Tag Archives: Landscaping

The Advantages of Edible Landscaping

November 03, 2024   Matt

The Advantages of Edible Landscaping

There are many advantages to participating in the practice of edible landscaping. As one might imagine, edible landscape elements are those that can be used for food, as well as for ornamental beauty. Vegetables, herbs, and fruits can add variety and color to the landscape, and if well maintained, they can also look very attractive and even elegant in many cases. Most people prefer to keep the edible elements of their landscape to the back portions of their property. While this may be reasonable for a more conventional garden plot, a well placed squash patch in the front yard or beautiful raspberry bushes against a fence can look very attractive anywhere on a piece of property, and fruit trees are always welcome. Strawberries and herbs make excellent ground cover, and peppers and tomato plants make excellent accents in flower gardens. Here are some of the advantages of incorporating edible landscape elements into your environment.
Less effort on the lawn. If trying to keep a manicured lawn is a daunting task, you can reduce the amount of lawn that you do have by adding more edible elements. If you pay someone to keep your lawn for you, it can become quite expensive. Edible elements are excellent ways to reduce you’re the area of your lawn, making the upkeep easier, without having to spend a great deal of money.
Increased quality of life. You can experience a better quality of life as taking care of these edible elements in your landscape leads you to more exercise and more time in the fresh air. Inside of offices and homes the air does not circulate as well. Sick building syndrome is an actual condition that results in respiratory problems associated with being indoors too much. Sometimes, with all of the dust, and other small particles constantly floating through the house, the air inside a home can be more polluted than the air outside the home. Being outside can help alleviate much of the problems of this nature.
Experts agree that exercise is important, and tending your edibles can be an enjoyable way to get some physical activity. You feel better when you exercise, and your body is healthier. Increased physical wellness also results from the fact that you can choose not to use pesticides and thus grow food that is better for you. There are also mental health benefits associated with tending plants. Additionally, the satisfaction one feels from growing something for one’s consumption adds to feelings of self worth.
Quality family time. Taking care of an edible landscape makes a great family activity. A family can spend time together, and children can learn the value of hard work as well as learning to respect and enjoy nature. These days, with so many distractions tempting the family in all different directions (or even to just sit in separate rooms watching TV or playing on the computer), working together for a common goal can really help family members discover each other.
Environmental benefits. You can help the environment by growing edible elements in your landscape. When you eat what you grow, you decrease demand for factory farming and processed foods, which in turn helps the environment. Additionally, if you choose to shun harmful chemicals like pesticides, you are decreasing dependence upon harmful products. Additionally, you are also helping reduce the demand for transporting produce to stores, thus affecting truck emissions.
Financial benefits. And one cannot forget the pocketbook. Edible landscaping provides food for your family, allowing you to save money at the grocery store. If you have enough room, it is even possible to grow enough food to freeze or can some of your food for winter. This can result in great savings. With berries, apples, and crabapples, it is also possible for you to rather inexpensively make your own jellies and jams. During summer months, it is possible to purchase almost none of your produce at the store if you have properly planned your edible elements. Although items like citrus fruits and melons may not grow in your climate, most vegetables and berries grow almost anywhere. This means that you can buy a very few items of desire, and grow most of the rest of your produce.
The great thing about edible landscaping is that you do not need everything in the same area. There is no reason to put all of your vegetables in the same place, like a traditional block garden. You can spread a great many of them throughout the landscape for more dramatic and aesthetic effect.

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Unifying and Separating Landscaping Planting Beds

October 09, 2024   Matt

Unifying and Separating Landscaping Planting Beds

There are thousands of plant combinations, companion plantings, and color combinations that will work well in landscaping and garden planting schemes.

And form a beginner or do it yourselfer standpoint, simplicity and repitition in planting is a good starting point that can be added to later. I usually say to pick a color scheme of two or three colors and repeat it throughout the garden.

For more curious, experimental, or advanced home landscapers there may be a feel for planting in masses or even random, assorted, and wildflower and ornamental grass beds.

In any instance, there’s always a chance that even the best of planting intentions can disrupt harmony, balance, and unity in the garden instead of creating it.
Periodically adding a neutral colored plant throughout your landscape can help unify planting beds that differ in color, texture, and even height.

