Miracle

General

The Benefits of a Home Sprinkler System

Beautifying and protecting your home is a worthwhile endeavor that involves careful planning and a lot of hard work. It is highly recommended that one personally supervise and direct the home sprinkler installations being done by skilled workers or repairmen. This will ensure that proper installations are being performed in your home garden keeping and it is well protected from sun and water damage. In order to have an idea on how these home sprinkler systems really work, one should consult the services of a professional landscaper. Knowing how sprinklers work is helpful in deciding what type of system you need for your home. The benefits derived from a proper home sprinkler system outweighs the costs of its installation.

Having a home sprinkler system will save you time from everyday garden maintenance. You will not be bothered with watering all those plants and flowers decorating the landscape of your garden. You can do a lot more household chores by choosing a reliable system. You will also have more time to relax and do some leisurely things. It will also ensure that everything in your garden will be watered equally and sufficiently.

With a home sprinkler system, a well-manicured green healthy lawn is possible. The grass, plants, and trees will receive sufficient and complete irrigation allowing them to grow healthier and more beautiful. The look of your garden will be more lush and verdant. You will be able to save on the services of professional gardeners if you can manage the operation of a home sprinkler system.

Most systems installed by a professional landscaper come fully-equipped with controlled timers. These controlled timers are very convenient to use. They make sure that your garden is watered at exact and regular times of the day. You can regulate the amount of water and time spent with this controlled timer feature. This will save you time and money too since you can control the frequency and intervals depending on the current weather and the gardening needs of your home.

The installation of a sprinkler system not only adds to the beauty, upkeep, and maintenance of the garden but it also greatly increases the value of your home. In case you decide to sell or lease your house, you can command a better price for it since most people who are looking for houses prefer to have gardens with existing reliable systems. Therefore, the benefits derived from a proper home sprinkler system outweighs the costs of its installation.…

May 4, 2020 Miracle

General

Hiring a Good Roofing Company

The roof is an integral part of any home and should be taken care of whether in terms of repair for an existing roof or when building a new house. This is the one area that defines a house as it not only completes the appearance of the house but also serves as protection for other parts of the house and household items as well.

Some people have fallen victim to “roofing experts” who are not experienced roofers and wound up with shoddy roof work. Some of the roofers will even leave the roofs looking worse than they did before the work began, which is why it is so important to take your time in choosing the right roofing company to work on your home.

The search: When looking for a good roofing company, it is always advisable to conduct research to find the best contractors in the area. It is better to choose a local company that has experience and a good reputation within your area to be sure that you will get what you are looking for in terms of your roofing needs.

References and referrals: The company you choose should be in a position to give you references, which is a list of past customers for whom they have worked. Referrals also means that you need to ask family and friends who have had their roofs worked on recently who did the work or simply ask neighbors whose roofs look stunningly well done which company did the work. You will be headed in the right direction in your endeavor to get a good company to do your work if you follow through with the referrals.

Licensing: It is very important to check to see that the roofing company you hire has its papers in order. It should be licensed and registered to offer the kind of services you require. It is reassuring to know that the people handling your property are well trained and knowledgeable. You can even take the time to research the background of the company to ensure that you have all the information you need.

Communication: Getting the job done does not mean only having your roof fixed. You also need to establish a working relationship with your roofing contractor. You should be able to get along with the professionals handling the work. For instance, they should listen to your needs and have the right answers for your questions and concerns.…

May 1, 2020 Miracle

General

Best Products For Bark Blowing

The most effective way to draw the looks of admiration from visitors is having a beautiful garden. However, decorating the garden and keeping it free from overgrown grass and weeds is a hectic job. One of the best ways to keep the garden tidy, neat and appealing, without spending much on maintenance is bark blowing.

Bark blowing Portland, Oregon is the best way to get high quality results in landscaping. A blower is used to apply the bark mulch uniformly all over the garden. Depending on size of the blower and the bark type, the process can be finished within minutes. Generally bark mulch is used in the playgrounds for kids. Small chips of bark create a unique and stylish surface. Bark can also be used for driveways. These are used in gardens for having a durable surface.

Another important aspect of using this is- growth of weeds is prevented, thereby reducing the cost of maintenance. Bark blowing is very popular in Portland as it gives a uniform application, along with enhancing the aesthetics. It also helps in eliminating unsightly piles of bark. Also it eliminates damage to plants, unlike other methods. Bark mulch applied by blowing method gives a special finished look which cannot be achieved by any other method. Bark mulch applied by blowing method gives a special finished look which no other method can provide. With a stream of high-velocity air, a bark blower applies correct quantity of bark mulch exactly where it is needed.

Best Buy In Town Landscape Supply service comes at incredible competitive prices. By having them blow in your bark, mulch, compost or topsoil blends, you will save money, time, and hard work. Along with the high quality products, they offer you other services that include- compost blowing, bark blowing, mulch blowing, supplying organic material, reducing weed growth, controlling erosion, helping control sediment from runoff, improving soil tilthe, and many more. You can also feel free to call them and get answers to questions about- blower application of bulk materials, power mulch, mushroom compost, pumice, landscape mulching, mud control topdressing, lawn renovation, over seeding, and erosion control mixes and systems. They are committed to serve you with the best. Once you avail their service, you will remain a satisfied and loyal customer for the rest of your life!…

April 29, 2020 Miracle

General

How to Maintain a Beautiful Garden and Landscape

Whenever a person needs to improve the look of their house, it is always advised to have a proper garden design. The landscaping garden ideas may include any form of flowers and plants that can be grown in a systematic and maintained order. This is because, if a garden is left unattended, weeds may grow and it will ruin the garden’s look. Hence garden design is very useful to control how the plants will grow in our backyards. The design is also the easiest way for a gardener or a landowner to help the plants grow the way he wants.

But the processes of garden design and landscaping are not as easy as they sound. It’s not a plant it and forget it type of deal. It involves a lot of hard work and dedication to maintain it. So the main things for both proper garden design and landscaping are planning. The proper space for the garden has to be decided beforehand, and sorted accordingly so there won’t be a huge mess while you’re trying to plant. The shape and size also matters in both the garden design and landscaping. If you have a lot of free open space, you can always plant some green grass to cover a major portion of the space with lawn. This can also be done by planting some small plants and trees and then spreading the lawn around them. This adds to the overall beauty of the garden.

Garden design and landscaping are nothing without proper maintenance. Weeds tend to grow every now and then. So most of the time you’re going to need to use a lawn mower. But keep in mind this needs to be planned also. This is because if proper space is not left between every plant and group of flowers, the lawn mower may not be able to reach those areas, thus getting in the way and causing you extra work. So it’s always a good idea to design the landscaping based on the instruments you use.

Planning softscape and hardscape is also an essential part of fulfilling all of your landscaping ideas for gardens. Hardscape usually means constructing solid bodies to facilitate the ease of growth and maintenance of the garden. This usually includes solid concrete paths for the flow of water, which is vital to the plants growth. Other structures such as stone walls and circular stones around the plants also fall under this category. Lighting for decorations and constructions of permanent solid structures are some of the most widely used hardscape methods. Softscape on the other hand involves the idea of planting lawn and green grass within a certain area.

Since a garden can add quite a bit to the scenic beauty of your house, it’s important that you pay attention to the type of plants you use – depending on the color of the house, the surrounding environment and much more. Careful precautions must also be taken on weed growth and maintaining the height of the plants. Don’t let your plants overgrow, and you should have beautiful, well-groomed garden.…

April 24, 2020 Miracle

General

Know the Chainsaw, Then Put It to Work

The new owner of a chainsaw should read the instruction manual that came with the product. The manual tells how to mix the fuel, how to mount the guide bar and chain and how to start it. Some models have a guard for hand holding the saw that also operates a chain brake. This is a safety feature that promptly stops the chain from running when that mechanism is tripped. The operator should be able to shut off the saw instinctively without looking or feeling for the switch. A good idea is to practice shutting it off without looking at the switch. Do this several times until it is a natural thing to do.

Electric-powered chainsaws are best used around a home where storms break off tree branches and often knock over trees, as they are much lighter to handle than a gas powered saw. Also, besides the weight, the pull start is quite difficult to manage for some people. In clearing away debris, it is best to use a folding hand saw for cutting off small branches and it clears the area for visibility when the saw is in use on the larger pieces.

Pruning limbs of standing trees with a chainsaw is best done if the pruner stands on the side of the trunk, away from the limb being pruned. The first cut should be made on the underside of the larger limbs, six inches away from the trunk. Complete the cut on the topside, a little way out on the limb. This will stop the stripping of bark from the tree, especially in the springtime, as that is when the bark begins to grow. Lastly, cut the short stub close to the trunk.

When the use of the chainsaw is mastered, put this machinery to work. It will help to clear lots, remove storm damage, create firewood and allow the building of structures for home, work and play.…

April 20, 2020 Miracle

General

Garden Enhancing Techniques

Use unique looking plants to enhance the look:

You have to fulfill your desire of growing plants in small spaces are huge acres of land are available to a very few only. Rugged mountain landscapes can help in recreating images in small garden spaces. With the availability of unique looking different types of plants you can enhance the look of the garden. An efficient looking rock garden will also allow you to grow the kinds of plants you desire.

Rock garden landscaping is one great idea as this has a kind of an informality best suited for the modern age. To have a rock water features you can add a waterfall, water pools, rock plants etc. which can be placed along with the other garden features.

You can do intensive gardening in small areas too:

As far as water pools are concerned you can make them of concrete. You can also get ready made water pools made of plastic and fiber glass which can be masked with stone and plants. It is an easy job looking after a rock garden. You can fulfill your desire of growing different type of plants in all the space you have in the garden. It is not necessary to have huge spaces to carry out intensive gardening.

You can make space for both tender plants like honeysuckles, and camellias and at the same time grow some decorative plants in the garden depending on your choice. If there is a manhole in the garden you can make use of plants to cover it.

Prostrate conifers help in blanketing the iron work in the garden. Covering up certain areas of the garden with shrubs etc. not only provide shade but also help in masking areas like drain pipes etc. which one does not like to see in a well groomed garden.…

April 16, 2020 Miracle

General

What Makes a Landscaping Project Great?

When entering the world of landscape design, we must approach this task with positivity. Embarking on a new landscaping project is a great way to explore your artistic and creative side, while also adding value to your home. The proper use of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers can draw attention to your property and accentuate parts of your home’s architecture and landscape. By hiring a reputable and experienced landscape company, you can definitely benefit from the expertise they provide and you can also be assured that your landscape can be maintained and is appropriate for your wants and needs.

The first step in starting a landscape project is figuring out your budget. You want to make sure that you can afford the costs of the project itself and you also want to factor in costs of future maintenance. You may find it easier to go ahead and contract your landscaping company to handle maintaining your new landscape, as you will always be assured that your property will look healthy and green throughout the year. When going over the financial obligations, make sure you always keep in mind that a well-groomed landscape actually adds value to your home. If you are planning on ever selling your home, then a manicured lawn and garden is a definite bonus and will show great pride of ownership and will also add significant curb appeal to your property.

Another great element to a landscaping project is that you can choose to add functionality to your home. This can be in the form of outdoor living areas, such as courtyards, walkways, arbors or a gazebo.

Experienced landscape companies will have landscape construction knowledge and can help you design such areas. Outdoor living areas can enhance your quality of life by allowing you to spend time with friends and family outside your home as well as inside, and will come in handy when having social gatherings or parties. Proper lighting and flora can add to this experience to give you a tranquil environment to relax in.

Landscape design is considered an art and should always be approached in this way. A great landscaping company can save you money and time by helping you learn what plants, flowers and trees will thrive in your location and how to properly take care of your landscaping to keep it healthy. Your landscape contractor can also introduce you to new ideas and techniques that you may not have thought of on your own – making a landscaping project enjoyable and educational as well.…

April 11, 2020 Miracle

General

Landscaping With Roses

When landscaping with roses, the key to a pretty yard design is the right touch of roses. Selecting the right class of rose will give you the design effect that you desire. Some roses are not good for landscaping because they are in a distinctive class. Landscaping with roses require planning. Because of the time of the year they are planted versus the time they start to blossom, you will need to plan for a spring garden of landscaping roses the winter before. You can plan a lay out and decide what it is you would like the roses to bring to your yard to best know how to use them in your landscaping. Roses can provide a beautiful ground cover, or a dramatic back drop for the home. Tree climbing roses can be made to grow up over a trellis or enhance a wall.

Some roses are harder to grow than others and will take some time. Invest that time to research the varieties that are more likely to survive in your climate and area. If you do not have the time to invest in growing the roses, there are easier varieties to grow that are more hardy. Roses play a major role when included in landscaping so they need to be in the best location to get the sunlight they require. They will need to be cared for properly through pruning and watering to maintain their health. Pests and diseases thrive on roses, and these problems can be prevented before you even plant the roses in the ground.

