Landscaping Ideas For the Yard and Garden
If you like to save money look for landscaping ideas for the yard and garden you can do yourself. For most outdoor projects you do not need to hire a landscape architect if you are willing to do the research and work yourself.
There are many places to search for outdoor landscaping ideas if you are new to this type of development. Local home and garden centers are a great place to start if you prefer to implement it yourself rather than hire a professional landscaping service. The Internet has a huge online resource of information for anyone that is a beginner or for someone who is knowledgeable in landscaping but just needs a few new and creative ideas for their home.
Measure the space you want to redesign. Put the dimensions on paper. Include the part of your house facing the yard with doors and windows noted. Layout where you would like to have a garden or play area or possibly a water feature.
After you have decided what you want in your yard and where to put them do some online research to find the best place to purchase the plants or kits for your project. Some things may require a little more muscle but you can always invite your brother-in-law over to help.
Your local climate will have a tremendous impact on the type of landscaping that you should have in place. Flowering plants that require a great deal of humidity will not thrive in a dry climate. While there are some plants that will need direct sunlight, there are others that prefer a shaded area in order to grow. If you are not proficient in the different types of flowers and plants that are best for your area, be sure to utilize local resources in order to check out the best selections for your planning purposes.
If your goal is to create something visual attractive with not much upkeep involved plant for all seasons. Get an assortment of evergreen shrubs and trees that look good all year. Mix in a few seasonal plants also. Ones that bare fruit in the spring and change color in the fall.
The key to landscaping is to not be afraid to try something new. Not all yards need to have a grassy area. Grass is so high maintenance. Try using different types of rock and paver for pathways and sitting areas. The visual interest will be heightened with plants of different sizes, shapes and colors.
Do not feel overwhelmed when it comes to back or front yard landscaping. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned gardener, there are many different ideas to suit any skill level. Using the internet as a resource will aid you in the landscaping process for each step of the way and help prevent any misconceptions you may have regarding plants, specific designs, or even landscaping a hill side area.
Categories: Landscaping Tags: front yard landscaping, landscaping ideas
Money Saving & Energy Efficient Front Yard Landscaping
A pretty front and backyard can only go so far. Many experts have proven that energy efficient landscaping that takes into consideration energy needs, may well save a family more then 30% of their usual heat or cooling costs – either in the winter or summer. These savings could tangibly translate to almost $250 worth of savings in a year.
So what are some of these “easy” ideas? We have listed a few below that won’t require the use of an expensive landscape architect.
What About the Sun?
One of the key considerations in energy efficient garden landscaping design includes the various weather conditions that prevail in the area. This means taking into consideration where the sun shines and what path the sunlight takes. A house’s walls and foundations, when hit directly by the sun, will absorb almost 90% of the sun’s heat, thereby increasing the burden on the air-conditioning or cooling system to keep the house cool.
Usually, the best way to keep the sun out is to build design shade backyard landscaping. Plant deciduous, dense, and broad trees to the south or west of the house, where their foliage can provide shade against the rays of the hot summer sun. Keeping the sun out can reduce temperatures to up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
These deciduous trees lose their foliage over the winter and will give you access more of the sun’s heat in the winter when your home’s walls and foundations need the heat.
Break the Wind
A cold winter wind seeping into the home can rapidly cause a temperature drop. This will also be reflected in your next energy bill.
Plants that serve as effective windbreaks include evergreens or trees in general. In fact, even fences placed in strategic locations can serve as windbreaks.
Keep the Heat or Cool In
One way you can help save energy by making sure the warm or cool air does not escape from your home by adding insulation in the ceilings, gaskets around the doors, vents and windows, and having double pain windows.
Another way to help is through your energy effecient landscaping with thick shrubbery close to the home creating a natural barrier. This barrier should be close but leave a small space between the walls and the plants creating a dead air barrier. By communicating with your landscape architect your intentions he will know the best distance between home and shrubbery for this dead air barrier to be the most effective.
In landscaping your yard or garden, it is important to maximize the benefits by using an aesthetically pleasing landscape. After all, energy efficient landscaping in the area will effectively save energy and money in the long run.
Categories: Landscaping Tags: backyard landscaping, front yard landscaping, garden landscaping, Landscaping
Landscaping Ideas For Your Exterior
For those of us who are lucky enough to have an outdoor area of our very own, properly landscaping this area can create a living environment that can be enjoyed and rewarding for years to come. Whether you have a large yard or even just a small piece of yard off a backyard patio, the options for landscaping are endless. But before you head out to the local home and garden market for shrubbery and lawn enhancements, you should examine exactly what type of landscape idea you wish to implement and the maintenance factor that will come with your new yard.
There are many places to search for outdoor landscaping designs. if you are new to this type of development. Local home and garden centers are a great place to start if you prefer to implement it yourself rather than hire a professional landscaping service. The Internet has a huge online resource of information for anyone that is a beginner or for someone who is knowledgeable in landscaping but just needs a few new and creative ideas for their home.
Take into account the amount of spare time you will need. You will need to allocate time in order to design, set up and take care of your new outdoor project. Some landscaping in the front yard will take quite a bit of time to design and set up, but will be worth it in the end since there will be relatively no maintenance from week to week. Some simple designs for outdoor landscaping can be implemented with practically no extra time, but require quite a bit of maintenance in order to keep it looking as it did when you first set it in place.
After you have decided what you want in your yard and where to put them do some online research to find the best place to purchase the plants or kits for your project. Some things may require a little more muscle but you can always invite your brother-in-law over to help.
Do a little research on the types of plants that will do well in your area. If you live in the Southwest you will probably not plant the same flowers and trees that do well in the Pacific Northwest or on the East coast. The local nursery would be a great source of advice and will have in stock most of the plants you may want.
Easy care, low maintenance plants and construction materials is what you should look for if you do not want to be chained to your backyard. Most of us want a place to barbecue and entertain but don’t like the raking, weeding, trimming etc.
Unless you have to have a lawn for your children to frolic on try to lose it. It is such a time and water waster. Play areas can be created with sand or bark. Look into “rubber bark” that is made out of recycled tire and lasts long and looks great.
Just because you are not an expert gardener does not mean you cannot plan out beautiful and easy landscaping ideas for the yard and garden. You will build your confidence, as well as your muscles, when you have completed your backyard project.
Categories: Landscaping Tags: front yard landscaping, landscape design, landscaping ideas, outdoor landscaping ideas