Silver or gray plants such as Lambs Ears, Artemesia, Dusty Miller, Santolina, Sage, Horehound, and others are considered neutral colored.

Using white flowers as a neutral also works very well. Anything white is a natural focal point and especially in the garden. In a mass of green foliage, orange flowers, mixed flowers, etc., white always draws our eyes to it. Using it throughout the garden will create a sense of unity.
Use white sparingly. Too much of it tends to feel cluttered.

Unifying a garden that’s out of sorts is really quite simple. As well as moving and matching existing elements, try adding a neutral color plant to the different planting areas.

Separating or “buffering” beds from each other can be as simple as adding a neutral or group of neutrals between colors or beds.

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Hidden Costs of Landscaping

August 15, 2024   Matt

Hidden Costs of Landscaping

A complete makeover of your home’s landscape may not be possible. After all, there is no surprise that if you choose to completely re-do your landscape you will spend a great deal of money. However, there are surprising hidden costs in nearly any landscaping project, even some of the small ones. It is important to be aware of some of the costs that you might not normally think of before you begin a project. Otherwise, you will find that the project’s true cost is much more than you thought it would be, and you may discover that you might not have been able to afford your landscape change after all.
Perhaps the most hidden of landscaping costs involves features that require lighting and water. Many people think only of the cost of the equipment, and the cost of putting it in (which is minimal if they put it in themselves). They fail to consider how much money they will spend in the form of paying for increased energy and water usage. With outdoor lighting, it is possible to mitigate this cost somewhat by buying more energy efficient bulbs, or by confining the use of outdoor lighting to times when there is a special occasion. There is no reason for the lighting if you only use it so that the neighbors can admire your landscape even at night. Reserve the use of your outdoor lighting for times when you are entertaining people out of doors, or when you are sitting in your yard at night, and may need the light. Water features are a double whammy, as they require energy and water. Using a feature that reuses its own water can cut down a little bit on your water usage (although there will always be water lost to evaporation), and it is now possible to find some features that use less energy. However, if you must have a water feature and are afraid of the costs you will incur, you can always choose a very small pond or waterfall.
Related to the issue of water features is paying for water use when you water the lawn. Setting up sprinklers on a timer will ensure that you do not have to rely on your memory to remember to turn them off. It is important to note that most people water their lawns two or three times more then they need to. The average lawn actually receives about the same amount of water as a tropical rainforest. This is not necessary for your lawn. Watering each part of your lawn for 15 minutes two or three times a week (depending on climate) is usually sufficient, if it is not new sod (which requires a good soak every day the first week). Additionally, it is a good idea to take into account the amount of extra water you will be using to help sod or a tree establish itself. This can add up to be quite a bit of extra water, and if you city charges more money once your usage reaches a certain point, it can be even more costly.
Also, you may not realize how much money you might spend if your soil is poor. Before being in raptures about a particular plant, determine what kind of soil it needs to thrive, this will make a difference in whether your plant lives or dies. The costs of adding fertilizer to sandy soil or gypsum to clay soil can begin to add up. This problem can be remedied, however, if you examine what plants grow natively in your region. By choosing plants that grow well in the soil you have, or in near conditions, you can save a great deal on soil amendment. Most local master gardeners will give you guidance on native plants for free, or for a very small fee.
Just as there are hidden costs in nearly everything, landscaping, too, has hidden costs. The key is to be informed about the various consequences of your landscape choices, and to be careful in what you decide to do. While the up front costs may not be too unreasonable, you may find that as you continue to enjoy your new landscape, the later costs may be more than your landscape is worth.

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Landscaping and the Environment

August 10, 2024   Matt

Landscaping and the Environment

Landscaping is an activity that can change the face of the
environment no matter how small the household’s lawn is.

Because of this, homeowners and contractors alike should be
aware of this fact and find ways of lessening the impact of
this activity.

Here are some tips on having an earth-friendly landscape.

1. Find plants that consume little water

– one of the main requirements of a landscape is to have an
ample amount of water for the plants. But since water is
becoming a scarcer and scarcer commodity, homeowners should
choose plants that consume little water.

