Ideas

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Cheap Landscaping Ideas For Front and Backyard Designs

There are many cheap landscaping ideas that will still create wonderful front and backyard designs. Now when I see “cheap”, that’s not what I really mean. I should have said inexpensive. There isn’t any part of the landscape where you can’t reduce the costs creatively.

Patios and Walkways – Some Cheap Landscaping Ideas

If you have looked at the more expensive hardscape materials such as brick, bluestone and other natural stone, you are considering the more expensive paving stones. Yes, they can be very beautiful, but that’s not to say you can’t still have a beautiful patio or walkway design. Concrete pavers are less expensive than the above choices. Even less costly than pavers is concrete. Consider adding color to the concrete mix for some additional interest.

Retaining Walls

Cheap landscaping ideas retaining walls can get very expensive. Costs are estimated by the square foot of one side, but six inches is added on in height for the part of the wall that is built beneath the ground. As an example, if you have a wall that is twenty feet long and two feet high, the square footage would be fifty feet. If you are considering two materials and there is a twenty dollar price difference, that’s one thousand dollars.

If you are looking to install an inexpensive wall, I would suggest some of the decorative concrete block walls. The plainer they are, the cheaper they will be. You might want to go one step up and choose one of the “mosaic” styles for a bit of a more natural look.

Plantings

Always go for good quality. Where you can save money is in the size of the plants. Some plants, such as perennials, are so fast growing that it hardly matters. Even those plants that grow more slowly will eventually be their mature size. A shrub that will grow to a maximum of four feet will get there no mater what size it starts out at. Of course, we don’t want to be ridiculous here! Start with a size that is smaller than perhaps you would really like but still look attractive.

Outdoor Fencing

Do you have woods on your property? Consider using black chain link fencing in or near the woods as it will just blend into your surroundings. You can also use less expensive fencing anywhere and plant heavily in front of it to camouflage it.

Always remember that a nice cheap landscaping ideas design landscaping ideas is more important than specific hardscape material choices or plant sizes.…

April 1, 2014 Miracle

Software

Landscaping Lights Ideas

when it comes to illuminating your landscape at night, there are so many different options available that it can be difficult to focus on just the most basic landscaping lights ideas. Indeed, with so many different things that can be lit in the landscape, you may not want to stop with only a few. Here are some landscape lighting ideas that will help you get started on your way towards a beautifully lit landscaping ideas

Landscaping Lights

Most people that are looking to illuminate their landscape are really only thinking in two dimensional directions. You can throw light in any direction in order to enhance the landscaping and to really bring out a lot of dramatic effects in the outdoor environment.

Downlighting

Throwing the light onto the ground from low-voltage landscaping lights is an excellent way to dress up an area, but it is not the only thing that you should really be considering.

Up Lighting

Shining light up onto feature objects in the landscape is an excellent way to really make an impression. For example, arbors, trees or anything else that stands above the general landscaping can usually benefit from a little bit of lighting.

Wall Lighting

Along with that, you might try throwing a splash of light against any architectural features that are in the garden area, including the side of the house. Keep in mind, it is not always necessary for you to stick with white lighting although this is preferred by many people. Various colored light filters can bring out hidden characteristics of lighted object that may not be seen with white light.

Submersible Lighting

Do you have a pool or pond in your landscape area? You should try using some submersible lighting in order to add an interesting feature to this area as well. This is a good place for you to try out different colors and lights, and you can even get rotating lights that will continuously change the look of the underwater environment. It is important for you to make sure that these are installed by a qualified electrician however, and that you have everything hooked up properly to avoid shock hazard.

Focus Your Light

Finally, keep in mind that whenever you are looking for landscape lighting ideas that you do not focus on the source of the light but rather, on what it is illuminating. It is far better if you hide the source of the lighting and do not make it a feature in itself. Simply use it to make the outdoor environment more inviting and to create some dramatic effects by spreading the light around and illuminating feature points within thelandscaping lights area.