Climate is another thing to consider. In climates that are warmer, the color of the roses planted determines how successful it will be in the landscaping. The darker roses are more vulnerable to heat stress than the lighter ones are. In high heat climate areas the light pink, white and yellow roses will have a better chance of survival. If it is humid, the roses will not open all the way. They will start to ball up and only display brown edged petals. A gardener will want to know the agricultural zone to assist in the right selection of roses for a landscape. Some roses are supposed to be in cooler climates and will need to be planted in cooler garden conditions. Roses for the hot climate will die or freeze during the cold winter. There should be a zone chart at the local nursery that will assist you in the correct zone ratings. Roses can be planted out of zone but they will need extra care to survive.

Planning a garden is fun and exciting when you get to watch your plants grow. Roses are versatile plants but to get the most out of them, you will need to learn the proper care and maintenance you will need to provide for them. Fortunately landscaping with roses is not a hard task. Following the correct procedures will have you blooming perfect roses in no time, and leave you with a beautiful landscape.…

April 9, 2020 Miracle

General

6 Things to Consider Before Hiring Landscapers

Millions of people around the world love to garden and always try to create a beautiful space to enjoy all year long around their home. While most of them enjoy putting together a new garden each year, there are others who would like to invest into their land and create a functional and creative space that can last through the years. The latter can become very time consuming and cost a lot of money if done improperly, which is why many choose to hire professional landscapers to offer their own professional advice, take care of the work that needs to be done to achieve the job and design according to the customer’s specifications and needs.

Before looking through a list of all of the landscapers in your area, there are a few things that you should consider in order to choose the best company for the job. It’s certainly not a quick cheap job that you want, but an important investment done by professionals.

Reputation

First and foremost ask around to see if anyone knows of a good landscaping company or individual contractor. Word of mouth advertising and a good reputation is usually a very good start for a great landscaper. If you find a few companies who advertise in the area, always check their reviews from previous clients by doing a quick search online or with others that may have ties in the business.

License and Credentials

Always check their license and credentials to make sure they really know what they’re talking about. This is especially important to give you the peace of mind knowing professionally trained staff is taking care of your investment and not ripping you off.

Since many people have big landscaping jobs done for their homes, there will be a lot of work that could potentially go wrong or cause a disaster with power and sewage lines if left in inexperienced hands.

Professionalism

When you take the time to talk with some potential landscapers, make a note about their professionalism. Do they take the time to explain everything or try to hurry through with a contract?

Ask a lot of questions and voice any concerns that you may have to see how they respond to them. If they are courteous and informative, rather than pushy or defensive, it will give you a good idea with how their business is run.

Portfolio

Ask landscapers for their portfolio. Every professional landscaping company will have a portfolio of previously done work to show prospective clients what they are capable of doing. This is always a great way to find out if they have the design sense and style that you would like for your property. Even if you don’t have any ideas about the style you would like, looking through their work and asking for their professional advice can certainly help a lot.

If they are new in the business or do not have samples of their work, it’s better to keep looking for someone else who will be able to take care of your investment.

Insurance

One of the most important things to look for when you’re in the final deciding stages of choosing someone from your list of landscapers, is to look out for companies that are not under something like a business liability insurance or have staff who are not under a worker’s compensation insurance policy.

Insurance is very important for your protection to make sure you are not liable if the company damages something or a worker is injured on your property.

Cost

Finally, ask for an estimate on the work that you would like done on your property. Research the type of work you would like along with a list of other landscaping companies and their prices. This is the best way to get the most competitive price and more for your investment.…

April 3, 2020 Miracle

General

Rubber Mulch for Sustainable Landscapes

As environmental awareness increases, more and more programs are being developed to help decrease man’s carbon footprint. Landscapes and gardens have been included in the list as well. One great way of maintaining more sustainable yard or property landscapes is by using rubber mulch. Here are some ways rubber mulch does its part in upholding a future for the coming generations.

Long-lasting Recycled Material

The more rubber mulch we use, the less landfill we have. Rubber mulch comes from old and scrapped tires. It decomposes very slowly and does not fade in color. It lasts longer than other organic mulch products and doesn’t need to be replaced often. This is where the savings come in, since most mulch requires a lot of tending and replacement.

Ground Water Advocate

Rubber mulch is made of permeable material and does not hold water. Rain water, for example, would simply seep downwards. With the proper collection systems installed underneath, the rain will reach ground water instead of just storm drains. This will recharge the ground water, which tends to be neglected due to the existing waterway systems and cement foundations that we have in place.

Weatherproof Crumbs

Since water doesn’t stay on the surface, fields made of rubber mulch do not get muddy. They also do not gather dust. The pieces are heavy enough not get carried by the wind as well. Storm waters don’t stay on the surface either, making it an effective deterrent against floods and river overflows.

Shock Absorbent Matter

The leading reason why rubber mulch is used in athletic fields, playgrounds and horse arenas is its ability to absorb falls. Runners bounce more and feel less stress on each footfall. Parents relax more and worry less about scraped knees or broken bones. Horses run faster as their hooves feel less strain.

Temperature Regulator

Rubber is a good insulator. As mulch, it helps the soil moderate heat. This is especially true of darker colored mulch that absorbs more heat. Be careful in areas notorious for forest fires, though, as this material can accelerate the fire as well as wood chips and hay can.

The use of rubber mulch is one more way of doing your part in saving the environment. Its use can also make the landscape more attractive with the variety of colors that it comes in. Just make sure the vibrant color doesn’t overpower the rest of your lawn, garden or overall landscape.…

March 31, 2020 Miracle

General

Landscape Edging Ideas – Professional Landscaping Software

Landscaping Ideas and Software for Your Garden

The garden of the house reflects homeowner’s personality thus a refreshing garden with stunning design landscape will make them the most unique, admired and talked-about in their neighborhood. Likewise, landscaping your own beautiful garden could be the most rewarding and enjoyable thing you’ll ever do.

Flower gardens, eye catching landscapes and outdoor areas that please the senses and offer a wonderful escape from the daily pressures of life can be enhanced. How? To enhance your garden, landscape designs should follow certain principles and rules to meet your desire. Landscape design must include walls, sitting areas, focal points, ornaments, paths and right plants themselves. Innovation in keeping the garden stylish and how to use the whole landscape are the keys. Today landscapes have changed into extraordinary feats and all in new level.

Whether you desire to create either as small or large scale landscape design you must take the time to plan ahead since this is the starting point to obtain a successfully landscaped yard you’ve always wanted. It should incorporate artistic elements with principles of designs such as uniqueness, balance, transition, proportion, rhythm, repetition and simplicity. Proper planning, analysis and exploiting landscape ideas such as landscape edging ideas and landscaping ideas for slopes lead into functional, harmonious and aesthetically pleasant outdoor living area.

Landscape planning deals with conceptual, scientific and design approaches that emphasize ecological understanding and multi-disciplinary approach to analysis, planning and design. Landscaping ideas should be embraced in landscaping plan as this is a combination of art and science synchronizes aesthetically for better outcomes.

However, Landscaping may encounter problems particularly in houses above street levels such as slopes. Hence landscaping ideas for slope should be employ to get a solution. These ideas suggest using simple cost-effective solutions like ground covers, terracing regarding and retaining walls. Dealing with backyard landscapes, landscape edging ideas plays a vital role. Its purpose is to make a well define line between bed and lawns, and keeps the turf grass, from invading the buds, plus it keeps soil and mulch from spilling over into the lawn.

With so many different types of decorative edging available and looking for the right landscape edging materials is not simple; therefore it would be great if you will use the landscaping software that gives you perfect visual images for your garden. Professional landscaping software is user friendly featuring the architectural graphic symbols. These architectural symbols may include trees and shrubs, outdoor furniture, people, playground sets, vehicles, swimming pools and variety of shapes, materials and colors and many other landscaping decorations. In fact a lot of home owners and garden users use these. It can save your time, money as well as unnecessary work in the long run.

Landscaping ideas either for the slopes or backyards of the garden possess different components of arts and principles. A landscaping architect could help you to implement these best landscaping ideas efficiently to accomplish a great finishing look to your garden effectively.…

March 27, 2020 Miracle

General

Add a Wood Pergola to Your Landscape!

1. Locate. Set The Posts. Once you’ve found the perfect location for your new pergola, you will need to locate and place four posts. You can pick up a post-hole digger at a reasonable price at your local hardware store, or you can make the job easier with an auger. You will want to dig your holes 12″ wide and about 2′ deep. Add some loose rock or gravel to the bottom of each hole for proper drainage. Place your 4×4 posts into each hole, making sure they are completely level all around. Pick up several bags of QuikreteAï¿½, mix with water, and set the posts according to the instructions.

2. Attach Joist Beams. Use 2×10 lumber for your joist beams and cut them to Cut joist beams from 2×10 boards and bridge them across the set posts. You can get creative with the ends of the joist beams by using a jigsaw to cut a decorative pattern in the beam ends. Use your imagination. Clamp the beams in place while you drill out the holes in the joist beams and posts. Finally, attach the beams to the posts with 3″ lag bolts.

3. Cut And Attach The Stringers. Use 2×6 boards to span the posts and overhang the joist beams. Again, you can get creative here by using a jigsaw for a decorative cut and look. Stringers should be evenly spaced with 3″ deck screws (galvanized).

A pergola provides an attractive sanctuary to your home’s landscape. Building a pergola is a nice, weekend DIY project for many homeowners, but be sure to call a professional contractor if the job’s a bit too much for your skillset.…

March 24, 2020 Miracle

General

Landscaping Your Pool

You’ve done it! You’ve built a pool in your backyard! Whether it’s of the above-ground variety of the in-ground variety, seeing a pool in the backyard is a dream come true for many homeowners. But as big an accomplishment as it is to have the pool in place, the real work is just beginning for you and your family.

Pool landscaping is almost as important a project as installing the pool itself. You want the area surrounding the pool to be as attractive and inviting as that crystal clear blue water. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to enhance the pool and the land around it, no matter how big or small your new pool may be.

If you have a small above-ground pool, landscaping a pool can be as simple as planting plants and putting in some mulch or stone chips around the base. This will provide an attractive sight as your guests walk from the house towards the pool. Mix up the colors of your plants and stone to give the area a rich, kaleidoscope-type look. In addition, building a stone step walkway between the house and the pool will lend an air of elegance and palatial formality.

An in-ground pool certainly provides more landscaping opportunities and choices, many of which will be challengingly complex. You can of course add all sorts of plants and trees around the pool and give yourself some extra shade while in the water. Give your backyard a tropical look with some long ferns or palm frond-type plants, and maybe even a palm tree or two!

Another option, too, is to surround the pool with a walkway made of brick, paving stones or cobblestones. Such a walkway, when juxtaposed against a bright green yard, will make for an eye-catching sight.

Pool landscaping, for an in-ground pool, can get as glamorous and as extravagant as you want. We’re talking waterfalls here! That’s right; you can have a cascading waterfall pouring right into your in-ground pool. Add a rotunda-like entrance and feel like royalty every single time you head out of the house and towards the pool!

There are countless ways to begin landscaping a pool. It’s a good idea to narrow down the possibilities and receive expert guidance from a landscaping professional. By hiring an experienced landscaper, landscaping your pool can be a much more cost-effective and efficient process than trying to do it all yourself. Professional landscapers have years of accumulated knowledge about plant root systems, which plants grow best in sun or shade, and which types of materials give you the most beauty and durability for your dollar. So when you have a plan for landscaping your pool, contact a reliable pool landscaping professional in your area and start enjoying your outdoor spaces.

Remember, with the right professional landscaping team, landscaping a pool can be almost as much fun as choosing to build the pool in the first place. With the spring and warmer temperatures finally here, there is no better time than right now to being planning your pool landscaping projects for this summer. Get going today-and enjoy the process as much as the final result!…

March 18, 2020 Miracle

General

How to Hire a Sustainable Landscaper

Whether you are looking to increase the value of your home or simply create an enhanced outdoor living space for your enjoyment, a sustainable landscape can be a great investment. Sustainable landscaping refers to low-impact and low-maintenance landscaping apt for a particular area and climate. For example, a backyard that utilizes sustainable landscaping may have native, drought-resistant plants which require little watering.

When it comes to hiring a sustainable landscape designer, not all are created equal and companies that assert they are environmentally-friendly and sustainable may not live up to such claims. Here are six tips to help ensure you hire a truly sustainable landscaper:

1. Do your homework! Research as much as possible on prospective designers. Browse through their websites, read their mission statements or frequently asked questions and find out who their preferred vendors are (or who they regularly work or contract with). Furthermore, ask for references of prior clients and inquire if you can see previous work of theirs. Due diligence is essential if you expect to hire a truly sustainable landscaper.

