Spring has arrived, and the snow has disappeared (hopefully).  Although we may not enjoy shoveling snow, it sure does make the yard look nice.  No mowing, weeding, or raking is needed!

As you begin your spring clean-up, you may notice that some areas need a little covering.  Perhaps you have a flower bed that isn’t quite full.  Or maybe you like to line the edge of your lawn with ground covering.  It even could be that you have that one spot where nothing will grow.

Regardless to the reason, most likely there is a part of your yard that requires no mowing or watering, just the occasional replacement of ground covering.  For some, stones make the perfect covering.  They come in a variety of colors, don’t fade quickly, and perk up a bare area.  For other mulch is the optimal covering.  It also comes in a variety of colors, is lightweight (which makes it easier to work with), and is soft beneath one’s feet.

When you have decided whether you’d prefer to use stones or mulch, you need to determine how much you’ll need.  If it’s a very small area, you could buy a bag or two at your local hardware or gardening store.  However, if you will be buying more than a bag, it is more practical to buy it in bulk.  So, how do you know how much to order?  You don’t want to have to order twice, and you don’t want extra material hanging around your yard.

Thankfully Home Depot and Lowes can help with that.  If you are interested in using stones as your covering, Home Depot has a chart that can help you determine that amount of stones you’ll want to buy.   You’ll need to know how big of an area you are covering and what type of stone you’ll be using.  If you want to use mulch, Lowes has a calculator that can help.  You’ll need to know the length and width of the area you’ll be covering and how deep you’d like the mulch to be.

Once you’ve determined the amount, it’s time to begin your project!

As you do a visual appraisal of your garden, do you realize that as far as green is concerned your garden just doesn’t make the grade? If you are looking for more ways to green up your garden and make it more ecological, here are some worthwhile suggestions. Allow these ideas to serve as a jumping off point for some ideas of your own!

If your yard does not have many trees (including smaller shrubs and bushes), then you need to plant some more. Trees are very good for the environment and are very pleasing to the eye. Plus, when strategically placed with the landscape in mind they are suitable for every yard and garden.

Trees provide oxygen, and they also protect your home from the harshness of cold winds and the sweltering rays of the sun. This means that your heating bill in the winter will be less, as will your power bill in the summer. Trees are your outdoor heater and air conditioner! This is one way to save more on your energy bill. Trees also provide shelter for small animals and birds. When you are outside gardening on a warm day with company- your family pet- your dog or cat is likely to enjoy the shade of a beautiful tree to lie under while you do your work!

Use natural materials in your garden at every opportunity. When adding any type of feature, use materials that are kinder to the environment. Use stone timber and decorative aggregate, such as granite chippings, slate mulches, sand, etc.). These substances are a more ecologically sound choice than are cement, brick, or any kinds of metals or plastics.

Choose local products and manufacturers whenever possible. Find out from your supplier where the materials you are interested in purchasing come from. For example, when you are looking for timber it is best to buy local timber that is certified as being from a sustainable source.

Compost at every opportunity! If you build a compost pile that is made up of vegetable scraps from your kitchen, as well as grass clippings and leaves, when these material meld together and rot they will prove very nutritious for your soil. Not only that but they will help a green lawn look as lush a green as you could want!

If your yard has started to look drab because the color has drained away now that fall has set in, then don’t despair- there are things you can do to give your yard the panache it needs to look happy and alive!

Summer is the time for blooming flowers while fall brings multicolored leaves and then dullness, darkness and soon after … snow. What many people do not realize is that fall is an excellent time of year to plant while winter provides the opportunity to transplant trees and shrubs. Let’s look at some of the best options for fall plantings.

Brighten your yard with a yellow flowering evergreen shrub called Euryops pectinatus. This uplifting shrub will delight your yard by blooming all throughout the year. It is not deterred by the chilly temperatures of winter. Plant it in a spot where it will get plenty of sunlight, and give it ample room to grow. It needs an estimated three to four feet to spread, but oh, how this plant will make you smile!