Keep light focused on the areas you want to highlight and you will be pleasantly surprised at the result, and at how many other landscape lighting ideas will come to mind.…

March 1, 2014 Miracle

Edge

River Rock Landscaping Ideas

A moderately sized brook can do wonders as far as adding class to your back or front yard. To give it the most natural look, you can finish it with river rock landscaping. Most people are unfamiliar with how river rock landscaping works, however, so a few suggestions will be useful.

River Rock Landscaping

If you decide to put a brook in your river rock landscaping, keep in mind that it’s a more difficult process than digging a trench and filling it with water. You need to install a water circulation system to prevent the water from stagnating. Stagnant water is the perfect place for insects and algae to converge. Professionals usually install the best water circulation systems landscaping ideas

Before commencing on a brook building project, check with your local zoning laws to make sure everything you’re doing is in line with local laws. Some communities have strict rules about fencing around water. You don’t want to go through all the hard work of getting a brook built only to have local authorities shut it down.

After the brook’s water is flowing, start planning out your river rock landscaping. You can put them in the brook’s channel or you can place them along the edges of the brook.

Faux river rocks may be the better option if you are not putting them under the water. They are cheaper and easier to find and essentially look the same and serve the same purpose.

Finding the Right River Rock For Your Garden

There is essentially no difference between using river rocks and ocean rocks. They both give yards a rustic natural appearance. They also look good when bordering manmade brooks, but make sure to wait until after the brook has been built to add the rocks.

Environmental restrictions may keep you from gathering natural rocks at nearby rivers or streams. The rocks offer protection for the wildlife that lives near the river and many river ecosystems are in fragile condition.

Your garden supply store should have river rocks that you can purchase. They are selective in the types of rocks they bring in, so you can have confidence that you’re getting good-looking rocks that were taken from non-threatened areas.…

September 27, 2013 Miracle

Brick

Landscaping Materials Ideas For Small Areas

Landscaping Materials

The usual concept of landscape management is something only for huge spaces. After all, this is what we usually see from the movies and magazines. But this should not prevent you from having a beautiful garden even if you only have a little space. In fact, you can even check out these cheap landscaping materials ideas to try if you have a small area.

Landscaping Materials

Remember what I said about aiming to have the similar look like that of garden in the magazine? The thing about it is that it will encourage you to invest much in expensive trees and plants. If you ask a landscaping materials, he will recommend that you only use local varieties in your small space. You can save a lot of money planting these because you will only need a little maintenance since these local plants are already used to the climate of the area, making this an easy alternative over the more expensive types landscaping

Use Only Cheap Landscaping Materials

When you say that you settle with cheap landscaping materials, this does not mean that you settle for less, sacrificing function. This means that you can rely on what you currently have as you make some arrangements on your little garden. Think of it as your way of doing landscape management using both your existing tools and improvised gardening supplies.

Get A Small Pond Done

That is something that a lot of homeowners want, but they are thinking that this only fits a huge area. You can purchase smaller supplies for your cute garden like water garden pump, preformed plastic pond liner, plastic outdoor water fountain statuary and tubing. You can also get these pebbles and even fishes on the same store where you bought your pond materials.

Let The Old Age Furniture Accentuate Your Garden

If you have a some small pieces of furniture lying around the garage, then this is the right time to make use of these pieces in your garden. An old coffee table set will surely be a good addition and this is just part of a number of cheap landscaping materials ideas that you can do today. No need to purchase another set of furniture, just look around your garage or basement and you will surely find a treasure to add to your miniature garden.

Add A Ground Cover If You Wish

The usual impression of a garden is a colorful blend of trees, shrubs and flowers neatly placed in a specific area outside of the house. Now that means you can also add flowering ground covers to make your small garden a space for these little blooms. You may have to watch out for specific seasons to plant these ground covers. You can ask other seasoned gardeners in your neighborhood to give you more information on the best time to plant these ground covers based on the season and temperature in your area.