2. Find out what types of products they regularly use and would recommend – everything from eco-friendly landscaping tools to natural herbicides. A truly sustainable landscaper will have no hesitation telling you exactly what they use and why.

3. Have prospective designers detail how they would complete your landscape project from start to finish in a sustainable manner. This will give you a good idea if the landscaper is knowledgeable and skilled in sustainable landscape design and installation.

4. Ask about watering practices and sprinkler installation. Any good, reputable sustainable landscaper will offer a handful of solutions designed to limit water use in their landscape design.

5. Inquire about professional accreditation or membership from sustainable organizations. For example, they might be a member of the Coalition of Organic Landscapers (also known as COOL), which is an organization of professional landscapers committed to organic and sustainable garden design and care.

6. Ask about eco-friendly and organic practices they routinely utilize. For instance, do they offer plants and shrubs that have not been treated with fertilizer or other chemicals? Or do they practice effective erosion and sediment control on every landscape job?…

March 15, 2020 Miracle

General

3 Uses for Leaf Blowers

Leaves

Of course, the most obvious use for leaf blowers is to corral fallen leaves into a pile. Whether the homeowner cleans them up every few days or waits until they are almost finished to put them in a pile is a matter of personal preference. It also depends on how many and what kind of trees are on the property. When leaves are ankle deep or higher, it is time to break out the leaf blower and put them into a section of the yard or a pile. Some municipalities will go through neighborhoods with a machine that sucks them up from curbside. Others leave it up to the homeowner on how to dispose of them. While autumn is the most prolific time of year for leaves to land in the yard, it is not the only time. Some types of trees, like river birches for example, lose their leaves year-round and cause a constant need to blow them away.

Grass Clippings

Weekly lawn maintenance requires mowing, trimming, edging and blowing. As professional landscaping companies have known for years, the yard looks better when all of the grass clippings, hedge trimmings and errant pine cones do not litter the front walk and driveway. Using a leaf blower to clean up the walkways and fence lines gives property a neat, clean and professional appearance. It also keeps the lawn healthy and prevents the debris from blocking sunlight on the grass.

Air Ball

All work and no play makes the outdoors more boring. For a little bit of extra fun when the yard work is done, grab a few neighbors, pull out the leaf blowers and play a game of air ball. Wad up a sheet of newspaper or even use an errant paper cup as a ball. Establish teams, boundaries and goals. Feel free to improvise, using lawn chairs, empty flower pots and bushes as goal posts. Use the leaf blowers to corral the ball between the goal posts, scoring a point for each goal. This is especially fun for landscaping crews, where everyone has a blower and all have skill.…

March 11, 2020 Miracle

General

Backyard Landscaping Designs

Mainly designed for entertainment purposes and for extended living areas, backyard landscaping designs can be as detailed as needed to gain the look desired. Taking time to draw out a design is important. This design should include plans for existing trees and shrubberies, retaining walls, fences and backyard structures. Backyard landscaping designs need to be well thought out and planned. Use and function of the layout should be the first designing step. Privacy issues with neighbors, pet issues, and stray animals need to be addressed when planning the landscape design. Play areas and entertainment areas need to be well planned for.

An ugly fence or chain linked fence can be covered up by a tree line or shrubbery line that will bank against it properly. Use this period of designing to think about planting for noise and privacy reasons. Most landscaping designs flow freely with no set structuring other than being pleasing to the eyes of the beholder. Existing patio areas and pools should be carefully designed around to keep entertainment value high. Crowding plants around in haphazard ways is not an option when it comes to seating arrangements. Boxy seating areas are not as pleasing to the eye as those that curve and curl around a seating area on two sides or more. Every corner should be taken into consideration by the height of plants needed for privacy. Proper walking paths can be scattered with pea gravel or set with occasional stepping stones winding through the landscaping design. Pavers are also ideal path material and can be used, as to avoid having to edge the landscaped area with edging material.

Often, a plant or shrub can be safely moved to be incorporated into the design. Large trees may take more planning. Talking with a local nursery about moving larger planted trees, like fruit trees, is recommended. Planning the move for existing plants should be done when they are in their dormant state to avoid any potential re-rooting problems. The design stage should also include a nearby water source for landscape watering, or a water irrigation design should be added. It is recommended that all waterlines, underground cable lines, electric line, phone lines and gas lines be well marked beforehand. Calling the local utility and power company is a good idea before ever digging up a yard.

Once the backyard landscaping designs are drawn and finished, plants, trees, water structures and pavers or stepping stones need to be bought. Plants, trees and shrubbery should be chosen for their beauty as well as their hardiness. Make sure the plants that are bought for the landscaping project are properly zoned for the area. A local nursery or landscaping magazine will have this information. Native plants should be used, not only for the existing wildlife species, but because invasive species tend to become aggressive and quickly take over the design, often killing off native species.

Water fountains and backyard water ponds lend artistic and architectural value to backyard landscaping designs. Plants that are known water species or tolerate wet soil conditions should be easy to find and establish in and around these water features. If fish are added to the water pond, a good investment would be a pond mesh covering to keep birds from fishing in the pond. Additional features to add around ponds and fountains are beautiful riverbed rocks and small landscaping boulders. Lights that light these features up at night can add even more interest to the landscape. Solar light kits are the most popular and most cost-effective to use.…

March 8, 2020 Miracle

General

Sustainable Landscaping

It would seem like an obvious first step for the sustainability movement, wouldn’t all landscaping companies want to show their green thumb and apply practices that protect the plants and lawns they work so hard to manicure and create? While you might think so it is actually an industry that is riddled with opportunities to apply green technology and sustainable practices, yet with fewer companies than expected jumping on board.

Perhaps it is the history of landscaping which is anchored by a strong need for gas powered engines to run everything from leaf blowers to lawn mowers. Perhaps it is the need to quickly and effectively work through a high quantity of jobs to maintain a consistent profit margin and stay in business. Or perhaps it is simply old habits keeping the adoption of newer practices from obtaining mainstream use… It is a new topic for many groundskeepers, landscapers and small business owners and many might be hesitant to adopt new practices and buy sometimes expensive equipment, not sure if it will work with the same efficiency expected.

Even simple and inexpensive practices such as planting native plants over imported or utilizing proper tree location to shade and allow heat to a house during the summer and winter months, though common knowledge to most, is not even always applied. One of the keys is simply the economics of the landscaping business, it is one in which high volume and low profit margins, thus quantity will win over quality more often than not. Now this is not to say that landscaping companies do not do good work or do not care about quality, they certainly do to still be in business. What it means is that with small profit margins per job they are forced to make cost saving decisions in order to profit on the job and give the client what they desire, which is a green lawn that the neighbors will be jealous of.

One of the largest areas for growth in the green and sustainable landscaping business will be pairing up with home energy auditors and providing an all-in-one service that incorporates the total home energy picture as whole and not just as many separate parts. As the energy auditor notices that one side of the house is heating up far more during certain winter months than the other side due to the trajectory of the sun in the sky, a landscaping specialist can be recommending tree types and planting locations that will maximize the amount of energy that nature already provides the homeowner.

This can go as far as to think of the house and yard as one and not as two separate entities as is commonly thought among appraisers. If the energy systems of the house are optimized to work best with the landscape of the yard around it we move one step closer to sustainability as we find a better balance with nature.

This is just one way in which sustainability and advances in green technology could be applied along the best basic of levels to obtain a meaningful and lasting impact on our world, one household at a time.…

March 5, 2020 Miracle

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Why You Need Concrete Landscaping And Stone Walls

When you hear the phrase concrete you might not believe that it would be something you desire in your garden but as a matter of fact, concrete landscaping has come along way in the last decade or so. Today concrete landscaping is all the rage and it is really pretty as well.

Stone walls are a favourable type of concrete landscaping that’s actually caught on like wildfire. The walls are what will border your whole garden. They can be built to a very high standard and steel railings could be used on top to add more beauty. There are several additional reasons why you should have concrete landscaping such as walls as well. These walls are ideal for preventing your pet from leaving your garden. If your dog is prone to head for the hills then check out these sort of landscaping. These walls are in addition to really good for keeping out intruders. The more difficult your house is to enter the less likely burglars will beAï¿½ bothering you. So check up on these type of landscaping and speak to a professional person about them.

Also you will be able to use concrete to hold your soil in place. If there is a region of your backyard that your are inclined to slipping on then you’ll be able to build a retention wall explicitly for this purpose. The greatest thing about concrete is that whilst it may be functional you are able to make it appear as though it is there just for looks. There is indeed very much that you’ll be able to do with concrete because it is easy to work with. You may use concrete landscaping bricks or you can employ concrete slabs or custom made concrete stones.…

March 2, 2020 Miracle

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The Basics of a Healthy Yard and a Healthy Mind

Not everyone knows the importance of a well landscaped yard. Good landscaping, plays a bigger role in your mental health. It also helps to facilitate social networking in our neighborhoods. Your home is something to be proud of. When you come home to a beautiful yard, the mind gets uplifted and your happiness increases. Your neighbors will see your yard more than they will see you. This makes your yard an important part of your social image. With a well landscaped yard people will respect you more and have a higher opinion of you. Landscaping the yard gives you reason to be outside. In this time neighbors will talk to you and friendships can be formed.

With all the benefits of a well landscaped yard you many be thinking, “How do I achieve such a yard?” Here are some tips to make this reality.

The first step is to start with a good base. It is important to have rich top soil. This is one of the hardest steps. Rich soil is hard to buy. If you have rich soil to start with you are lucky. Good soil takes time but is worth it in the long run. Focus on key areas first, like the flower beds. Mixing compost into the soil gives the best results. For the lawn, have your local landscaper lime and fertilize once a year. It’s also important to plant with good ground-cover that will not remove nutrients from the soil. Although your plant will still grow in poor soil, it will take much longer for it to thrive and become established. However, good top soil will also help weeds, which will mean you’ll have to control the weeds.

The second tip is to keep weeds under control. It will be worth it because your plant will ultimately grow faster and stronger, thus eliminating the bare areas where weeds grow. Weeds that are left to grow will destroy your grass and make your flower beds look mess and wild. Lawn weeds are unsightly and spread to your neighbors lawn. Your neighbors will quickly lose respect for you, if you create more work for them. If your weeds get out of control, landscapers only have to options. Remove the old lawn and reseed or spend hours removing weeds manually. All this trouble can be avoided by taking a little time each week and remove weeds the show up.

The most important tip is to have a landscaper you can trust. Having someone to help with the big landscaping projects can take your yard to the next level of perfection.…

February 27, 2020 Miracle

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Great Ideas For Gorgeous Landscaping

A wonderful landscape will leave all of the homeowner’s neighbors jealous of the rich scenery. In order to make the outward appearance of a home more pleasant, there are a handful of steps someone can take.

When a person first begins living in a new home, oftentimes there is already some basic yard work completed. While the design may not be exactly what the resident has in mind, some of it may be able to be used in his or her design. Usually, some of a previous landscape has the ability to be used as a basis of the new owner’s layout. Because of this, leaving the previous shrubbery in the initial stages may save money in the long run.

For yards with a substantial amount of space, it is a good idea to divide the planting into several different components. The average gardener may feel incredible overcome with the grand amount of area. Taking a project, no matter how large or small, into smaller sections will make the entire undertaking a lot less stressful. Also, larger yards will require more plants, thus taking everything one section at a time will be easier on a budget.

The time of the year in which every plant will bloom is more important than one might think. If Section A has plants which all bloom during fall, and Section B has plants which only bloom in the spring, then the entire yard will be constantly off balance. Providing seasonal continuity throughout the yard will make it much more beautiful.

Hard, stone or concrete foundations, such as walkways and rocks, must always be protected from roots. If these begin to plague surfaces, your garden will quickly become overran. In order to avoid this from happening, keep all trees at far intervals from such places.

Many gardens have an abundance of accessories such as bricks and stones. While these are typically expensive at the store, many demolition sites are overflowing with such things. Oftentimes, the site owners will give these to gardeners without charge.

If the homeowner has enough time on his or her hands, then he or she can do the gardening instead of hiring a landscaper. When working with professionals, everything, including the herbs, are much more expensive. Doing the gardening alone saves money.

The ability to be creative is essential to gorgeous landscaping. A beautiful product can only occur when the planter allows his or her personality to shimmer through the entire estate. With the time a gardener spends in the heat sowing the seeds, a piece of them is left behind which glistens throughout the yard.…

February 24, 2020 Miracle

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9 Tips You Must Know Before You Start Your Garden Landscaping Project

Nowadays, everyone wishes to spend his/her precious time with the beauty of nature. For this, most of the individuals love to have garden in their home. Landscaping and gardening are the two key points which must be considered in mind, if you are thinking to enjoy and entertain yourself with the loveliness of nature’s beauty. The attractiveness of garden can be easily enhanced with the help of landscaping.

