Plan your new Patio Design this Winter

 backyard design  No Responses »
Nov 082010
 

It is soon to be winter and most patios around the country will be sitting unused for a month to five months. So this will be the perfect time to be thinking about any patio improvements you might want to make for next year.

Upgrading or expanding your patio is not something you do on a whim. Take your time and look through magazines, online sites, and other resources to decide what improvements you want to make. I like to take a drive around my area and see what ideas others have used in their patio design, then add my own creative touches.

You may find ideas in your research to expand your patio and make it look better than a slab of concrete. By softening the edges and changing the shape you can create a new look to concrete. Change the landscaping around the patio to add layers, new color or blend the home and yard together.  By finishing the cement with texture, color and added stone you can have a unique inviting look that will match you landscape.

Slate is a great way to modernize a patio. A slate patio can be a beautiful choice. Just make sure the pieces are put together in the right way. Slate will add a look of elegance and style to your patio and come in a wide variety colors, sizes and textures. Slate is one of the more expensive choices in patio flooring, but if you plan on using your patio often for entertaining, it could be one of your best options.

And something as simple as changing patio furniture or adding shutters, a trellis or porch boxes can create a new atmosphere. You may also want to link the adjoining room in the house to the patio with color or a rug. This creates a flow from indoors to outdoors and the feel of more space.

Adding lighting to your patio will add that finishing touch, and create a relaxing atmosphere. There are many different lights and styles to choose from.

Benefits of patio lighting are the added safety, making it easier to walk around and illuminating steps and other objects in the yard. Lighting will extend the time that you spend on the patio. And by linking lighting from the patio into your landscape or walkways, you will again extend the feel of the patio to include your backyard.

And if you live in a town, you may want to add a screen, trellis, or fencing for added privacy. Tall plants such as potted bamboo or tropical plants can also create a living wall for privacy.

So take the time this winter while things are slow, to come up with ideas for your patio, and you’ll be ready to give new life to your patio area when spring begins. My patio has needed redone for years and I have already started new plans and designs.

Posted by Denise at 9:30 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Recreate your Backyard with Garden Accessories

 backyard design  No Responses »
Nov 052010
 

Another step to recreating your backyard landscape is accessories. Home and garden areas benefit from the addition of benches, small decorative fences, fountains, garden art and more.

The accessories you select should go well with the plants. For example if your overall feel of the yard is country, old farm collectibles, wagon wheels, picket fence and water pump will add to your home. And you may enjoy a classical style but if you have a house full of toddlers you may have to settle for mini garden statues and a small patio fountain.

Most garden areas have decorative containers and statuary. They blend in and add to any décor. Your selection will be based on your style of home, neighborhood and family.

Planting Containers

Containers are essential to most gardens. Containers allow you to fill in blank spots when your flowers die back. They are also a wonderful way to garden in a small space or to add color to your porch. They also give you the opportunity to change the look of your yard and patio area but simply moving containers or adding new ones.

Containers also give you the opportunity to be creative. They can be arranged in curves, placed by driveways, layered or used on terraced hills. And in small space garden area using containers vertically will add privacy and make better use of your limited growing space.

They can be artistic in nature or rustic. The wide variety available will make decorating your home easy and unique to your personality.

Garden Statues

There are two basic rules when it comes to garden statues.

1.  If you are using large statues (3 foot or taller), then 1 per area of your garden will make your garden look good.

2.  If you use small statues then you can put them in groups to get maximum impact. At least three seem to add balance to your area. I like to vary the size of the pieces to create more interest.

And finally, many people use garden art in their landscape design. You can decorate your garden in your own way with a wide selection of one of a kind collectibles that range from mirror to handmade art. If you have a one of a kind piece, make sure it stands out on its own.

One item many people use in a garden area is handmade hypertyfu containers. They are fun to make and are definitely one of a kind.

When adding accessories just remember to have fun. Using that principle the home and garden areas will show your personality and make your living area a great place to relax and enjoy.

Posted by Denise at 10:39 am  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Rough Grade in a Backyard Project

 landscaping  No Responses »
Oct 292010
 

There are times when a large backyard project will leave you with a mess to clean up or more work than you had anticipated. I have had such a project this year and now I am trying to refinish an area and make it workable.

Yes, I could have had the project done for me but sometimes you have to cut costs in one area to spend in another.

So, I have an area of my yard that has had fill added and been roughly graded by a bulldozer. I need to clean this area up and make it “useable.”

When contracting for a job there is a term called rough grading. Most building contracts or landscaping jobs call for the rough grading to be complete, but this may be pretty rough. When a bulldozer is used, the surface is usually packed hard. Depending on the fill used or location the area may have bricks, rock, wire and boards pressed into it. Even a better grade of fill will have rocks and possible branches.

