Simple Landscaping Makes Your Landscape Straightforward And Clear-cut
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Simple landscaping has become a popular option for many people in the past few years. Tropical plants provide your yard with lots of color and a unique look you can’t get with other plants. Tropical plants have more appeal to garden lovers because of their color and unique looks. In addition, simple landscaping can attract nature friends such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The number and design of the plants you can use is very diverse.
Although you need to consider carefully if simple landscaping is right for your yard. There are some tropical plants that will need a lot of water while others do fine in lots of heat. Freeze really doesn’t work well with tropical plants and most won’t survive the winter in many climates. If you live in cooler climates then you may want to include your plants in containers when planning your simple landscaping so you can move the plants indoors during the cold winter months.
If you want to go with simple landscaping then you need to follow a few rules to develop a landscaping plan. Sunlight is the biggest and most important issue. Simple landscaping will need a lot of sunlight. Whether the plants are in containers, raised beds or planted in the ground you will need to plan for each plant to have a lot of direct sunlight. Each plant will need at least a minimum of six hours per day of direct sunlight in order to thrive.
Thoughts for Simple Landscaping:
For simple landscaping the one plant you need is the bougainvillea. These plants will respond very well to irregular watering and they are very colorful. You can easily duplicate the natural habitat of bougainvilleas with simple landscaping, they enjoy periods of rain for weeks at a time and then adapt to long dry periods. A few of these plants in pots can add a wonderful tropical setting to your yard or swimming pool area.
In addition, a bougainvillea can be grown in a variety of ways. You can grow it as a vine up a climbing trellis under the right conditions. Although they also work well when pruned and shaped so they can be formed into pretty much any shape. The one downside to this plant is their barbs or thorns. This means you should keep children and pets away from them. The colorful display of the bougainvillea also creates a simple landscape that is difficult to duplicate with any other plants.
Conclusion:
It is important to develop simple landscaping plans otherwise you may end up finding later on that you are doing your landscaping in the wrong spot. Therefore, you end up wasting both your time and money on landscaping a yard that you are going to have to do all over again. You can prevent many mistakes from costing you extra time and money by carefully developing simple landscaping plans in advance before you start your project. The time and effort you put into planning will be well worth it later on down the line.
Free Landscaping Software Helps Design Exterior On A Budget
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When designing your own landscaping on a budget, you may not want to spend a lot of money on three-dimensional computer software for designing your exterior design. Some companies offer free landscaping software to help you choose the plants as well as their colors and sizes to get the most out of your outdoor living space. Most include different types of plants, including annuals and perennials and allow the user to alter the size of the pictures for a more accurate rendering of how the project will look when completed.
One of the drawbacks of using free landscaping software is it may not allow the user to change the style of the house or the layout of the flowerbeds or other gardens. With many of them, there is one main house design surrounded by beds and if it not the same as your home’s design the free landscaping software can be used only for choosing the sizes and colors of flowers to see how they will look together.
Some of the free landscaping software available is offered by companies selling flowers and flower seeds, usually online and their suggestions usually center around the products they offer for sale. However, with some basic landscaping software costing close to $100, this can be a cheap trade off to the benefits of the software. While the suggestions are made, there is no reason why the plants cannot be purchased at a local nursery.
Lack Of Options Obvious Is Some Software
Complete landscaping software will usually include options for adding landscaping stones or lumber while most free landscaping software lack this option. Depending on the company from which you receive your free software many options may be included or eliminated. Many times do-it-yourself landscape companies will offer free landscaping software for potential customers that contain more features than the software given away by seed companies.
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Fall Fishing in the Uinta Mountains
Utah’s Uinta mountains are a rugged landscape dotted with more than 1000 lakes. Over 650 of those lakes are filled with hungry Arctic grayling, brook, brown, rainbow, golden, tiger, albino, Bonneville and Colorado cutthrout trout. Fall is the best time of the year to fish the high mountain lakes of the Uintas.