Garden landscape design is dependent upon the type of garden you are seeking to create taking into account the person for whom it is required and the effect they seek to portray. There are several tips which must be considered before starting landscaping and gardening. The 9 tips to design a beautiful landscape are as follows:

1.Firstly clean the backyard by mowing the long grass, and then add chemicals or pesticides so as to keep it free from harmful bacteria’s and germs.

2.Grease in the cemented area of garden must be removed; it can be done with the help Lestoil or tri sodium phosphate.

3.The wooden deck in garden must also be cleaned with the help of detergent same as done with cemented area.

4. Planning

One of the most important points of garden landscape design is the planning process. Nothing is more frustrating than embarking upon a project without enough thought or deliberation, when realization creeps in that the desired effect has been overlooked.

5. Originality

Originality is shown by copying ideas from others that can be modified to produce a more personal effect. To duplicate the complete design of a neighbor’s garden shows lack of thought and consideration.

6. Spontaneity

Whereas the theme of your garden should have some form of ord er, arranging flowers or shrubs regimentally does not provide an overall serene effect. This is why spontaneity to some extent is required.

7. Color

Color, not only displayed in plants and shrubs, can also be prominent in accompanying features. For instance, dark stained railway sleepers as steps, terracotta pots strategically placed, stained rustic arches and even colored patio slabs can all enhance the overall effect of what you are attempting to achieve.

8. Balance

An element of balance is necessary, to experience the right feel and theme to be illustrated and in doing so, obtains an element of peace and tranquility enabling the daily rigors of life to be overcome. Similarly, there is no better feeling than being close to nature in the environment that has been designed and created by you.

9. Privacy

Although some people may not mind being overlooked, for the majority, privacy is of the utmost importance and is usually one of the most essential features of garden landscape design.…

February 20, 2020 Miracle

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Outdoor Garden Statues – Yard Decoration 101

A beautiful garden in the backyard adds so much enjoyment to a home life. You can relax walking leisurely on a soft path, smell the gentle and heady fragrances of various herbs and flowers, see a thousand different shades of green colors of the leaves, or hear the tranquil sound of a water fountain, or watch various birds flying in and out of a birdhouse or around a bird feeder. And of course you can decorate it with outdoor garden statues, which bring art form into a peaceful nature setting.

Statue Themes

Big hardware stores sell outdoor statues in the garden department. The selections may be limited. But they will give you ideas. For example, frog statues blend well in most situations so it’s easy to find a place for them in the garden. Boy or girl statues are popular also. Putting them near a bench will look like the garden has some constant visitors. Gnome statues attract the attention of children endlessly and will add a fairy-tale atmosphere to the garden for them. That is, if the garden is landscaped to have some hidden area like the maze, then it could be an amazing playground for them.

Adding statuary into a garden is an art project, like decorating a room or a house. At first it can be anything that looks interesting. Even a piece of rock can be a statue. You can select a rock that have unusual shape or colors, or just pile several pieces of ordinary rock together to form a pyramid. But it’s hard to make a rock statue look good. In Japan a rock garden is a form of spiritual discipline meant for concentration and reflection.

Start with a few simple and inexpensive outdoor statues and experiment with them. Put them here and there in the garden. Rearrange them. Maybe add a wind chime. Pretty soon you will have a garden with style!…

February 17, 2020 Miracle

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Want To Increase The Value Of Your Home? Implement A Good Landscape Design

It is said that a greatly executed landscape design adds up to around 20% more value to one’s home. That is why a lot of people nowadays are looking into this to maximize the valuation of their home especially when they are thinking of selling it. However, as a homeowner, you should also be discerning when it comes to hiring a landscape design firm who will do the beautification job for you. Because you can never be too sure for some firms are out just to make money for themselves and not really concerned about the welfare of their clients and their homes.

In order to make sure that your landscape contractor is a legitimate one, check with the your local county to see if they have the necessary permits to operate a business in your area. If their papers are in order, then rest assured that you are dealing with a good one. The next thing you can do is to get feedback from their previous clients regarding the quality of their work. You can also research in online forums wherein people freely discuss the merits and demerits of these kinds of services. Also, make sure that you meet with the contractor personally so that you will be able to assess for yourself if this is indeed the kind of firm that you want to work with.

Getting the right contractor to do your landscape design and overhaul of your garden is important so that you will be able to fully maximize the profits given the additional value it imparts to your home when the project is completed. First of all, the items that they use in your yard should be of high quality standards that will last a long time. In the case of installing a sprinkler system, you may end up paying more for what you paid for because of the amount of water that it wastes. Your contractor should be able to get the right balance of the amount of water to put out so as not to lose it to evaporation because of over spraying. It might be best to check first the water plan your contractor plans to put into place in your garden for there are other methods of distributing water all throughout the entire area like the drip method. Those methods may be more economical for you in the long run.

Another pro point with signing up with the right contractor is that they will know which kind of plants to use given the present conditions of your area including the soil and the temperature and the amount of sunshine the place gets. These professionals don’t just place plants just because they look pretty especially when the blooms are in season. They would know how to utilize each kind of plant that will not just beautify your surroundings but also serve a purpose like repelling insects and other animals. This is important especially when you live in an area where your yard tends to become the playground of wild animals. Also you would be able to save on costs, as they would not be placing expensive plants that they know would not survive in environment that your place has.

These are just some pointers of how to go about in choosing the right landscape design contractor. Remember that getting the right one to work with you on this project will mean more savings and bigger profit. Visit the right industry website to point you to the right direction.…

February 15, 2020 Miracle

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Landscaping Maintenance Tips

Landscaping is a creative activity and provides an excellent platform for anyone overflowing with natural artistic juices. It is especially pleasing for those avid gardeners that truly want to display their inner talent and leave friends and family literally green with envy. Filling your garden with your own ideas and preferences can certainly work well after careful consideration and planning.

Magnificent blooms and healthy growth is one of the many rewards that nature provides for the conscientious gardener. A beautiful landscape does require a certain amount of maintenance on a regular basis to keep it looking attractive and inspirational.

The effort put into maintenance work certainly pays off very well. An overgrown garden filled with weeds and grasses is a sight for sore eyes. An unkempt lawn has about the same effect. A garden is in many instances an indication of how well your house is maintained. A lovely, well kept garden can make a visitor feel quite relaxed and at ease.

One of the worst gardening nightmares is to try and remove tough indigenous grass that has firmly established itself in between the flowerbeds, shrubs and groundcovers. Trying to pull them out seems to be a fruitless attempt as they simply grow back. The damage done to the beds in the process can leave one horrified. There is a solution to this problem. By carefully applying weed control solution directly onto the unwanted grass and weeds is the cure. Using rubber gloves dip your fingers into the herbicide and stroke it on to the blades and any other unwanted foliage. It is time consuming but it does work after a few applications done over a short period of time. The added advantage is that none of the good plants will be destroyed in the process and the invaders are well under control.

Lawn maintenance is another area that needs constant attention. One of the most valuable tips on having a luscious lawn is keep the cutting length at around five centimeters. This means that you will have to cut more often but the final outcome will be a healthy, thick stretch. It certainly helps to keep lawnmower blades sharp to prevent disease. Also refrain from cutting during the midday sun as this can do untold damage. Lawns require frequent watering and fertilizer to keep a tip top condition. An appropriate irrigation system complete with timer is a worthwhile investment if you have a large lawn area. It also takes out the guesswork of over or under watering an area.

This also applies to other parts of the garden. As some plants require more moisture than others it would be beneficial to group the thirsty ones together. Water is a valuable commodity and determining and using the required amounts for your garden can contribute to huge savings in the long run.

Using mulch in your beddings during the hot summer months keeps the soil moist. Mulch as well as compost helps the soil to maintain a good organic standard.…

February 11, 2020 Miracle

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Masonry and Hardscapes – The Path to a Beautiful Yard

While the trellis covered with roses is still a beautiful hardscape for the yard, intricate hardscapes now enhance the appearance of your yard and the curb appeal of your home. Hidden gardens with statues, seating and masonry create interest areas but also places for a peaceful retreat.

Stone and masonry add their own dimension to the colorful surroundings of the yard and garden. If you don’t have a flower garden or blooming bushes, the masonry becomes the accent of color in what would otherwise be a drab appearing yard.

Imagine the peace and tranquility, which comes from sitting in your quiet yard and listening to the sounds made by pond with a waterfall. Water features made with combinations of natural stone and brick create a peaceful environment and take you away from all the troubles you experience throughout the day. The addition of brick pathways to this miniature paradise that’s a pleasure to the eyes, the senses and the spirit add continuity to the focal point of this type of hardscaping.

Masonry patios are not only interesting and add to the beauty of the home, they are functional also. The addition of stone and masonry turns unused space of the backyard into a valuable addition to the worth of your home. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit is not just a focal point for your yard but provides a place where the family gathers and friends feel comfortable.

Another popular item that many backyard patios include is a gourmet kitchen. Outdoor cooking is far more sophisticated than simply bringing out the charcoal grill. It now includes more modern cookware with stone countertops and built-in refrigerator units. These outdoor cooking areas make trips to the kitchen unnecessary. Imagine putting on your food in the oven and sitting back in a comfortable chair soaking in the beauty of Mother Nature and your back yard. These types of outdoor kitchens are now becoming more popular than ever.

Retaining walls and decorative walls not only enhance the focal points of the land but also bring an air of elegance to the entire landscape. You can highlight small garden areas by raising them above the lawn and enclosing them with a retaining wall.

Adding drama to the front yard with a stone or brick walk way and large bricked entryway gives additional value to your home while providing an area to display gardens, potted plants and statuary. It also ensures that the water drains properly away from the home and helps prevent soil erosion as it does.

If you live in a dry warm area, brick walls and heavy masonry create wonderful sun shelters and help absorb the heat as they radiate coolness back toward your home. You’ll find these types of walls help to keep your home cooler when the weather is unbearably hot.

No matter what your weather or location, you’ll find that adding hardscapes to your home improve not only the value of the house, it improves your enjoyment of it. It helps turn a place to live into your own private retreat.…

February 6, 2020 Miracle

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Tools of the Trade – The Art of Landscaping

Tools are important to any artist who is aiming to create a work of art. A painter needs his canvass and paintbrush, and a blacksmith needs a hammer and anvil. In the same way, any landscaper (or enthusiastic amateur aiming to beautify his garden or lawn) needs important tools to be able to make a beautiful lawn. For any landscaper who is serious in his calling, he will need the following tools.

SHOVEL – The shovel is the basic tool in any landscaping job. In order to mold the soil, dig holes to plant flowers and trees in, or to remove rocks and debris from your garden, the shovel is your best friend. Whether it is the shovel (large one) for bigger jobs, such as loosening a large patch of soil or clearing away debris, or a small shovel for digging around planted materials, cleaning away small rocks or any other more refining jobs around the garden, make sure never to attempt any landscaping without it!

WHEELBARROW – If there is salt and pepper, and bacon and eggs, then you can be sure that the perfect landscaping tool partner is the shovel and the wheelbarrow. Use a wheelbarrow to be able to transport tools and planting materials faster and easier around your garden.

CUTTERS/PRUNERS – This wide range of sharp tools (shears, saws, mowers, clippers, etc) is perfect for trimming, pruning and cutting away unwanted plant parts from your garden. They allow for a cleaner look to your garden, and even help plants grow quicker and healthier because they cut away parts that are diseased, dead or not blooming. Usually trimmers and shears are used for smaller jobs, while saws and clippers are used for larger ones.

RAKES – For cleaning up plant debris (loose and dead leaves, uprooted weeds, etc), the rake is your best bet. Not only is it clean and quiet, it allows for easy storage. It can also help in spreading mulch around flowerbeds and vegetable patches. However, the best use for rakes is to allow a person to collect a leaf pile big enough to jump in!

WATERING IMPLEMENTS – If you have a small garden, then it is more practical to use a watering can. You will be able to control the amount and flow of the water that you will be using. However, for larger gardens, you will want to use a watering hose to be able to reach all of the plants with less effort and hassle.

LAWN SEEDERS – While not a very essential tool, it can help you if you want to plant a lot of seeds at one time. The lawn seeder can help save a lot of time and effort when putting in planting materials.

