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The Beauty of Landscaping
Submitted By: Bob Janeway In architecture, landscaping refers to the science and art of modifying land areas by organizing natural, cultivated, or constructed elements according to a comprehensive, aesthetic plan.
Ways In Which To Go About Choosing The Right Landscaping Company Submitted By: Allison Thompson Everyone knows that by landscaping your garden will make it much more attractive and pleasing to the eye. A properly planned and implemented landscaped garden will provide benefits to you over the years to come and choosing the right company to carry out the landscaping of your garden is the biggest factor you have to consider if you wish to redevelop or redesign your garden in the future.
Deck Building Basics Submitted By: Dean Novosat In my previous article, "planning for a new deck," I outlined the steps for planning for a new deck. This article takes the process one step further. We'll look at how to get started actually building your deck. By this time, I will assume that you have your building permit in hand, a good set of plans, and a materials list. If you don't have a material list, simply take your plan to your nearest home center or building supply store and have them create one for you. Most lumber yards can actually arrange for delivery of all your materials at one time including all the nails and screws are you will need. This can be quite handy on large projects or if you don't own a truck or a trailer. The lumber yard will bring all the parts and pieces you will need to build your new deck. The first place to start, is to set some posts for your deck to rest on. Were I live in the Northeast, we have to deal with the frost and free cycle of winter. When I received my building permit, the code officer made sure to point out that all posts must be secured in country at least 36 inches below the surface of the ground. This will ensure that when the ground freezes the posts of the deck will not heave. Check with your local zoning office to find out what your specifications are for setting posts. Renting a post hole digger makes setting the posts much easier, especially if you live in an area with a lot of playing or a lot of stone in your soil. I was able to dig a half a dozen holes in less than an hour. Digging the same number of holes my hand would've taken me at least half a day so the few dollars I spent on the post hole digger rental was well worth it. Next, a port some stoning concrete makes into the holes and set the posts. My plan called for 4x4 posts. Your plans may be different. After the posts were in and let the concrete cure according to the directions on the package. I then nailed 2 x 2 joists to the side of the House and around the perimeter of the deck. I used metal choice hangers to hang all the internal joists. You can also tell nailed them but metal choice hangers are stronger and easier to use than trying to toenail large lumber. There are lots of different types of taking you can use on top of your deck. I choose simple pressure treated lumber. To attach the deck boards to the joists you can use either nails or screws. If you use nails, make sure you use special spiral nails. These help prevent nails from popping. Deck screws are preferable as they are stronger but they are much more expensive than nails when laying out the decking, it is easier to let the deck boards run long and trim them down later once the entire deck surface is finished. When all the deck boards or laid, simply take a circular saw, and cut all the ends off the deck. For a finished look, attach a skirt board to the exposed edges of the decking and over the rim joists. The last thing to do, if needed, would be to add railing, and or steps. However, these basics should get you started.
Landscaping... How Does Your Garden grow Submitted By: Lisa French The landscaping of the exterior areas around your house should be as personal in taste as your interior decoration. A driveway and garden are usually the first impressions a visitor has of your home. They should always be as trim and well cared for as your house itself. Naturally, landscaping, like most things, depends on individual taste. Some people prefer a wild, natural look in gardens and outdoor areas. Others prefer the clipped hedges, planned walks, planting and ordered flower borders of the stylized English garden. Before planning your landscape, check the zoning regulations of your community, if you live in the city. This must be the first step, as many zoning laws determine the limitations on the height of trees, shrubs and other foilage, and their placement. Interior and corner lots often differ in these respects. The cost of landscaping varies with each house, as does the planning. The location of the house on the property, the size, shape and elaborateness of areas planned for trees, shrubs, lawn and flowers are of course the controlling factors. The larger, more intricate garden naturally cost more than a smaller area. Here are some good basic pointers to remember when planning your landscaping. Privacy - Shrubs, bushes, a cluster of trees can serve as screens from adjoining properties, walks, roads and create a park like effect at the same time. Clever landscaping of a patio, terrace or swimming pool adds to their usability and attractiveness, also provides perfect privacy. Integration - A driveway should be fully blended with the foilage to create an attractive first impression of your property. The proportion of trees, grass, shrubs, bushes and flowers should be carefully balanced with concrete, graveled, asphalt or flagstone driveways to dispense with a paved, sidewalk effect. Shade - A single, large tree may be a joy to look at, but make sure it does not obscure the house or shade it too much. Plant a tree or cluster of trees at the edge of the lawn, so that you get the most benefit from the shade on hot days. Make sure the trees do not overhang swimming pools or sun patios, and obscure the sun. Also bear in mind that trees near a pool mean falling leaves and debris to clean out of the water constantly. Levels - A garden on flat land can be planted with little regard to change in grade (level). Some land is not totally flat, so do not overlook grading problems in your plans. However, a garden that has more than one level is more interesting and much more effective designs can be achieved. But, naturally, the cost are higher. Drainage - If you are designing your own garden before calling in a landscaper, remember to settle the drainage problems first, or discuss it with the expert. You don't want puddles, ruined turf or plants, so settle the drainage system in the beginning. Basic Planting - Once your design is complete, you have two courses you can follow in the planting plan. If your budget allows you to do the whole planting job at once, the sequence should be as follows: plant trees and shrubs first, then sod or seed your lawn. Should it be neccessary to carry your landscaping over a period of years, plant lawn first, add trees, shrubs and flowers later when you can afford it. Plans - Your garden requires landscape plans, just as the interior of your home. If you have definite ideas about what you want, and the effect you wish to achieve, draw up some rough plans on graph paper. Then you can discuss the project fully with the landscaper. If you are an amateur gardener and wish to do your landscaping yourself, you will not need a set of plans to determine each area of your property.
