Free Landscaping Plans, Ideas, and articles

As the landscape design site continues to grow in popularity, I find it necessary to add new content and information almost daily. Don't want it to get stale.

Since I'm adding so much landscaping information so fast, a lot of first time visitors miss it. Like the free landscaping plans directory. It's been up for a while but I still get a lot of emails wanting to know where to find free plans and designs. So I know folks aren't finding it.

There's even a new picture gallery up that features hundreds of landscaping ideas for the front yard. But since I don't have a home page link up to it yet, nobody is finding it either.

I've also added several new categories to the original landscaping pictures gallery. I'll try to keep things posted but just keep your eyes open when you're at the site. You're bound to find something new.

Oh ya. And some cool news. Three of my articles are getting published in a national gardening magazine in February. Cool huh? Go to Landscaping And Gardening Articles if you'd like to read some of the latest landscaping articles from my collection.

We'll talk soon.
Steve

Creating A Landscaping Plan

Creating a landscape design plan from scratch can be a difficult task for a lot of people. Measuring, drawing, and coming up with good landscaping ideas can be very intimidating.

So I've created a few pages and directories to help you plan, design, and get ideas for your landscaping.

The first page is a simplified and complete guideline for creating a landscaping plan from a plat map or from scratch.

The second resource is a very nice collection of designs and plans which has over 120 free landscaping plans from several of the best designers online and off.

These resources are in addition to the large directory of landscaping pictures from various designers that I've put together and the directory of my own landscaping ideas and designs. I do hope you find these resources useful.

Landscaping Videos And Ideas

Howdy folks. I just wanted to announce a new landscaping ideas project that I'm working on. I'm going to be uploading how to videos of the landscape projects and plans that we create here at S&S Designed Landscaping.

See: Video Landscaping Ideas

As you'll see in the videos, I'm no actor. Being in front of the camera makes me forget a lot of what I want to say. Hopefully, it will get easier.

Anyway.....

Even though I'm just getting started with the project, I wanted to go ahead and announce it. As of this writing, there is one video on the site. And by the end of the day there should be more. I'll do my best to add more every week.

Also, as of right now, this site and the videos are free. If bandwidth doesn't get too much, I'll keep it that way. However, if the site gets way popular, I may have to make it a paid membership site just to pay for the bandwidth of running the site.

Check it out. www.landscaping-videos.com

Front yard landscaping ideas. To what extent you can plan landscaping the front yard may be limited by some circumstances that you can’t control. The size of your lot, how your home faces the street, and property lines can all be limiting factors. However, with some careful landscape planning, you may be able to reach a medium of functionality and beauty in the front.

I know that this seems basic and obvious but many times folks simply just don’t know where to start or go with their design. So by first laying out your needed or desired access paths, you could possibly be laying out the framework of your entire design. Not only will it take up a lot of space, but will also create shape, areas to design around, and a visual direction for your landscaping ideas and thoughts.

In creating a convenient, inviting, and attractive entryway to your home and property, you should first think about functionality and then plants and materials later. With the main function of front yard landscaping generally being access, our first design focus would be how and where we enter and exit our homes.

Generally, the most predominant access use is for vehicles and parking. So our first focus should be where we and our guests are going to park and drive in the front. Also, walkway access from these areas to the front door, side door, or any other entry points of the home needs to be considered.

Most folks need a driveway that not only leads to the home but also allows room for offstreet guest parking. So if this is a needed or desired landscaping element, we should start designing with that in mind.

The driveway entrance should be wide enough to comfortably move in and out of. It’s not required but a lot of times it is desirable to also have a way to turn around inside the driveway. This is an added safety factor to keep from having to blindly back out onto busy streets.

If you have room, a circular driveway design usually provides the best access to entries along with the safety factor of drive through. It also provides some shape and an opportunity for landscaping inside of the outer circle of the driveway.

Many times when a complete semi-circle drive isn’t possible, there may be room for a simple cutout addition. This area can also be used as additional parking when needed. It doesn’t necessarily need to be paved as it won’t receive the same amount of use and traffic as the rest of the drive.

Simply widening the driveway in an area can provide additional parking as well as enough room to turn around. Again, this area doesn’t have to be paved or totally improved. It just has to drain well and support the weight of a car.

By first addressing your vehicle access to your home, you’ll have one necessary element taken care of and less area to have to have to plan for. Then by adding foot access from driveway areas to the home, you’ll possibly have the entire framework of your front yard landscaping created.

free Landscaping Ideas And Pictures

Since the first time I saw one of those fancy online picture and Ideas galleries, I wanted one on my site. What a cool deal. So now I have one. So far and at the time of this writing, it's only two pages and needs a lot of work to look right.

Landscaping Ideas And Pictures

Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

After thinking about it and getting past the temptation, I've decided to keep the gallery free. I've kept all the information on the site free from the very beginning. It just doesn't feel right at this point to go commercial.

Still, dont forget my old galleries as they're just as good if not better than this new one.

Old Landscaping Pictures Gallery
Landscaping Ideas Gallery

Check back often. I'll be adding to all directories and galleries daily.

Steve

The Landscape Design Site

Using landscape fabric is dependant on the type of landscape or garden you wish to create.

If I had my way and if it was practical, I would eliminate the use of landscape fabric altogether in all of my designs. Not only would this make creating the designs much easier, but would also be a substantial savings for my clients.