So for those who want to embark on a landscaping project, make sure that you have at least the first five tools mentioned above to make all your moving, digging, cutting and watering work easier. If you have these five tools, you will be able to make your dream garden a reality in no time!…

February 1, 2020 Miracle

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How to Start Your Own Landscaping Business

If you love the outdoors, then lawn care is a great business to be in. It allows you to be outside and enjoy nature and make money at the same time. It will also allow you to meet other people who share your love of the outdoors. Working at a lawn care company may seem like a dead end job, but the sky is the limit when you own your own business. When you start working for a company, try to learn everything you can about everything. It’s also important to start saving money as soon as you can. You will need money to buy a lawn mower, weed eater, and leaf blower. Later on, you will need edgers, and many other pieces of equipment. Also, a pick up truck or a box truck can be very helpful.

Transitioning into landscaping from lawn care is rather easy. There is a lot to learn, so it’s good to get a few years of experience mowing lawns and pruning before you decide to expand. Cutting grass (lawn care) is a good place to start, but landscaping is far more profitable. Depending on your area, you can make twenty to thirty times more doing landscaping. You can learn almost everything you need to know from experience or low-priced ebooks online.

With every lawn care customer, you should begin dropping hints as soon as possible. Make suggestions about how things could be improved. Make suggestions about what plants can be planted and what other things can be installed. Also, search for what plants can be replaced.

This industry has a lot of job security. You have to understand that landscaping is a necessary evil. not be scared to charge high prices for your service. Many people have high paying jobs that only give them a little time off every week. Maybe they don’t want to cut the grass and prune the bushes every weekend. Their time is more valuable to them than the amount of money they would pay to have someone else do the work. And, many upper class neighborhoods have home owner’s associations that require every house to be landscaped properly. You don’t want to violate a city code by not upkeeping your yard. An unkempt property can lower the value of the properties around it, so this is understandable.

Believe in yourself and you can do it. With a little hard work, you can hire employees to do the mowing while you stay in the office and schedule more appointments.…

January 29, 2020 Miracle

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How To Start Your Own Gardening Business

Gardening is one of those things that some people feel really passionate about and get lots of pleasure from and so many people probably think about turning their hobby into a cash making machine by starting their own company. But doing this for a job is very, very different indeed from doing gardening in your own small garden at home, so if you are thinking about this please do make sure that you are making the right choice. I would not recommend anyone to try to start up on their own doing this unless they had plenty of experience working in this area for another company.

But having got the disclaimer out of the way, this can also be a very nice way to make good money. Of course everyone would dream of taking on the grand landscaping jobs and spending much of their time doing design work and so on. For some people that may happen, but when you are first starting out as a new business you need to take whatever work that you can get and that often means lots of simple but labour intensive work that might not be very exciting.

One example of this would be lawn care – not too glamorous but it is a good way to get enough work coming in for you to make a living from and it is not difficult to do. Even someone with no experience could do this, which as I already said is not the case with landscaping.

The first thing to do is obviously to pick out a good name and get all of the legal stuff and paperwork out of the way. If you do want to do the garden design and landscaping as well as the more routine maintenance type work then you should have something to show the client. Ideally that would obviously include examples of your own work, but to start off with it could just be pictures that show the type of thing you can do and give inspiration. You can look through these with your clients when you first go to meet them and discuss what they want.

When you leave a happy customer one good tip is to leave them with a few business cards and ask them if they could pass them on to any friends who might need work done in the future.

If you do good work, and put in the effort behind the scenes to keep your company running, then you stand an excellent chance of being successful.…

January 25, 2020 Miracle

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Do it Yourself Landscaping Ideas – For Those Who Would Rather Do Things on Their Own

It’s nice to know that people are becoming wiser these days, especially when it concerns their finances. Instead of opting for someone to do the job, people are now realizing the need to do the whole thing on their own because this is their best way to save their cash and to get the look that they personally would like to achieve. Now, for your do it yourself landscaping ideas, this article will guide you through the process for you to be able to jump into the whole thing with ease.

Nevertheless, before you go any further in knowing your DIY options, it is worth knowing what landscaping actually means. Well, this is the art of arranging the features of the grounds within the house in order to improve the property.

In planning some landscaping ideas that you can use, it is vital that you consider some factors first. Above anything else, comprehend the manner that your yard will be used. Do you have pets that can ruin your designs or are you living with kids who can get hurt by not-so-kids-friendly option? By thinking about these factors, you can help to narrow the list of possible designs which you can opt for. Considering the manner on how the yard will be used can make your space more personalize. If ever you desire to spend your time with family and friends on your yard to share a good barbecue and laugh, choose a landscape design that will give you the space to move around with ease.

Basically, discussing do it yourself landscaping ideas here is a very complex topic which will take lots of page in this article. But if there is something that you must consider is the factor which is written above, in which you are asked to consider the purpose of the place that you intend to decorate. Here are some of your options in different conditions:

1. Designing with Kids- In case your kids will roam around the place where you put your landscaping prowess, be sure that you will not use sharp object that may hurt your little bundle of joy. Consider as well that you will not place any poisonous plants and flowers because kids may pick them out, put into their mouths, and you can figure what will happen next.

2. Pets Trouble- When you have pets to consider in your landscaping idea, be reminded that animals can be too playful sometimes thus you may want to get away from using fragile tools or you’ll suffer from having them broken. Also, be sure that the landscapes are sturdy enough so as not to be destroyed by any outside pressure.

3. Pissed by the Season- The seasons in your place is another consideration when picking that garden design you can opt for. In case you are living in an area that usually rains, be sure that your landscape can go with the demands of time. This way, you can prevent yourself from doing untimely fixes.…

January 21, 2020 Miracle

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Landscaping Tips For Your Swimming Pool

When you think of a backyard swimming pool, what picture comes to mind? Do you imagine a simple, rectangular pool in the middle of a span of plain concrete? A swimming pool does not need to be merely utilitarian; pools can be as aesthetically interesting as they are fun. The key to an attractive, exciting pool area is to make sure that the pool and the environment surrounding it fully complement each other.

When planning your pool area, there are three key ideas you should keep in mind: beauty, safety and convenience. Here are some ideas on how to achieve all there in your backyard pool area:

Lighting

Outdoor lighting can make your pool area seem festive and inviting. Whether you want tiki torches, string lights, or underwater LED lights, make sure your pool and yard are well-lit. Not only does lighting create ambiance, it is also an important safety feature. Proper lighting reduces the chances of a family member or guest tripping or falling into the pool. You can also accent lighting to draw attention to special design elements, such as statues or water features.

Plants

Plants and rocks are great landscaping elements around a pool. They can help swimming pool truly blend in with its surroundings, almost as if it were a natural space. However, it is very careful to choose your plants carefully. For example, a flowering tree may be very beautiful, but do you really want to have to worry about having to constantly sweep leaves and petals out of your pool? An evergreen, on the other hand, will look nice year-round, with minimal maintenance requirements.

Fencing

Fencing is absolutely necessary for any pool. Not only will it preserve your privacy, it will also prevent any accidents which could arise from neighborhood children visiting your pool unattended.

Gazebos

Not every moment that you spend enjoying your pool environment will actually be spent in the pool itself. Gazebos are not only beautiful; they also add a convenient, shady place for you to relax and enjoy your time outside. Add a table and chairs, and you have the perfect outdoor dining spot.

Masonry & Paving Stones

It’s a good idea to cover the ground around your pool, to avoid muddying the ground and getting dirt and grass into the water; however, plain poured concrete is not your best option for ground cover. Masonry and natural paving stones are beautiful additions to your landscape, and also very practical. For one thing, these materials are generally not the bright white of poured concrete, so they will be less harsh on the eyes in the glaring sunlight of summer. Also, materials with textured surfaces will not become as slippery when wet as a smooth surface would, and will reduce the chances of someone falling.

When it comes to planning the design for your swimming pool area, the possibilities are unlimited. Flip through some design magazines, talk to a landscape designer, and get started on your own personal oasis.…

January 17, 2020 Miracle

General

Why The Romans Got Paving Right

An incredibly smart way of making your property look great is to put in some garden paving. Paving is usually referred to as stone structures which are used as a floor or an external feature. There’s a vast range of different materials which you can use for garden paving and you can achieve some great effects with them. This can be seen if you visit any British town that was once home to the Romans. The Romans were early adopters of the method of having securely installed bits of paving laying on top of a base aggregate. A number of these roads and paths are still in use across the British Isles so it just goes to show how resilient the technique is. The technique of laying paving hasn’t changed much since the days of the Romans as the method is so effective. Despite this the number of different colours and types of materials that are used in paving has developed over the years.

There are lots of different sorts of hard landscaping materials you can choose from now a days. To have a red brick look on a driveway a lot of people decide to use block paving, that is made up of various coloured bricks placed in patterns across a driveway. You might be more interested in using an aggregate. You can find both resin bonded aggregates and resin bound aggregates that allow you to achieve a gravel look without having to put up with the problems associated with loose gravel. You can get aggregates in a wide range of different colours from the wide variety of stone colours to the more unique sparkling gold and silver effects. If you’d like a truly unique look then you may be intrigued by aggregates that glow in the dark and react to light. For a more traditional garden paving look there are the typical concrete patio slabs that can be laid easily. Some people might be interested in going for a rural look by choosing to have cobbled pathways in their garden.

When making improvements to a property a lot of people tend to focus on the insides of the building as opposed to the exterior. This doesn’t seem very sensible as the outside of a property is the part that people will always see first. Choosing not to make an effort with the exterior of the property and focusing on the interior can often mean that your efforts are pointless, especially if you are making the improvements in an effort to sell the property. Planning and applying some paving to your property can make the exterior of a property look brilliant. It can also help to create a safe environment for children to play in and for your friends and family to enjoy.

Should you be thinking of putting in some paving in your garden or making any other improvements to your property then it is a sensible idea to use the services of a respectable local builder. A decent builder can help you with the planning application to help you find out if you can get planning permission to do the job and will make sure the job is carried out properly. There are a number of ways one can find a good local builder, by asking your mates, looking in the press and by searching on the web.…

January 14, 2020 Miracle

General

Landscaping Companies Offer More Than Landscape Design

People usually contact a landscaping company for the first time when they want their entire yard or garden done over and they know they aren’t qualified or experienced enough to choose the right kinds of plants, shrubs and grasses. If you choose plants that aren’t hardy enough, shrubs that can’t withstand local temperatures, or trees that are difficult to care for, you can waste hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your lawn with nothing to show for it. That’s why hiring a landscape design specialist is always a good idea. They will carefully select trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers that are ideally suited to your locale, the type of soil you have, and the level of care required from you as the homeowner.

All landscaping companies are happy to work closely with you to design your yard, install the plants and even install the hardscaping for patios and pathways, but many disappear once the initial installation is completed. The care and feeding of your yard or garden is up to you from that point on. It can be overwhelming, so be sure you’re working with a landscaper who can offer additional services to keep everything healthy and beautiful all year round. Ask about the following services when choosing your landscaper:

Spring Cleaning

Your garden and yard will be waiting to burst forth with new blooms and soft grasses to tickle your feet, but a long, hard winter and dry conditions can delay new growth by several weeks. Your lawn service should offer a spring cleaning service to loosen the soil and get your yard and flower beds ready for new growth. This may include aerating the soil, adding fertilizers, dethatching grassy areas and more. Your grass will come in greener and be lusher as a result.

Lawn Mowing And Maintenance

Having a lovely lawn is nice, but if you have to spend all your free time on mowing and maintenance, you won’t be able to enjoy its beauty. A lawn service can take care of everything, including aerating the soil, mulching, trimming and, of course, lawn mowing. Just imagine not having to worry about taking care of your lawn every weekend! And the best part is that your yard will be cleaner and greener than it’s ever been.

Trees And Shrubs

It can be tempting to simply lop off branches that are overhanging your house, but you’ll end up with an ugly tree that may not heal properly. Over-pruning or incorrect trimming are two problems you won’t have if you let a lawn service take care of your trees and shrubs. They will carefully prune larger plants and trees in order to optimize their health and stability. While trimming your trees, they can also check for disease or other potential problems and stop small problems before they grow into large ones.

Hardscaping

Hardscaping is the installation of outdoor patios, retaining walls and paths using flagstones, bricks, timber or decorative stone. Not all landscaping companies also handle hardscape projects, so be sure to ask. Ideally, you should hire a landscape design firm that can install your patio and other features so that the design is a cohesive whole where the hardscaping and landscaping complement each other beautifully.

When you’re ready to overhaul your yard or garden, be sure to choose a landscaping company that also offers complete lawn service for results you’ll enjoy all year round.…

January 11, 2020 Miracle

General

Patios: 5 Practical Steps For Designing

The flux of innovations and technologies that have broken backyard barriers has brought about an onslaught of patio ideas from creative visionaries. The white picket fences and identical driveways of before have become dull and nightmarish. As homeowners aim for an increase in property value, they push for individuality in elegant yet practical patio designs.