Driveway Landscaping Submitted By: Janeth Duque Landscaping driveways does not necessarily mean the driveway itself, although the design of your driveway can impact the look and feel of your landscape. Rather, many people neglect to landscape their driveways to look attractive. This includes adding landscaping elements to the sides of the driveway, as well as at the bottom and the top of the driveway. There are many softscape and hardscape elements that can be added to make the area surrounding the driveway more attractive. Your driveway landscape is the entrance to your property. If you ignore it, the driveway can look more like an ugly scar than a part of your landscape. If properly incorporated, however, it is possible to create a nice looking element in your landscape, tying it in to the rest of your design and looking as though it truly belongs. It is very worth your while to make an attempt at landscaping around your driveway. You need not spend a great deal of money to landscape your driveway, but if you carefully choose features and elements that are attractive and creative, you can have a fairly low-cost driveway landscape that is inviting to visitors as well as to those who live inside the house. Before landscaping the driveway, however, there are a few things to take into account. First of all, you need to make sure that what you are doing will not be so much wasted work. Take into account your neighborhood. If there are a great deal of children, a flower bed at the entrance, near the street, may not be a wise decision. It may be trampled careless children, or the flowers may be picked. While these actions do not usually the products malice, they can result in a ragged and disheveled looking driveway entrance. In such a neighborhood one might consider accenting the entrance with an attractive fence, rock wall, or even a small rock garden. Also determine the footpaths traveled by those who live in the house. Make sure that any elements you add to the sides or ends of the driveway are not interfering in established walkways. Some of the common hardscape options are walls and fences. These are projects that can add distinction and accent to your driveway area. A rock wall can be especially interesting if you use different colored rocks. It is also possible to plant grasses and small, hardy flowers in the cracks between the stones used to construct the wall. This can be decorative and it can add a more interesting aspect to your rock wall. Short, attractive fences, and even some of higher height, can also accent the driveway and give it a little more color and character. Small hanging baskets or lanterns can be used with either a fence or a wall to add more beauty. There are plenty of softscape options for dressing up the area around the driveway. The first thing you need to decide (and this goes for hardscape accents as well) is whether you plan to use the landscape elements to run the length of the driveway or to simply accent the entrance to the driveway. If you are working with a very small budget, simply accenting either side of the driveway, near the bottom, is a good idea. It will cost much less, but add a great deal to the look of your over all landscape. Some of the softscape ideas that work well either to follow the driveway up or simply to add character to the entrance, include beds of colorful annuals, groundcover along the drive to create a natural and interesting border with the lawn, ornamental trees, and shrubs. The shrubs can even be cut to be topiary and have interesting designs. A curved driveway is interesting of itself, and can be made even more so if a focal point is added to nestle in the curve. This focal point should be something of beauty. It can be as simple as a stately oak, or a specially designed flowerbed or rock garden. Or, instead of being something simple, the focal point can be something else entirely. Landscape bridges, wishing wells, garden arbors, and water gardens all make excellent focal points that can be exceptionally attractive.
Spring Color In The Landscape Submitted By: Susan Schlenger Most people enjoy color in the landscape, but especially in the Spring after the Winter season.
Pondless Waterfalls Submitted By: Alice J Scott Pondless waterfalls are the newest idea in water features. They're so practical and we do love practical. Exactly what is a pondless waterfall – just what it sounds like. It is a water feature with a waterfall, but no pond.
The Importance When Choosing Deck Railing Submitted By: Nicky Ferns There can be denied not one bit that choice in deck railing may be as simple as breaking it down to what materials would be best to use, but nothing can deny that deck railing can be important for every day use and enjoyment of your patio and/or deck setting. Sometimes basic is the best way to go when it comes to building and maintaining a deck attachment to your home, and to enact this ordeal at all, it might be better if complexities are kept to a minimum when dealing with the issue. Deck railing is also quite a safety matter as well, and nothing can undermine the qualities that railing can bring to the appearance of a deck, with some of the features included in this option being electrical lighting running through the handrails. There are many options to add to your patio's utility, but none to be overlooked is the potential of the deck railing, not just to guide someone off also to keep an area on the deck separate from the rest of the yard. Perfect placing for barbecue grills. The deck can be handy for outdoor settings with the family, and with the right stable form of railing to use, you can be assured that all uses for the railing will become apparent as the life of your deck goes on year after year. With all the varieties of constructive materials out there now, you have a wide berth for finding the items you require to suit your needs for the perfect deck, and when you come to the realization that deck railing can be a very important issue to tackle once you get to it. A consumer should not be confused when deciding on the railing to complete their ideal patio setting, but rather should be inspired by the amount of time you can spend on choosing a far more superior quality material, as the total picture for the deck will be more finished after finding the right railing. A picture perfection to last as the time comes and goes to reveal how your deck can perform under many kinds of adverse conditions, and an idea of railing to add to the final look of the deck. A railing that can evoke a sense of the classical, or a sense of the traditional, or even a sense of the modern age we live in. Anything that will compliment the general views on your patio setting, allowing for a sense of one's own tastes, and making reality the person's craving for a relaxing setting for family and friends. Railing is a finishing touch to make the deck a more appealing facet to your homes' appearance as a whole. Whatever concept you go for can make the deck a beautiful place. Accenting the deck with any manner of decorating gimmicks is easy after the bulk of ideas are filtered out to a few solid points of value. With many varying stains and paints and such, there is a multitude of things that can be utilized to make the features stand out, and there are many differing ways to make the same old seem young and fresh. Filling a creative mind with interesting aspects to the world around us can boil down to merely finding the right style for your choice of deck railing.
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