Hire A Landscaper

Maybe you are expecting me to recommend that you just hire yourself to start and complete this task of beautifying your small space. Of course, you can do that, especially if you have the luxury of time and you have prior experience in setting up small spaces for a garden. Otherwise, it is wise to take the lead of a professional landscaper who can add the theme that you want to see in your garden. The professional fee may be less as well since he only has to work on a small area to set up a garden in your property.

In the end, it is not all about spending much that can give your garden a really impressive look. That is why it is important to remember these cheap landscaping ideas and see how you can have your dream garden even if you have limited area to work with.…

July 26, 2013 Miracle

Modern

Top Modern Landscaping Ideas You Need To Know

Modern Landscaping Getting a neat and well-kept garden is something that a lot of homeowners want. But this is not an easy work to do if you are going to do all these improvements and renovations by yourself. If you want your garden to have a newer look and feel soon, here are some modern landscaping ideas that you should remember:

Modern Landscaping

The issue of cost is something that you need to consider when you are planning to come up with ways on how to update the look of your garden. It can go as minimal or expensive as you want, it depends on how much are you willing to assign as a budget to give this particular space a modern look. So as you plan this needed renovation, set a budget to work on. This will also help you adjust your preferences. Another advantage is that you can easily provide this information to the company who will implement the modern landscaping ideas design plans based on the budget you set at the onset of the project.

Go Online To Find Landscape Inspirations

If your garden only consist of potted plants and Bermuda grass all over, then it is time to make a change. Go online today and search for some home improvement blogs with some posts about landscape management and how they go about changing the look of their garden. Most of the time you will find out the story behind those improvements, including a summary of costs and a list of people who helped them in that project.

Finding these inspirations is a very accessible way of knowing the types of modern landscaping ideas that worked for them. This can inspire you further to come up with an original concept on how to do this for your own garden.

Decide On What You Want To Achieve After The Renovation

Do the same thing just like what you have done before when you improved the overall look of your home interiors. What is the purpose of this project? Is it to provide a greener look on your garden? Do you want to have more space in this area without sacrificing the number of plants that you already have? Or do you want to minimize the volume of plants so you can place a sofa set for your outdoor reading pleasure? These are just examples of questions that you might want to ask yourself before you finally call your garden landscaper today.

Place Elements That Will Add Character To Your Garden

Most homeowners realize that this is just what they need to add character to the old, plain look of their garden. If you want to add water element in this area, you can add a fountain at the center or just in one corner of the garden. You can also add a pond below it if you wish.

How about a bigger space for your next garden barbeque party? If this is what you want, then you can assign a safe area there to place a fire pit. Your family will surely be excited about the idea. You do not need to look for a bigger space to hold your next barbeque party if you already have a space in your garden to do this with your family.
These are just some of the modern landscaping ideas that you can use to improve the overall look of your garden. Give some time to think about these and see the difference it brings in the way you manage this part of your property today.…

May 25, 2013 Miracle

Stones

Landscaping Stone and Ornamental Grasses

Whatever your views on conservation, when it comes to money, we are all pretty much in favor of it. A landscape design created by using landscaping stone and ornamental grasses conserves water and money. Landscaping materials, such as flagstone and landscape rock, expand your living space in a way that is both practical and easy on the eye. In combination with various grasses, you can design a landscape that is expansive and inviting landscaping ideas

Landscaping Stone

More and more landscaping stone are utilizing materials such as river rock, pea gravel, boulders and drought resistant plants and grasses. The reasons for this vary from conserving water to less time and expense to maintain.

I have had two experiences in the past three months that have shown me the benefits of using “water friendly” materials.
My wife and I own property in the Columbia Gorge area in the state of Washington. The property has some pretty steeped sloped areas that were dominated by weeds and other wild growth common to the area, none of which is very pleasing to the eye.

Change the Property Section Into One of Two Categories

Terraced land that provided areas for future family gatherings
A garden, of sorts, of grasses, wild flowers and herbs
The terracing portion of the project involved hiring a heavy equipment operator to carve the land and bring in the boulders. This was the expensive part of the project. Fortunately for us, we found two brothers known for their work and reasonable rates (side note, I will gladly give their contact info. if you happen to be in the Gorge area). Anyway, once we had the land terraced and boulders placed, we were well on our way.

