Landscaping Designs For Your Backyard

To the majority of Americans, Backyard landscape Designs are sort of a new thing. Most of them have a boring and a non-descript Backyard that, in more than one way, resembles their neighbors.

Granted, Backyard Landscaping tends to be a little more complicated than front yard Landscaping but this is no reason to leave Backyards unkempt.

Front yards generally follow a purpose of invitation and accessibility. The notion behind this is that the front lawn will initially be seen by people before they enter the house and thus it should be inviting and direct the guests easily through the front door. The same however, cannot be said for the back yard. Backyard landscape Designs tend to centre on appearance and appeal for entertaining and relaxing with friends. This is the simplest reason why Backyard landscape Designs are gaining so much popularity these days.
Before you decide to take on Landscaping, you must remember that everything in this project needs careful planning and decision making. While most consider Landscaping as a way of leveling the ground, it is also another way of revamping your garden and giving it a brand new look.

Before you can commence on Backyard Landscaping or any other Landscaping for that matter, you need to do a thorough assessment. Be honest about what you see. When it comes to Backyard Landscaping, look at your home garden objectively and judge it as if it belonged to your neighbor. This exercise is encouraged above all else because it portrays Landscaping, not only as an art that requires imagination but also as a science that requires observation and data collection.

After the assessment, you are now free to choose the style that best suits your garden. The style you adopt should be based on the prior assessment that you carried out.

Many people prefer hiring landscapers to do this for them. However, if you're the kind of person who takes pride in designing his own home then here are some tips that might be of interest to you.
It is almost impossible to talk about Backyard landscape Designs without mentioning plants. In this text I will mention Designs that are friendly for all types of Backyards.

To begin with there is the Holly, Coral Bell and Yew design.This simple design easily embellishes and adds flavor to your yard. It especially has a reputation for bringing out the best features in your garden specifically the eastern side. These plants have been known to send subtle messages of warmth throughout the year and hence can be spotted flourishing in many back yards.

There are also landscape Designs for sun perennials. This design is very useful if you're looking to fill a hot sunny area of your Backyard. Many landscapers recommend it as a fun sun specialist that requires very little watering. They say it is easy to set up and will provide color from spring to fall and even into the winter.

There are also landscape Designs that are meant to hide ugly foundation walls. In Backyard Landscaping, plants have been used to create an environment of solitude and hide unwanted features such as unwanted Landscaping rocks and unpleasant foundations. Such a design uses only two plants that are perennials namely; the Burning bush and the Globe blue spruce.

The Globe blue spruce is used because it stays the same color throughout the year while the Burning bush, which is green in spring and the summer, has been known to explode and become bright red in the fall. These plants act as perfect camouflages and they obscure any areas that you may feel are unpleasant and wanting.

Lastly, there is also a landscape design for specimen plants. These Backyard landscape Designs are meant to highlight a particular tree or bush that you love. Many adopt this design for Crabapple trees and burning bushes although it can be used for any plant that you adore.

The trick with Landscaping is in your skills. Try as much as possible to become familiar with the principles of Backyard Designs and keep in mind that the style you choose will determine the level of beauty of your Backyard.

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Designing With Plants - Shape and Form

Designing with Plants using their shape or form can be an excellent way of creating structured and interesting focal points within a landscape and garden design. Some Plants have naturally interesting shapes with interesting leave patterns. Others can be pruned creating simple to interesting shapes, to contrast against adjacent wild and sprawling varieties.

Natural Shape and Form (Sculptural)

Sculptural Plants with naturally interesting and striking shapes can be best used as focal points within a garden design when used adjacent ordinary groundcovers and shrubs. Sculptural Plants can also have impressive impact within a landscape design when planted on mass over an area. The repetition of the sculptural Plants striking form can provide a strong geometric and structured design to a space. Some layout ideas are as follows: For a strong geometric pattern, plant at regular intervals based off the spread(diameter) from the centre of each plant. Keep Plants aligned as straight as possible. For a more naturalistic appearance plant in clumps spaced at similar spaces as above but this can vary. To use sculptural Plants as focal points, the use of singular specimens on their own in a smaller garden will be adequately effective but occasionally in a large garden or landscape they can fade into the background too much. To reduce this problem just minimise other planting surrounding it or add a few more so the focal point ends up being a clump.
Some examples of sculptural species are as follows:

Macrozamia communis - Burrawang
Lepidozamia peroffskyana - Scaly or pineapple zamia
Cycas revoluta - Sago Palm
Asplenium nidus - Birds Nest Fern
Doryanthes excelsa - Gymea Lily
Dicksonia antarctica - Soft Tree Fern
Xanthorrhoea spp - Grass Tree

Prune to create form

Pruning shrubs, groundcovers or even trees to shape is another option to create a feature or style a garden.

Plants should be chosen that can be shaped, hedged into simple forms that can create contrast within the garden design. Many Plants can be shaped including some Australian Native Plants. A small list of Plants has been provided below. Designing a garden where Plants are to be regularly pruned to maintain form will require a successful maintenance regime. The Plants will require pruning from early on, to start shaping and improve foliage cover over the plant. If early pruning is avoided some shrubs can become open and woody which is undesirable. There are many ways of using pruned Plants within a garden design. There is the typical formal clipped hedge garden where basically everything is clipped apart from possibly the groundcovers. Then there is the more wild and sprawling planting style with regularly clipped feature Plants formed up in shapes as focal points in the landscape design.

Some good Plants for shaping are:

Buxus microphylla - Japanese Box (Dense growing, prune to shape)
Westringia species - (Native - prune regularly as it can become woody)
Murraya paniculata - Orange Jessimine (fairly forgiving for forgetful gardeners)
Syzygium spp - Lilly Pilly (Native - Good hedging plant)
Trachelospermum jasminoides - Star Jasmine (can be grown as a climber and clipped and also as a low hedge, fast grower)
Dietes iridioides (Grass style plant - can be clipped into a ball)
Lomandra species (Native - Grass style plant - can be clipped into a ball)
Photinia species (good hedging plant)
Michellia figo (good hedging plant)
Callistemon species (Native - prune after flowering as it can become woody)
Melaleuca species (Native - prune after flowering as it can become woody)

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The Delight of a Courtyard Landscape Design

Court Yard. The very word stirs the imagination. What comes to mind when you think of a courtyard? Is it a royal garden? A secret place? A sanctuary? Even an outdoor sitting room or retreat might be imagined. If your garden or the architecture of your home includes a courtyard take advantage of this delightful feature. The Landscape Design details of your courtyard garden lend themselves to a bit more punch than the rest of your garden.

Designing a courtyard Landscape is as easy as a-b-c: Develop a Design, Designate a focal point and fill in the spaces with plants according to the scale of the garden.
Because the courtyard is such a special feature of your Landscape, the Design aspect is the most important step in your Landscape Design. Even before making Design choices it is important to research appropriate plants for your area, Designs that complement your architecture, and ideas that stem from your imagination and desire for your courtyard use. Even if you plan to install the Landscape yourself, you might want to consult a professional Landscape Designer for this phase. Unlike the rest of your garden, a courtyard must be a little more permanent, so carefully plan your courtyard Landscape Design.

Move on to the next step, Designating a focal point only after the Design has been carefully planned. When choosing the focal point for a courtyard Landscape Design, you have much more choices than simply plants. True, a beautiful fruit tree with a circular border, or a flowering weeping cherry might be exactly what your Design needs. However, you could also choose from a number of other plant Designs such as an herb garden or a mossy path leading to a quiet but beautiful sitting area. Perhaps a water feature; either a reflecting pool or a fountain, will provide the atmosphere you desire. Even a formal or informal sitting area, a grill or a comfy hammock could provide an inviting focal point. It might be a good idea to allow the expert Designer who is helping you with your plan give you suggestions about the focal point, helping you coordinate the mood of your courtyard and the scale of the space.

The final step, choosing and installing the right plants and other details to fill in the rest of the space is actually the most rewarding. It is exciting to watch everything come together and see your dream courtyard come alive. A courtyard Landscape Design provides ample opportunity to add small details or features that will coordinate, yet provide the unexpected. Perhaps a strawberry border to the edge of a flower bed, or a small bronze sculpture, or even a rock garden tucked into a corner will deliver that extra touch that makes the Design. When choosing the fill in elements of the courtyard Design, remember to select the largest plants first to anchor the Design, and then fill in with smaller. The focal point and the large plants should be carefully selected for their permanent home, but the smaller plants can be changed or moved seasonally. Don't forget to include some container plants as well that can be transported to different areas of the courtyard for different uses.

