Fall is the time to take a look at your trees and shrubs and see what care they need. Depending on your summer they may need pruning or tender loving care to make up for a stressful summer. In my area we had intense heat and lack of rain so I know my plants need new compost and additional fertilizer to help with the strain of the summer temperatures.

My first plan is to check the plants for any damaged branches and remove them. Then it’s time to give them a good soaking and a liquid fertilizer. I prefer my own compost tea mix. It’s chemical free and packed with nutrients.

Next after the ground is thoroughly soaked I will apply a new thick ground cover to keep the moisture in and add additional nutrients to the soil.

If my plants look weak or tired I will check them over for any disease or root problems.

So far my trees and shrubs seem fine but a few seem to be heading for an early leaf loss. I have noticed this in many trees and shrubs in this area.

If you have a plant that really looks sad contact your local Master Gardens group or an Extension Office for help.

This is also a great time to analyze your backyard landscape and add any new shrubs or trees. If you plant them now they will have time to acclimate to their new surroundings and begin to grow roots.

And one final note: If you need to prune trees or shrubs, do it in late fall or winter before the new growth of spring has started. The exception to this general rule is spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs that should be pruned immediately after flowering

Technorati Tags: backyard plant care, landscaping, landscaping tips, plants, tree and shrub care

New hardscaping has that bright look that can be rather stark when the sun shines down on it. Stone can be dazzling in the light and wood may appear too new for the softscaping or the house. Even garden ornaments like birdbaths, statues, and outbuildings may look too clean to fit into the surroundings. But with a little planning there are ways to make your landscaping blend in more naturally. It will look like its been part of the landscape for years.

photo credit: maskroskurbits

One way to create an older look is when creating the hardscape. Select old but quality materials. You can scour salvage companies for stones, bricks, fountains, benches, gazebos, and other materials and structures that have been removed from antique and vintage homes. Besides selecting materials that are aged you may save money and you will definitely have stories to tell about the scavenging adventures. Weathered materials will help make your hardscaping look like it’s been there for years.

Choose natural materials that are found in the area. For example, I live in an area rich on slab rock and polished river rock. By adding these rocks into my hardscape design they look like they have been in place for years. I also used recycled posts from a 13-foot wood fence that was torn down. The posts are weathered and fit in well with my raised beam flowerbed and the rock walls that were recently added. I will add a little natural moss in the rock walls for more of an aged look. All areas have some sort of natural materials. Just study your landscape to see what’s available.

You can paint concrete or new stone with equal parts buttermilk and plain yogurt. While this mixture is still wet, rub moss over it. This will encourage an aged, mossy surface. This takes about two weeks to start to grow. During this time keep the area moist by covering it with heavy clear plastic until the moss is established.

My neighbor drizzled latex paint over new areas of their concrete. They used a grayish-green color of paint. Dilute the paint with equal parts water and mix well. Use a large paintbrush and use a sloppy style to apply the paint. You try to create a natural look. While the paint is still wet, wipe off areas with a clean rag. Next rub down the surface with green grass or weeds for an old mossy look.

Plant mosses, lichen, rock cress and creeping plants between rocks, on walls or among stones on pathways. They will grow quickly and give your hardscaping a softer, older feel.

Partially bury the larger rocks that you place in the yard. Setting large rocks on top of the soil gives them an unnatural look and they could even move under the right circumstance. But if you dig a hole and bury the rocks a quarter of the way into the soil, they’ll look like they’ve been there many years

You can age wood by hammering it, painting it a grayish-tan color or grayish green, and then adding another layer of darker gray paint. After you apply the darker paint, wipe away areas with a clean rag. Make sure to leave the dented and grooved areas in the wood with plenty of dark paint. This will give an antique look to the wood.

And if you live in an area with old barns you may be able to harvest unwanted wood for you hardscape projects. Just make sure its weather proofed so that it will hold up the climate.

One way to make your hardscape fit right into your landscape is to surround it with larger plants. Use mature or nearly mature plants around your hardscaping to create an aged look. If you can’t afford to buy or don’t already have such plants, try planting younger, cheaper plants, but plant them closer together than you normally would. (You’ll have to thin out the plants in a year or two, but in the meantime, your hardscaping will have that “grown in” look.) You can also add perennials and annual flowers to soften a new landscape look. Blend the same flowers and plants around the yard to create a flow in pattern and design.

Technorati Tags: backyard design ideas, Hardscaping, landscaping

Hardscape is a landscaping term for permanent construction that is added to the landscape and backyard.

Anything cast in concrete or built of stone is hardscaped. Wood structures and built-in waterfalls are also hardscapes. One easy way to determine hardscape is if it is more permanent it’s hardscape and if it can be moved easily, it is probably more likely to be considered décor.

photo credit: mccun934

If it grows and is alive, it is ‘softscape’.

Hardscape adds to a landscpae and you can get stunning effects, but it takes time, planning, space and often is not a possibility if you rent.

You also need to realize that hardscape, being more permanent, should be well thought out before adding to you backyard or lawn.

I have several hardscape plans going to the yard this year. They include a terraced garden and a wood and rock stairway in the front yard area. Raised rock beds that also serve as flood control are under way and dry creeks are in the planning stages.