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Choosing A Landscape Contractor
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Landscaping projects are complex creatures that require qualified professionals to conduct on time, within budget, and on par with lofty expectations. Simply put, choosing the right landscape contractor can make the difference between bitter disappointment and a lifelong investment that will have the neighbors whispering with envy.
Aside from the obvious visual and functional perks, quality landscaping can increase the value of your most valuable asset – your home. According to a recent Gallop Poll, landscaping will add 7-15% to the value of your home. On average, this signifies 100% to 200% return on landscaping investments!
Not All Contractors Are Created Equal
Regardless of what some contractors will have consumers believe, there is a distinct difference between makeshift companies and seasoned landscaping operations. The landscaping industry has one of the highest company turnover rates in the nation when compared with other small businesses. The reason? For every first rate landscaping contractor, there exists numerous “shovel and a truck” companies, which are unlicensed, uninsured, and unable to make good on warranties due to the short life of the company.
Preparation is Key
Before the search for a contractor can even begin, you must identify specific job details, how much you are willing to spend, and when you want the job completed. By outlining the needs versus the wants for your landscape, you will greatly aid any contractors in preparing an accurate bid for your project.
Ask lots of questions! When meeting with potential contractors, utilize their expertise when considering design and construction options. Remember, in your quest for a beautified yard, you and your contractor are a team and need to be on the same page. Often times, contractors are able to supplement your own design ideas with improvements for impact and budget considerations.
If some of your ideas have been taken from magazines or other gardens then try to have pictures on hand. Take as many measurements as you can and work out a realistic timescale for completion of the project.
The Selection Process
Qualifications and Experience
The very first question a homeowner should ask a potential contractor is for proof of insurance and a license to perform landscaping work. Most states currently regulate the landscaping industry and require contractors to have insurance. Uninsured contractors can often charge far lower prices than their counterparts, but pose a huge liability risk to your property and your home.
A huge temptation for many homeowners is to select the lowest priced bid in order to get a great deal on a landscaping project. While it may be possible to secure a quality contractor at one of the lower bid prices, many times, the lower bids represent inexperienced or uninsured companies.
Remember that your landscaping project is an investment and spending a few extra bucks up front for a reputable company may save you thousands of dollars and a large headache down the road.
Portfolio
One of the best telltale signs of a contractor’s expertise is a solid portfolio of satisfied customers. Most companies compile before and after photographs of previous work. Ask to see pictures and for a list of references. It can never hurt to speak with former customers and find out exactly how their experience unfolded.
Background Information
It is definitely important to find out background information on each company you are considering. Find out how long the company has been in business, where they are headquartered, and how large the company is.
Don’t ever rule out a contractor based on size alone, but generally speaking, larger, more established companies can deliver on promises more effectively than fledgling operations.
Written Contract/Quote/Timetable
Never let a landscaper start work on a project without first getting a written contract that includes a fixed quote and timetable. While some deviation may be built into the quote for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances that arise, expenses should always be documented.
Also, make sure the bid includes warranty information on plants, hardscapes, and other features. Don’t accept a verbal commitment; the guarantee needs to be on paper in case any aspect of the job fails to survive the warranty.
The Final Decision
Selecting a contractor comes down to several main factors. While price is important, do not rule out a company that is more expensive solely because of price. Consider the whole body of evidence, including qualifications and their ability to communicate.
Chances are the next several months will see frequent communication between you and your contractor. Keeping this in mind, does the contractor return phone calls in a timely manner? A minor detail to some, the relationship you develop with your contractor from the onset will have significant impact on the final product.
The connection you start with your contractor will likely last for years. Making sure that you choose the right company for the job is a critical and often overlooked step in the quest for a new outdoor dream. So remember to ask questions, get everything in writing, and spend that extra dollar, and you will be well on your way to a beautiful new landscape. Enjoy!