If you are a 'do-it-yourselfer,' and you plan to accomplish a lot of the digging and planting securing the help of the Landscape Designer will save you time and trouble in the long run. They will help you make sound decisions based on their training, knowledge and expertise, eliminating the risk of having to re do the work in the near future. To save money, you might even consider sharing the responsibility of your courtyard Landscape Design with a professional Landscape Designer. Whether you do the entire job yourself, or you hire a Designer, a court yard Landscape Design will bring you pleasure for many years to come.

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Designing With Plants - Foliage Colour

Designing with Plants using Foliage Colour can significantly improve the visual appearance of your landscape or garden design. Foliage Colour can be used to provide subtle or contrasting Colour variations and or provide visually aesthetic focal points that are eye catching and interesting.

When choosing Plants for Foliage Colour within your landscape design you have to be aware that some Foliage Colours might occur all year round while some might be seasonal. The seasonal Foliage Plants can be highly useful in the same way flowering Plants can be. These Plants bring a changing appearance to the landscape and are very useful for creating interest and transitional Colour year round. For example Syzygium 'Royal Flame' have green Foliage but during Spring the new growth have red tips so the whole shrub/hedge takes on a red tinge. Another example is Nyssa sylvatica, which will provide a beautiful display of bright orange and red Autumn Foliage.
Plants that hold their Colour all year round can provide interesting and contrasting Colour to a landscape design where by planting layering through groundcovers and hedges can have subtle or bold Colour differences. Singular Foliage Coloured Plants can also be used as features or focal points within a landscape design.

Green is the main Colour for Plants and is caused by Chlorophyll in the leaves which is part of the process of photosynthesis. Green is therefore an easy Colour for use as a good back drop to a landscape planting design. Tthe grey and blue greens can also be used to provide subtle changes. Other Colours can then be used to accentuate focal points, pathway nodes/ intersections, or break up the back ground of green and become accents focal points in themselves. The blue grey, silver, and green grey Foliage Plants can be used to create some interesting landscape designs especially when used in coastal gardens. Reds, yellows or orange can be used well to create highlights, i.e one feature plant.

Colour can be important in plant selection for bold and interesting landscape and garden designs.

Plants Foliage can widely vary in Colour and I was a little surprised when putting this list together how many Colours came to mind. The following are some of the Colours in that list with some Plants that are associated to the Colours;

Light to Mid Green: Plumbago, Gymea Lilies, Callistemon's, Melaleuca's

Dark Green: Clivea miniata, Spathyphilum, Iron Castor plant, Photinia, Camellias, Murraya

Yellow: Autumn Foliage of Poplar's, London Plane Trees, Foliage Colours for Durunta and some of the year of Robinia and Gleditsia tricanthos

Orange/Copper: Phormium Bronze Baby or the new Foliage for some Syzygium's

Red/ Burgundy Photinia (New Foliage), Cordyline Burgundy Spire, Pennisetum 'Rubrum'

Silver/Grey: Gazania varieties, Society Garlic

Green Grey: Westringia fruticosa,

Blue Grey: Juniperus, Festuca glauca (Blue Festcue), Themeda 'Mingo', Dianella revoluta

Variegated Foliage: Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum, Dianella Silver Streak, Mother In laws Tongue.

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The Importance and Benefits of Landscaping

Why Landscaping?

Landscaping is not only for the homes, but also for all places with green spaces. It does much than just to decorate our properties and to increase its value. Landscaping is an integral part of every culture. It plays an essential role in the grade of our environment. It has a hand in shaping our economy and our physical and psychological health. Landscaping is one of the most cost-effective tools for improving and sustaining the quality of life, whether in the city, the suburbs, or the country.

The Economic Importance of Landscaping

Landscaping can be applied by blending aesthetics with the pursuits of the economy.
Landscaping has lots to do with plants. Plants can increase tourism revenues. Tourists are willing to spend money visiting sceneries where greeneries and foliages are rich. Hotel and resort guests are willing to pay extra per nights for rooms overlooking jungle-like displays. Hotels, resorts and gardens with stylish gardens or parks tend to draw more visitors than establishments without anything green.

The horticulture and Landscaping business offer job opportunities, reason that gardeners and landscape artists are not out of work. Many residential and commercial premises are adopting the greenery, going for a park look, thus employing landscape artists to arrangement their gardens and gardeners to maintain them.

Business establishments with parks, gardens or any green place can see an increase in workers' productivity. Psychologists have found that plants and green spaces offer workers a sense of rest. Workers with more access to plants and nature tend to be more productive than workers who don't have access to plants. Moreover, the views of plants can increase job satisfaction. Employees with plants on the desks or even those with outside view of plants experience less job pressure and stress and greater job satisfaction than employees viewing man-made objects or having no outside view. Workers with greater views of plants report less headaches and other work-related illnesses too.

Landscaped establishments are unlikely to be vandalized. Landscaped areas are relatively graffiti-free while open, non-landscaped areas are easy targets for vandals.

How Landscaping Benefits to the Surroundings

Landscaping is a wonderful practice to appreciate nature. Landscaping is an art of taking care of the environment. It has many Benefits to the surroundings.

Plants protect water and air quality. Appropriate Landscaping reduces nitrite leaching from the soil into the water supply. Landscape plants, such as shrubs and turf, remove smoke, dust and other air pollutants.

Appropriate Landscaping also helps decrease soil erosion, mudslides, floods and dust storms. Plants and mulch hold soil in place, helping to keep sediments out of lakes, streams, storm drains and roads.

Landscaping can also contribute to the betterment of our natural resources. Trees can modify temperatures and protect against trees, thus reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Landscaping also help lessen noise pollution. A landscape of trees, turf grasses and shrubs absorb harsh sounds significantly better than pavement, gravel, bare ground and other hard surfaces.

Landscaping plays a large part in preserving our cultural heritage such as historical buildings, famous sites and landmarks, and other invaluable assets. In this way, Landscaping keeps a nation's spirit and soul intact.

How Landscaping Improves Lifestyles

Gardening is the healthiest and the excellent of all exercises, a great stress buster and a good way to spend time at home. Routine gardening tasks similar to mowing the lawn, weeding, raking, watering the plants and clipping the plants can measure up to the exertion rates of aerobics, jogging, cycling, push-ups and lifting weights. Want to lose weight or build muscles? Just do gardening.

Gardening has therapeutic effects for people affected by diseases and illnesses. Working with and around plants can improve level of life through psychological and physical changes. Garden helps restore the health of people who are injured, sick and stressed out, helping them to recuperate and regain their health and confidence. Some hospitals are building green spaces to aid their patients in that aspect.

Having a great landscaped garden in your residence can offer you privacy and peace of mind. Landscape plants screen out busy street noises and decrease glare from headlights. A landscaped garden is also a great spot for learning and meditation.

Finding Quality Landscaping Sydney Services

Landscaping services don't need to cost much, but finding a Landscaping Sydney service that can work around the vision of your ideal garden without compromises can be difficult. There are Landscaping companies that focus mostly on the aesthetics, but not on the essential groundwork such as irrigation, soil testing, bush fire prevention, and greenery maintenance. The initial thing you should look for in a Landscaping service is not the rates but the services it offers.

There are numerous ways to go about using a Landscaping Sydney service. You just have to know what's available for you.

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Landscaping With Roses

Landscaping and the use of Roses is one way to add color and beauty to any yard. Part of the Landscaping plans should include Roses of some kind to blend in with you other Landscaping plants and flowers.

The long blooming Roses that are available today are very good to include with other Landscaping plants because of the longer lasting bloom and they are easy to maintain. The small, compact rose bushes make beautiful container plants and brighten up a walkway. A good ground cover is the low spreading rose. The tall variety of Roses can be planted three to four feet apart to form a border hedge and climbing Roses are good on fences or trellises.
You can hide the foundation of your house and at the same time add a little color by planting rose bushes completely around the house. If you plant them in a group of about five plants it can add texture and color to the area. You can also plant rose bushes to hide the problem areas of your yard. Just plant a few rose bushes or climbing Roses around your eyesores and in a few months they will have grown enough to produce beautiful flowers and to hide the problem.