All these plans have been carefully laid out and all extra considerations have been taken into consideration. Considerations were traffic flow to the house, parking, drainage, runoff, checking any underground lines, and the fact it’s permanent. I also considered cost and how much maintenance it will take for upkeep and general lawn care. I was looking for low installation cost and to make yard work less demanding.

My hardscape plans will take all summer as I am doing them myself. The supplies are mostly free. When completed I should have made my yard easier to care for, less prone to runoff flooding and much prettier. I think the plans will also create more privacy in the yard.

As the projects are worked on links will be provided. These ideas may be something you could add to your yard.

Technorati Tags: backyard projects, Hardscaping, hardscaping design, landscaping

These are a few tips that will help you create a new flower garden area. Using a few tips to get the flowerbed started properly will help create a successful and easy to care for garden.

photo credit: bortescristian

Direct sun flower gardens

For example, if your flowerbed is in direct sunlight for the majority of the day, you will want to choose hardy, heat-resistant plants. Some of the better choices for full sun are marigolds, zinnias and petunias.

Choose a variety of heat-resistant plants, as some of these full-sun varieties are prone to diseases, especially marigolds. Your garden center will be able to help you choose the proper plants. You will want several types of flowers in your flowerbed not only for contrast and interest, but in the event that one variety does poorly or becomes diseased, you can simply pull the plants (roots and all) and cultivate your remaining varieties.

Keep in mind that if any of your plants are diseased, you should pull them immediately. This prevents the sick plant spreading the disease to your other plants or the soil. A new plant can always be added to fill in an empty space in a garden. I keep a few extra plants on hand in a hold garden or container garden for just such an emergency.

Also consider using what many refer to as “naturalizing flowers”. These are wild flowers that are natural to your area. In my zone daisies and black-eyed Susan’s are two plants that hold up well to heat and almost any weather condition.

One other consideration for a garden located in direct sun. Locate the garden  near a source of water. Gardens in full sun will require more water. The use of a mulch in a direct sunlight garden will also help with moisture retention.

Partial to full shade gardens

For areas that are in partial to full shade, consider impatiens, begonias, and vinca. These flowers come in a variety of colors and grow quite well in shady areas. In choosing the colors for your flowering plants, remember that red colors make the plant seem closer and larger, while blue will give the illusion of smallness and distance. And pastel colors seem to blend a garden area together.

Planting a single color of flowers will draw more attention to your flowerbed. Moonlight theme gardens are often flower gardens that are all in white or silver colors. Moonlight gardens are stunning at night and really make a statement if night lighting is used to accent the garden, garden art and walkways.

If you want several colors in your garden design make sure the flowers compliment one another. Purple goes well with pink and white will blend in nicely with any other color. Also, red goes very well with violet as odd as this may seem. Silver plants and foliage accent other plants and bring out color.

Flowerbeds need not be large to create a wonderful focal point in your backyard or patio area. They just need a little planning and hopefully easy to maintain plants. After all you want to be able to enjoy your gardens.

Technorati Tags: create a new flower bed, flower garden tips, flowers, landscaping, naturalizing flowers, successful flower garden

A gazebo is a wonderful addition to a backyard landscape. It adds a comfortable spot to relax. It also will give you the opportunity to create different landscape designs and atmosphere to  home and garden areas.

photo credit: dougtone

If you are thinking about adding a gazebo to your backyard decor, you will want to carefully plan the location where you intend to place your new structure.

The gazebo location will be influenced by what you are planning to use your gazebo for. Will it be a gathering place for friends and family?  A garden gazebo that emphasizes plants shrubs and trees? Perhaps you’ll be enclosing your gazebo for cooler climates or plan to install a hot tub or spa inside of it.

How you use your gazebo will determine where you should build it. Garden gazebos are often located toward the back of your yard, in order to have friends walk through the landscape and enjoy atmosphere and privacy. A hot tub shelter should probably be located closer to the door, to minimize the walk in a bathing suit. And for gazebos built for entertaining a location near the kitchen or outdoor party area is an ideal area.

Aesthetics are also important. You may choose to highlight your structure by making it the center of attention. You may blend it in to your landscape to make it a secret hideaway. You also need to consider the building’s relation to other structures that you may have on your property. The gazebo should fit into your landscape and not fight or overpower other buildings.

Think about the pros and cons of your selected site in all four seasons. Will the location be affected by hot or cold weather? Is it a building you would use all seasons if properly located. In my zone 5 climate, it’s better to have the gazebo closer to the house.

Choosing the proper size for your gazebo is the next important step. Make sure that your space is large enough for its intended purposes, while remaining proportional to the surrounding buildings and landscaping. A general rule of thumb is that an 8′ gazebo fits 2 people (2 chairs) and a small table. With every two-foot addition, two more people can be seated comfortably in the gazebo (for example, a 10′ gazebo holds 4 people comfortably, a 12′ gazebo holds 6 people comfortably, etc.).

Once you have decided on a size, it’s a good idea to stake it out the dimensions in your yard to ensure that the fit is comfortable for your needs and that the location is harmonious with your landscape.

And the final step is to create a flow between your new gazebo and the backyard. This may be accomplished by related colors in the landscape, flowers and other plants, or a wandering path.

Ideas for Gazebos can be found in books, online or by visiting a local landscaping business in your town.

Technorati Tags: add a gazebo to your backyard, backyard design ideas, decks, Gazebos, landscaping