The Basic Principles of Landscaping Design

Proper landscaping of your yard is important, not just to make the lawn and plants look nice, but to improve the look of your home as well. A house with a great landscaping design looks better and is more valuable than a home with an awful yard. But although it might seem that a professional with a great eye is needed, you can take a try at landscaping design if you keep the basics in mind. Though the basic principles of landscaping design are similar to those in art, there’s a certain element of careful planning that make creating a design a snap.

Balance

One of the most key things in any landscaping design is balance. If you have a design that’s heavy with plants on one side of the yard and bare on the other side, things are going to look a little odd. Achieving balance between all sides of your yard can bring together a design and keep your home from looking too far off-center. Keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily mean keeping plants on each side alike, since you can have asymmetrical balance as well.

Proportion

When creating your landscaping design, keep in mind that you should have a sense of proportion. For instance, you don’t want a big fountain sitting in the middle of a small backyard; it will simply overwhelm any design your choose. Similarly, if you have a huge house, a row of tiny flowers in front will do little to add to the beauty of your home. Be sure to choose plants and other design elements that fit the size of your home and yard, as well as are properly proportioned with each other.

Transition

Transition is a principle of landscaping design that relates well to proportion. Sure, you can have small plants and large hedges in your landscaping design, but there needs to be a natural-looking progression from large to small, and paying attention to the way you transition to this will help your design flow instead of looking awkward. There are also transitions from other design elements, such as plants that give different senses of texture or color.

Unity

Of course, one of the most important things in the ideas of landscaping design is unity, which means having colors, textures, and other elements that work well together. The easiest way to accomplish this is to have a sort of theme when you start your landscaping design. Whether you plan to have your yard look like a country garden or want a more exotic sort of look to it, plan ahead. By keeping unity in mind, you will choose plants that work well together. The flip side to this is you want to create enough variation within that theme that it’s not boring. As with all the principles of landscaping design, if you keep unity in mind without taking it too far, you will have a natural, beautiful yard that will make your home look – and sell- better.

Going the Whole Nine Yards - Landscaping Decks

How many times do you inherit from a pervious owner a landscaped yard but a neglected deck? People just don’t consider the deck or patio as part of the backyard landscaping. If you are going to be landscaping decks, there are some things that you should know about how to go around doing it and how it will work with your other landscaping plans.

Don’t Over Look It!

Landscaping decks is something that is often hard to do because at times the deck was already there when you bought the house. If you were to put one in yourself, you might have had a different vision. However, there are things that you can do to make landscaping existing decks incorporate everything your yard has already.

First of all, make sure that your deck ties together with your house. That means you should paint it if you need to. This doesn’t mean that it has to be the same color as your house. A lot of landscaped decks work well if the deck is a complimentary color or matches the trim or other pieces of the home. Then, build your landscaping around the house and the deck together. This is a good thing to do because you will be looking at the two elements as one unit. The idea of landscaping decks is always easier when you are looking at the deck and the house together.

Greenery

Next, you should find some kinds of flowers and pots that are going to work well on your deck and with your house. Be sure that everything coordinates well and that your flowers are ones that you can easily take care of. You should be sure that you place them where they aren’t going to be hazardous to you when you and your family enjoy the deck. Remember that all in all, landscaping decks works to make sure that your deck fits with your yard and suits your outdoor lifestyle; whether that includes landscape painting or BBQ parties.

Last but not the least; enjoy your new space! Be sure that everything on your deck works together with your yard as a single unit and that you are able to enjoy it very much. There is nothing like a well landscaped yard and a deck to go with it! You can be out on the deck often and you can use it so that you are sure to get the most out of it, no matter how many months of the year you can use your deck for.

Tips for Landscaping a Bamboo Garden

Bamboo has become a popular material for landscaping, with bamboo gardens showing up in yards across the country. Landscaping a bamboo garden adds a sort of exotic feel to your yard, and because of the density and height of the plants themselves, adds privacy to your yard. But it’s easy to approach taking care of the landscaping for your bamboo garden improperly. It is important to know what sort of bamboo to plant as well as how to properly take care of it, or you will have difficulties.

Finding Information

One of the best sources of information on properly landscaping a bamboo garden is the American Bamboo Society. The ABS exists to help promote the planting and care of bamboo, so it has an interest in seeing someone successfully landscaping a bamboo garden. The ABS should be able to give you useful information about caring for your bamboo through one of its members, or by pointing you towards someone local who can help. Because bamboo is a unique plant by American standards, getting information on properly growing it can be a big help.