The Cercis occidentalis (Western Redbud) is a lovely tree that also can put a smile on your face all year! It is a small tree that changes color to coordinate with the seasons. In the spring time it yields magenta flowers, which give way to blue-green flowers in summer that retain their magenta seed pods from the spring. When the fall rolls around, the tree becomes a beautiful red or light yellow color that suits the season to a tee. When it is time to welcome winter the branches of the trees are bare but are still beautiful to behold. This tree should be planted in a dry area of your yard but needs to be watered often for the first two years of its life.

If you are looking for ground cover to give your yard a boost, look no further than Scaevola (Mauve Clusters or Blue Fan Flower). This cover yields small evergreen leaves that produce a collection of tiny purple flowers that last from January to November. If you want hollies to decorate your home for the Christmas season, then having this plant around is very wise and makes you holiday savvy! The evergreen leaves are a beautiful color, and the berries that come from them can adorn many areas of your home.

If you know anyone who has a lilac bush in his yard, then you probably have stopped by it frequently in late May and early June to breathe in the scent of its blossoms. It is a smell that I never grow tired of.

Lilacs blossom for only a few weeks of the year, so you must get out there and enjoy them while you can. To give your home the lilac scent, clip some off the bushes and bring them inside. Not only are they scent-sational, but they are pretty as well.

There are more than 1,000 different kinds of lilacs. Some are early varieties, while others are middle or late bloomers. In order to have the opportunity to enjoy your lilacs as long as possible, then plant as many different varieties as you can. By doing so, you make it possible to have lilacs blossoming in your yard for as long as six weeks. You can still be enjoying the scent of lilacs into July when most people have already bid farewell to theirs for the year!

Not all lilacs are as fragrant as others. Let your nose be your guide to sniffing out the ones that smell the loveliest! In the same way, lilacs are available in a variety of colors. Look around, and you will see. There is a color for everyone! There are dark purple lilacs and light purple ones, as well as pink lilacs, white ones and even blue ones. The purple and white ones are more common in the area where I live, but where you reside might be different.

Lilac bushes are low maintenance bushes that are very hardy and do not require a tremendous amount of maintenance to grow. They can grow anywhere from four to eight feet and taller. Some lilac bushes will grow to a height of 30 feet!

Lilacs like lots of sunlight, so always plant a lilac bush in a southern or western facing location. If you live in a colder area, then plant the bushes in the late spring. On the other hand, if you live in a warmer area, then it is advisable to plant lilac bushes in the autumn.

Lilac bushes have a long life span. They can live for as long as 50 years if you treat them well!

Remember the days when your parents or grandparents owned a clunky reel mower (also known as a push mower)? You dreaded those occasions when it was your turn to mow because it was a heavy and awkward contraption and you sometimes ended up missing patches of grass. You got a good workout, but you were sweaty and exhausted by the time you were finished.

Sound familiar? This was probably not one of your fondest memories from your younger years. Thankfully times have changed, and the new reel mowers are nothing like the ones from days gone by.

A reel mower that is properly adjusted can make the cleanest cut of grass as compared to a motorized mower. The cutting action is akin to that of a pair of scissors, and it allows the grass to heal faster. Using a reel lawn mower lends itself to lawn care that is pollution-free. It also provides a light workout for the body.

Benefits of a Reel Mower:

-This type of mower cuts the grass better as previously mentioned. It shears it as opposed to tearing it up. A sheared cut makes for a greener lawn with tips that don’t turn brown easily.

-Reel mowers are very quiet. You won’t wake up the baby or annoy the neighbors, which means you can mow anytime you want.

-These types of mowers do not contribute to pollution. You are saving on fuel costs, which saves money and also protects the environment. You do not have to change the oil (and worry about spilling it on yourself or the ground!). You don’t have to concern yourself with spark plugs that need to be replaced and fuel storage.

-The new reel mowers are nothing like the clunky machines from years ago. These modern mowers are very lightweight and are much easier to push, regardless of how much strength you have in your upper body. A reel mower can be moved from the front yard to the back yard with relative ease, and if you need to put it in a car or truck, you most likely won’t need help to do so.

-Maintenance is practically a thing of the past with a reel mower. You may have to sharpen the blades occasionally and give it a drop of oil, but that is about it.

-The reel mower is inexpensive as compared to a power mower. Prices range from $100 to $350.

Landscape design is a merging of art and science. The science aspect can be understood in terms of the principles of landscape design. What you must aim for is a landscape design that is aesthetically pleasing, warm and inviting, as well as balanced.

