Susan's Lawn Gardens

Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, STEFAN HYROSS. He is an expert on real estate landscaping, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

Suggestions For Great Backyard Landscaping

by Stefan Hyross

Everyone enjoys relaxing outdoors on a nice summer day. However, if your backyard needs some work, you may not be enjoying it to the fullest. You may be overwhelmed by the size of the landscaping project, especially is you try to do it all in one growing season. The solution? Sectional landscaping.

If you determine sections for your backyard and remodel only one section each year, you will be able to revamp your whole yard in a few years without breaking your back or spending a fortune. Sectional landscaping is particularly useful if you care on a budget. It will be easier to absorb $1,000 every year for 3 or 4 years than trying to spend $4,000-5,000 in one season.

The most important element of landscaping in section is the overall plan. Without one, you backyard will look like a patchwork of landscaping styles. Begin by sketching the existing permanent structures such as house, shed, deck, pool and trees. Now is a good time to take inventory of the existing plants and shrubs and decide which ones will not be part of the new landscape plan.

Play around with ideas. Make copies of your sketch and experiment with various options. Look for ideas in magazine or visit neighboring gardens. At this stage, the only limit is your imagination. If you have frequent backyard parties or family barbecues, keeping the layout of the yard open will work best. However, if you have a lot of space or don’t use the backyard much, incorporating an island bed, pond or walkways will create nice drama. Consider your lifestyle and the way you normally use your backyard and plan accordingly.

Here are some landscaping ideas to get you started.

Use plants as screens

This is particularly useful if your backyard is not fenced in. You may want to consider lining the edge of the yard with hawthorn, juniper, cedar, etc to create privacy but also to provide a beautiful backdrop for your future flower beds. A screen of evergreen will also protect your yard from drifting snow and heavy winds.

Creating a border flower bed

The biggest challenge when creating a border flower bed is choosing perennials that will complement each other in both color and height. With so many plants to choose from, you can really let your imagination run wild. However, consider planting an uneven number of the same plant for more visual appeal. Leave some space between the various perennials you choose for more impact. Do not overcrowd the plants and they need air and light to grow. Now would be a good time to pick up a gardening book listings various perennials to help you make your selection. You can also visit your local nursery and speak to the staff. They will be happy to help you.

Island Bed

To create an instant focal point in any backyard, an island bed is a great idea. It can planted in the middle of the yard or off to one side and is surrounded by a sea of grass. An island bed has the most impact in a large yard. The bed itself can vary in shape and side.  Use your imagination! Just remember to scale the plants and place the tallest in the center and decrease the height as you make your way towards the edges.

Water Feature

What could be more relaxing than the still waters of a beautiful pond or the gentle splashing of a waterfall? Building a pond is easier than you may think. There are a number of preformed liners available on the market. Alternatively, if you want a pond with a specific shape, you can dig and build it yourself. Look online or at the bookstore for how to guides.

Before you go out and and buy hundreds of dollars worth of plants, you should visit a garden center for some advice on soil preparation and drainage. Bring a copy of your landscaping plan with you and maybe a sample of your soil. You may also wish to bring extra cash in case you get carried away!

Stefan Hyross writes on topics that include real estate Collingwood and surrounding areas. For more information about the Collingwood area, related real estate articles or to search for Collingwood cottages, please feel free to visit the website.

Article Source: Suggestions For Great Backyard Landscaping

Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, KEITH KINGSTON. He is an expert on garden sheds, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How to Build a Shed
By Keith Kingston

The easiest way to build a shed in the backyard is to make a trip to the
local Lowe’s or other hardware shop to purchase a shed-building kit.

Never
choose one from a picture in a brochure or from the Internet. When viewing
in person, you can check for important quality control details such as
thickness of timber, overlap structure of panels, type of wood, whether it
is pre-treated with a preservative and the quality of flooring. Thick
timber is longer lasting. An overlap structure on wall panels is important
to prevent water leakage. It is beneficial for the shed to have been
pre-treated with preservative, but in your upkeep you will still want to
treat it once a year. Flooring should be thick so that it does not give
with the weight of tools and equipment you want to store.

Read the rest of How To Build A Shed…

Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, HUGH HARRIS-EVANS. He is a water garden expert, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond
By Hugh Harris-Evans

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.

When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must first consider the design and make a plan. The biggest mistake that people make when planning a pond waterfall is to err on the large side. For a pond measuring 12 ft x 14 ft you should think in terms of a fall of 18-24 inches. The width of the waterfall should be in proportion to the size of your pond. The important point is to make sure that the scale of your construction fits in with the surrounding features and does not spoil the balance of your overall garden design.

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Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, TOM B GEE. He is an expert on garden sheds, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

Cheap Garden Sheds – What Are Your Requirements?
By Tom B Gee

When you think of a garden shed, you most likely visualize a wooden box-shaped construction situated at the end of somebody’s backyard, filled with all sorts of household paraphernalia and gardening tools. For some, their shed offers a place to do some DIY that is not appropriate for indoors; for others, their shed provides a silence location for them just to sit down and think. Although, these are the most conventional uses and designs, there are lots of other variations of the traditional shed that can be purchased and sheds can be made from a variety of materials and come in a whole range of distinct shapes and sizes. Additionally, sheds come in several price ranges and you don’t have to break the bank to find something appropriate to your needs. Some can be small open-sided with tin-roofs and others can be big wood-framed sheds with shingled roofs.

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Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, CHRIS HOPKIN. He is an expert on garden sheds, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

How To Build A Shed Base
By Chris Hopkin

As spring draws to an end and a promising English summer begins, the gardening retail market is at its peak. With the garden on everybody’s mind, the sale of garden buildings and sheds in particular start to soar. This article explains something that not everyone is aware about, but everyone needs to know before buying a shed. Building a garden shed base which is firm and level is vital. A base must be constructed for any garden shed, and why pay excessive amounts to dodgy local handyman when you can do it yourself. With the help of the following, you can create your own base, and then you’ll have the perfect foundations for your garden shed.

Firstly, to ensure both ease of assembly and the longevity of your garden shed, it is essential that it has a firm and level base constructed from a durable material. Construction without such a base may not only invalidate any product guarantee that comes with your garden shed but also lead to problems such as doors dropping out of square and water leakage.

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