MAKE IT COUNT – CHAPTER 4 “EARTH”
MAKE IT COUNT – CHAPTER 4 “EARTH” The tree continues to grow, continually embracing the landscape of skateboarding, and the lifestyle that surrounds it, always respecting it’s deepest roots. From team riders to advocates, product to marketing; Elements mission is to lead not follow, and leave an imprint deep enough, that it continues to make the world a better place. MAKE IT COUNT is a four-part documentary, which showcases Elements defining moments and delves into its compelling story. From its humble beginnings, to a forward thinking global brand, this film covers two decades of stories and imagery. In creating Chapter 4 of 4, “EARTH” Kirk Dianda (Director) interviewed Johnny Schillereff, Bam Margera, Mike Vallely along with a huge cast of influential characters. Through the interviews, Element’s reach and diversity is explained, all the while historical footage and iconic images are used to tell the story.
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Cold Hardy Palm Trees For Landscape Design And Planting In The United States
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Scattered reports of palm trees growing in Northern areas of the United States and Canada have been known for many years. Semi-truck loads of windmill palm trees have been unloaded and successfully grown in Canada and the Northeast beginning in the year 2000. These windmill palm trees, Trachycarpus fortunei, provide many resorts and homeowners with a tropical look for their pools or patios. Needle palms, although very rare and available only in short supply, tolerate below zero temperatures of the north. Dwarf palmetto palm trees, Sabal minor, and Dwarf saw palmetto palm trees, Serenoa repens, demonstrate cold hardy qualities and are especially desirable as hedges, borders, and as a privacy block.
Windmill Palm Trees – Trachycarpus fortunei
The most cold hardy palm tree is the windmill palm tree, Trachycarpus fortunei, a palm tree that is found growing as far north as Canada. The cold hardy quality is especially historically notable of the windmill palm trees, where the trees are lined around Lake Lucerne, Switzerland leading up to the city walls. Extensive plantings of windmill palm trees, Trachycarpus fortunei have been known for years in southern resort areas such as the Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia, where the entrance to the hotel greets guests with thin, graceful trunks of windmill palms. Tall windmill palm trees also can be seen at the Retreat Plantation Golf Course on St. Simons Island, Georgia at the club house entrance. TyTy Nursery began selling windmill palm trees a decade ago as small trees and recently have successfully transported large windmill palm trees by semi-trucks for planting in such northern cold states as Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and many others. These large windmill palm trees appear to have survived temperatures of below zero and heavy snow and ice storms. It is now possible for Northern states to plant with a tropical garden look around their pool or patio. Windmill palm trees have a great future in the United States as an outstanding tree with a tropical exotic appearance, and a palm tree that survives severe cold temperatures and snows of the north.
Needle Palm Trees – Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Many palm trees have been tested for their quality of cold hardy survival, and the needle palm, Rhapidophyllum histrix, rates high on the list. The needle palm tree was tested years ago at the Brooklyn, New York, Botanical Gardens, and the palm was found to grow well and remain green after snow and ice storms fell during the winter. One quality that the needle palm tree features is slow growth that produces waxy leaf coverings that protect the growing tissue from fast freezing temperatures. The needle palm tree, Rhapidophyllum histrix, produces long needle projections at the base of each palm leaf. This needle is stiff and ominous to man and beast and is responsible for the descriptive name: needle palm tree. The needle palm tree tends to grow in clumps, producing small offset needle palm trees at the base, however, seeds are commonly produced which are scattered around the base of the needle palm tree. The seed of the needle palm tree sprout slowly to grow into small plants. Large needle palm trees can grow for hundreds of years in age, but are rarely found as a native palm tree in forests, because collectors have dug them for landscapes. Even though some needle palm trees have been documented to be 15 feet tall, the trees are rare and expensive in large mature sizes.
