planned and executed it can be a wonderful part of your backyard.

Looking for some ideas and inspiration for your outdoor pond, then visit pond-building-mastery.com to find essential tutorials, know-how and tips about pond building.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard ideas, Backyard Pond, fish pond, gardening, pond, pond building, pond design, water garden, water gardening