Choosing a Plant

The best place to find bamboo that will grow in your area is locally, since local bamboo nurseries will have the right species of the plant to make landscaping your bamboo garden a success. If there is no local nursery, try to find a supplier as close to your home as you can, and discuss with them what you’re looking for in a garden. In such a case, be sure to explain your growing conditions, including the range of temperatures you have in the year. Different kinds of bamboo grow in many different conditions, but it doesn’t handle very wintry temperatures well.

Controlling the Bamboo

The great news about landscaping a bamboo garden is that bamboo can grow well and spread without more attention than a little water. Unfortunately, this is also the bad news about adding a bamboo garden to your landscaping. If you are not careful, your bamboo can spread much further than you like, and it can be hard to get rid of. And while that might turn out to be an inconvenience for you, should the plants spread to a neighbor’s yard, they may find themselves upset with you.

Your best bet for controlling the spread of bamboo is a deep root barrier placed around the area in your landscaping for the bamboo garden. Remember, if you get good advice before you plant bamboo, adding a bamboo garden to your landscaping will be a great success.

How Japanese Landscaping Provides a Beautiful Retreat

Every garden should have a theme, and Japanese landscaping will create a soothing retreat from the rest of the world.  Japanese landscaping done well will create a unity in the vegetation and the architecture around it.  It will recreate a slice of Japan in any part of the world.  Japanese landscaping - like the country - should be filled with lush, vibrant plants and flowers; it should have distinctive structures and soothing waterfalls.  Nature in abundance is the centerpiece of Japanese landscaping with beautiful stepping stones creating borders in different areas.

Not Symmetrical

Japanese landscaping is usually arranged in an asymmetrical manner.  A Japanese landscaping expert will rarely place anything in regimented rows.  The landscaper working toward a perfect effect will try to make the area seem as natural as possible.  The expert will not want to create a look that is carefully planted in rows.  An expert in such landscaping will want to have space for the creation; he will avoid any look that is crowded.  This means that the plants and fixtures included must be carefully chosen for a beautiful look with a limited number of plants.

Japanese Landscaping Uses Symbolic Plants

The plants used in Japanese landscaping will bring visions of the country.  There are plants such as the Japanese maple that will bring the desired look for the serenity and unity required.  The traditional bonsai trees are beautiful additions to any Japanese garden.  Most Japanese gardens do not have many flowers, but some flowers including azaleas are wonderful additions to a Japanese garden.  Some designers would argue that a Japanese garden must have azaleas.  Bamboo and moss plants will create the look of a typical Japanese garden.

A fish pond with a colorful selection of gold fish will add great charm to a Japanese garden if space permits.  There are kits available to help the gardener design and install these ponds.  These kits can often be found at the local home improvement stores, and these can be small or very elaborate kits.  These kits will also provide great advice to keep the fish healthy and alive.  A wonderful waterfall using a unique design will add a great visual effect as well as the soothing sound of the flowing water.  The rocks that are often included in a Japanese garden can be incorporated into Japanese landscaping by a creative gardener.

The Basics of Hot Tub Landscaping

A hot tub is one of the most luxurious additions that you can make to your backyard. It is a spot where you can entertain, or just sit and soak your worries away. And while the hot tub itself is a great addition to your yard, without effective landscaping, your hot tub experience is going to be lacking in additional relaxation that can come from soothing sights and even smells. If you plan to have a hot tub installed, or if you already have one in your yard, take some time to consider the landscaping for your hot tub.

Not Just Good Looks

Well-chosen hot tub landscaping adds not only great looks to the area around your tub, but can serve to enhance your privacy as well. The right plants, such as dense bamboo, can provide a natural curtain that blocks neighbors for viewing your relaxation time in the hot tub as well as help you to forget your own surroundings. A lattice fence can allow vines to climb up and give you that privacy, or even as set of dense shrubs can do the trick; all you need to do is find options for your hot tub landscaping and you’ll soon have some extra privacy.

Aromatherapy

There is a huge market nowadays for aromatherapy candles, essential oils for the bath, perfumes and sprays of all sorts in order to help soothe people with scents. However, for your relaxation all you need is your hot tub and proper landscaping to give you some relaxing smells while you’re soaking. For instance, lavender or roses near your hot tub will fill the air with the scents of the blossoms, allowing you to breathe in subtle flowery scents while you’re in your tub.

A word of advice so you don’t commit any hot tub landscaping blunders: avoid thorny flowers and fruit trees near your hot tub. You don’t want to step anywhere a thorn might fall and fruit trees tend to encourage bees and wasps, which you certainly want to avoid. Find a breed of rose without thorns for your hot tub or go with another flower altogether.