There are seven principles when it comes to the design of a landscape. These include unity, balance, transition, proportion, rhythm, focalization and repetition.

Unity

This is one of the most basic components when you are designing a landscape. Your outdoor plan needs a central theme that will bring it all together in a unified manner.

Balance

Every aspect of the plan needs to be balanced and have an asymmetrical design that complements as opposed to detracts from the yard and the home. This includes the walkways, the plants and flowers, the grass, the shrubs and anything else that you have in your yard.

Transition

If you want to transition from one look to another, then plan it out carefully, as opposed to doing it in a haphazard fashion. Learn how to blend colors, plants and yard accessories in such a way that the modified look will be even better than the old look.

Proportion

You don’t want aspects of the landscape to look too big or too small in relation to the size of the house, the height of the trees, or the height of the fence (if you have one). Make your landscape design as proportional as possible.

Rhythm

Strive for a natural and flowing rhythm that is relaxing, calming and pleasurable. The patterns that evolve in your landscape design as a result of lines and colors are what give way to rhythm.

Focalization

If this word is unfamiliar to you, then do not worry- it means focal points. In other words, points of interest that draw the eye in and are there for emphasis. Focal points can be created as you use balance, form and lines to design your landscape a specific way.

Repetition

Some patterns and rhythms need to be repeated in your landscape design. Take the time to figure out which do and which do not. Make sure you do not overdo certain things and underdo others. Balance plays a role in repetition as well. By knowing how much of what patterns and rhythms are suitable for your yard design, you will create a look that is fitting but not overwhelming.

When it comes to putting up a fence around your property, there are many things to think about. The selection of wood fences can be very confusing. It is important to look closely at your yard and to talk to those who are better versed in fencing options in order to figure out what is most suitable.

The decision you make regarding the fencing you choose often comes down to two factors- the form (or style) of the fence and the function that the fence will serve. Sometimes form and function work well together and sometimes they do not. For example, metal fences are much better for security purposes than are wood fences.

When contemplating your wood fencing, consider the style of your home as well as the landscape of your yard. You do not want the two to clash. Houses built in the ranch style are well suited to split-rail fences which feature rugged rails and posts, as well as houses with a Southwestern theme surrounding them. On the other hand, picket-style fencing is excellent for the cozy cottage design for a home, as well as landscapes that are reminiscent of English cottage gardens.

If you are trying to keep your pets in your yard, then metal fencing would be a better option than wood fencing. The same is true if you are trying to keep deer and raccoons from wandering into your yard. However as far as fencing for privacy purposes is concerned, wood wins top marks. Wood fences can make excellent barriers from the prying eyes of neighbors and help cut down on the noise in a neighborhood as well.

The wood fencing you choose can be as tall or as short as you would like it to be. Wood fences can be every bit as appealing to the eye as can their vinyl counterparts.

You might choose to go with a stockade style wood fence that lends itself almost completely to total privacy. Or perhaps you do not desire this type of fence at all and instead want to let lots of light and airiness into your yard. In this instance, you should choose the attractiveness of lattice fencing or picket fencing. Another option is to put in a hybrid wood fence with decorative lattice on top. This would give you the privacy you seek but also the decorative element would be there as well.

Choosing lawn decorations that are appropriate for your yard can seem a very difficult task when you consider the variety of styles and choices that are available. You want to complement your yard and make it look as pleasing to the eye as possible while not crowding it and making it look, well… over done! There is such a thing as too many animal figures or gnomes.

You easily can have an attractive and well kept lawn that has some lovely decorations without looking like you are trying too hard! Read on for some hints.

The first thing you should do is find out what is available in terms of lawn ornamentation. Check the stores, the flyers you get in the mail and magazines and also visit websites online for ideas. Find out what is in style for lawn decorations this year. Then look for decorations that can communicate your unique taste and personality to the world around you!

Statues

Statues come in a multitude of styles and sizes and are becoming more popular all of the time. The concept of statues for decorating purposes in the yard is heavily influenced by the Asian culture where statues are very commonplace.