The patios of today have diversified exponentially and choosing a design to fit your home can be overwhelming. The good news is almost anything goes and the sky is the limit when it comes to patio design.

Here are five practical steps to help you design your patio.

1. Set a budget and keep it in mind. Before starting on the design, set a limit. That way, you can let your imagination run wild while keeping your feet on the ground. Regardless of which detail in the patio design you are contemplating on, never lose sight of your budget. If money is tight, remember that an increase in one design aspect will mean a decrease in another. For example, going for the more expensive floor tiles might mean a roofless patio instead.

2. Pick a purpose and theme that complements your house. First, ask yourself what would be the main function of your patio. Accordingly, pick a theme to go with it. Make sure the patio you envisioned would blend in with everything else in the house. You might also want to think of a way to transition from the inside of the house to the patio.

3. Enumerate the parts of your patio. A patio has five main parts: the floor, roof, wall, furniture, and landscape. You don’t have to incorporate all of them into your design though. In fact, a minimalistic look would not only be economical, but elegant as well. Also think about having a centerpiece or highlight to accentuate your patio.

4. Go over the specifics of each part. Go into your local home improvement store and see what is available for each part of your patio design. Don’t forget to check the price range. Also explore swap meets and garage sales for design ideas and good finds for patio furniture. When making decisions, bear in mind the purpose and theme you had chosen for your patio.

5. Draw up the blueprints and plan the construction of your patio. Now that your design is more specific, put your vision onto paper. Start planning your patio’s assembly time frame. If you mean to put the patio together yourself, make sure to get the proper permits from your local building authority before starting. Otherwise, let the contractor handle that as well.

There isn’t really a cut and dry structure for patios and this is the best part about designing it. The most important thing is that you are happy with the outcome and are able to relax and enjoy your patio afterward.…

January 8, 2020 Miracle

General

Six Basics to Keep in Mind When Planning a Landscape Design

Are you trying to find a way to make your yard more beautiful? While mastering the art of landscape design can take several years to complete, there are some basic elements that virtually anyone can implement. Therefore, if you are planning to take on a landscaping project at your home, be sure to keep these simple things in mind.

Create Year-Round Interest

It is easy to get carried away with all of the beautiful flowers that can be grown in the spring and the summer, but you want to be sure to create year-round interest when designing your landscape layout. Remember, your goal is to have perennials as well as flowering shrubs and trees through the spring and summer, but your focus in the fall should be on foliage and your goal in the winter is to provide interest with good structure. One easy way to make certain there is something to see in your garden throughout the year is to include evergreens in your landscape design.

Add Color with Annuals

While perennials are great for providing beauty year after year, the drawback is that they only bloom for a short period of time. Therefore, you should be sure to include annuals in your landscape design in order to ensure bountiful colors throughout the entire blooming season.

Include Hardscape Features

Sure, your flowers, trees and shrubs are the central focus of your garden, but you can add interest while creating a more complete look with the help of a few hardscape featurers as well. Patios and decks, for example, help provide a smooth transition from the indoors to the outdoors. Similarly, fences help provide definition to the landscape.

Install a Water Feature

Water features help create a focal point to your landscape and they aren’t as difficult to install as you might think. In fact, all you need is a plastic liner, a pump, a fountain and some tubing. All of these items can be purchased from a home improvement store and are easier to install than you might think.

Use Layers

Layering your garden will help create interest while also allowing you to enjoy all of the beauty that each of your plants provides. When layering, your goal should be to have your tallest flowers in the back, with the next tallest in the middle and your shortest in the front.

Consider Upkeep

No matter how beautiful your garden is, you may grow to resent it if it requires too much upkeep. Therefore, when planning your design, you should try to select plants that require as little upkeep as possible. The simplest way to do this is to select plants that are native to your area. You might also want to select plants that are drought-tolerant, as they will be much easier to take care of in the summertime when the spring showers cease.

If you keep these basics in mind, you will be sure to create a landscape design that you can easily maintain and that you will be able to enjoy for years to come.…

January 4, 2020 Miracle

General

Residential Landscape Design

Residential landscape designs can give maximum enjoyment when proper planning goes into the design. The outcome will be an increase in your property value and a pleasing livable space. Excellent design combines harmony, aesthetics, functionality, merging symmetry, and unity in the design process.

Proportion is one of the important elements for a good design. This portion takes into consideration the relationship between elements within the landscape. It involves proper planning for the future as elements like plants will grow over time.

Another important aspect is color. It is the life of the entire landscape design. The colors you select decide the mood and feel of the outdoor space. Colors like yellow, red and orange stand out more give off warmth, while colors such as blue, green, and purple go well with the background and they make the ambiance cooler. You can make a combination of colors by mixing different colors and textures. Bright and bold colors in some areas can also help emphasize areas you may want to showcase. Design software is very helpful in this process, as it gives us a virtual carbon copy of your home. You can build up an appealing design to check if that will fit your taste and prominently your house.

Residential landscape design is the practice of making the outdoor area of a home beautiful. Normally, people have landscaping done in order to sell their home at a high value and simply make the outside more attractive. In the front side of the home, this can involve the removal of plants or the planting of trees. Shrubs, hedges, bushes and grasses are another significant part of our designing. Adding botanicals can attract wildlife, give visual interest, provide privacy, and much more.

However, if you don’t know how to make a residential landscape design, you should consider the services of a professional. It is a good idea to hire a landscape designer or architect to plan your designs and come up with a budget that fits your needs. Hiring a landscape architect or designer is the best way to get good results. If you want to lower your cost, you can make your own landscaping plan. You can use smaller plants or make a flower bed. You might want to consider doing the lighting on your own.

Residential landscape design is an art where we can design our ideal place of tranquility and peace. While different people may have differing ideas for their landscape, every one of us wants to see a warm welcoming home front after a tiring day of school, work, or play. There is nothing like coming home to a calm landscape that will place your mind at rest and facilitate you to relax from the tension of the day. So, take the time to create the ideal landscape design that goes well with you and your home. The time and assets you put into it will be well worth the effort when you consider the value of your new outdoor living space.…

January 1, 2020 Miracle

General

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Tips

With the evolution of lighting technology over the years, the low voltage lighting technology has come to enjoy excellent regards and popularity when it comes to aspects of outdoor lighting. One reason is because of its unmatched decorative enhancement for all types and forms of landscapes. Additionally, it is cost-effective when compared to the high-voltage types; so many people are enjoying its high potential for reducing money allotment for its installation and maintenance. More than this, one reason why the low voltage landscape lights is the choice of many is because it is much safer for homes that have small children and pets, since it delivers a charge insufficient to cause lethal shock and serious injury.

Tungsten filament lamps were the traditional materials for the making of standard landscape lights. The colors they give off are perfect for bringing out and enhancing the rich tones of wood, stucco, masonry, and other home architectural keynotes. In the vast world of landscape lightning, the types that are still highly valued would be the incandescent lamps. This is because of their ability to be dimmed to create ambience, mood and several lightning effects. However, these lights burn out very quickly. Even though they are considered the cheapest lighting fixtures with regards to the front-end costs, their lamp lives are short such that they need to be replaced annually. This is what makes them expensive to operate and replace.

Low voltage landscape lights, on the other hand, offer a cheaper and more cost-effective alternative to illuminate the landscape. Most of these fixtures would only need 12 volts, which presents a marginal power cost. This is what makes them ideal light fixtures to maintain and illuminate landscaping features that would need continuous illumination to magnify their aesthetics. The landscape lights are cheaper than the high voltage incandescent lights when it comes to initial installation, as they would not require certain conduit just to house their wirings. However, since the low voltage wires are buried in the ground without protective covering, they can be easily cut and damaged with a shovel by people who are tending to the lawns and gardens. It is best, then, to have a professional install these low voltage landscape lights to minimize the risk of physical equipment damage.

One popular and ideal place to install these landscape lights would be a part of the garden that is characterized by subdued conversation and intimate gatherings. Low voltage landscape lights would normally be used to illuminate the surroundings of outdoor fireplaces, inducing a certain sense of warmth. Outdoor kitchens and arbors are also ideal places to install these lights, as the wires and fixtures can be hidden effectively in the structure themselves. This would make the structure appear magically luminous, which adds attraction and brightens the mood of people in gatherings and various events.

Low voltage landscape lights are the ideal alternatives to other landscape lighting. Not only are they the cheapest form of lighting, they are also the safest for everyone to use. Just remember to look for the reliable manufacturers in order to maximize the benefits of the low voltage landscape lights.…

December 26, 2019 Miracle

General

Gazebo Canopies – Common Sense

Gazebo canopies can be a great addition to your backyard. There are many different styles to choose from. However, when it comes to caring for your canopy, you need to use some common sense. This article will be about the few little things you can do that will help your gazebo last a lot longer as well as save you some money in the process. When you are done reading this article, you should be able to take these common sense tips and use them when the time comes.

One of the main cause of damage to gazebo canopies that most owners have to deal with is the weather. Depending on where you live, this can be a minor issue or a huge challenge. Putting up a canopy is quite simple and takes very little time. Taking them down is quite simple as well but it may be seen as more of an inconvenience. The reason for this is that when you are putting them up, you are doing it with a mindset of trying to add some shading to your backyard. When taking them down however, people tend to do it with the mindset that it’s a chore and therefore, a hassle. This can cost you money.

Over time, the combination of rain, heat, and wind, will start to wear down the canopy top and cause it to fade in color and tear. When this happens, you are normally left with something that is a bit of a pain to look at. The point in putting one of these canopies up is to provide shading as well as enhancing the look of your backyard. When you leave it up too long without caring for it, it will start to do the opposite of what you want.

So the common sense solution to this is to simply take your gazebo canopy down when the weather gets bad. During the winter time, you’re most likely not going to use it. For this reason, it only makes sense to take it down and store it away. This may be a hassle, but it will also save you money. The canopy tops will need to be replaced every now and then and they cost money. The better you are able to care for them, the less money you will have to spend.

Using this common sense tip, fight the feeling of procrastination and just take your canopy down when it’s time to do so. Otherwise, it will cost you.…

December 24, 2019 Miracle

General

Garden Gnomes For Sale

So said the sign I passed on my way to a business meeting. For some reason, when I got home, I decided to read about garden gnomes and found there was a fascinating history!

Early in the 19th century the first garden gnomes appeared, in Germany. In around 1840, the idea spread to England. Having a gnome on the garden was generally thought to bring good luck, as well as a bountiful harvest.

Apparently Sir Charles Isham, the 10th Baronet of Lamport Hall, brought around 20 garden gnomes from Germany – the first to arrive in England. He proudly set them up in the rockery in his garden. Unfortunately only one remains – “Lampy” – and it’s a sad sign of the times that he has to be insured against theft – for a million pounds.

The original statues were hand crafted from terracotta, which remained the material of choice right up until the 1960s. These clay garden gnomes were often cherished, collectible ornaments that stayed in the family and were passed down through the generations.

Philip Griebel and August Heissner started mass producing garden gnomes in around 1872. Within a short time Heissner Gnomes became famous around the world. Far from the tacky image of today’s gnomes, these were considered to be works of art which brought luck to the owners.

A huge amount of work was often put into these early statues and some of them were quite big – as much as a meter tall. Although made for the garden, they were meticulously crafted. Having said that, many of the more beautiful examples ended up in the homes of wealthy people, as house ornaments (although I rather think that the gnomes preferred to be where they belonged – in the garden).

Gnomes actually go back a looooooooooooong way – hundreds of years ago they were generally portrayed as short, very old men with wrinkles and white beards, wearing red conical hats and brown trousers.

Early gnomes were somewhat serious fellows, and remained so right up until Walt Disneys Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs gave us a glimpse of what was to come.

Ironically the new versions only had a run of a couple of years, since World War II came along and stopped production in all of Europe.

It wasn’t until the 60’s that the advent of cheap plastics kick-started mass production again. and millions of brightly colored gnomes started invading gardens again.

Today, there are few remaining ceramic gnome manufacturers, with most being made from plastic in Eastern Europe and the Far East.

Modern suburban gardeners seem to like gnome statues. They think (and I agree) that they make for interesting, humorous gardens!

Problem is, many gnomes are stolen (or “liberated”), which is a shame. Maybe because of the recession they turn up on Ebay?!

So, Love em or hate em, garden gnomes have been around for about 150 years and they look like theyre going to be around for another 150.

Last points:

*Gnomes are banned from the Chelsea Flower Show because the organizers claim they detract from garden designs.

*Garden gnomes have been banned from cemeteries by the Diocese of Bath and Wells (in England ” where else?) because leaders say they are “unnatural creatures”. Along with plastic flowers and other decorations such as teddy bears, they have been called “inappropriate and tacky!