Dwarf palmetto palm tree – Sabal minor
In the south, the dwarf palmetto palm tree is commonly found growing as small shrubs and colonies along sandy coastal areas and in poor swampy soils inland. The dwarf palmetto palm, Sabal minor, competes aggressively with other shrubs and trees in native American forests and is a valuable landscape shrub in many exclusive resort areas, because once established, it is evergreen and requires virtually no maintenance in landscapes. Many gardeners have unfortunately tried to dig dwarf palmetto palm trees to transplant and grow in their yards, but because of the extensive root system that is removed, most transplanted dwarf palmetto palm trees wither and die shortly after planting. Good results of planting dwarf palmetto palm trees can be experienced, if the gardener decides to buy nursery container trees. Striking specimens of dwarf palmetto palm trees can be seen when clumps of small trees are removed from the mother plant, that often contains a curved shapely trunk of 4-5 feet topped by beautiful green leaves.
Dwarf Saw Palmetto Palm Tree – Serenoa repens
High demand from the landscaping nursery industry has stressed the supply and availability of the Saw Palmetto Palm tree, “Serenoa repens”. This palm tree grows as a silver form and a green form. It illuminates the dark backgrounds under dense shade. This dwarf palm tree forms clumps and often is used as border hedges and screens. Saw Palmetto palm trees are not fast growing but are evergreen and cold hardy in many Northern areas of the United States, where snow and ice damage most green plants. Cold hardy palm trees are a valuable landscape tree in cold areas where a tropical look, around pools and patios are useful. Recent tree plantings of the Dwarf Saw Palmetto palm trees at golf courses have stressed the supply of these plants. As a native plant discovered by William and John Bartram in 1773, on St. Simon’s Island, GA near Fort Frederica, the Dwarf Saw Palmetto palm tree was discovered growing and was identified by Bartram as “spinosis ” (Dwarf Saw Palmetto). He also found “Corpha palma”, or Great Cabbage Palm, “Corpha pumila”, “Corpha repens” and “Corpha obliqua”.
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Backyard Landscaping and How to Enjoy It
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As with practically anything you attempt, your backyard landscape can be a place of fun, provided you put a bit of “you” into it. By this, I mean some of your own imagination and creativity. Not only is this an exercise in beautification of “your space”, but at the same time there is a satisfying sense of accomplishment involved here. However, do keep in mind that, you will never achieve this state of mind if you are only able to view the whole thing as a chore.
Let us not ignore the fact that, Yes, there is a fair amount of work involved – this is more popularly known as “gardening”. Mowing, weeding, doing the edges, digging, planning for next spring, and planting, are just a few that spring to mind. Quick! Run and hide – NOW! Or, you could look at it from a different angle. Possibly: “If I mow that lawn, I’ll be able to find the kids more easily”; “If I pull-up those weeds now, whilst they are still small, the job will be much easier for me, than if I leave it till the end of summer”; “If I weed this now, I’ll be able to see the late flowering roses”; “Just THINK of all the pretty flowers I’ll be able to give to my wife, when this new garden-bed is up and running”; “My wife/spouse will be SO proud of me”.
Consider Your Backyard as an Extension of Your Living Space. Push the boundaries of your indoor living space, incorporate the backyard, and make it the outdoor living space. Have a large, sturdy, picnic-table with suitable chairs – on the patio, or near the pond, next to the rose or herb-garden perhaps. This gets the whole family out-of-doors, fresh-air, sunlight, no T.V. – “in the nature”. I can guarantee you, you will have more to discuss if you are entertaining outdoors.
Reflect on Nature’s Beauty. What could be more pleasant than kicking-back with friends and family, in the landscape that YOU have created? Basking in the glow of everyone’s praise, as they comment on such a beautiful and relaxing environment you have invited them to share. Ah! The bragging-rights of gardening.