Fences can be created by planting Roses. You can create privacy fences by using climbing Roses with trellises; a small circular fence using Roses is good for designating an area for reading or meditating. Dramatic effects can be attained by using combinations of yellow and red Roses together or even your pinks and dark blues. You can change to another atmosphere by using red Roses along with different shades of red in a different flower such as a geranium. Your choices are endless, it all depends on what mood you want to create.

Gardening for nature is probably the best way to create your Landscaping. You can have a wildlife habitat in your garden by planting Landscaping rose bushes. Roses provide shelter and food for many types of wildlife and the thorns on the bushes keeps away the predators. The rose hips keep the animals and birds fed during the winter months. If Roses are planted in a container on your patio or deck you can observe the wildlife even closer. It will not only attract the wildlife but will also liven up the patio with added color and fragrance.

You can also replace your annuals with rose buxhes. For all seasons, every year, a beautiful change would be a mass planting of bush Roses. So why go through the planting of impatiens, geraniums, and snapdragons every year? Choose the colors of Roses that can show off the perennials. If you have a white fence in the backyard you can plant shades of orange and yellow to liven it up. Some bright red Roses against a block wall or stone wall will make a lovely backdrop.

Companion plants such as blue cornflowers along with violet heliotrope will work nicely with yellow, pink, and white Roses. You can plant a rose bush tree in a container to place on the deck or patio. There is always room in any Landscaping for Roses such as bushes, trees, or climbers.

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Landscape Garden Design – The Difference between a Good Garden and a Great One

A Garden can be a thing of beauty: provided a little care and attention goes into its creation. That's where Landscape Garden Designs come into play – the difference between creating a Garden in a considered fashion and just letting things grow. With a little forward thought and planning, any outside space can become a glorious addition to house or home.

The difference between a planned Garden, or a properly planned Garden, and a non planned Garden, is this: when you plan, you are able to give a natural effect much better than if you just throw things together and hope for the best. That's because a Garden is a defined space, usually bordered by a hedge or a fence. Nature is undefined, and so looks "right" when things just grow where they fall: a Garden, which is humanity's attempt at capturing nature in an easy to swallow format, only really looks correct if it has been planned in advance. Landscape Garden Design, which produces a sensible plan for every part of a Garden, so all its elements can be considered as a flowing whole, allow homeowners to reproduce nature in miniature without the end results appearing too haphazard or confusing.
Let's consider, for a moment, the natural world. The way it works and the appearances it presents – all of which we try to replicate in an intelligible way when we Design and plan Gardens. In the natural world, everything growing in a certain area "looks" right together. This is because all of those plants and Landscape features are correct for the place in question. Sand, stone and cacti for a desert, for example – deciduous trees, shrubs and low lying fern cover for woodland. The thing about Gardens, which is why we use Landscape Garden Designs to get them right, is that they try and draw in all sorts of plants and effects from various natural Landscape types and areas of the world. Without forward planning, throwing that little lot together is going to result in nothing more nor less than a big mess. Designing a Garden, with the help of professional Landscape Garden Designers (British run 4 Winds is a good example here), allows a homeowner to replicate the effects of disparate areas of the natural world without having the whole finished article look thrown together or peculiar.

Landscape Garden Designs allow one to use colour, seasonality and growth rate to create an ever changing, ever growing living picture. Because it has been Designed according to the in depth knowledge and experience of a professional, a Landscaped Garden looks just right during every season of the year – there's never too much or too little going on and everything, from the choice of plants to the size and shape of the lawn or patio areas. That means that one can choose one's favourite aspects of the natural world (which can be as exotic or as homely as one's own preferences) and reproduce them in a controlled way.

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Collecting Wild Plants For the Landscape

When a gardener asks me how to collect Plants in the wild I'm apt to say "Don't do it."

This answer is not prompted by any view of conservation, but one of dollars and cents and labor.

Just figure it out for yourself. For one, or a few Plants you drive 20 rough miles into the mountains (40 miles round trip at.75 cents per mile). Then there is the problem of lugging tools and wet sacks a half mile to the location of the Plants. Then comes the digging of the plant or Plants (why do the "selected" ones always grow among rocks?) After the Plants are burlapped comes the time to carry them (35 pounds or more) back the half mile to the car. After a hurried trip home the Plants are planted and watered. Somehow they always look much more scraggly when they are out in the open. What is the result? A 50-30% chance that the scraggly plant or Plants will survive.
I don't like the odds.

As for me, I'll go to a good nursery and pay 10 to 15 dollars for a well-shaped plant growing on a pruned and active root system. It's already dug, so all I do is take it home and plant it. The odds? About 95 to 5 that it will never show that it has been moved.

For all usual cases that is still my answer.

Those Rare Plants

There are unusual cases where Collecting is worth the trouble, however. If you find a special plant, one with unusually large or colorful bloom, better foliage or something of the sort, it may be worthwhile to bring it into your garden for further observation.

The only catch is that of the chance of losing the plant in transplanting it. With rare Plants you just can't afford. 50-50 odds.

Here is a trick for juggling the odds in your favor.

When you have selected your plant, decide how large a ball of earth you should lift with it to give it a good chance of coming through if it has a good root system. Don't forget that a wild plant almost always has so wide ranging a system of roots that you can't hope to collect more than a small fraction of it.

Now draw a circle of the selected diameter around the plant. Mark the quadrants of the circle. Now dig a trench around two opposing quadrants. Make the sides straight down to the full depth of the future ball, cutting all roots cleanly.

The trench need be only as wide as the digging tool.

Now fill the trench with a light, fluffy mixture of compost ("forest duff") and a little soil.

If you do this in October or November you can then relax until Mareh: Then return and repeat the operation for the other two quadrants.

At the next planting season you can ball this plant, working from the outer edge of the trench. Your plant will have formed a multitude of fine feeding roots in the light back-fill in the trench.

Under such circumstances you should hardly lose a plant in a hundred.

Did I hear you say "That's hard work?"

It certainly is. I'm sure you will agree that it is too much for any ordinary plant.

Of course, if your plant is as unusual as you think it is, it's worth it. If not, be lazy like I am. Just let your nurseryman do the work. It's cheaper really, and it surely saves a lot of spade work.

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Advantages of Teak Patio Furniture Over Other Material

Snow was all over the place few weeks ago, and now when I see up towards clean blue sky, I could not wait to celebrate and enjoy my outdoors. Spring is here and it is time to prepare my outdoor Patio, look after my flowers and above all look for a good set of Patio Furniture. When looking in my garage for outdoor chairs and table and deep seating I saw some have been replaced and others needed some repairs. I did not want to spend all my time fixing these chairs but would rather be enjoying my summers on my bayview Patio Teak relaxing chair. I call it bayview Patio because my Patio faces towards the Hudson bay. I spoke to my wife that this is the time make the decisions to choose the right wood Furniture before you call family and friends and a long-awaited barbecue.
After some research I came to the decision that if you want to get outdoor Furniture, you got to consider Patio Furniture made of Indonesian Teak wood as there is no need to replace it within foreseeable future. I know what goes to your mind - it is too expensive for me. I did some research on that too which I will share with you later.

One of the obvious reasons I would choose the Teak wood is due to its natural warm feeling and characteristics of the wood itself. Teak wood is resistive to insects and all weather conditions it is exposed to. Teak is a tropical wood that can withstand a wide variety of uses. Sun, rain, snow humidity has no effect on it. Teak is hard timber and rich in Teak oil. This makes it stand against any weather conditions without being warped or cracked. Due to outstanding properties to stand water, Teak has been used for boat and other marine related products for many centuries. Teak wood also helps the Furniture maintain its appearance and functionality, regardless of temperature and humidity.

These days, there is a wide selection of Teak chairs, outdoor tables available online for customers. So you basically can find any style of Teak outdoor Furniture depending upon your life style. From Classic to Contemporary and in between designs are just few clicks away. With durable Sunbrella Sunsetcushions in your choice of color you can give your backyard an inviting place to enjoy with family and friends.

Now back to the point how to get quality reasonably priced Teak outdoor Furniture. First try to buy out of season, during winter season Patio Furniture retailers would be more willing to offer better prices compared to that in summer months. Due to strong competition among online retailers they are willing to make better deals compared to your local Furniture store. Last but not least, Teak Furniture would normally last 4 to 5 time longer than Patio Furniture made with any other material that includes metals, so over the long run it would be cheaper to buy Teak Furniture for your outdoors.