*In France there is even a French Liberation Front of Garden Gnomes

*sigh*…

December 20, 2019 Miracle

General

Landscaping Swimming Pools

So what if it’s winter? You can still enjoy plunging in a heated pool. It’s not long before summer arrives and then you will have a good reason to dive into the blues and cool yourself off. A swimming pool is a great place for the whole family to gather, relax and have fun! Swimming is one of the best recreational activities and exercises one can have. To enhance your experience and the aesthetics of your pool, what would work better than some beautiful landscaping? So why not landscape the area around the swimming pool. Even though pools may be hard to maintain and may cost a lot of money to build, they can still become a great asset to you if you have a beautifully landscaped poolside.

To landscape the pool area you would first need to hire a good landscaping company that is expert in providing the renovation in accordance to exactly what you want. When you are thinking of hiring landscapers there are some considerations which you can make. This will benefit you in the long run. Let’s check them out –

The style of landscaping depends on the type of pool that you have – The landscaping would depend upon the type of pool that the owner has. An in-ground pool can have stones and plants to enhance the look. There are above ground pools too, these can be surrounded with small trees and flowers. Whatever style is applied it has to be unique and innovative.

In-ground pool oasis – To bring that natural look to your pool and make it look like an oasis, nothing can work better than rocks, boulders, flowers and sprouts. By applying this style you will be able to bring out the effect of a natural water source. Flagstaff and mounted flat stones work well here. Such sources from nature helps give a fuller look to a pool.

Swimming pools are incomplete without furnishing – A swimming pool looks so incomplete without the area modeled and furnished. You can make arrangements so that you can have a relaxation even after you cool yourself off. Landscape it in such a way that your family can even enjoy a pool side party on and off. Lounge chairs and potted trees will add to the beauty. Keep it as natural as possible. It all again depends upon the type of area. For example you can have your pool in a patio or backyard. Different areas will demand different styles.

Pools can form an integral part of your home. Why not landscape it perfectly? Rely on Yard Works for a wonderful landscaping of swimming pools, Rhode Island home owners!…

December 17, 2019 Miracle

General

Considerations in Home Landscape Design You Should Know

Why do home owners spend thousands of dollars in perfecting their landscape design? Simple, because they know that the first thing that people see in in their house is the facade lawns or front gardens that can tell clues as to how kept the house really is inside. Getting a new lawn look can even make other think you have overhauled the total look in your house and garden.

Many landscape designers are employed by millions of homes every once in a while because of the main reason of getting their house renovation jump started. Many residents believe that the lawns or gardens they have in the front or back yard are essential for starting the new look all over the house. Or for most cases, they are the last projects as well so as to keep the house looking in a distinct manner. But before you dial the services of professionals, take some considerations in mind first so you can be assured what you want your landscape to look like after all the work.

Think of the landscape design as an enhancement. Not all designs are good for your home no matter how good they look on those glossy home and garden magazines. Your design should be able to retain the personal signature of your house. Colors, texture, details should make the easy transition to the eye.

Physical dimensions can be determining factors in designing your landscape. Make sure that the height, width, and perimeter restrictions are considered. You cannot place trees or bushes that can hinder view in the driveway. Management and placement of elements in your landscape design is very crucial for it to become functional and not only for display.

Speaking of flora, you must also consider the watering and drainage of your gardening system once incorporated with your landscape design. Do not forget to plan the proper plants to be placed in the local soil you have. This is because some plants are quite picky with their roots and do not grow where a particular type of soil is not available.

Decoration is not entirely the main focus of modern landscaping designers today. Most of them would like to have sustainability incorporated in their proposed design because these experts know that it would take time to have another re-design of the area.

Focal point or the center feature of attention for your landscaping design is very essential to keep a theme in place. Some designs end up looking unorganized or worse mismatched among the elements they have. Having a centerpiece so to speak, holds the elements together to look like a whole.

Do consider putting some curves in your perimeter. Most manicured lawns are more inviting when they have curves rather than straight lines in their plots or formations. Curb side appeals more to friendlier curve designs compared to the straighter ones.

Functional usage of the garden by family members should be considered as well. Having kids around can mean the landscaping design should be children friendly with necessary guards installed to keep the kids playing out in the streets. Or you can put a cot or hooded swing for your reading time or a place where you can get away all to yourself.

Lighting also play a good part in all the elements of landscape designing. Natural and artificial lighting can focus the attention to the worthy and diffuse the not so pretty parts. Ask your designer to keep as little artificial lighting as they can to minimize energy consumption as well. Solar paneled artificial lighting are one of the eco-friendly alternatives of today.

Keep these all in mind and you can be assured of the right kind of landscape design in your homes all worthy of the planning and resources you invested.…

December 14, 2019 Miracle

General

What Do I Plant Around My Pond?

You’ve decided you want to add some color and definition around your pond. You also know that creating a vegetative buffer around your precious water resource is vital on many levels. Attracting a variety of waterfowl and other wildlife is desirable also. There are so many advantages to having vegetation, but the question do you plant?

Selecting plants is a lot more difficult when a body of water is involved. There are additional considerations that have to be taken. Erosion control has to be of utmost importance.

Nutrient and pollutant filtering should also be of a high priority, considering it is one of the major causes of poor water quality and algae growth. Plants native to your area should always take precedence. Woody plants and shrubs too close to the bank can destabilize the compaction of the slope and speed up the erosion process; but, if they are planted far enough away from the slope, they can be highly beneficial. They can soak up a lot of the nutrients and filter contaminates before they ever reach the bank, and can also slow down the speed at which water runoff travels and suspends particles. Canopy interception of rainfall can also be helpful.

In the upland areas around the edge of a pond, you should select plants that can survive and adapt to occasional mild flooding during storm events. If the soil around the pond is particularly acidic, sandy, or of a compacted clay or rock, this might limit your options. Some suggestions of hardy plant types that fair well in a variety of applications that I’ve chosen are Red Maple, Bald Cypress, Black Willow, Elderberry, Black Cherry, Silky Dogwood, and Buttonbush. If you know for certain that the area never gets flooded, you can probably choose just about any tree or shrub that would typically thrive in that soil condition.

As you get closer to the water, you have to select plants that are more accustomed to flooding. They should be able to withstand some exposure, and also be able to survive mowing. You would preferably want something with minimal maintenance. A couple of my picks would be Switchgrass, various varieties of turf type grasses, and a variety of sedges.

One of the most critical vegetative areas in the overall pond’s ecosystem starts in the shallow water and extends up into the bank. Choosing native plants for this area is highly recommended. An exotic species can completely overcrowd all other plants quickly, reducing the bio-diversity, and leading to numerous problems. These native wetland plants protect the shoreline, which is highly susceptible to erosion, and keep bottom sediments from re-suspending into the water, keeping it clear. They also provide habitats for a variety of insects that keep mosquitoes at bay. This buffer is also the last check on nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous before they become available in the open water.

Plants located around the pond need to be highly adaptive to constant changes in the water level. Here are a few I recommend based on their hardiness and ability to provide food for waterfowl: Pickerelweed, Arrow Arum, Wild Rice, Broomsedge, Soft-stem Bulrush, Common Three Square, Lizard’s Tail, Marsh Hibiscus, and Rice Cutgrass.

There are many plants that are suited for a variety of water related environments. If you are unsure which is appropriate for your area, you can contact your State’s Department of Conservation and Recreation or Natural Reserve. Additionally, you can always contact your lake and pond management professional who is typically an expert in native pond plants.…

December 10, 2019 Miracle

General

The Great Thing About Having an Outdoor Fire Pit

Regardless of where you live in the world or what type of climate you are accustomed to, the thought of winter brings certain pictures to your mind. Steaming cups of hot chocolate, winter ski slopes, friends and family gathered in front of a crackling fire are just a few of the images we draw from during this season. The wonderful thing about winter is all the sights and colors associated with this time of year. More than that are the sounds that winter produces. The crack of branches as they fall under the weight of the ice, the crunch of the snow when shoppers in furry boots walk from one store to another and of coarse, the crackle of a fire. Whether the fire is from a nice warm fireplace in the den, a campfire surrounded by sledders trying to keep warm or an outdoor fire pit adding ambiance to an outdoor assembly of co-workers, fire not only gives out physical heat, but also gives a feeling that everything is alright with the world.

Once unheard of, the backyard yard fire pit is fast becoming a place to entertain. Bonding with friends and family while enjoying the warmth of the fire pit has become a place where memories are made. The great thing about having a fire pit is that it can enlarge your entertainment area. Having your party both in the house as well as the backyard patio, lends itself to a variety of entertainment possibilities. Some guests can gather around the fire pit while the steaks are cooking, while others congregate inside catching up on the latest office news or playing the Wii.

Speaking of steaks, another great thing about having an outdoor fire pit is the way attachments allow you to cook almost anything. A simple metal grate will create a cooking surface much like the barbecue stored in garage. Place your favorite choice of meat on the grate over a low fire. Add sides like vegetables or fruits if you like. In fact, the fire pit can even boil water. Cooking outside always makes food taste better. There is something about the smell of meat cooking outside that revs up the appetite and invites the neighbors to look over the fence to see what’s’ cooking.

Probably the best great thing about having a fire pit is the way it makes you feel. Watching the colors of a blazing fire in the cool darkness of the evening, makes you feel like a kid again. As friends gather around the dancing flames, huddled together in the warmth of the fire and allow the crackling flames to lull their inhibitions, camaraderie is peaked. Memories of ghost stories created on a whim as dark shadows skirt around the edges of the fire, will again send shivers down your spine. On the other hand, looking at the wide eyes of your children as they listen to the scary stories created minute by minute renew these memories for the next generation. All because of an outdoor fire pit.…

December 7, 2019 Miracle

General

Estimating Your Landscape Design Cost – Discover The Hidden Costs Of Landscaping

Living in a stressful society, where you are all the time surrounded by horns, traffic jams, disturbing noises, demanding jobs you have to find the best way in providing yourself a piece of heaven. People are starting to pay more and more for all this ways of relaxing from a spa to a nice vacation. But most of the luckiest ones can have this piece of heaven at their fingertips whenever they need it such as a beautiful garden which confers the best moments of comfort.

Estimating your landscape design cost can be a little difficult but if you have already set your budget you just have to be careful to stay within it. Landscape design can be different from project to project, in function of its details. There are some free design plans that you can opt for or if you want to cut a conspicuous figure about it you can turn to a designer who can create the plan for you. To create an outdoor space you need a professional design in order to render the perfect garden. You can choose from a wide pallet of options and you can select the designer you need, but first you have to understand that turning to the services of a designer can cost more than your budget was planned. So, please take into consideration that this is an essential part of budget organization.

There are many elements that can determine the actual price of the landscape design, but three elements are essential. The first one is your property’s overall size which has the biggest influence on your landscape design cost. Design packages are adjusted with every type of property, big or small.

Second of all, you have the area that needs to be landscaped. A complete design for the entire garden will cost a lot more than a plan for your house front. Another determiner of your costs is the characteristics and the options you desire. Many design services give a wide pallet of packages so it is not hard to calculate the estimated value of your project.

Estimating your landscape design cost will not include the materials or the cost of work to install your design. These enter in the installation cost. Whether you want to renovate your garden, or plant a set of trees you might need the touch of a professional design which will give an overall beauty to your house.…

December 3, 2019 Miracle

General

Retaining Walls: What They Do, and Why You Might Need One

In the course of home ownership, many people may find they need to add a retaining wall to their properties. These are more than just a cosmetic improvement; they serve an important function in house landscaping by minimizing soil erosion. The following is a look at the major functions of a retaining wall, clues that you might need to add one to your property, and design options to compliment your house landscaping.

Retaining Wall Functions

Especially in wet areas of the country, it’s important to consider drainage techniques in your yard and lawn care. Retaining walls, for example, can be designed to direct rainwater away from the home. they can also:

Increase usability. A retaining wall can create a flat area by holding back the soil on a slope. If the land slopes around your house, they can make your whole yard much easier to use.

Hold slopes in place. Slopes are great for views but challenging for your home’s stability. These walls battle gravity by keeping the soil on a slope in place.

Boost built-in seating. One of the unanticipated services landscaping retaining walls can provide is additional seating. The top of the wall is a nice place to sit and chat.

Signs You Might Need a Retaining Wall

Soil fault lines are uphill from your property. During earthquakes, land often slides away from fault lines. Does a fault line run above your property? If so, a landscaping contractor might recommend adding one of these walls for increased stability.

Downhill erosion is impacting your property. Are you battling mountains of soil and debris deposited on your property via erosion? If so, a wall can help redirect or absorb rainwater and slow the rate of erosion.