Start Small, Do Not Over-Do it. One does not necessarily need an over-abundance of imagination and creativity, either, for your backyard to be looking like you actually know what you are doing. Nor does it have to take a lot of work. Some well placed trees, can hide a great number of eye-sores in your yard. Like the corners of the block. Just a few trees to round-off the sharpness of the corners can do wonders. Fountains and ponds can hide a multitude of sins,also. We’re not talking six men and a concrete truck here. Again, start small. Buy yourself a simple pond/fountain set-up, these can be found in most nurseries these days, and see if you can handle this much. Oh, Oh, look out – Yes, there is work involved with a pond. You have to keep it clean – this means trying NOT to let it turn into a large container of green, dead-fish-leaf-filled slop. Not talking about pool vaccums here, just remove the leaves when there are too many. Outdoor goldfish are pretty hard to kill, generally, they will look after themselves.
If you find that this has been a relatively panic-less event, go on to the next project. So, what’s next? Let us be a bit ambitious now, how about a rose garden? Too ambitious? Make it a flower-garden then. Starting small again, about 3 feet wide, 6 feet long; dig it over, remove the weeds, add a small amount of fertiliser, dig it over again (it’s easier this time), a bag of mulch to keep in the moisture, water it, then go and have a cuppa. Feeling rested? Good. Now go to the nursery, you are buying two things. A packet of sunflower seeds, and a packet of nasturtium seeds. When you get home – plant them. No big deal here, the seeds must be in contact with the soil – that’s under the mulch. Plant two nasturtium seeds in each corner, plant the sunflower seeds one-hand-span apart, across the rest of the entire bed. Water the bed. Go and sit down – outside. Contemplate what you have just done. You got your hands in the dirt, you have immediately “changed the look of your backyard”, you have instigated the creation of life. You have done well. Pat yourself on the back.
Now you are about to embark on the greatest lesson in gardening, namely – patience. Your newly planted seeds will not have emerged by tomorrow, count on it. And don’t go fiddling. They will emerge in about 5 days, weather permitting, and sunflowers take 3 to 4 months before flowering. Nasturtiums take about 4 weeks.
Whilst you are waiting to see what will happen, start thinking about planting a few shrubs, along the sides of the yard. One day, in the near future, all of a sudden you will realise – Goodness! The backyard’s been landscaped! Hey, wow, I did that! So you see, using a bit of imagination, creativity and a bit of work, you are now able to quietly bask in the knowledge that You have created a backyard landscape, and now it’s time to enjoy it.
Rose Garden Secrets
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Low Voltage Landscape Lighting – Light Your Landscape With Less Power
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Are you looking for an energy efficient way to add light to your landscaping? Consider all the benefits that low voltage landscape lighting can offer to your home.
Low voltage landscape lighting is very energy efficient. Generally requiring only 12 volts, much less than regular outdoor lighting which is around 120 volts, it does not require as much energy to burn during the night. The savings will be apparent on your electric bill. Timers can even be installed to cause the lights to come on automatically at dusk and to shut off automatically at dawn. Sensors can also be installed on path lights that cause the lighting to come on only when motion is detected. Another option you may consider in low voltage landscape lighting is solar powered. This type is actually “no voltage” since the energy it uses comes from the sun and not your home’s electricity source.
Low voltage landscape lighting is less expensive. In addition to energy efficiency, the installation and maintenance costs are lower as well. The one disadvantage to this type of lighting, as well as solar powered lights, is that it is not as bright as the high voltage lights. However, the light that is emitted is sufficient for accenting landscapes and for lighting a pathway.
Low voltage landscape lighting is easy to install. The wiring is lightweight and does not need to be buried very deep. The most common choices are path lights and lamps, and landscape lighting kits can even be purchased to make installation even easier. To learn more about landscape lighting kits, visit this website: http://www.home-lighting-depot.com/landscape_lighting_kits.html.
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Outdoor Fountains – New Landscaping Ideas
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It is February which means spring is just around the corner. If you are lucky enough to live in a warm state you probably don’t get as excited about spring as we do in Wisconsin but no matter where you live, there is something about spring that brings a feeling of freshness, warmth and happiness. Waiting for the snow to melt and see green grass again got me thinking about what I would do with my outdoor landscaping this year. I want to bring the element of water to my outdoor surroundings as the sound of waterfalls always seems to relax and cause such a serene environment.