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Shaded Landscaping Plants - Choosing the Right Plants for Your Garden

When it comes to Gardening, wouldn't it be nice to be able to control the weather? Even though that's obviously not possible, there are things you can do to get your Plants the proper amount of sun and shade. It's important to choose the correct Plants for each type of area.

Some Plants grow best in full sun, others do better in partial shade, and there are even Plants that will thrive in constant shade. Take this into consideration when choosing Plants for each of your activity zones. Knowing what kind of shade each area has will help you make the right decisions.

A 'full sun area' is, of course, an area that receives sun all day. This means from 6-12 hours or more during the summer. This will vary depending on your geographic location.
An area that receives plenty of light, although not directly, is referred to as 'partial sun' or 'partial shade'. Examples of this are areas that are covered, such as, under awnings, or large thick trees.

All of the light these areas receive is reflected light, and is usually sufficient for most Plants. There is a significant energy loss when light is reflected off of different surfaces. The Plants that do well in these areas are uniquely suited for this amount of energy and will remain healthy with no drying or burning. There is usually plenty of light and heat for keeping the soil warm and promoting photosynthesis.

'Full shade', then, is obviously an area that doesn't even receive indirect sunlight. The light that reaches these areas has been reflected several times, causing it to loose most of it's energy. It doesn't leave the area in total darkness, but it is quite dim. The result is very little of the suns energy for the plant, and cool soil.

Ground cover Plants will do quite well in full shade, but most flowering Plants will not be able to survive in these conditions. A good example of the type of plant that grows well in full shade is moss. Think of how much moss you would see in a heavily shaded forest. The conditions are cool and moist, and are home to various types of fungi, such as wild mushrooms as well as moss.

Many flowering Plants will thrive in partial shade. In addition to 1-2 hours of direct sunlight per day, there are also several hours of reflected light. Usually the direct sunlight these areas receive will not be the most intense of the day.

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Looking for just the right landscaping plant?

Finding the perfect landscaping plant is not such an easy job. There are so many different plants for you to choose from and each will have its own special ways that make is a great find for your yard. You can choose any kind of landscaping plant that will compliment your particular yard, just make sure that the landscaping plant that you choose can live in your climate. Not all landscaping plants can thrive in all areas so talk to your local plant specialist. The place where you usually get your plants may be able to help you with your selection of landscaping plant.

There are many different kinds of landscaping plants for you to choose from and some of the best ones are the ones that you would normally never think of. For example if you want to have a gorgeous border you can use sage plants. This is the perfect landscaping plant for any home especially yours. You can do so much with this great landscaping plant. Not only can you make wonderful borders with it you can also add them to pretty herb gardens.
What makes herb gardens to fun is that they are not only pretty to look at they are also practical. You can use all of the herbs that you grow as a landscaping plant in your cooking. Cooking with herbs is such a wonderful bonus to having a gorgeous landscaping plant.

When you are looking for a landscaping plant you will also need to take into consideration what time of year it happens to be. You cannot usually go into a gardening store looking for a landscaping plant in the middle of winter and find a summer bloom. Your shopping will have to be at least a little seasonal. Your landscaping plant, some of them anyway, will have to be purchased at certain times of the year.

You can find a landscaping plant that is annual or one that is perennial. An annual landscaping plant will need to be bought and purchased anew each year where as a perennial landscaping plant will grow back each year on its own. Some perennial plants like tulips for instance will double in number each year if left alone. When there gets to be too many in one spot of this kind of landscaping plant you can simply dig down and split some of them up and plant them elsewhere.

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Using Garden Design Software to Maintain a Summer Garden

A Garden is always a lovely way to brighten or update any home's landscape. However, it can be overwhelming to plan and maintain a Garden. First, one must decide not only what they wish to plant, but also consider many factors such as climate, light, and water needs to determine which plants will do well throughout the year. Then decisions on the location of the Garden and how it will be laid out must be made. Using Garden Design.Software, you can design a fantastic Garden for your home. Typically easy-to-use and full of great features, a home Design.Software can take much of the guesswork out of the task, making it enjoyable from start to finish.
A Garden Design.Software will give you access to an extensive plant encyclopedia, making it a breeze to figure out which plants will flourish in your Garden. Whether your Garden will hold flowers, herbs, vegetables, or fruits, with a click of a button you will find volumes of information at your fingertips on thousands of plants, pinpointing specific details about each plant's light and water needs and soil and climate requirements. There is even access to information about groundcover such as specific grasses and shrubbery, allowing you to customize every bit of space exactly how you like.

Once you've chosen your plants, it can be a difficult task to figure out exactly where in your yard the Garden should be, and how to arrange it. Size and dimension, as well as deciding the best spots for natural light and irrigation, become other factors to consider in planning a Garden. With the help of Design.Software, you can actually scan digital photos of your yard and landscape to visualize the exact look of your Garden. As your Garden grows through the seasons, there are options to update your photos and maintain your space based on each plant's growth. You can even take a panoramic, three-dimensional tour of your yard to see how it changes season to season.

Using Design.Software is also helpful in deciding whether or not to add additional elements such as a sprinkler irrigation system or lighting. You can plan these additions by deciding the sort of sprinklers to add and even customize the range and location of water spray to ensure your plants receive the correct amount of water. You can customize pathways throughout your Garden, as well as set up lighting along those pathways, or simply highlight various portions with direct spotlights.

Why hire a professional landscaper to design the Garden of your dreams? By utilizing a user-friendly Garden Design.Software, you can get precisely the Garden you envision while taking pride in the fact that it was one-hundred percent designed by you, and continue to enjoy and add to your Garden year after year.

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Tips For Designing an Awkwardly-Shaped Vegetable Garden

When Designing and starting a vegetable Garden in any urban setting it can be an awkward yet rewarding experience. Urban Garden enthusiasts have several issues to consider during the planning stage. First and foremost consider the aesthetic value of adding a vegetable Garden to any area. There are many plants that will present a charming and surprising twist in your green space. They are well worth any challenge they may present. I also caution you there are a few plants that will not blend in with others. This is not to say they should not be allowed in your Garden, it's just they are more challenging to convince others that they are viewing an edible arrangement incorporated into the landscape. Most people visualize a vegetable Garden as a dirt field like a farm, rows of produce growing in exposed dirt. I agree that cabbage and corn fields can be considered shabby and not chic. With planning and cooperation from the weather you too can be on the way to a healthy harvest.
My method is to incorporate vegetables into the urban environment. A well planned vegetable Garden can coexist with any landscape. There are "four s' to Gardening" to consider when planning a Garden. First is the setting or set design, which includes the actual space versus the size and shape of plant being used. Second is the soil this will determine if you should plant in the soil or in containers. Third is sun, I know most Gardeners feel this is the most important element. Fourth is saturation, this is the ability of plants to get as much natural water as possible and using as little tap water as possible.

When planning your set design, there are two basic types of upright plants and two types of vine plants. For example; when adding vegetables to a landscaped bed of flowers and shrubs I suggest shorter bushy type plant such as peppers and herbs. They blend in well as a border plant. Even crops such as spinach and leaf lettuce works well with taller landscape shrubs. Taller stalk type plants such as Okra, Corn and even Sugar Cane works better planted in clusters along side thicker clusters of taller plants such as Ginger, Sunflowers, Larkspur or Hollyhocks. There are two types of vine plants that can be incorporated into the landscape. Growing trailing vines such as Tomatoes Peas, Beans and Cucumbers can make an attractive accent on an ordinary chain link fence, trellis or post on a patio deck. The addition of blooming vines such as Coral Vine, Morning Glory or Sweet Peas will add beauty to your climbing vegetable plants. Vines that run along the ground such as Melons, Eggplants, Squash, Bush Beans and Sweet Potatoes can be beautifully accented with flowering border plants like zinnia, marigolds, Geraniums and others.

Second consideration is the soil condition. In Houston Texas we have this hard clay like soil called "Gumbo". It's hard to work, the texture is similar to a soft plastic material, soil additives are needed to make the ground productive. Another unfriendly soil condition is massive tree roots. This is one of the points when you should consider container Gardening as an option. The other time to look at containers or raised flower beds is when you are surrounded by concrete.

The third consideration is sun. Most vegetables need a full day of sun but they will produce in lightly shaded locations with a few hours of sunlight. Outdoors security lights can be an added benefit to plants that are lacking natural daylight.