Create a Theme

When you’re working on your hot tub landscaping project, try to start with a theme in mind, both to create a final, unified look as well as to narrow down the number of plants you have to choose from. For instance, an Asian theme will call for bamboo and other appropriate plants, while a country theme might have rose trellises and colorful, potted plants. When planning your ultimate hot tub landscaping project, be sure to keep an eye out for not only greenery, but flowers that will add color as well as lush plant life to whatever theme you choose. Above all, look towards your hot tub landscaping project as a way to enhance the fun and relaxation of your hot tub, and you’ll be sure to hit on something spectacular.

Home Landscaping Ideas

You are tired of your lawn looking boring. Yes, you mow the lawn, but there is not much else to look at. Thus, you have decided to do some home landscaping. However, with all of the home landscaping choices that you could make, what you need are some home landscaping ideas.

About Home Landscaping

The first thing that you need to consider when do home landscaping is the kind of yard that you have. For example, do you have a yard that is small, or a yard that is small? Regardless of the size of your lawn, you should know that when it comes to choosing the right home landscaping looks, any size lawn can yield many different ideas.

For example, if you have a larger lawn, you can implement many different home landscaping ideas at the same time. For example, you like flower gardens, but you also like herb gardens. With a larger yard, you can have both! Although, it should be noted that some people with smaller yards have been able to implement many different landscaping ideas as well.

Make one garden in one area of your yard, and another garden in another area of your yard. It should be noted, however, that if you decide to make only one garden that is composed of both flowers and herbs, make sure that the flowers are not overtaken by the herbs.

If you would like to keep your home landscaping simple, that is, of course, another good idea. For example, if you want to have privacy, consider planting flower bushes in the area that you want privacy. However, to keep it simple, you should make sure that the bushes you choose are slow-growing and do not need much care.

Another interesting home landscaping idea is to use rocks. Yes, rocks that are found in the backyard can actually be used in landscaping. For example, if you find a rock in your yard, consider painting it and placing it in your garden. This is an example of how some landscaping can also be artwork.

If you need more home landscaping ideas, go to your local garden center and ask for advice. You can also search the internet. Or, ask family and friends for their advice, especially if you like how they have landscaped their yards. With the proper research, you are sure to find the right home landscaping ideas!

Hillside Landscaping Ideas

You love your home, but you do not love the fact that your home is located on a hillside. This is because you have found it hard to do hillside landscaping. You have decided to hire a landscaper, and together you want to find some hillside landscaping ideas.

About Hillside Landscaping

Hillside landscaping does not have to be as hard as some people make it out to be. It all has to do with the slop of the hillside. If it is a gradual slope, then the hillside landscaping is not really all that hard. However, if the hillside has a considerable slope, this kind of landscaping will be more difficult.

If you like flower bushes, you can indeed implement them into your hillside landscaping. However, it should be noted that any bushes you choose should be low to the ground. This because as the bushes grow, they will grow in an odd way if they are placed on a hillside.

One thing that you should consider when it comes to hillside landscaping is whether you want to have grass on your hillside, or a mulch area. Many people choose mulch areas, reasoning that this way they will not have to mow the lawn on the hillside.

However, because you have chosen to hire landscapers, those landscapers know how to safely mow the lawn in that area. They know the correct way to maneuver the lawnmowers so that they can mow all areas of the hillside grass. Thus, it is you choice whether your hillside should or should not have grass.

Of course the hillside landscaping ideas that have been mentioned here have to do with houses that have a hillside as the front yard. If the hillside is in the backyard, consider doing some natural hillside landscaping.

Rather than thinking about using mulch to get rid of grass in that area, consider having a little waterfall installed. This is a beautiful example of how you can use this kind of landscaping in a unique way.

When you choose a landscaper that you think will landscape your yard in the best way, have a meeting to discuss more ideas. You can also search the internet, as there are many different examples of hillside landscaping that you are sure to find on the websites that are available. With the proper research, you are sure to find the right hillside landscaping ideas.

Leave the Hard Landscaping to Landscapers

You have done your own landscaping for years. However, arthritis is becoming a problem for you. No longer can you bend down for risk of hurting your back and joints. So, you now think of landscaping as being hard. Hard landscaping work includes things like mowing the lawn and trees. Thus, you have decided to leave the hard landscaping to professional landscapers.

About Hard Landscaping

Some people prefer to do their own hard landscaping work for as long as they can. However, this is not a good idea, as not only can it aggravate any existing conditions that they have, but it can also lead to heart attacks and other problems. However, this does not mean that you have to give up all landscaping attempts.

