Flowers & Garden

12/30/2005

More Landscaping Ideas

Making the Most of a Small Yard

A small yard does not have to be devoid of landscaping elements. There are plenty of things that can be done with a small yard to help it look nice, while not encroaching too much on usable space. The key is to plan well, and to choose plants and designs that are not too over powering. But, even though you may not be able to have large boulders or a sweeping flower garden, or a large pond, it is still possible to have a beautiful landscape that surrounds your home and helps you feel more comfortable in it. One of the things to remember when you have a small space is that you can build up rather than building out. You can do this by building raised beds for ... read more


Landscaping Ideas for Energy Efficiency

When you carefully position your trees, you can save money in both summer and winter. Large deciduous trees are great additions to any home for this purpose. These trees have large leaves and create shade during the summer. They block the sun, and this reduces how much money is needed to cool the home. Vines growing on the house and shrubs near the home (protecting basement windows) only help further. Now, here is the great thing about deciduous trees: they lose their leaves in the fall. This means that as the leaves fall of during autumn, they let more sunlight in. This means that natural light and even some warmth from the sun will filter into your house during the winter, lowering heating costs. And the best part ... read more


Tips for Planning Your Landscape

Another tool that can be very helpful as you plan your landscape is the use of landscape design software. Much of this software can be used to figure out which plants may look nice in your yard, and which plants would go with your house. Some programs even allow you to scan in an image of your own house in order to better get an idea of the possibilities. Most programs cost less than $70, and can even be used as references to determine which plants are best suited to survive in your climate.

With careful planning, and the use of a few tips, it is possible for you to plan out your landscape in such a way that you use your available space and your money much more efficiently. Read the whole article about planning your landscape...