Showing posts with label Yard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yard. Show all posts

Monday, 19 March 2012

Landscaping - Simple Front Yard Ideas

Designing a landscape for your front yard will greatly differ from the backyard, because they serve two completely different functions. The front yard is where people come in and leave; it should thus be the most striking and most accessible area.

What makes a front yard extremely interesting is walkways and pathways with features and designs around it. It seems intriguing and inviting. The front yard should not be elaborate, but simple and uncluttered. Invite people in by letting the main walkway lead straight to the front door. It could be soft and curvy, but not too elaborate as to confuse guests. Frame the front of the house and door by placing smaller plants next to the entrance. You can also try and "soften" the front view by using vertical shrubs and plants and by pruning plants regularly to keep it neat. Grass can add immediate texture to a garden and there are many varieties and colours of grass that are bound to compliment your overall design.


You can also create a "container garden" at the front door with different coloured flowers flanking out in different directions to compliment the colour of the front door and house. Use evergreens that are low maintenance and that will create a year-round welcoming atmosphere. If you have a long driveway or cul-de-sac, create a successful transition between driveway and front door. Pocket gardens with flowers, as well as boulders will break the monotony and create this transition.


Garden furniture is not restricted to the back
yard; you can easily incorporate small aluminum or wrought-iron tables and chairs near the front door with umbrella. This will look welcoming and even festive. Adding coloured gravel or mulch underneath will add character. The best option regarding plants and flowers is to use one type of shrub throughout and to stick with one colour, but in different shades when choosing flowers. You can also use arbours, trellises and even a garden sculpture to break the single height of plants and create a second focal point.

Connect the front and back yards with flowing shrubs and flowers on the side of the house. This will lead guests in a specific direction. You can easily create an interesting "island" in the middle of a large front yard by placing mounds of dirt, ground and gravel on large pieces of newspaper (which keeps weeds down). Add shrubs and perennials and create a perimeter with old bricks and stones. You should definitely incorporate trees in all sizes, but take care to not go overboard. Large, dense trees can easily hide or overwhelm a house when it should actually be framing the house.

Light up the house and yard with solar-powered garden lights. These will provide security and are perfect for creating a welcoming, secure atmosphere if you decide to entertain guests at night. These are easy to install and require little maintenance.


Are you ready to turn your outdoor space into a natural haven of beauty and tranquility? Do you want to be the envy of the neighbourhood? Download your copy of
landscape Design: The Road to a Beautiful Surroundings now and turn your garden into paradise!

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Landscaping Ideas For Your Yard

Landscaping Plans

No matter what the season, we all dream about having a home with a lush, green lawn, colorful flowers and landscaping that looks like it was planted by a professional gardener. It won't be easy, and you will have to spend time doing research and learning some landscaping basics, but it is within your reach.

Proper planning in any landscaping project is the key to success. With the proper planning and some patience, avoiding some common mistakes can make the entire project proceed without many problems and give you the result you have always wanted.


If you are planning on landscaping a small area, you shouldn't have any problems doing this small project yourself. Begin by looking at landscaping books to get some ideas. When you are out for a walk notice what you like and don't like about the yards in your neighborhood.

Write your ideas down on paper. Draw up some sketches and show them to your family for their opinions and ideas. Take the plans to your local nursery and discuss your plans with someone who is familiar with what plants and flowers do well in your area.


Here are some ideas for different landscaping areas and options.


Flowers to Make Your yard Colorful


To make your home look friendlier, add some flowers to your yard. If you want color throughout the year you will need to research what plants bloom during which seasons.


By planning your garden you can arrange the flowers around the yard so that there is color year-round, and so the colors complement each other.


Besides placing flowers in the beds bordering the lawn, flowers can be used to line a sidewalk or the pathway to your front door. Splashes of color can add charm and beauty to any yard.


Designing a Functional and Beautiful backyard


A home
backyard is a special place. Unlike a front yard of the house a backyard is free of any artificial and injected rules of design. If your backyard is fenced off from public view, you have only yourself and your family to please.

Depending on the size of the yard you can have different areas. For example, you can set aside a corner of the yard for a child's play area with a swing set and fort. Another area can be set up with a bar-b-q and picnic table. Perhaps you can even find a spot for a cascading waterfall.


Remember, your local library is a great resource for landscaping books to give you some great ideas. If you are going to go through all the work and expense of landscaping your backyard, you want to do it right. You want a yard that will bring you enjoyment and that you can be happy with for years to come.

Lawn


Do you know that a beautiful and well put together lawn has many benefits? It helps keep the house cooler in summer, provides a wonderful play area for children, and more. For added beauty, intersperse the lawn with trees randomly planted in between.


Shrubs


Some shrubs along the outside of the house will give it an entirely different look, and a stone walkway is something even a landscape novice should be able to do themselves with a little instruction.


Examples of landscape design elements in transition are plants that go from coarse to medium to fine textures or softscapes that go from large trees to medium trees to shrubs to bedding plants.


Landscaping to Reduce Expenses


Did you know that you can save money on heating and cooling costs by carefully planting trees, shrubs and even some grasses and vines around your home? By planting trees on the south and west side of your house you can actually reduce summer temperatures inside your home by ten degrees.

Letting vines and shrubs grow next to the house (so they protect basement windows) helps further. Keep this in mind when planning your
landscaping.