For example, if you like the idea of flowers in pots, have a couple at strategic areas around your yard. Certainly, that cannot be considered hard landscaping. If the pots are heavy, get someone else to lift them for you. Take your time pruning and watering them, and you have a nice hobby!

If you like to water your grass, that is another alternative to hard landscaping. After all, it is good to get a little exercise, arthritis or not. Rather than standing while watering the grass, you can also sit in a lawn chair.

Some people resist getting their lawns done by a professional landscaping company because they are expensive. If this is the case, and you realize you cannot do the hard landscaping that you used to, ask a family member who is able to do the landscaping to do it for you.

If, however, you do have the financial means to hire professional landscapers, be sure that they come and give you an estimate first. If possible, try to get a landscaping company that offers free estimates.

Once you have gotten your estimate from a few different landscaping companies, compare the prices, and choose the landscaping company that you think offers the best service. You can also specify the things that you would like the landscapers to pay attention to in the yard, and set up a schedule for lawn maintenance.

For more information on hiring landscapers, ask family or friends that have landscapers who they would suggest. Also, you can search the internet for a directory of local landscapers. With the proper research, you are sure to find the right landscapers!

How to Find the Right Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

You have decided that you would like to have your yard landscaped. However, you do not particularly care about how the backyard looks, so you would rather focus on front yard landscaping ideas. However, you do not know what would look best, so you need to help finding the right front yard landscaping ideas.

About Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

The right front yard landscaping ideas take a sufficient amount of planning. First of all, you should look around your neighborhood. You might notice a certain kind of trend with everyone’s front yard landscaping ideas. While you do not need to have the same look at your home, from your neighbors you can get some interesting front yard landscaping ideas.

Some people think that a good front yard landscaping idea is to put in bushes. They do this for aesthetic reasons as well as privacy reasons. However, they become dismayed when the find that their bushed grow too tall and constantly need to be trimmed. Thus, a good front yard landscaping idea is to choose bushes that you know will not get especially large.

Another front yard landscaping idea, similar to the bushes, is to put a tree in the front yard. This is an idea that some people choose because they want to shade their house or their grass. However, this is not so much of a good idea if the front yard is not especially big, because the tree will grow quite tall, and might become unmanageable. Thus, like with the bushes, it is important to choose trees that do not get too tall.

A classic front yard landscaping idea that is popular because it fits any kind of yard is placing flowers in strategic places as borders. They can be borders for front walkways, borders for trees, and borders for the driveway, among other things. As for the colors of the flowers, be sure that they complement the color of your house.

If you are in need of more front yard landscaping ideas, you can always look at home improvement magazines, because they often offer various ideas that you can implement in your own yard, consult a local landscaping business. Or, you can search the internet, since there are a variety of different websites that have to do with that topic. With the proper research, you are sure to find the right front yard landscaping ideas.

The Importance of Front Yard Landscaping

When it comes to landscaping, you should be able to recognize that there are different things you have to keep in mind when you are landscaping different areas. You are going to landscape back and side yards much differently than you are going to landscape front yards. Front yard landscaping is something that you have to know a little bit about before you begin, because it is something that the success of your entire yard is going to hinge on.

First Things First

First of all, you should know that when you are landscaping your front yard you are landscaping the first thing that anyone is going to see about your house. This is what they will see when they drive by, and it is what everyone is going to see – from your in-laws to the pizza delivery guy! For these reasons, front yard landscaping is very important because it is truly the first impression that people will get about you and how you furnish your home and maintain your yard.

The single most important thing is to always keep it simple. This is a good idea because it allows you to really get a feel for what your overall yard is going to look like and is easier to upkeep. Your front yard landscaping is very important because the front yard is often designed to flow into the backyard and therefore the front yard landscaping has to set the sights for all of your yard and landscaping projects that will be going on in that area.

Also, it is important to know that your front yard landscaping efforts should reflect positively on your house. If you are doing your front yard landscaping in such a way that it emphasizes the house, you are doing it right. If you are trying too hard, and the landscaping overshadows your home, this is not a good thing and is not going to work well in the long run. Keep it simple and make sure that it complements the house, not that it shifts focus and becomes more prominent than the house itself!

A good place to start might be landscaping magazines that can give you simple pointers on how to begin. If you feel it is more than you can handle, ask a professional to do it for you. It will be more expensive at first, but it will save you from the time, effort and money of trial-and-error projects. Once you have your professionally landscaped yard, you can always learn how to maintain it.