Uncover These Wonderful Landscaping Ideas

 guest writer  2 Responses »
Sep 012009
 

It doesn’t matter if you have a large or small space to work with, a garden should be relaxing to you. But sometimes that same layout can get a bit old and you just want a change.my little garden
Creative Commons License photo credit: slideshow bob

So, here are five easy garden landscaping ideas that you can try without a lot of work or money:

Idea #1: Fountains are a great way to spice it up – No matter who you are, a nice little fountain is always something relaxing in a garden. And, these great little garden landscaping ideas offer you a sweet way to get a small, cheap fountain and place it in your garden to liven up any space. It doesn’t matter what size fountain you choose, the sound of the water and the birds and butterflies it will attract will help you relax and enjoy your space.

Idea #2: Potted plants are always beautiful – While they don’t have to be in massive planters, you can easily create and move your potted plants all over your garden then the need strikes you to change garden landscaping ideas. One week it can be spread out and peaceful, the next week they can mark your paths. It’s easy to pick up some beautiful, inexpensive pots and plant some of your favorite flowers.

Idea #3: You don’t need thousands of colors at once – One of the most common mistakes that people make in their garden landscaping ideas is to just grab every color of the rainbow and go to town. Yet there are certain colors that will clash and cause a war on your eyes. You want to make sure that you choose and place like colors together, or one cool and one warm color in a specific area. This way, you have a beautiful garden without chaos.

Idea #4: Climbing plants are awesome – Climbing plants are a super way to create new garden landscaping ideas that will offer you beautiful greenery and color where you want it. You can even place these plants into pots that can be moved if you prefer, so that you can always have beautiful green leaves or flowers any time, any place.

Idea #5: Artwork is your friend – And you should be afraid to use the garden artwork that you already have in new and unique garden landscaping ideas. After all, if you don’t like where you put it, you can always move it back. But, just a few switches here and there can make a big difference if you don’t want to spend money on new stuff.

With these five easy to use garden landscaping ideas, it’s easy to change up your garden’s look and feel with just a simple move or placement of an item. Take your time and see which ideas strike you and have your garden transformed into a whole new world for you to enjoy.

April Kerr writes for Finer Living which has information on low price driveway alarm systems and cheap solar motion security lighting.

Posted by April Kerr at 8:20 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Colorful Patio Plant Designs

 guest writer  1 Response »
May 232009
 
by Kent Higgins

Patioscape design allows for a lot of creativity.

Flowers ..... i think they are ..
Creative Commons License photo credit: Koonisutra

In fact, the possibilities for patios and pools are nearly limitless. Still, the best in the business recommend following basic design rules by answering these questions:

  • What materials and colors go well with the property’s existing design?
  • What are the project’s budget constraints?
  • Who will take care of the containers, and will they be watered by hand or automatic irrigation?
  • Do the specified containers have drainage holes? If not, can holes be drilled into them?

    • After a careful assessment, it’s time to select your plants.

    Color, of course, is the element that usually catches the eye first. Though it can be tough, the designer in you needs to exercise restraint in this area.

    Choose colors based on your individual situation. For example, blue tones are popular because they give a feeling of serenity. They look great near a pool. Warm, bold colors – reds, orange and yellows – are temperamental and have a high impact. Mono-aromatic designs are elegant and trendy.

    No matter what the trends are, don’t just consider aesthetics. Make sure the plants you choose have similar requirements for light exposure and water. They should also have similar growth vigor, or more aggressive ones might outpace those that grow slowly.

    For a well-balanced design use tall, upright plants, mounding or medium-height plants and trailing elements. Work your way from the center to the rim, placing uprights in the center, medium plants around them and trailing elements along the edges.

    If the planter is against a wall or in a corner work your way from back to front, with tall plants in the back and trailing elements in front.

    Other important considerations are proportion and texture. Aim for the plants to take up to 2/3 of the entire design, leaving 1/3 for the visible part of the planter.

    Keep in mind that trailing plants will hide part of your container. Use simpler plants to accent a showpiece planter.

    For a pool landscaping plan, one idea is to consider using texture to create a natural design.

    Incorporate foliage plants for richness and work with different foliage and flower shapes and sizes. Design professionals favour such varieties as purple fountain grass (regular and dwarf forms), New Zealand flax, Mexican feather grass and sedges. You can also try perennials with intriguing foliage like Hosta, Heuchera, Ajugn, Euphorbia, Sedum or ornamental herbs.

    Other excellent foliage plants are coleus, English Ivy, Ornamental Sweet Potato, and Strobilanthes.

    For novel flowering plants try Ange Ionia, Nemesia, Bacopa, Calibrachoa or Cleome ‘Linde Armstrong’.

    In most cases it’s best to make a design last the entire year, but some gardeners prefer spring and fall planting.

    Sometimes plants become less attractive as summer wears on and fall planting becomes necessary. In this case consider including evergreens for winter interest. Try to limit complete change-outs to two to four times yearly, typically when the seasons change. Choose bromeliads over annuals for their longevity. Using mostly perennials will make fewer change-outs necessary.

    About the Author:
    We’ve created an excellent resource for you on the topic of pool landscaping ideas. Join us: Pool Landscaping
    Posted by Gary Antosh at 5:49 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

    Plan your Landscape Lighting Before You Plan Your Party

     guest writer  2 Responses »
    May 182009
     
    by Karl Maadhavan

    Spring has arrived, the weather is great and your friends are starting to wonder when you plan to invite them over for your first cookout. azur
    Creative Commons License photo credit: mahalie

    Maybe you’re like me and it’s those gatherings with the people who really matter in your life that makes spring and summer complete. You aim for perfection, but you know there’s always some nagging little hurdle to overcome.