Clearing of the weeds and other wild growth took some time. Again, with the right landscape crew, we saw the beginning of our thought process coming to light. My wife, with the help of our landscaper, investigated the many, many ornamental grasses available. In all, they planted over 350 one gallon pots.

Beautiful Grasses

In the beginning, water was essential to the success of this project. In a matter of weeks, however, we were able to cut back on watering. And now that the grasses have a solid root system, the amount of water will be reduced to a minimum. And yet, when we look out over the property we now have beautiful grasses of varying types where once we had nasty looking weeds. Over time the grasses will continue to grow and expand, their need for water will diminish and for the most part will require no maintenance.

On the terraced area, we were able to build an outdoor kitchen with a fire pit. We have had several family functions in an area, that a short time ago was not usable. Except for the initial cost, we were able to expand our living space without creating a future burden in regard to expense and time.

Briefly, my other experience was in Florida at my sister’s house. This was a do it yourself job that involved pea gravel and flag stone. Other than the initial cost and elbow grease, this was a project that added living space, used no water and required no maintenance.

She had a small area outside her patio. It was the perfect spot for a barbecue, but it was nothing but dirt and sand. She wanted to create something that allowed her to go outside and not track the dirt back into the house. Also, she wanted to look out her window and see something else other than dirt.

With a little bit of planning and discussion, we were able to pick up the materials at a local hardware store. The materials consisted of 40-50 bags of colored pea gravel (much easier on the eye than gray gravel) and 35 or so prefab colored flag stone pavers. Over the course of three days, I was on “vacation” mind you, we laid and tamped down the gravel and set the pavers in the gravel. The end result was an additional 100 sq. feet of usable living space that requires no maintenance or expense.

So when considering your landscaping stone materials or projects, keep in mind conservation, if not water, then money and time. Personally, the less time and money I spend on maintaining my landscape, the more time I can spend enjoying it. The fact that I use less water is a win win for everyone.…

April 26, 2013 Miracle

Service

Simple Landscaping Ideas for Curb Appeal

Improving and maintaining your front yard is a good place to start when you want to enhance the value and beauty of your home. A few simple landscaping ideas can improve property values, contribute to neighborhood ecology, and put your home on the map.

Simple Landscaping Ideas

Landscaping is part art form and part professional skill. Many states have licensed landscape contractors who work with a variety of other simple landscaping ideas professionals to achieve eye-popping curb appeal. This can be an expensive prospect. But you don’t need to be rich or an expert to achieve great results andscaping ideas

Just keep a few landscape ideas in mind. Start with some easy tasks. Repair any cracks in the driveway, thoroughly wash the front walls and porch, repair and clean windows and lights. Your lawn is probably the most costly and time consuming portion of yard maintenance. Keeping it weeded, mowed and fee of debris can instantly enhance your curb appeal with little expense.

Take it a step further: cut down on the size of your lawn to maximize the appeal of what’s left. Cover a section with evergreen ground cover like ivy, Pachysandra or Periwinkle. Think about adding a stone walkway, plant some heat tolerant shrubs or a tree. Compare other trees in your neighborhood for size and breed for best results.

Natural Focal Point

The front door is a natural focal point. Something as simple as painting it a new color can immediately add accent. Try repainting the trim and shutters also, for another cost effective, easy enhancement. Next add potted plants or shrubs around the door, or flower boxes under the windows.

Adding greenery necessitates a reliable water source. Take a look at your gutters. Are they overstuffed and/or deteriorating? A wonderful way to both enhance the curb appeal of your house and reuse natural rainwater is to take advantage of rain chains. Replacing existing gutters with these artistic downspouts allows you to redistribute rainwater to your flowers and plants.