Not only do they help save the environment, they also help
cut a homeowner’s water costs.

2. Use organic fertilizers

– artificial fertilizers contain chemicals that may
otherwise be harmful to the soil.

Organic fertilizers should therefore be chosen in favor of
artificial ones to lessen its impact on the soil and at the
same time, ensure that one has a healthy plant.

Creating a compost pit and using cut grass as mulch can
help provide organic fertilizers to a garden.

3. Have trees in your lawn

– trees provide shade in your lawn and if they are
well-positioned, they can reduce energy costs spent on
cooling and heating.

4. Find alternative sources of water

– while sprinklers are a great way to water a lawn, rain
water can be a good alternative too. So when designing a
landscape, find a way of irrigating it using rain water
from the household’s rooftops.

This helps a lot in cutting the costs on water used by
sprinklers.

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Best Landscaping Practices

August 05, 2024   Matt

Best Landscaping Practices

In order to make a great landscape, there are certain
tried-and-tested practices that you can follow. Not only do
these practices help you create a beautiful landscape, they
also ensure that you do not waste any money and that you
are not harming the environment in any way.

Here are some of the best landscaping practices that you
can do in your own home garden.

1. Design your landscape in a way where water is retained
well. This doesn’t only go for water that comes from your
sprinklers but also storm runoffs.

By having this kind of set-up, you do not spend a lot on
watering your plants and you also help keep your
community’s water supply at bay.

2. Use fertilizers responsibly. Some people become
trigger-happy when it comes to using fertilizers on their
landscapes.

While putting in too much fertilizer can be detrimental to
the environment, using organic fertilizers or choosing
plants that are well-accustomed to the local environment
will help in curbing the problem.

3. Take it easy on pesticides and weed killers – just like
fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers can do more harm
than good if used irresponsibly.

4. Schedule watering of the plants. Watering the plants
early in the morning help in retaining the water much
longer than doing it at noon for example.

While considering the time for watering the plants may seem
like a small thing, it translates to something big when the
water supply is put into the equation.

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The Best Plants for Your Landscaping Project

May 17, 2024   Matt

The Best Plants for Your Landscaping Project

When you deal with plants, information is necessary to ensure that they are right for your landscape, your geographical area, the season suitable for planting, and the proper care that needs to be implemented, and etc. Without this knowledge, you can not assume that the investment is justified..

One practical suggestion is to consider planting an herb garden. Herbs are good for landscaping. The bonus will be herbs are both practical and can be used in cooking. Other options are available but you must you must carefully consider the plants to insure that they are appropriate for your needs.

One consideration that you should not dwell a great deal is the decorative appeal of the plants. You may be attracted to their color, size, and flowers but they may not be appropriate. Select plants that will do well in your area so that do well and provide the desired effect. Take note of the following factors in choosing plants:

• Site and soil conditions. Remember plants have environmental requirements. You need to be aware of your particular conditions and consider the following: exposure to light and wind, soil conditions and structures nearby. If you fail to check on these very important factors, chances are, the plantings will not do good as well as you expected.

• Size and type selection. If you desire a certain plant because of its size and type, you should be aware that they must be handled, planted, and cared for in the proper way. There are three types of ornamental plants: those that are called ball and burlap (B&B), bare root and container grown. If the plants are container grown or ball and burlap plants, you must handle with care and remove the container around the root ball leaving as much soil as possible around the roots. The pot should be totally or the burlap partially removed. Bare root plants, which are smaller in size, are only available in spring and should be planted immediately after purchase.
• Climatic considerations are very important because the plants survival is highly dependent on temperature, etc. Carefully check the plants you are choosing for your landscape and make certain the climates in your area is suitable.
• Prevent pests. There are plants that can resist certain pests. Be sure to choose these plants for your landscape especially if you have identified the pests that are a problem in your area.
• Start healthy. Choose plants from a reputable nursery that you know have been properly cared for. Be aware – do not purchase damaged in plants.

Landscaping is a big investment so as choosing the plants that goes with it. Proper selection and care is needed.

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