    Having long ago accepted the inevitability of the unexpected problem cropping up, I tend to prepare in advance of any outdoor gathering. Just before the event I ensure the grill has plenty propane available (even purchasing a spare tank if things are questionable) and I test light it and let it burn for 10 or 15 minutes.

    I run through a quick check-list to cover available beverages and food (always buying a bit extra for the additional guest who may accompany one of my planned visitors). Finally, I check the fuel in my tiki torches and test light them.

    Did he just say he tests his tiki torches? Yes he did. Though you may think that’s a bit unusual, setting a mood is one of those subtle but critical elements to hosting a great party and I’ve been unpleasantly surprised by my lighting choice in the past by torches that wouldn’t light, so they’re part of the check list.

    It’s the little things that get you in the end. Though there isn’t much to tiki torches beyond a wick, fuel reservoir and the stick to hold them up, these deceptively simple critters can suffer from performance anxiety for several reasons. The obvious one being lack of fuel, but that’s not the only reason. So, lesson learned, I test them.

    But is all really lost just because a few lousy torches wouldn’t light? Of course not, but my goals won’t be met as lighting plays such a critical part in the overall design of my yard.

    A dramatically accent-lit yard pulls everything together. Whether its a tropical paradise (what I’m shooting for), or painting with light in a formal setting elegantly lit by professional landscape lighting, you really lose something when it’s missing.

    It’s a little like erasing Mona Lisa’s hint of a smile or fixing the foundation under the Leaning Tower of Pisa. What you’re left with is still beautiful and artistic, but diminished for the absence of that special something that makes it memorable. The devil is in the details, folks.

    And that’s just the day-of prep. For advanced, dig deeper. This is the opportunity to look beyond the food you’ll be serving and think about atmosphere.

    Lighting, particularly in-ground lighting, requires taking the time to plan. Do you want something classy? Perhaps the mysterious or fanciful is more your speed. Whatever setting you’re going for, try to make it an escape from everyday life for both you and your guests.

    Evening events depend on lighting both for the safety of your guests but also for the atmosphere the lights create. I use tiki torches because I want to set a tropical feel, but in-ground, low-voltage lighting can amazing results. Invest the time to learn about various lighting techniques such as accent lighting and moonlighting and then build your paradise.

    In taking the time to plan and carefully implement your landscaping and outdoor lighting objectives well in advance of entertaining guests, you present an event that becomes supremely memorable.

    Rather than just raving about your mastery of the grill, your guests will leave your event feeling they’ve just enjoyed a vacation from their everyday lives. And guess what they’ll be daydreaming about the following Monday at work. Providing, of course, you remembered to test your lighting before they arrived.

    About the Author:
    The Tiki Torches Guide covers everything you need to know about garden torches, their safe use, landscaping tips, tricks and other information about outdoor tiki torches that might just surprise you.
    Posted by Karl Maadhavan at 8:22 am  Tagged with: , , , , ,

    5 Reasons for Choosing Cedar when Buying an Outdoor Swing

     guest writer  No Responses »
    May 142009
     
    by Mycroft Finlayson

    Relaxing on an outdoor porch swing is the perfect way to spend a summer evening.

    Pink blossoms
    Creative Commons License photo credit: redtype Whether you do so alone or with a family member or friend, it is exceptionally good way to relax and unwind from a day at work and enjoy the warmth and fresh air.

    If you are considering purchasing and outdoor porch swing for your home, you will want to consider Cedar. It is the number one option for quality, durability and above all comfort.

    Consider the following five reasons for buying a cedar product.

    #1 Durability – Many types of wood, when exposed to the sun, rain, cold and heat they way a porch swing is, cracks and/or rots. These woods must be treated with chemicals in order to preserve them. Cedar, on the other hand does not. It is a wood that contains its own natural protection through natural oils and chemicals that preserve and strengthen the wood. Light weight and durable, a outdoor porch swing made of cedar will outlast any other swing made with another material.

    #2 Comfort – Cedar is a wood product that provides exceptional comfort when used for porch or patio swings. It naturally maintains an even, cool temperature even when exposed to the heat of the summer sun. Furthermore, Cedar does not shrink and swell with a change in temperature and stays flat regardless of the weather. You will not see any warping and the seat surface will remain smooth and even.

    #3 Natural Insect Repellent – How many times have you decided to sit outside during the summer months only to be bombarded by insects and bugs? If you are seated in an outdoor patio swing made of natural Cedar you will not have that problem. Remember your Grandmother’s Cedar Chest? It was used to protect your clothing from moths. An outdoor cedar swing will protect you from insects too. While the aroma of Cedar may send insects scurrying, most people find it a pleasant smell.

    #4 Ecologically Friendly – The chemicals used to treat most outdoor furniture often present a health hazard to those using it. They are needed to help preserve the furniture from the effects of the weather and must be applied regularly. Cedar, on the other hand, does not need to be treated with preservatives and protectorants. It is naturally occurring. An outdoor porch swing made of cedar is a product that protects the environment and the owner.

    #5 Naturally Beautiful – Cedar is a wood that is rich in color with a soft red-brown appearance that when used in outdoor furniture adds a richness and quality look to your porch or patio. A cedar porch swing will maintain its natural beauty over time. It is a wood that does not fade or dull. Many people buy Cedar for its looks alone without even being aware of all of its other beneficial properties.

    Take advantage of the natural beauty, durability, and comfort and consider Cedar next time you are shopping for outdoor furniture for your home.

    About the Author:
    As a freelance writer Mycroft Finlayson never concealed his excitement about great quality workmanship. In case you’re seeking for a beautiful, long-lasting outdoor swing the author recommends paying attention to a very special collection of outdoor swings here: visit http://tinyurl.com/c6egp5
    Posted by Mycroft Finlayson at 9:39 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
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