Rain chains channel water runoff through tumbling waterfalls, and can be combined with rainwater harvesting systems to reuse water. This mitigates the effects of urban runoff and reduces the burden on your water bill. And it all adds up to stunning curb appeal.

March 25, 2013 Miracle

Yard

Landscaping Ideas for Front of House

Many people dream of having a low maintenance front yard. It is really the thought of the maintenance cost that deter many people from realizing their dream. There are many professional landscaper in your area and it is very easy for you to find landscaping ideas for front of house. That reminds me of the saying. Where there is a will there is a way. If you have the will, then the rest is easy.

Cheap Landscaping Ideas for Front of House

If you get a professional landscaper to do the job for landscaping ideas for front of house, be sure to inform him that your goal is to have a front yard landscape which is agreeable and will not take exorbitant amount of work to maintain it. I feel that if you have that interest for having a good landscape, then you should be engaged in the making and maintaining of it without any problem. It should not be taken as doing a work but as a hobby which entertains you.

If you like a lot of grass, then be aware that it takes extra work and time mowing the lawn. I don’t forget the fact that there are many people who love the lawn. This is also an important information which should be given to your landscaper before he starts planning it.
If you are tight on money and time, clover will be an alternative to the grass. You can choose your colors and types to make your landscaping beautiful. A clover lawn is good for landscaping ideas for front of house even in areas which are prone to droughts. Since bugs hate clover, such lawns are good for those who like to go out and enjoy the front yard landscaping

Watering the yard is an important issue for the plants. If you enjoy doing it, it is fine, else incorporating an automatic irrigation system into the front yard landscaping design should do a great job. This will save you time and money and the yard will look much healthier. This should do a wonderful job especially during the hotter months of the year.
You can without difficulty find a professional to install one of these systems for design quickly and easily. Irrigating correctly is a key issue to the good look of the front yard as less or more water can do damage to the plants and yard.

Cheap and Easy Front Yard Landscaping

Finding the proper plants that will suite your climatic and soil condition is very important. You will have to find out what plants will thrive in your climate round the year. Some of them will do fine during certain months and not during others. So the best place for you to find out the information will be your local garden center. They should be able to answer such questions and guide you well to choose your plants and trees. In addition, you then take a trip to the library and check out some books on local flowers and trees.

Another good landscaping tip is to layer all of your planting beds. This will bring a sense of unity and balance to your entire yard. Choosing the right colors and spreading them well is also important.
To conclude this is something worth trying, and you will definitely enjoy the result when it is completed and the plants start to bloom. Good Luck to you for your beautiful front yard landscape.…

December 22, 2012 Miracle

Modern

Tropical Backyard Landscaping Ideas

When we think of vacations, we automatically think of white sand beaches and palm trees. If you want to have a piece of this relaxing ambiance, then you should be on the lookout tropical backyard landscaping ideas.

How to Have a Relaxing Backyard Landscaping

It’ll be very dandy if you can take the tropics with you. It’ll make for a very refreshing environment. If I may say so, it will even feel like you are taking a vacation all year round if you have this kind of landscape right in your own backyard landscaping ideas

There are major considerations to achieve this kind of landscape. And whether you will hire a landscape artist or you design your own, fact remains that you still have to go through every aspects of backyard landscaping you get the kind of landscape that’s perfect for your home. Some of these are:

Plants Play

Plants play a very essential role in achieving the tropic feel of your backyard. The choice of plants you are going to feature in the backyard landscaping is one important thing you need to focus on. In choosing the plants, you need to think of those kind which is easily associated with the main theme of your landscape, which, in this case is the tropics.
For example, when you think of tropical vacation, you can immediately picture out palm trees. The same goes when choosing which kind of flowering plants and ground covers you’re going to use.

Fixtures Pathways

From pathways to stones to outdoor furniture, each of these fixture must complement with the overall theme of your landscape. Due attention should be given when selecting the furniture and fixtures found in your backyard.

Pathways for example, are important for you to enjoy thoroughly the lush greeneries in your backyard. You can complement it with shells or tropical stones scattered around the whole place. If you are deciding on furniture, it is best that you go for wooden ones or at least those that complement the surroundings.