Stones

Stones also come in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. You can create a stone path or use stones to create borders around flower beds and pine straw islands. Stones are very becoming when used as lawn decorations. They are earthy and fitting for the environment in which you place them.

Flags

Some people like to use small flags to decorate their lawns because they come in any number of styles, colors and designs. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and end up with a lawn that looks like a 4^th of July celebration!

Bridges

Depending on the size of your lawn, a stone or wooden bridge might be a welcome addition to your lawn and might fit in well with the other lawn decorations you decide upon. In particular bridges are often used wherever there are pine straw beds.

Always buy lawn decorations that are of good quality and will stand the test of time. For example, clay, metal and stone decorations are more durable than are the cheaper plastic decorations. These types of materials also can handle the effects of not-so-nice weather, such as heavy rains or battering winds much better.

One thing that can enhance a patio tremendously is the right type of lighting. This is the case, especially if you enjoy sitting out on your patio in the evening after the sun goes down or if you are inclined to have social gatherings and want others to enjoy your patio as well.

One option that is budget friendly and is very ecologically friendly is to let the sun work with you to create lighting and ambiance. Solar lights require no wires and are very easy to install. Another excellent point about solar lights is that they will not cause your electricity bill to soar.

How do solar lights work?

Solar lights contain small batteries that charge up throughout the day when the sun shines on them. By so doing, in the evening they come on nice and bright, thanks to the solar energy they have stored up when the sun was out. This gives you many hours of solar light throughout the course of the evening and night.

You can find low cost solar lights at most hardware or gardening stores. The low cost lights are very reliable. However, if you prefer the more expensive solar lights, these are a little more sophisticated, as they are constructed with an on/off switch and automatic sensors.

There are different types of solar lights from which you can choose. Choose the appropriate style of light based on where you would like to place the lights. Keep in mind that the solar lights need to be placed where they can get enough sunlight to recharge themselves on a regular basis.

Hanging solar lights

These types of lights can add atmosphere to any patio, as well as an air of sophistication. They come in a variety of styles, from cylindrical Chinese lanterns to the classic carriage style lanterns to paper lights.

Stake lights

These are a permanent type of light that cannot be moved about too much. They come in a multitude of shapes and materials. Look for stake lights in wood, stainless steel finish, metal and durable plastic.

Strings of solar lights

These are very attractive and create a festive touch. Shop for strings of lights that are made with stakes or clips that contain low-energy LED lights. Colored LED lights are a nice touch when the holidays roll around.

Although they are not the most aesthetically pleasing aspect of a yard, compost piles are much more than outdoor garbage disposals. Not only do they reduce waste by recycling yard and kitchen scraps, compost piles also act as excellent sources of nutrients for growing healthy plants. They are relatively easy to maintain, and a compost pile’s benefits make it worthwhile. So, how do you build an effective compost pile to keep your garden healthy without spending a ton of money?

The positioning of the compost pile is the first step to creating a successful pile. Placement that is out of plain view and close to the garden, as well as the kitchen, is ideal. An effective compost pile also will require clippings in the smallest form possible to enable the matter to decompose at a faster rate. Avoid using meats and other food items that can become rotten, as they take a long time to decompose, are not very good for the soil, and, most importantly, are what makes the average Joe’s compost pile emit that pungent smell that gives them their bad reputations.

To kick-start the process, add some soil or previously composted material to your pile. Also, make sure to keep a healthy balance of greens (plant clippings, grass, etc.) and browns (dried leaves, twigs, etc.). The balance should be 1:2, respectfully. Every week or so, mix the pile to ensure that maximum airflow is allowed throughout the mixture to speed up the decomposing process. Continue to add yard clippings and kitchen scraps on a regular basis, and allow nature to take its course.

When the compost reaches air temperature and you can no longer recognize the original elements, allow three weeks for it to become acclimated to the atmosphere. Once this process is complete, add it to any soil to increase its ability to retain water and nutrients and improve the plants’ air supply. Be sure not to prematurely use the compost to ensure the bacteria and plants are not competing for nutrients.

If you want to develop a garden that thrives, a compost pile is a good place to turn for a solid base. That heaping pile of waste is really so much more. Using nature to your advantage is extremely beneficial for the environment, not to mention it is a relatively easy way to establish and maintain a healthy garden that is full of life.