If you can't afford a covered porch or patio, one of the next best options is to install a shade sail. These are made from durable outdoor cloth, and they are used to cover outdoor living spaces. These sails are often very affordable, portable, and they blend well with many types of architecture and settings. The best part is how easy they are to install compared to many other options for outdoor shade. In just a few easy steps, you can have a shade sail up and ready to use.
First, you need to decide where you want the shade sail to be. Consider where you will spend
Landscaping
Installing Shade Sails
January 24th, 2012 Heather Duchan | LandscapingInexpensive Path Materials
January 18th, 2012 Heather Duchan | Landscaping
Pathways are a charming addition to many yards and gardens. Building a path can be the perfect finishing touch for your landscape and provide an invitation for guests to take a stroll through areas of your yard or to your doorway.
Installing pathways using many common landscaping materials like poured concrete or flagstones can get expensive, especially if you’re interested in a long path. If you’re set on a pathway in your yard but have a budget, there are some alternatives that work well and look good for the purpose.
Mulch, one of my all time favorite landscaping aids, is one material that can be used to create
Installing pathways using many common landscaping materials like poured concrete or flagstones can get expensive, especially if you’re interested in a long path. If you’re set on a pathway in your yard but have a budget, there are some alternatives that work well and look good for the purpose.
Mulch, one of my all time favorite landscaping aids, is one material that can be used to create
Planning Your Yard’s Future
January 10th, 2012 Dennis Mayer | Landscaping
Happy New Year! If you're like me, and you're enjoying an unseasonably warm start to winter in the Northeast, you might find it's easier than normal to think about your garden's future. Did you get a new calendar yet? Let's open it up and start some planning.
Start by looking at the optimal planting date for your area. (In the Boston area, ours is fairly late -- to avoid any risk of frost, we don't plant until around Mother's Day, in the middle of May). Once you have that date decided, it's time to figure out what you plan to plant, and when you might need to
Start by looking at the optimal planting date for your area. (In the Boston area, ours is fairly late -- to avoid any risk of frost, we don't plant until around Mother's Day, in the middle of May). Once you have that date decided, it's time to figure out what you plan to plant, and when you might need to
Straw Erosion Blankets
December 28th, 2011 Heather Duchan | Landscaping
If you have any sloped areas in your yard, you're probably already aware of the erosion that happens. When surface water moves down the slope, vegetation and soil is washed away, leaving an ugly patch on your lawn.
The good news is that there are some fairly simple ways to control this erosion and get your yard looking green again. One popular option is using straw erosion blankets. These will help keep water from flowing so quickly, and they will improve the soil. Straw erosion blankets are also eco-friendly, as they are made from renewable, bio-degradable resources.
If this seems like a good choice for the steep, but relatively small
The good news is that there are some fairly simple ways to control this erosion and get your yard looking green again. One popular option is using straw erosion blankets. These will help keep water from flowing so quickly, and they will improve the soil. Straw erosion blankets are also eco-friendly, as they are made from renewable, bio-degradable resources.
If this seems like a good choice for the steep, but relatively small
DIY Play Equipment
December 20th, 2011 Heather Duchan | Landscaping
Great yards should also be fun ones, especially if you have children or grandchildren around. Although there are plenty of commercially-made playground equipment choices out there, they are often expensive. Even more, they can lack character.
Building a fun DIY play yard for kids, on the other hand, can be both challenging and enriching for all involved. Although it may take many hours and lots of out of the box thinking, it's a plausible goal for most people who want to save money and have a great yard in the process.
Here are few items that work well for the DIY playground creator on a budget:
Tree Swings
Swing sets
Building a fun DIY play yard for kids, on the other hand, can be both challenging and enriching for all involved. Although it may take many hours and lots of out of the box thinking, it's a plausible goal for most people who want to save money and have a great yard in the process.
Here are few items that work well for the DIY playground creator on a budget:
Tree Swings
Swing sets