Water Features

Water is one of the key feature in tropical backyard landscape ideas. Most landscape of these types include a pool as the focal point of the whole landscape. If a pool is out of the question, have at least a fountain or a pond included.

ater is both refreshing and very stimulating. There’s something definitely relaxing when we get to hear splashes or even the gentle sounds made by flowing water. Thus, this feature helps enormously in achieving the look as well as the feel of your backyard landscape.…

April 22, 2012 Miracle

Modern

Ideal Small Backyard Landscape Ideas

Small Backyard Landscape Ideas With funds tight these days, maybe buying a large jungle gym or swing set for your child isn’t feasible. However, it doesn’t mean that your backyard needs to remain a vast wasteland either. Below you will find a few ideas to transform a piece of your small backyard landscaping ideas.

Small Backyard Landscape Ideas

The sunflower fort is a great idea for people who have a relatively flat and grassy backyard. When the sunflowers have finished growing, your children will have a secret garden to play in that allows for both shade and sunshine landscaping ideas

Sunflower Fort

Germinate the seeds 3-4 days prior to planting by placing seeds between a few damp paper towels. The seeds that have started to germinate after 3 or 4 days are ready to be planted. Outline a square in a sunny area of your backyard, preferably on flat land, at least 5 feet on each side. You could also outline a rectangle.

Create a 2 foot wide space on one of the sides of the outline. Plant sunflower seeds in a straight line. Water the seeds as necessary.
Tips: Plan in advance, as you’ll need time for the sunflowers to grow. When the back of the sunflower turns brown, harvest the flower for seeds!

Reader’s Corner

If your child likes to read and the weather is amenable, creating a shady little reading nook for your him or her would be a welcome surprise. A simple set-up such as a child sized blow-up chair, some bottles of water, a tin of cookies, and a blanket are a perfect set-up. Complete the area with some of her favorite books and let her know that is her space for reading.

Hammock “Tent”

Usually the space beneath your hammock is much good for anything except for grass. A 6-7′ foot pole can be used to transform your favorite napping place to a wonderful “tent” for little ones. It’s a simple matter of securing the pole into the ground in the middle of the hammock, then gently letting the hammock fall on top of the pole. This works by itself for a canvas hammock, but if you have a net hammock, use a pillow between the hammock and the pole.

Tree House

The ultimate in childhood fun has become more rare these days largely due to homeowners insurance regulations. However, if you have a sturdy tree worthy of a house for your little ones to safely play in, nothing beats a tree house. A quick search on the net will provide you with loads of blueprints and plans to build your child’s dream “tree” home.

You may pay a bit more for a tree house, but the rewards are certainly worth it, and a well-made tree house has a lot more character than an assembly line jungle gym/swing set.…

March 22, 2012 Miracle

Ideas

Patios and Walkways – Some Cheap Landscaping Ideas

Retaining Walls

Plantings

Outdoor Fencing

Landscaping Lights

Downlighting

Up Lighting

Wall Lighting

Submersible Lighting

Focus Your Light

River Rock Landscaping

Finding the Right River Rock For Your Garden

Landscaping Materials

Use Only Cheap Landscaping Materials

Get A Small Pond Done

Let The Old Age Furniture Accentuate Your Garden

Add A Ground Cover If You Wish

Hire A Landscaper

Modern Landscaping

Go Online To Find Landscape Inspirations

Decide On What You Want To Achieve After The Renovation

Place Elements That Will Add Character To Your Garden

Landscaping Stone

Change the Property Section Into One of Two Categories

Beautiful Grasses

Simple Landscaping Ideas

Natural Focal Point

Cheap Landscaping Ideas for Front of House

Cheap and Easy Front Yard Landscaping

How to Have a Relaxing Backyard Landscaping

Plants Play

Fixtures Pathways

Water Features

Small Backyard Landscape Ideas

Sunflower Fort

Reader’s Corner

Hammock “Tent”

Tree House

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