The fourth consideration I call saturation or natural watering. If you want to see a vegetable plant flourish to its' fullest extent, place it where it has a source of morning dew such as the drip line of the roof or where it can get the added benefit of runoff from the rain water.

Vegetable Gardening is the most responsible way of going green and it doesn't have to take a major investment of space. I purposely omitted organic Gardening Tips, which offer the best health benefit. My suggestion to first time and novice is to consult your local Garden center for advice on controlling weeds and insects, especially in the south. Organic Gardeners can add some wonderful Tips to control insects and feeding the soil, but you must be able to invest the time to work the program and dedicate valuable urban space for composting.

Bryan Gathright expertise in green living home design is a result of his blended background in commercial art, industrial arts, landscape design, special events coordinations, public relations and a degree in Ornamental Horticulture into a floral & event company in Houston, Texas. He's done programs for many groups over his career. Garden clubs, professional florist organizations, universities, community groups and churches. With over 35 years of experience in the flower industry, Bryan has a vast wealth of knowledge that he is willing to share with those who are interested in event decorating. For more information and to see photographs of my work visit me at my website.

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How Landscaping Increases Home Value

The right Landscaping choices can increase the value of your property by tens of thousands of dollars. In fact, Landscaping is one of the few improvements that you can make to your property that will increase the value immediately, but also the value will continue to increase as time goes by. Interior design and décor may go out of style over time and mechanical systems will begin to wear out, but plants will only continue to grow more robust and full year after year.

Horticultural research indicates that a property that is well landscaped has a considerable price advantage over those that do not have any Landscaping. In some cases, the difference was as much as 12%, which translates into an additional $36,000 in value on a property valued at $300,000.

Landscaping is more than simply sticking a few shrubs and flowers in the ground. The primary attraction for people interested in purchasing a Home is Landscaping with a sophisticated design. Plant size and maturity run a close second. Finally, the diversity of plants within the design is also something to consider.
The number one mistake that many Homeowners make is not creating a comprehensible plan for their landscape design. A Homeowner may decide that they want to plant a tree on the property, and then later on a few years down the road they want to add a couple of flower beds, then perhaps a shrub or two and them maybe even another tree.

However, a landscape design that is assembled in this piecemeal manner will appear disorganized, turning off prospective buyers. Therefore, it is crucial to come up with a good plan before you take the first step in Landscaping.

A long-term Landscaping plan is ideal if you are planning to remain in your Home for a while. If you intend to sell the property within the next year, you will want to take a number of steps immediately in order to dress up the landscape and increase the selling price.

If you do not have the money, or if you are just not willing to spend it to hire a professional Landscaping company to architect and construct the project, all is not lost. You can at least draw up a master plan for the Landscaping project on your property and commit to small chunks each season. Even if you are nothing more than a mere amateur, it is possible for you to create a professional landscape on your property for as little as $500 to $3,000 depending on the on Landscaping company, plants and materials you choose for your project.

Once your beautiful landscape is in place, all you have to do is keep it maintained. A landscape that is full with lush, mature plants lets prospective buyers know that the property has been taken care of well over the years. Proper landscape maintenance shows how well you care for your Home on the outside, and signals to people that the Home is also well maintained on the inside. This may attract more potential buyers should you ever decide to sell your Home.

The Minneapolis, MN housing market has been hit hard by the recession. Quality Landscaping and lawn care delivers a fantastic opportunity to make your Home stand-out from the crowd. Minneapolis-area residents can learn more about increasing their Home value through Minneapolis Landscaping and lawn care services from KG Landscape Management. You may contact KG Landscape Management at 612-669-9607 or stop by our office at 999 50th Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55421

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Principles of Landscape Design

If you've decided to Design your own outdoor space, you have a lot of decisions to make like choosing plants, Designing features, and working around existing features. However, if you take the time to understand these basic Design Principles, Designing your new garden will be a breeze. When Designing your garden, you want to think about the type, height, texture, and color of your plants, which are often called elements of Landscape Design. Other elements of Landscape Design might be garden décor or natural features like rocks and boulders
Balance Perhaps the most important principle of Landscape Design is balance. Balance in Design is a sense of equality to all the elements of your garden. There are two types of balance in Landscape Design: symmetrical and asymmetrical. In symmetrical balance, all elements of garden Design are matched and more or less equally spaced. Both sides of the garden can share similar shapes, heights, form, groupings, bed shapes, theme, or color. On the other hand, asymmetrical balance in Landscape Design is somewhat more complex. When a garden is Designed asymmetrically, elements may be repeated, but other elements like plant grouping or height are more free form. This type of Landscape Design uses contrast to highlight interesting plant combinations or shapes.

Unity Unity is another principle of Landscape Design. The term unity refers to consistency and repetition in Design, where like elements are repeated throughout the Landscape and the elements fit together to create a unified whole. One way to create unity in your Design is by creating a theme for your garden. Think about things you are passionate about, and pick garden décor that fits with that theme. If you think frogs are cute, you can find many garden décor items like statues, ornaments, or fountains with frogs on them. These themed décor items will give your garden unity, and create focal points within the Design.

Simplicity It's easy to get carried away when Designing a garden, but keep in mind the Design principle simplicity. For a beginner, simplicity is a great principle to follow because it allows you to keep things simple. If you start simple, you can always add more later. Simplicity in Landscape Design means picking two or three colors for flowers or keeping décor within your theme.

Proportion This element of Landscape Design refers to the size of elements like plants, décor, and rocks in relation to each other. For example, if you are planning a small backyard garden, you might not want a twelve foot tall fountain in the center. A small waterfall might be more in proportion to the shrubs and flowers you will plant. The key to getting proportion right is keeping in mind the relationships between the height, width, and depths of elements in your garden.

With these basic Principles, you don't have to be a professional Landscape architect to create a garden that is pleasing to the eye. Designing a garden can be a great way to unleash your creativity using nature's beauty.

Do you have more Orlando Landscape Design questions? Call Ground Source Landscaping at 321-231-5961 to get your questions answered or to get a free quote on your home's project. Talk to the Orlando Sod experts today!
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Landscaping - Tree, Shrub, and Flower Planting and Care

Many people do not see the benefits and affordability in adding shrubbery, Flower plants, and trees to their Landscaping. Having a well kept and diverse yard can make your home more appealing, and can make it more enjoyable for the family to spend time outside. There are many different layouts and designs that can be made for your landscape, so if you talk to a professional company, they will draw you up something that will go along with your budget and lifestyle.

Imagine all of the vast selection of plant life available for your yard. All the different characteristics these plants can bring to a yard can add character and liven things up. The same thing goes for Flowers. Flowers will bring rays of color into a yard, and can break up the monotony of the same typical plants lined up along each other. Creating a entirely different landscape by Planting new trees, shrubbery, and Flowers will thoroughly change the outside of your home.
One major benefit from Planting trees is to block the sun at certain times of the day. If you want more shade around your house, what else would be better than Planting a large tree to block the sun? Trees can also act as a fence of sort, which provides privacy while you are in your yard. Planting Flowers can help clean the air around your home, and can put off a soothing aroma in your yard, which makes it more desirable to go outside. Adding beautiful shrubbery and Flowers around your house, and redesigning your entire landscape, will add to the value of your home, which is something everyone could use in today's market. Trees can even act as a wind buffer in some areas, making landscape design having useful benefits. Trees provide a cool area in the yard in sun to stand under, or a clever place to build a tire swing or tree-house.

There is a Landscaping plan for any budget and for any size yard. Professional landscapers are able to draw up a designs and give free estimates to help you find your ideal Landscaping vision. When it comes to having individuality for your property, adding a row of shrubs, Flowers, or Planting a tree can be the perfect decision. Plant life can make a neighborhood feel homey and change the entire look of the area.
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Landscaping Design - How to Avoid a Kitsch Landscape

You can create a chic Landscape without turning it into a Design disaster. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, "kitsch" is defined as "sentimentality or vulgar, often pretentious bad taste, especially in the arts." Applying this term to the Landscape can be quite different. It could imply specific garden elements unnecessary in the Landscape or a plant species variety that is too dominant. Whatever the reasoning, here are a few tips to keep your garden looking unique without being kitsch.

