Sunday 25 December 2011

Some Basic Backyard Landscaping Ideas

If you are a little bit stuck ideas when you are looking to landscape your backyard, then why not take inspiration from many of the natural gardens that you find around the world. Here are a few landscaping ideas that you could consider if you are a little bit stuck for creative thought.

One thing to do would be to create a tropical backyard. Any type of tropical backyard will be comprised of all sorts of different colours and shapes. Due to the fact that the tropics are known for heavy rainfall, it is also a good idea to install certain water features. The entire setup you create should be enough to attract some interesting wildlife and insects, just be sure that you do not attract anything unwanted.


You might also consider the option of a bamboo backyard. Bamboo is eternally green, and will maintain their leaves throughout the different seasons of the year. As the bamboo begins to grow too high, consider cutting them down and using the additional bits of bamboo to create sculptures that you can add around the garden.

Or how about a bonsai garden? Bonsais are potted plants that have small trees in them, and they originated in Japan. You should gather together many of these different miniature trees, and then arrange them within your garden so that it seems like you are walking through a miniature forest.


You can also create a cacti garden if you want to. Cacti are plants that will require the least amount of water, and therefore they will not require a great deal of maintenance whatsoever. You can get them in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, but just remember that they are very prickly and therefore may not be ideal if you have small children around.


All in all, these are just a few very basic ideas that you could consider when landscaping your garden.

Friday 16 December 2011

Build A Beautiful Backyard Water Fountain

There are several methods you can use when it comes to building a backyard water fountain. They are made out of several different kinds of material such as copper, bronze, stone, fiberglass and steel. Building a backyard fountain is not a hard task, but it does call for a lot of labor. Many people enjoy the sound that comes from their fountains because they help to relieve stress or helps them to relax. People with allergies enjoy their fountains because they help increase the levels of humidity and decrease the amount of dust particles in the air.

One of the ways to build a backyard water fountain will be to use a small water pump placed in a small tub or over a liner. You can cover the liner using rocks and pebbles. Using a PVC pipe connected to the pump will cause the water to rise up out of the rocks. You can use rocks or pebbles to cover up your electrical lines. If you have a backyard water fountain that you purchased, the directions should let you know what size pump you will need. The pump may come with the fountain. Alternatively, you may dig a hole that will fit the shape and depth of your pond liner. You can select a shallow pond liner for this project unless you want to have a pond that is deep enough for koi or plants. You will need to be sure you remove any type of rocks or debris from the hole before you lay down your liner. Place your liner in the hole and make sure the liner is level with a smooth surface beneath it. Once you have the liner in place, the edges of the liner should be just above the ground's surface.

Most people use mortar to spread around the perimeter of the liner. You can place river rocks around the edges of the liner so that they will help your fountain blend in to your landscaping in a more natural way. You can also put other decorative items that may be appealing around the liner's perimeter. It is wise to keep your pets in mind when building your water fountain. You do not want them to think of the fountain as their
backyard drinking source! It is a good idea to consider putting a small decorative fence around your fountain. You can cover up the pump with a nylon stocking. This will prevent any type of debris from clogging the pump mechanism. In order to keep the pump in place, you can attach it to a brick with a large rubber band. The stocking will go over the section that creates the fountain spray. Place the pump in the middle of the pond liner and if you need it elevated, you can use bricks for that. Before turning on the pump, fill the fountain liner with water. You can adjust the sprayer nozzle for your fountain until it is to your liking.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Backyard Landscaping: 5 Ideas to Landscape on a Budget

The backyard is one of the most important aspects of any home. Property owners everywhere take pride in how their lawn looks to visitors. It's a site of family gatherings and events, where you congregate with loved ones to acknowledge important accomplishments. It does take some investment in time and financial resources to have a proper backyard landscaping design, but you don't have to empty your 401(k) in order to make your lawn look like it was done a professional. There are several things you can do on a budget to make your plants look great.

Take advantage of freebies

Cities often give away free trees, mulch and compost, while demolition sites are a great for bricks and stones (you should always get permission before removing any items). If you look close enough, you can find a lot of great, free plants out there.

Know when to hire a professional

There will be times during your project that you'll find it just easier to hire a professional landscaper. Get help for the jobs that might take more muscle or design skill than you have available. You shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. While there is a great amount of pride in doing the work yourself, you don't want your yard to look like you needed assistance.

Put the project in your phases

Don't buy everything at once, as you'll just drain your bank account. Dividing the project into phases will allow you to review your progress and adjust plans, as well as save you costs. It will also save you the stress of thinking, "How will I get all of this done?" Rome wasn't built in a day, and your yard shouldn't be landscaped in 24 hours. Take your time to make sure the job is done right.

Find other resources

Look beyond the stores, and check out botanical centers, plant societies and other organizations that often hold plant sales. You can usually find a good bargain on perennials and other plants. Schools often hold plant and tree sales, and not only will you get them at a great price, you'll also be supporting great causes.

Make your own compost

Use yard waste and food scraps to save on the cost of fertilizer. You can easily make compost piles from recycled 2x4s and chicken wire. Retail outlets charge on average $5 per bag of small fertilizer, and it will take many bags to properly fertilize your plants. With your own wasted items, you can save the funds.

Remember: It's your property, so you have the ability to try different things. You might even discover a cost-savings way to manicure your property that wasn't listed here.
backyard landscaping should be fun and not stressful, so save the stress by saving money.