If your area is very rough leave it alone until the mud dries out quite well. Working it too soon could ruin the texture of the soil and depending on how wet it is you may leave ruts or sink in soupy soil.

As soon as you can walk on it without getting stuck, pick up and get rid of any rubbish and larger rocks. You may find that a few knolls need to be shoveled into low spots. I use a rake to smooth the final layer.

This rough grade should be 3 to 4 inches below where you want the finished grade. You are leaving room for rich topsoil for planting and your lawn. You will also want to excavate shrub beds and others to 9 to 12 inches below the finished grade.

Usually poor earth, either sandy or clay fill, is used to make the rough grade. My fill was heavy in clay. The good topsoil is either buried or scraped off and sold as topsoil to someone else. So be prepared to spend some time or extra money for finishing off the projects and adding topsoil for your yard and plants.

I am just finishing up my rough grading and will be adding soil to finish off the project this next week, if the weather holds. My topsoil is good soil that was moved and stored to the side and compost I made to enrich the final soil layer

Posted by Denise at 8:20 pm  Tagged with: , ,

Backyard Plant Tips

 backyard design  No Responses »
Oct 212010
 

Fall is one of my favorite times for find discounts on plants, trees and shrubs. Stores and gardeners are getting rid of extra plants and seeds.

It’s also a great time for re-evaluating your backyard landscape design. What worked and what was a backyard disaster? Oh yes, I have had backyard disasters! To avoid such a situation reading books, garden magazines and talking with other gardeners will help.

Most garden clubs have large shows in the spring and fall where purchases can be made at a reasonable price. They are a great place to learn as well as get some savings too. You will find as you talk to a avid gardener they will have a few extra plants that they are will to trade or give to another gardener.

At this time you can also find out the pros and cons of the plant and if it will add to the value of your backyard. There are very few plants I will turn down. I may get them with the plan of trading them if I feel they will not work in my garden plans.

One thought you should keep in mind when getting deals on plants is do I have the time to plant them?  You may get 10 bargain basement priced shrubs but if they don’t get planted and die from frost or lack of water,  you really didn’t get a deal.

I have had this this problem of too many plants to get into the ground at one time and a solution to this problem is a holding garden or to mound the plants under soil or compost to protect them from winter weather. You can create a temporary garden area that will safely hold plants for a few months if need be.  Right now I have three holding gardens for trees, shrubs and perennials that will have permanent homes this spring. I ran out of decent weather and time to plant them properly.

The only plants I turn down or very poisonous plants or plants on the invasive list. There’s no sense in hurting my environment, ever for a pretty plant. And many invasive plants are beautiful!

Posted by Denise at 7:45 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Pine Straw Mulch – Pine Needle for Winterizing Your Garden

 backyard design, guest writer  No Responses »
Oct 162010
 

Pine needles have a natural look that will add to any yard and landscaping design. And no matter where you may live, you can usually find someone who has a pine tree on his or her property but needs to remove the fallen needles. In my area I wait until fall clean up and knock on doors to remove their pine needle and other fall leaves.

Pine trees drop a percentage of their needles in the fall. The needles will add acidity to the area they cover, which will kill the grass and make holes in your yard. In a pine forest or around certain trees this doesn’t matter, but in your yard it may create a problem.

But using pine needles in select areas of your yard as a mulch can be beneficial. Choose areas where your acid loving plants will appreciate the nutrients added to the soil as the needles decay. Azaleas, rhododendron, chrysanthemum and roses benefit from acidic soil.

Onions, garlic, mint and tomatoes are a few of the plants in your vegetable and herb garden, which would also enjoy the acid boost. I must admit I have not used pine needle in a garden area.

A mulch using pine needles or pine straw adds a rich brown surface and a fine texture to the area that they cover. This looks particularly attractive with azaleas, and areas that you want a naturalized look, such as a wooded area or terraced hillside.

Another benefit of pine needles is that they shade the soil in the summertime. This prevents moisture from evaporating as quickly cutting back on water usage and watering time in the landscape. In the colder months, a layer of pine needles acts as a blanket to protect the roots of the plant. Pine needles are perfect for winterizing plants, trees and shrubs in your landscape design.

Pine needle mulch also cuts back on weeding. The few weeds that manage to survive and surface are small and incredibly easy to pull out.

It’s recommended that you start with a 3-inch layer of needles. Pine needles break down slowly, so this first layer should last 3 to 5 months in most climates.  I often lay down a few layers of newspaper and apply the pine needle on top of that. The pine mulch  cover will last 3 times as long. Using this method I have no weeds and add new pine needles to even out the mulch layer and add a fresh look to the landscape.

Posted by Denise at 5:28 am  Tagged with: , , , ,
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