Simplify the Landscape. Consider how you would like the space to be utilized. Will there be spaces for entertaining guests, family gatherings, play areas for kids and pets, etc.? You may also want to xeriscape gardens or maintain specific plant varieties native to your region. Too much of a good thing can turn your Landscape into a nightmare. Keep garden spaces simple and allow room for plants to mature. Gnomes and glass objects may be "fun" for some gardens, but distracts from the original purpose of a garden. Redefining the space will further clarify what plants will grow best in a thriving Landscape.
Choose quality materials. Select hardscape or groundcover materials that maintain a sleek Design and contrast that will compliment plant choices. Consider changing your patio furniture with new materials. Use green materials such as eco-friendly decking or wood materials such as ipe wood that last awhile in harsh environmental conditions. De-clutter your Landscape of unused materials or objects that you may have picked up along the way, but really serve no purpose in your yard.

Plants with quality and contrast. Choose plants that will provide seasonal interest. They should also have a unique edge such as color, texture, or form. Make sure there is enough variety without choosing plants that clash. Keep plantings that will compliment one another, throughout the Landscape.

Lighting. This is one element many homeowners tend to neglect. The right lighting can add a certain ambiance, while naturally enhancing the form and structure of your Landscape and plant material. Lighting around walkways, specimen trees, water features, and in tree trunks may be considered.

Placing materials. Try something different besides foundation plants surrounding your house or property line. You can still maintain privacy with fencing, hardscape materials, and choosing plant species with the right height, texture, form, and color for your Landscape. Consulting your local Landscape Design expert or nursery may also answer your questions regarding new materials as well as detailed Design and installation options.
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3 Common Landscape Design Mistakes - Thinking Like a Residential Landscape Designer

Home Landscape Designs have greatly transformed over the years. With the popularization of hardscaping, backyard Landscapes can be taken to all new levels. Unfortunately, whether homeowners are pursuing small or large scale Landscape projects, many of them are making the same common landscaping Mistakes. When creating your next Landscape, avoid these 3 common landscaping Mistakes.

How To Choose The Right Plants

First of all, never choose your plants based on looks alone. You don't want to choose plants that need a lot of direct sunlight and then place them in an area that actually gets a lot of shade or filtered light. The first thing you need to think about is your landscaping environment. You should choose plants that will thrive in your specific environment. Consider the temperature in your region, the type of soil in your yard, and the relative amount of shade or sunlight each area of your yard receives. If you are creating a desert Landscape Design, for example, you should choose plants that love the sun and plants that are drought proof. In regard to plant placement, also remember to research plants to see how much space they need and how large they grow so that you can plant your Landscape Designs accordingly.
Cutting Back On Grass

Perhaps 50 years ago it was okay to have a large yard full of nothing but grass. Well kept grass was a vibrant achievement of the proud homeowner. But today, people like to have more character in their yards. Mix it up with flowers, shrubs, trees, and vines. Even if you don't want to create an entire hardscape Design, adding just a few hardscape elements can improve the look of a Landscape Design as well. An added tip when it comes to grass is not to cut it too short. This may cause bald spots which can be more susceptible to disease and insects.

Focal Points & Diversity

Today, homeowners want their Landscape Designs to look beautiful year round. To avoid having a barren lawn during certain seasons it is important to choose a variety of different plants that thrive at different times of the year. Many people also neglect to include focal points in their Landscape Designs. Focal points are important because they add power and majesty to the look of your Landscape and they immediately draw in eyes to the best parts of your Design. When choosing focal points be sure to pick plants that will look beautiful year round. You can also use hardscape elements as focal points. One example of a focal point might include using a stone stairway in your backyard that leads to a gorgeous pagoda. In many desert Landscape Designs, homeowners cover their entire yards with cacti. Instead of doing this, the homeowners can create a focal point using one or two large, majestic cacti, and then use other desert plants like colorful perennial flowers in other sections of the Landscape Design.

Whether you will creating a Landscape that is big or small, remember that you can always consult with a residential Landscape Designer. They can offer you professional advice about your desert Landscape Designs, as well as various other landscaping Designs.
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New Look Landscape Garden Designs in Time for a Fresh British Summer

As summer starts to approach, slowly but inexorably peeking its leaves and shoots out of the branches of trees that have lain bare all winter, the nation's home owners start thinking about their Gardens and outside spaces again. Now is the time of year to think about overhauling – to get Landscape Garden Designs created and in place before planting time is gone.

With plenty of UK families now staying put, enjoying the benefits of their current surroundings rather than moving on in search of new ones, there are more Garden overhauls going on than there used to be. That means plenty of inspirati0on and plenty of encouragement: so if your Garden is looking a little tired, it's time to get out and have a look at what you could have.
A Garden, like a room, could and should be an extension of your lifestyle – your habits, your hobbies, your obsessions – even places you have been to and loved. If you've had a life changing experience travelling the world, or doing voluntary work somewhere, there's no reason why you can't have a set of Landscape Garden Designs drawn up to incorporate some of the atmosphere of the countries you have been to in the layout of your Garden. Try introducing a Japanese feel with cherry trees and smooth gravel spaces: or how about recreating an Italian rose Garden along the driveway?

The possibilities for Landscape Garden design in the UK are pretty much limitless – your only controlling factors are the amount of space available to you, and your budget. If you talk to an experience Garden design company you should quickly discover that even your wildest dreams can come true, providing you have the room to house them all.

Landscape Garden Designs, for example, don't just have to be about arranging lawns and flower beds in a pleasing fashion. You can choose to dispense with a lawn and Landscape your Garden spaces with paving slabs, or rocks, or gravel – giving you an easy to maintain space offset by some wonderfully exotic pot plants.

If relaxation is your thing, don't overlook the possibilities that the private outdoor space of a Garden can offer. If you've always wanted a hot tub, for example, but have no room in the house for one – have a hot tub deck built in a secluded nook of your Garden. With some strategically arranged plantings around it, your Landscape Garden Designs could be helping you to enjoy some soft evenings under the stars with a bottle of champagne and some Garden candles giving you the right atmosphere.

Your Garden can, and should, be whatever you want it to be. Take the time to really enjoy it this year: look around you for inspiration, and then talk to your local Landscape Garden company about turning your own lifestyle into the perfect outdoor retreat. With no limitations beyond your own imagination, your new Landscape Garden Designs could be that last ingredient you need to make your house into the home you have always wanted.
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Landscape symbols - shorthand for plant and design

Creating your personal dream theme using beautiful sexy patio Chairs and Outdoor furniture...

Patio, pool or Garden spaces are a pleasant way for family and friends to unwind. You will want to show off your special Garden theme that is romantic and sexy, or a patio theme that is bright and colorful for any spring and summer event. Patio and Garden themes are very popular and can be done on a low, medium or higher budget. Can you see yourself showing off that special patio or Garden theme with bright rich colors and fancy theme style cushions, maybe a romantic red color for your patio Chairs, or choose a color of choice to create your personal dream theme that will last for years?
With the average household size declining to 2.5 persons (and continuing to fall), it is likely that demand for smaller dwellings within close proximity to major capital city CBD will continue to rise significantly - and will become especially favoured over the large 'Mansions' in outer suburban areas.

Any fruit is good to plan the result of a Landscape. It 's also a leader of a plan of your card orchard brought before starting to work as carpenters, plumbers and electricians, a project intending to build a house that is. Since few of us have ever occurred with a Landscape plan in our daily life is for us to discuss in detail the methods of manufacture and use shouldone.

A Landscape plan does not want to wait artistic skills. All you need is the right tool for measuring and drawing, and mathematical intelligence equally victims of objects of various sizes at a fraction of their size.

Drawing instruments

The instrument needed to make a good Landscape plan shall include: drawing table (or flat panel), T-square, two triangles (grades 45 and 60), protractor, compass, tape measure, scale (or ruler), pencil, eraser, tape adhesive and traceabilityPaper.

Symbols Landscaping

symbols are used in the production of Landscape plans Landscape design. They are easy to learn, understand and interpret. Six Figures in many books used in Landscape design. Come completely familiar with this Landscape of shorthand and you will find that insight and production plans Landscape design is not difficult.

A few minutes of practice (call it "doodling"), you get to the point where this Landscape design termsis easy and fun. The next step is to learn to look at a simple plot plan of existing buildings, walks, driveways, trees, rocks, gorges, hills, fences, etc. that could be seen.