A sliding hill is threatening your home’s foundation. On the downhill slide of a slope, erosion can wear away and weaken a home’s foundation. In contrast, the uphill side of a foundation may be compacted by erosion. In both cases, a retaining wall can help provide helpful services; landscaping architects can design walls to stabilize homes on sloped properties.

Design Options

A retaining wall is a practical and functional landscape feature, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful, as well. Common materials for these walls include:

Natural stone. Natural stone is the most expensive (and, many say, the most attractive) option.

Interlocking blocks or poured concrete. Interlocking blocks or poured concrete retaining walls are less expensive than their natural stone counterparts. A modern-style home design pairs well with these types of walls.

Timber walls. Because timber walls often do not last as long as other options, timber is usually the least expensive choice.

Whichever material you choose, it’s smart to incorporate drainage in your design – otherwise, your wall could eventually crack or buckle. This may be a way to help you choose among service providers; Landscaping companies that can’t design one with built-in drainage should be removed from your list of potential contractors.

Retaining walls create flat planting areas while providing slope stabilization. When considering adding one, don’t automatically assume that the job can be done by the same outfit that provides your lawn care; landscaping gurus know that building a one requires engineering prowess.…

November 30, 2019 Miracle

General

Composting in Your Landscape

Composting landscape and kitchen scraps is beneficial for reducing garbage waste and practicing recycling throughout your landscape maintenance routine. You do not need a green thumb to begin composting. Here are a few basic principles to get you started with composting: materials you can compost, ratio and composition of kitchen and yard waste, pile configuration, maintenance, and composting cycle.

What can you compost? Most materials may be composted. There are a few things you should avoid composting: cut grass where chemical herbicides have been applied, weeds (they may re-seed and continue returning to your landscape), synthetic chemicals, pet waste, inorganic materials (pressure treated lumber, plastics, metals, glass, etc.), plants with diseases, coal ash, paper with color ink (newspapers, magazines, etc.), as well as anything consisting of dairy, meat, bones, fish and fats.

Getting started. One rule to remember is: stick to the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) of 25-30:1. Materials with high carbon (dry material, a.k.a. brown waste) concentration include: ashes (25:1), cardboard (350:1), fruit waste (35:1), pine needles (80:1), sawdust (325:1), wood chips (400:1), etc. High nitrogen (wet material, a.k.a. green waste) concentration include: alfalfa (12:1), clover (23:1), coffee grounds (20:1), food waste (20:1), garden waste (30:1), grass clippings (20:1) (herbicide free), hay (25:1), manures (15:1), seaweed (19:1), etc. If your compost is too carbon-rich you may add grass clippings or manure to lower the ratio. Adding paper or dry leaves will raise C:N levels if it is too low. Make sure the materials added are shredded or diced to a manageable size.

Pile configuration. Pick a sunny spot in your landscape for the compost pile. You should choose an area with plenty of room to pile additional scraps and adequate space for turning compost barrels or piles. Make sure the area has some screening or consider purchasing a small indoor compost bin for your basement or garage (i.e. Planet Natural Indoor Composter). Your compost bin dimensions should also be at least 3 x 3 x 3.

Maintenance and preservation. Most of your time will be spent turning the compost pile. If you want a lower maintenance pile, consider adding worms to your compost. Vermicompost is “the process by which earthworms digest organic matter.” Starting your own vermicompost consists of a bin, bedding, earthworms, and worm food. Most earthworm bins are smaller scale compared to compost piles, but you can add the same type of kitchen waste to your collection. Mixing your compost weekly will maintain even decomposition. Compost also needs a balanced mixture of moisture. Testing the compost consistency is the best way to determine whether any additional material needs to be added. Take a handful of compost and squeeze it; there shouldn’t be any water dripping out of your hands or crumbling of compost material. The best consistency to look for is the compost taking the form of your fist. Good compost should also smell earthy and look like soil.

Compost cycle: from table to outdoors and back again. Once your compost pile is started you can add your nutrient rich mixture to new plantings, mulching areas, and upkeep for more compost.

Regulations regarding composting. Contact your local city government regarding any regulations for compost piles. Most restrictions will consist of compost height, obstruction of drainage areas, and pest control. You may also check any homeowner association guidelines.…

November 27, 2019 Miracle

General

Choosing the Right Landscaping Plants to Accentuate

If you already have a landscaping idea in mind for your front yard and even for your backyard, the next thing that you have to do is buy the right tools and materials needed to make your visualization into a reality. Most landscapes will often make use of various plants in order to beautify the surroundings, but we often have a hard time choosing the right plants to suit our tastes and preferences.

As most of us are not gardeners, we will tend to purchase live plants because of their aesthetic value. However, we often forget about the other considerations that need to be thought about before getting any type of plant at all. For example, there are certain plants that will only grow at a certain season and, if you decide to include them in your landscaping project, it is sure to destroy the perfect image you had in mind. Plants also grow in many different ways and knowing how they behave in terms of that will help you decide if you need them and in where they will best be placed. Some plants are also very sensitive and need lots of sunshine and water in order to survive. If you do not keep this in mind, you can end up paying so much for something that will only last you a few months.

Although landscaping is not such a difficult project to do, choosing the right plants in the first place is and it should be done with utmost care. First, you will have to consider the characteristics of the plant and see whether they are suitable to be grown in your area or not. If not, then you will have to choose another type of plant instead. Garden centers and nurseries can usually help you during this part of your landscaping project but you must remember to do your homework first at home. Do your research at home. If you have other questions in mind, the people at the garden center should be experts enough to answer them.

Next, you will also have to consider how tall the chosen plants can possibly grow and if they will fit the landscaping idea that you have in mind. The colors of the foliage and the flowers are also necessary considerations to remember if you want your front yard landscape to look good. Other considerations to remember about choosing plants for your landscaping project is seeing if they are insect resistant or not, what type of soil they can survive in, how much water and sun they need and many others.

Choosing the right plants for your landscaping project will not only help you create a yard that leaves a good impression but it will also help you save money. If you fail to keep these things in mind, you can be wasting resources because your plants are not able to survive, did not grow the way you wanted it to or they just did not fit your visualization.…

November 22, 2019 Miracle

General

Gardening and Winter Weather

Rainfall and snowfall are likely to play an enormous part as part of your garden landscape choices. For instance you will need to prepare for the garden landscaping design carefully. You need to head out to the library and take away some guides about the issue. These types of garden landscaping publications can help you to understand just about all of the most basic factors of garden landscape design so that you will not wreck your garden permanently.

Your own garden landscaping has to be carried out with close consideration being paid to bad weather and snow in addition to correct water flow. Should you realize that your own garden will get too muddy during the cold months or perhaps you have got significant puddles throughout then you almost certainly do not really have the appropriate drainage taking place. This really is a thing that you might think about having a specialist into look after. Should you nevertheless want to complete the remainder of your own garden landscaping your self then this really is okay however a few issues are usually much better left for the experts.

You have to have the garden landscaping carried out so that the rainwater whenever it comes, would actually water the plant life. It will be possible to utilize all the water which falls in to your garden in order to supply the plants as well as the shrubs should you build your garden the proper way. Figuring out the overall rain fall amounts and periods of the year you can then have the ability to make up water amounts once they decrease with alternative watering. This will be significant during periods such as summer season when it gets warm and there is very little rainfall.

Snowfall is one more thing which is extremely important for your garden. Snow is definitely as essential for your whole garden project as rainwater is. Snow not merely waters the garden because it melts but the actual snow, even though freezing, can in fact help with keeping the earth warmer. This will likely permit any kind of vegetation which are asleep below the snow to remain healthy and well. The bulbs will show up early in the year in ideal form and coloration making the garden all the more stunning

Whenever it rains you have to observe precisely how the water is moved throughout your garden. This is essential for the whole garden you are intending make. This really is easy to accomplish, all you have to do is go for a walk around the garden next time it begins to rain. Observe the place that the rainfall puddles are and exactly where it drains to and you really are on the right track to master garden landscaping. This sort of work is the simple portion of the task and is the greatest method to start. You will know very well what has to be carried out to have the appropriate waterflow and drainage going with your garden.…

November 19, 2019 Miracle

General

How to Add Value to a Property by Having an Immaculate Front Garden

Front gardens are often overlooked because people are unlikely to view them at as a sitting area – unlike back gardens.

But the reality is that front gardens are seen, walked through and used every day of the year.

A well-designed garden space will not only make your day-to-day living easier but it will add value to a property because it gives a first impression of the property and is a huge selling point to any potential buyer.

The main focus of any front garden design will be the practical requirements for the space.

This might include how many cars you need, where the property is positioned, or an area for the rubbish bins. But equally as important is to consider how the garden will look and feel. Factors include how it will look when viewed from the road, or what materials will best work with the style and age of the house.

It is extremely important to examine what plants will provide structure throughout the year and some colour or interest in each season.

A garden full of weeds is unappealing to any potential buyer – and an effective way to deal with this is to use landscaping fabric.

Driveway and patio weed control fabric is specially designed for use under patios and driveways. Its unique bonded fibre design provides unbeatable drainage performance whilst it’s high strength provides excellent ground stabilisation with high puncture and tear resistance.

Careful planning is crucial if you are to create a functional and attractive front garden.

Both heavy duty and light garden weed membranes will help turn your front garden into a desirable property. Heavy duty weed control fabric can be used under gravel, slate, decking, and garden paths or trails. By contrast, a lightweed suppressing garden membrane can be used under organic mulch, decorative gravel, bark or for simply lining planters in the garden.

Weed control fabric only lets water and nutrients through to your plants, whilst suppressing the growth of nasty unwanted weeds.

Using weed control membranes also helps to keep the ground moist and protects from extreme temperatures, whilst reducing the need for watering of plants.…

November 15, 2019 Miracle

General

The Usefulness of Leaf Blowers

Leaf blowers make a number of yard-related jobs easier to accomplish. For instance, a homeowner who is expecting visitors may walk out to find his driveway littered with leaves. Without a blower, he would spend a lot of time and effort sweeping them from his driveway. However, with a blower he has the ability to remove them in an efficient, timely fashion. Alternatively, a small business owner with a lot of beautiful trees around her building would likely find a blower helpful in the task of removing leaves from her front walk. Furthermore, leaf blowers are useful in quickly removing leaves from sidewalks, pathways, and porches.

Leaf blowers can assist in the process of organizing leaves in a yard. For example, a blower is able to move them toward a particular tree to form a neat pile beneath it. In addition, a blower can push loose ones into one pile, making it easier for an owner to place them into a bag. A blower also has the power to scatter them beneath a line of bushes. In short, leaf blowers can help people to organize a gathering of leaves on their property.

In many cases, the people who use these efficient tools for yard work spend less time working in the yard and more time having fun. For example, it may take a family an entire afternoon to clear the leaves from both their front and back yard using traditional lawn maintenance tools, such as rakes. However, if they use a blower to clear them away, the task would likely be much less time consuming. In short, the family would have more time to spend having fun together.

Finally, a home with well-cared-for grounds is an appealing sight in a neighborhood. A leaf blower can play an important part in setting that scene. Potential buyers who are making their way up the front walk of a home that is for sale will notice a driveway and sidewalk that are free of leaves. Also, they may take special notice of a tidy lawn. In short, the overall appearance of a home’s property can make a memorable impression on visitors.…

November 12, 2019 Miracle

General

Landscaping Tips For Aluminum Pool Fences

Having a pool in the summer is a godsend and a big headache all at the same time. On the one hand there is the cool sensation of floating in the water, the comfort of sitting in the sun knowing that refreshment is only a step away, and frequent opportunities for friends and family to come and enjoy the pool with you. On the other hand there’s cleaning, evaporation, and safety concerns that have to be kept in mind.

If you already have an aluminum pool fence around your pool then you’re well on your way to fun summers and higher property values. If you don’t, you should seriously consider getting one put in (or Do it yourself). An aluminum fence is inexpensive, resistant to moisture and high levels of UV, and designed to last for years and years (making it an incredible long-term investment). Of course, depending on your current landscaping it can also look quite stark and rigid. No worries though because a few smart landscaping movies can make all the difference. I’ll share a few tips with you below.

Have an idea of what you want to accomplish. Spend some time just visualizing what you’d like to see while you relax by the pool and then make a basic sketch.

Decorative urns, terra cotta pots, and fence planters are a great idea. Placing these strategically around the inside of the pool fence can give the entire area a more charming and lush appearance.

If possible, try to plant your shrubs or flowers around the outside of the pool fence (in the ground), but keep in mind that location is everything. Keep the wind in mind and you will have less debris (leaves, etc) flying into your pool later.

A little mindfulness and some creativity are all you really need to bring a pool fence to life and make it an elegant and appealing addition to your refreshing pool party.…

November 8, 2019 Miracle

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