Landscape the Backyard for a Dog

 backyard design  No Responses »
Sep 012010
 

The backyard is an ideal place for you and your family dog to rest and play. And your pet dog will want to join in the activities so a well-planned yard will help keep the peace and everyone happy.

So how do you landscape the yard to be beautiful and meet your dogs’ needs at the same time?

When creating a dog friendly backyard, security and safety are top priorities.  You may want to include an attractive well-built fence in the backyard landscape plans. Build a sturdy fence around the perimeter of the backyard and put in gates for easy access. Place the gate latches high out of dogs and children’s reach. You may also want to use
Childproof latches.

And make sure that the fence and gates extend all the way down to the ground to discourage crawling underneath. If you have a dog that digs you will have to check the fence line to make sure he is not digging a tunnel to freedom. Yes, I have an escape artist residing at my residence so I have a sturdy dig proof fence!

You can also create a doggie-digging pit to meet your dogs digging needs. Taz the Spaz, my Australian Shepherd Cattle dog has his own dogging pit located near a pine tree.

If you rent or a fence is not an option a dog run may be the perfect solution. Whatever path you choose you need to know that your dog will remain in the yard and not wander off or get in the road and injured.

Other safety tips for a friendly backyard dog retreat.

  • Make sure there is plenty of room for the dogs to exercise. If a dog has room to play and run they will not get bored and will be less destructive in the yard and to plants.
  • Choose safe plants and shrubs for the yard.  Use grass, shrubbery and flowers but avoid tulips, lilies, rhododendrons and other plants that can be toxic.
  • Place a doghouse or shelter in an area of the backyard that is protected from wind, rain and sun during the hottest part of the day. You may want to coordinate the color and style of doghouse to match the backyard-landscaping theme.
  • Tall leafy or evergreen plants and bushes in the backyard will provide shade for the dogs on hot summer days. And a tall shady tree may be the dog’s favorite spot in the afternoon.
  • Leave a grassy area of the backyard free of flowers and plants to allow the dog a romping and running area.
  • Use both soft ground cover and hardscape materials in the backyard. A concrete patio or flagstone walkway will absorb sunlight and provide a warm spot where the dogs can lie on chilly days. And doggie digging pit will provide a cool spot on a hot day.
  • Eliminate brambles and sharp stones from the backyard to protect the dogs from scratches and footpad damage.
  • Remove any toxic liquids like pool supplies or anti-freeze from areas the dog my wander into.

With planning the backyard will be a pet friendly area that the entire family will enjoy.

Posted by Denise at 8:17 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Create your own Backyard Putting Green

 backyard design  2 Responses »
Apr 012009
 

The basis of a great backyard oasis is fitting the backyard to the needs of the family. If you have a golfer in the house what better addition could you add to the yard than your own putting green?  When you find you are short on time but want to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise you can just wander out the back door to practice your putting skills. Canon Powershot G7 review
Creative Commons License photo credit: kevindooley

There are putting green kits that you can install yourself, which would make this project manageable. Many of the suppliers will even provide you with the option of designing your own putting green size and shape. By shopping around and checking out the varieties of synthetic putting greens available you will be able to find a putting green that will fit your backyard landscape design. There are turfs designed to look like Fescue, Kentucky Blue Grass and many more.

You can create your backyard putting green with real turf, but synthetic material is often the more favorable choice. Natural turf takes more care and repair while synthetic turf will not need trimming and is extremely durable. Synthetic turf will handle rain, snow, and heat without worry, so is a perfect choice for climates with frequent changes or abundant rain.

Creating the putting green

Analyze your space and decide how big you want your putting green and select a shape that will work well for your needs but also fit into the backyard design. Decide how many putting green holes you will be adding.

Next find a good level location for your putting green. You may have to level an area.  With landscape spray paint or masonry chalk draw an outline of the putting green in the location you have chosen.  Make sure this area is cleared of any plants or backyard garden features.

You will want to dig out a minimum of four inches of dirt in your putting green location. Work the area well making sure any roots or larger rocks are removed. Once the dirt has been removed rake the area level.

To insure proper drainage for your putting green add a layer of crushed gravel to the area and compact the gravel until it’s evenly smooth. You may want a lawn roller to help with this step.

For the final preparation to the soil add a layer of stone dust or limestone over the gravel and compact it until it’s flat and level. Take time with these two steps as they are the base for your putting green and will determine how well it stands up to use and time.

The putting green is almost done. It’s time to dig the holes for the cups. Once the holes are dug, use a fast drying concrete to “glue” the cups into your putting green base. The cement is available at most hardware stores.

Mark and cut your putting green and place on top of the gravel and limestone base. Sod staples will help keep the putting green in place and are easy to use.

For the final steps blend your new putting green into the backyard oasis. Add a table and umbrella for relaxation or possibly a bench. A small patio area will also add to the comfort and inviting feel and be a place to entertain your golfing friends. And for those dedicated golfers, you might want to add night lighting to extend your practice time. Eli Putting
Creative Commons License photo credit: Yogi

If this project seems more involved than what you have time for you can always hire a landscaping company to install it, but it will be a costly project. A project like this usually runs several thousand dollars.

A putting green can add value to your backyard and it will definitely be a welcome addition to the golfer in the family. And with a little landscaping it will look like it’s always been a part of the backyard oasis.

Posted by Denise at 10:33 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Backyard Oasis Design: Decorative Fence

 backyard oasis  No Responses »
Feb 272009
 

My entire yard, front and back need overhauled. I have spent the last few summer working an exciting job but it has taken away from gardening and keeping the yard up. So this year its time to redo the backyard and I plan on working in small spaces with small space design so that the projects will not become a burden. It will be nice to have a new backyard oasis design.


One area I am working on is to put in a decorative fence. I have an area that is difficult to mow because of tree roots so I decided I to put on a heavy ground cover, them add a few black locust posts and foraged barn boards for the fencing rails.

First I will place the posts in the ground. Then I will cover the ground with heavy cardboard, which I have soaked first in water in a wheel barrel. (It holds the cardboard in place while I put mulch on top.) After the cardboard is in place I will add some old straw and top off with a very heavy layer of wood chips. I was lucky enough to get all the wood chips I want for free so this will keep the expense of the project down.

 

Tip: Check logging companies and tree services for free wood chips. I will also borrowed a post hole digger to make getting the fence posts in the ground an easier job.

Next I will add the boards to the posts with screws and drill holes in the boards first to help with nailing. I only plan to add two boards to each fencing piece. I just want a break in the yard and feel this will accomplish the goal.

I want to use the space near the tree to plants a few flowers, some ground cover and possible a few shade loving vegetables.

Since this is the first year that the mini garden is in the soil will not be as rich as I want so I will add containers to the planning area to make sure my plants have a rich soil. A few containers I will sink into the ground and a few I will leave on top of the ground to add height and interest. I will use the pop bottle watering system for container gardening to make sure the container pots do not dry out too fast.

For the ground cover plants I will add soil to the area I plan to plant them in them and I will also make a rock formation for them to grow in. I don’t want the ground cover to take over the area and this will stop the problem.

Having all the materials on hand I think this will be a weekend project. It should be rather easy. I like to set up my project to be small if possible so that you can enjoy the new look in your backyard oasis immediately.

 

As soon as the weather breaks in my zone 5 climate this will be one of my first projects and I will include pictures of the final project.

Posted by Denise at 7:33 pm  Tagged with: , , ,
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