Field Notes

This task can be divided into two parts or stages. The first is to take field notes in the form of sketches and real sizes and descriptions. The second step is to transfer your areaNotes on drawing paper in a legal and acceptable standards. What you get is comparable to a fully labeled picture above taken directly from the site. You need to plan farranging first sight the Landscape design of the place to start working.

In the Notes field is much easier when you have a copy of the house models are available. This should be one of the first things that you collect from your architect or builder that the house will be sold. If youPurchase by a former owner to ask if he has plans, for it was to come, as the home of your property and you can have an indoor house plants pictures you put in your plants.

They are still well off if you collect an official plan of the property with the location of the house marked by the surveyor. Always try to get a plan will save you many hours of work on site. If not available, the following procedures offered as a wayCutting this work to a minimum. It 's the result of very very few years of practical experience.

Unpack for yourself why so many people worried about shooting indoor house plants. Visit our growing collection of plants care.com.
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Tropical Backyard Landscaping - Creating An Exotic Backyard Resort Even If You Don't Live in Florida

Tropical resorts in the Islands represent some of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. Every year millions of busy, over-stressed people choose to spend their precious vacation time unwinding at tropical locales. Why? What makes these places so irresistible? Could it be the lifestyle ideal they represent, a setting where the pressures of everyday life can just be forgotten, replaced by an attitude of contentment, tranquility, and overall well-being. This slower, more laidback attitude is fueled in no small part by the natural beauty that surrounds you at tropical Island locations.

If something has such a positive effect on your attitude and outlook, why should you settle for experiencing it only once a year during vacation? What if it were possible to create a little piece of that Island allure in your everyday life?

While you may not have an ocean handy, you absolutely can create a beautiful, tropical resort style setting right in your own Backyard. It's not only possible, it's a lot of fun. And, guess what? It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. With a little creativity, education and guidance, you can turn your boring Backyard landscape into your own exotic, tropical Backyard Resort.

What is a Tropical Look Anyway?

Tropical landscapes are by their very nature very informal. To create your Backyard Resort, your Backyard landscape will capture the wild and untamed mood of a natural tropical landscape. This mood can't be captured with the boring, straight-line plantings of overly manicured shrubs that are so common in residential landscapes. The tropically-inspired garden will be much more casual, with seemingly randomized patterns of trees, shrubs, and foliage.

The exotic, tropical look of your Backyard resort will be achieved by combining a wide variety of shapes, forms, colors, and textures. Banana plants with their large dramatic leaves, beautiful foliage plants like coleus and gingers, open and airy ornamental grasses, beautiful climbing vines, and tropical blooming plants all have a place. What may surprise you is that there is also a place for many of our more cold-hardy and traditional landscape plants. Uniformity and normality are out; randomness and whimsy are in.

So, How do You do It?

If you were lucky enough to live in South Florida or on one of the islands, you probably wouldn't be reading this to begin with. You would have a year round growing season with no fear of freezing temperatures, and you could grow whatever you wanted. For most of us, that is not reality so we're going to have to get creative if we want to create that exotic, tropical Backyard landscape, our very own little tropical escape.

The approach we'll use is very simple. We'll create our Backyard resort by combining exotic tropical plants with well-adapted plants that either look tropical or look good in a tropical setting. The trick is to learn what plants and how to combine them to create that exotic, tropical look. We're going to use a simple layering approach.

At a high level, here's what we're going to do: create a solid foundation, create the tropical landscape effect, and add the finishing touches.

Creating a Solid Foundation

The good news is that this may start with what you already have. Here, we're going to use things that are reliably winter hardy. This is the skeleton for your Backyard resort and we want it strong. Large trees, evergreen shrubs and small understory trees, and perennials that return year after year will set your foundation. This is completely specific to your area.

Anything with big, deep green leaves can work, and all the better if it is evergreen. Another great foundation plant is ornamental grasses. They seem to add a care-free feel to the landscape as they move with the wind. You should be able to find several that are adapted to your area. Finally, try to find some color for the foundation. Any shrub or tree that flowers and is well adapted to your area can work.

Remember, the idea here is to set that permanent foundation. We want to use things that are reliable in your area, and will not succumb to winter cold.

Create the Tropical Landscape Effect

Now that you have a foundation, or backdrop, it is time to add the tropical effect plants to turn that normal Backyard or swimming pool landscape into your own tropical paradise. Here, you may use true tropical plants that have to be treated as annuals in your area, unless you are willing to go to great lengths to protect them from winter chill. There are other plants that are tropical or sub-tropical that, with a little protection, will come back from roots each spring (i.e. bananas, elephant ears). Then, there are the interesting, tropical looking plants that may have no problems at all with winter weather.

For the tropical effect, we have to start with palms. It's hard to imagine a tropical landscape without the presence of palms. Why palms aren't used more in southern landscapes can only be attributed to lack of information. Plant one and you can be sure you'll hear more than one "You can't grow that here!". There a number of palms that can handle very low temps with little or no damage. Windmill, Sable, and needle palms are good examples.

Palms are the tropical foundation, now we need to enhance the tropical effect. Let's throw in some bananas, cannas, and elephant ears with their huge leaves for a start. All are very easy to grow and, with a little work, can be protected so that they come back year over year. Yucca and big ornamental grasses add great tropical effect too. Add some real color sizzle with tropical hibiscus, coleus, and Mandevilla and you're going to start humming Jimmy Buffett or reggae tunes for sure.

Get creative here and have fun. Try crazy things. As an example, I've grown Papayas, candle trees, and Caster Bean plants from seed for years. Talk about a tropical effect that will turn some heads!

Add the Finishing Touches

The plants you use in the garden go a long way towards creating that tropical, resort-style setting we're after, but there are other things as well. The tasteful use of container plants can greatly enhance the overall effect of your Backyard resort. Containers allow you to create lush garden settings in places where it might otherwise be impossible such as patios and decks.

Here's a great tip. Go to your favorite garden center's houseplant section. Of course, there is really no such thing as a houseplant. All plants want to be outside and will perform their best outside. Many of the so-called houseplants are really understory tropicals that will perform beautifully on a covered patio or deck where they have protection from direct sun. Experiment with some of these plants and you are sure to be amazed at the results.

Now, we'll go even beyond that and get into an area where you can get really creative and let your personality shine through. For lack of a better phrase, we'll call this garden art. There are no rules whatsoever here. Simple things like adding tiki torches along a path can make a real statement. Want to get more out there, create a faux Mayan ruin surrounded by tropical-looking foliage. If you don't have a pool, build a small pond complete with cascading waterfall. Or, suspend a comfortable hammock between trees, complete with a fake (or real!) parrot watching over you while you relax. Remember, no rules here. This is all about you.

Backyard Resorts - There you have it...

I sincerely hope you find this fun, useful, and at least marginally instructional. This little hobby has been an absolute joy for me. Remember, my intent was never to give you a Backyard Resort in a Box, with step-by-step instructions on exactly what, when, and how to do everything. That just wouldn't be possible in a single article and, even if it were, it would take all the fun out of this little adventure. The idea is to give you a taste of what's possible and hopefully to whet your appetite with a few ideas and tools to get you started. Beyond that, you have all kinds of creative license in creating your own personal Backyard Resort. Now, get started and, most of all, have fun.
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Choosing Plants For Desert Landscaping

There are all types of Landscaping and one is Desert Landscaping. People love it because it is something different and because the Desert Plants used are so efficient. The Desert garden idea is a very popular one these days and there are lots of Plants to enjoy if you want to create your very own Desert garden. Whether you are aiming to complete the Desert Landscaping on your own or get professional help, there are a few tips to remember.

One of the most important tips to remember in Desert Landscaping is that these Plants do not require a lot of water. If you water them as much you water the other Plants in your designs you are likely to end up killing them. You actually have to be very careful then with how often you are watering because you do not want to kill the Plants. Different Desert Plants are native to certain landscapes so choose the ones that are going to strive in your location.
There is also another benefit to using Desert Landscaping Plants and that is that they do not require such expensive fertilizers and other products as other Plants you are probably used to growing. Remember, these are Plants that are used to basically growing on their own in the middle of a Desert and so they have adapted and do not need much to survive on. Desert soil is not nutrient rich so there is no worry of having to spend a ton of money on fertilizers and nutrients to have your Plants strive. Make sure you are efficient when using Desert Plants in Landscaping.

This is probably one of the most important tips of all because there are really easy things you can do to make the most of your Desert Landscaping and help the Plants to stay healthy and look beautiful. You can group certain Plants together as this will help them to feed off each other. Then group another set of Plants together that need the most water. Remember that if you are ever having any trouble you can always call in a professional Landscaping company to help.