I am finding that I need to first select the location for my new fountain. Many people build ponds right in their yards, which are beautiful, but I think I want an outdoor fountain that I can move if need be and something easy to maintain, may be one for my garden or a fountain for my deck. This is what I had in mind when I started my search. I couldn’t believe the choices of fountains just for the outdoors that were available!
First, I found the beautiful Raku Basin Fountain. I thought this would be the perfect outdoor fountain for my front porch, the place I like to sit with a book. It would catch the eye of anyone coming to my house. I like the color and the fact that it is lightweight so it would be the perfect fountain for me and easy to move and clean.
Next, I came across the Eagle River Falls, a rock waterfall fountain that will go perfect in my landscaping just below my deck. We can enjoy this when we have guests over for a summer cookout or when sitting on my deck enjoying the warm sun. This fountain comes in two sizes and two colors, easy to find the look and size you want to accessorize your home color. This fountain is lightweight yet made to look like real stone so I think it would look great among my plants and bushes.
Finally, I found the perfect Solar Fountain, the Terracotta Cascade Solar Fountain! This outdoor fountain runs purely on solar energy when the sun is shining. It has a solar panel that can sit in the sun up to 10 feet away from the fountain. And, even better, it comes with an AC adaptor so in those long winter months I can bring it in to my sun room to enjoy indoors when the snow flies again next winter. This fountain is very reasonably priced and I think the birds will love it too.
Find your perfect fountain today and create an outdoor environment you will enjoy, one that will take all the worries and stresses of the day away and help you relax while improving your landscaping with an outdoor fountain at the same time! Your feathered friends are sure to gather in your yard by your fountain so you can add bird watching to your perfect relaxing summer day.
Landscaping Ideas – How to Be Different and Have a Very Special Landscape
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What makes a landscape design stand out from the usual designs you see all the time? How do you go about having a landscape that everyone talks about and thinks is very special?
First of all you have to start with a good basic design. It must function and yet the layout must have creativity to it. In addition, features should be added that are not run of the mill. So…what are some of these special features?
You can add special features to a patio to make it special. It might be a seatwall which provides a vertical element and also nice seating. You might also add a circle design, depending on which material is being used.
You also might consider adding a landscape structure to your design. This might be an outdoor pergola, which can be part of your patio design or it can be incorporated into your swimming pool decking. Gazebos are another nice feature. They can be located in an open lawn area, integrated into your swimming pool decking and sometimes be added to a large patio.
Consider creating a special entry into your back yard. A beautiful arbor will make a statement. Place plantings or fencing on either side of the arbor to anchor it. You can also add decorative fencing with a lovely gate. Gates can be straigh acroos on the top or they can be curved. I happen to love “moon gates”. These interesting gates have a large circle typically formed from wood where you can see through the garden gate.
Sculptures are nice features also. Often they are thought of as formal, but this does not have to be the case at all. What about a hand carved bear? There are also quite a few interesting contemporary ones that just might add a twist of interest to an otherwise very natural looking garden. Sculptures, fountains or even an urn on a pedestal look well, located in a special place on your property. It might be in a lawn area, in an intimate small garden space, on a patio, or tucked into some plantings.
And who can resist a garden pond? Ponds can be very naturalistic with a tumbling waterfall, or they can be more formal with a fountain in the center. An idea that I like and one which is not used often is to have “bubblers” in your pond or pool. These are subtle mechanisms that make the pond bubble in certain areas. Sometimes there are just a few “bubbles” and other times there are many.
Driveway designs can be made of a simple material such as loose stone or asphalt and they can be edged with concrete pavers, natural stone, travertine or Belgian block. You can also add a circle kit design either at the entry or near your walkway. A circle design is a pattern of either concrete or travertine pavers which radiate from the center forming a circle.
Many people don’t take the time to think about adding these features to their landscape, but by doing so, you will most likely have a garden which will be greatly admired.
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