About Me

Loving Your Little Landscape

I have never been a natural gardener. For years, I struggled to keep basic houseplants alive, only to kill them at the first opportunity. It was difficult and stressful to buy a home with a yard, but I knew that I might be able to learn what I was doing wrong and correct the problem. To start off, I focused heavily on the lawn, and tried hard to keep it trimmed and well-maintained. Next, I cleaned up the flowerbeds. It was a lot of work, but I knew that it would pay off in the end. When I was done, my front yard was gorgeous, and guess what--it even stayed alive. This blog is all about loving your little landscape.

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Loving Your Little Landscape

    How to Remove Tree Stumps Without Breaking a Sweat
    Removing stumps is slow, labor intensive, and often infuriating work. Stump removal by hand involves a variety of tools, such as mattocks and axes. It also involved many hours, and a lot of hard work. Stump-grinders are can reduce the labor involved, but they're often expensive to own or operate. They're also known for being rather unkind to your yard. Just maneuvering a stump-grinder into position often leaves deep tire tracks on your lawn. It can also bust sprinkler heads, if you aren't careful.

    Japanese Boxwood And American Holly Are 2 Great Hedge Plants
    Hedging can make your landscape much more stylish while also adding definition to the hardscaping of your yard. You can plant hedges that will cover the exposed concrete of your home foundation. Similarly, you can plant a hedge along the pathway to add a little style to a pathway. The best type of hedge plants are those that can be sculpted, require little water and are easy to keep up. This article explains the characteristics of Japanese boxwoods and American holly.

    Backyard Got A Slope? Landscaping Tips To Use This Area Effectively
    If you have an area of your yard that is sloped, it can make it more difficult to do landscaping. Fortunately, you can use this area to your advantage by following the tips below. Planting Flowers You cannot simply plant flowers on the slope without making any kind of changes. It is not possible to till a slope, because the dirt will loosen and then slide down the slope. A landscape contractor can make some changes so that your flowers will stay in place once you plant them.

    A Few Ways A Retaining Wall Can Save Your Home
    It is common to think of a retaining wall being used to level the yard for landscaping purposes. Wind, rain, and snow can cause the soil to erode, sloughing off any grass or flowers as it moves down a small hill. The truth is, a retaining wall can also be used to save the foundation of your home. If you notice that the basement or crawlspace stays moist, or that more of the foundation is visible from the outside, you should consider having a retaining wall built.

    Three Necessary Steps for Completing a Topographic Survey
    Engineers perform a topographic survey before an owner makes changes to a property or before a change in the ownership of a property takes place. A topographic survey maps and identifies the contours of the ground and the existing features on the surface of the earth. After completing a survey, a contour map is created of your property. Read on to find out three steps taken during a topographic survey.

    Getting Rid Of Uneven Terrain In Your Lawn Once And For All
    One of the most common landscaping issues that homeowners face is an uneven lawn that puddles a lot. Low spots can be formed by natural forces and time, but most can be fixed with a little sun and a free weekend. You may even be able to make an invisible fix. So, how do you do it? Here's a handy guide to leveling your lawn without destroying it.  Look for Uneven Areas

    Want To Add Natural Shade To Your Yard? Consider 3 Effective Methods
    Shade is a highly desirable feature for a property, especially in the backyard. If you do not have shade, you need to determine where you want shade, how much shade you want, and what methods you prefer. Shade is obtainable in many forms and can be accomplished with just one method, but you should learn about some of the most effective approaches to make a finalized plan with complete confidence.

    An Oasis In A Sea Of Green - 4 Steps To Designing An Island Garden Bed
    If you have a large lawn and are looking for the perfect focal point to tie the whole thing together, why not create an island garden bed? An island garden is a colorful flower bed that is freestanding and set inside a sea of green grass or other large single yard feature (such as an oversize brick or flagstone hardscape). It is designed to be viewed from all directions and enjoy unrestricted and easy growing.