This way you have the advice of a professional and can get some other ideas. You can probably handle it on your own but you can also get help by hiring a professional Landscaping design to help you out. This way you will have a group of professionals you can work with and who are going to be able to offer their own opinions for your Desert Landscaping design. You can work together and create the best design.
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Plant Flowers to Climb Your Garden Obelisks

Annual and perennial vines have long been used to cover unsightly walls or structures in the landscape. The vines soften the hard architectural lines of fences and buildings. They create living sculptures of other structures, such as Garden Obelisks, ramshackle sheds, outbuildings, tree stumps, and assorted "cast-offs" given new life in the Garden.

Use Garden Obelisks to create a vertical growing space for annual or perennial vines where there is no existing structure for the vines to grow upon. Make them the centerpiece of a perennial Garden, line them up to define the border of an annual flower bed, or to separate Garden "rooms." Planted with brightly colored flowering vines, Garden Obelisks are an imposing presence in the landscape.

Grow these annual and perennial flowering vines on your Garden Obelisks:

Morning glories and/or moonflowers: Members of the sweet potato family, they open their blossoms only at certain times of days: the flowers of morning glories, Ipomoea purpurea, open in the early morning and close by midday. Moonflowers, I. alba, open in late afternoon, stay open all night and close shortly after dawn. Plant both kinds to climb up the same structure and enjoy blooms from late afternoon through mid-morning. Start seeds indoors for the earliest blooms.

Ornamental sweet potatoes: Distinguished by their colorful foliage, ornamental sweet potato, Ipomoea batatus, vines grow 12 feet or more in length over the course of a growing season. Available in varieties with foliage in red, bronze or various colors of green, including chartreuse. Their leaves look just like those of edible sweet potatoes. They are often included in container Gardens, Planted near the edge of the pot to cascade over the sides. Ornamental sweet potatoes will quickly grow to cover even the tallest Garden Obelisks.

Clematis and autumn clematis: Often called the queen of vining flowers, clematis, Clematis paniculata, produces light lavender blossoms on woody vines. Its cousin, autumn clematis, C. maximonowicziana, produces smaller, less showy, but more fragrant flowers in autumn. Both types of clematis prefer morning sun and protection from the afternoon sun, although autumn clematis is more tolerant of all-day sun. Mulch them well, they prefer their roots kept cool and evenly moist.

Honeysuckle: A prolific flowering vine, honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, also called "coral honeysuckle," quickly grows to cover any Garden structure. It produces many tiny, trumpet-shaped, coral, yellow or red, fragrant flowers from mid-spring through autumn. Native to the Americas, coral honeysuckle grows best in sun to partial shade. Do not Plant Japanese honeysuckle, L. japonica, as it is a rampant, invasive vine that has escaped cultivation in North America.

Climbing hydrangea: A shade-loving flowering vine, climbing hydrangea, Hygdrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, is relatively care-free. Its large, white flowers bloom in summer and look just like the flowers of shrub-like hydrangeas. The vines are woody and can become quite heavy on a large specimen; ensure any Garden Obelisks or other support structures it grows upon are substantial and secure. Mulch their soil and keep them evenly moist for the greatest number of flowers.

Covered with any of these flowering vines, Garden Obelisks become living art in your landscape.

Copyright Sharon Sweeny

Sharon Sweeny specializes in all things Gardening, as well as self-sufficient, do-it-yourself lifestyles. Read more about intensive Gardening at http://moxieGardener.com and decorative Garden structures at http://eGardenObelisks.com.
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Landscape planting rules - Location Determines Using

Investing your hard eared money can be a mine field. Every day we read and hear about people who had their life savings wiped out by scrupulous Investors. When Bernie Maddoff made the headlines the world was outraged by how much money he stole from uninformed Investors. You don't want to be one of them and what you want to do is to tread carefully yet have enough trust in the right people to have your money work hard for you while its safe and secure.

If you want to invest then you will have to trust people. Its been said that investing is a team sport and you need to have experts do those things you don't do well. Like doctors, lawyers and accountants you should be able to trust an experienced investor with your money. Even with the help of a professional you need to be careful. Here are 3 great tips to help you get the most of your investing while staying safe and secure.
geographical location and climate can largely complete, the plants are used on your property. You could orchard in New York City as a plant stress rate (Taxus), and Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica). brought a similar company in Central Texas could have expected very different systems to achieve the same kind of effect, such as juniper and yaupon (Ilex vomitoria). A third site, on the west coast, for example, woulda system environment that are used in the east or south.

Topography

The topography of the country or location is another factor that determines his plan needs a design scenario. It will affect not only the basic layout of your property, but also the type of soil and plant grasses or other cover that want to use.

Imagine a house on a hill in a huge region down. On these issues, to find relatively flat surface of any size would be to all,had more expensive retaining walls, which could very well informed on the conditions of the owner. Since it is difficult if not impossible, even a good lawn on a steep slope, you type a significant additional land cover, which are favorable for the selected track.

Contrast the previous situation with a home made flat on the topography of those parts of the country such as Kansas, Nebraska and South Florida. Here, an entire landscape can be foundoff without you down inclined surfaces do with concern. In fact, if the earth is flat monotone, are changes in the amount often deliberately introduced to provide additional coverage in the image orchard. For me, I prefer a set because Dracaena Tarzan has attractive leaves and good background in design.

Consequently, the topography and geographical position have decided the results displayed and do your gardening plans. Keep in mind these facts whenmental types of plants you want.

In times like these it is easy to see why 'habitancy how many are interested in Dracaena Tarzan. We make the information simple, visit plant-care.com.

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Small Garden Design - Blueprint For Planting A Three Season Small Space Garden

Using intensive planting techniques as well as crop rotation small garden Design can be successfully achieved. Yields are high when plants are closely spaced. By growing early, mid and late season vegetables in the same space, maximum yield is realized from minimum space.

It's amazing how much you can grow in a small space if you plant intensively and continue to plant in the same space as the seasons change.

The following is a basic plan for a compact, easily workable 4-by-4-foot garden. It can yield delicious vegetables during the growing season, and provide color and interest throughout all four seasons. Although this small garden Design is only 4-by-4-feet, it can seem quite large when preparing the soil for the first time.
The garden needs at least six hours of sun a day, including mid-day sun, so choice of site is very important. This is not meant to be a hard-and-fast small garden Design but a guide for planting a high-yield garden. Other vegetables can be substituted for those Designated.

A great space saver is vertical planting. The plan calls for a fence bordering the northern end of the garden. This makes the best use of available space by training plants upward instead of allowing them to sprawl.

Even early in the year, the garden is productive and attractive. Spring flowering bulbs precede vegetables. Bulb planting is done in the fall.

As spring progresses, sugar snap peas climb the fence. Two broccoli plants are surrounded by Johnny jump-ups. Broccoli is the only edible that stays in the garden throughout the growing season. After the central head is cut, smaller heads form on side shoots. Lettuce is attractive in any garden. New Zealand spinach is a good, heat-tolerant substitute for regular spinach. Beets or carrots interplant well with radishes. Radishes grow quickly, ready to eat in about three weeks, and help loosen the soil for the deeper-root vegetables.

As the weather gets hotter, the early cool-season vegetables start to peter out, and are replaced with mid-season vegetables started from seed indoors or bought from a nursery or garden center. The only exception is the pole or runner beans that trellis up the fence, which grow so quickly they do not need to be started ahead of time. Sharing the fence with the beans is a tomato plant. A warm-weather variety of lettuce planted near the beans and tomatoes is slightly shaded from the harsh summer sun by the vining leaves. Nasturtium fit well between the broccoli plants. There is room for an eggplant and a sweet or hot pepper centered with a clump of chives. The front of the warm-season garden is reserved for low-growing herbs and edible flowers. Dwarf marigold and dianthus add color, spice, and even a measure of pest control to the garden.

As the weather begins to cool, the garden undergoes its final transformation. Tomatoes are left, as they will keep producing. I might sneak in a pumpkin of a very small variety along the fence. Chrysanthemums are a traditional autumnal plant.

Although this is a small garden Design, it contains the basics for an attractive landscape that will last several seasons each year. The rewards for growing your own vegetables are great, not only in terms of money saved at the market, but in pride of achievement.
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