The need for weed barrier in a design is actually related to the type of landscape a client wants me to create. If a client wishes for a low maintenance landscape that they’ll rarely have to deal with, them most likely the design will include fabric.

On the other hand, if a client asks for original landscaping ideas with beds and borders that I refer to as "living beds and borders", then it’s possible that we’ll eliminate their use altogether. For reference, a "living bed" is one generally created with mulch and compost where the client actually works, weeds, replants, and replenishes the soil. In this case, landscape fabrics would only get in the way.

However, most of the designs we create are for low maintenance landscapes that require very little weeding and upkeep. And therefore weed cloth is pretty much a necessity.

Landscape fabrics can serve different purposes in landscaping. One is, of course, to keep unwanted weeds and grasses from taking over the landscaped areas. The source of weeds and grasses are either already present in the soil or are from blown in seed. If you use a good quality fabric, you’ll win the battle with that which is already present. However, blown in seed is out of everyones control and will require some attention regardless of the quality of barrier used.

Another purpose is for ground and groundcover separation. When using groundcover such as decorative rock, it’s important to lay down a layer of weed cloth between the soil and groundcover. Otherwise, the two elements will eventually become mixed and your groundcover rock will work its way into the soil.

And still another purpose is as an underlayment for pavers, patios, and walkways. This helps to stabilize and contain the leveling material as well as prevent weeds and grasses that are already present in the soil.

So whether or not you actually need the added expense of landscaping fabric in your project is dependant on the type of landscape or garden you want to create. Or in the amount of maintenance and upkeep you want to put into it. It’s not always a necessity.

If you find that you design requires weed barrier then buy the best professional landscaping fabric on the market at this link.

I know that it's far from spring and most thoughts of spring planting. However, this is actually the best time to start planning your garden and landscaping ideas. You can think about your ideas all Winter and before you know it, it will be time for prepping the soil for the spring garden.

Moving ahead to early spring, most of us will head to the nurseries and garden centers like kids to the candy store.

Here's a little tip that can save you lots of money when that time comes:

Plants generally come in containers of 2, 4, 6 inch, 1 gallon, 5 gallon, etc. sizes. Plant price increases proportionately with the size of pot. And planting in our gardens and landscaping can add up in price very quickly.

What most people don't know is that the plants in the small containers will reach almost, if not the same size as the plants in the 1's and even some 5 gallon containers by mid season.

With this in mind, you can save lots of money at the nursery and still have a beautiful landscape or garden by Summer even if you choose plants in smaller pots.

Of course, most of us want a full looking landscape right now and if your budget allows for larger pots and price, I say go for it.

Just keep this in mind if you need to spread your landscaping budget out into different areas.

Landscaping Resources Update

Howdy Folks,

It's been a while since I've posted to this blog. And even though I've neglected to post here I've still been hard at work adding a lot of new landscaping ideas the the main site. Let's not forget the main site because that's really where everything happens.

Most of the new ideas are picture, plans, and guidelines to designs my company has actually created for offline clients. It really is a great resource for those of you set on doing it yourself.

Those that have become friends of The Landscape Design Site already know it as the best free resource for do it yourself landscaping information. I've put a lot into it to make it that way.

While I've added a lot of my own designs, I've also added a lot more pictures to the landscaping pictures directory. This is probably one of my most favorite parts of the entire site as it showcases designs from a lot of designers better than myself.

So go and check out all the new resources to the site and if you have any questions feel free to post them to the new landscaping forum. I'll get around to answering them as quick as I can.

Small Garden Design - Creating Illusions Of More Space

The efficient use of space is vital in small garden design. You only have so much to work with. And while increasing actual physical space generally isn’t an option, it is possible to make small gardens feel larger than they really are by creating illusions.

While designing small area gardens does have some of its own special challenges, the opportunity for creativity is multiplied within these small spaces. It is possible to create more atmosphere and impact with less.

And while most people do a great job of creating beautiful gardens within confined areas, balconies, rooftops, and courtyards, the greatest challenge is still in making small gardens feel larger than they really are.

Because most small gardens are surrounded by boundaries, vertical surfaces, and can generally be viewed in a single glance, they have a tendency to feel confined, boxed in, and...small. So some designers use a few techniques and “tricks” to create an illusion of more space. Try one or more of these ideas if you’re challenged by a confined area.

Screen unsightly boundaries and hard vertical surfaces with plants or structures. Not only does this hide the element, but can also create the illusion that there’s more beyond and not just your neighbors wall or yard. Try to hide obvious boundaries.

If your garden is confined by walls, the color of your walls can actually have some impact on how spacious your garden feels. Darker colors alone have more depth. When used behind planting schemes, they blend and help make the boundary seem invisible. Overall, darker color elements help create more depth in confined areas.

Adding curves to your walkways, flower beds, walls, etc. can give the illusion of more distance and travel. The human eye can detect that there actually is more distance involved and so the mind interprets the actual occupied space as being greater.

If you have unused hard corners, make good use of them. An arch or entryway into a corner that otherwise goes nowhere is a nice element and opportunity to frame a focal point in the corner. It also creates the illusion of something more beyond.

Creating levels can give the illusion of more space. It creates vertical surface and appears to create even more horizontal surface. If your floor area is limited, otherwise unused hard corners are a great place to add a second level flower bed or element.

A little creativity might even enlist the use of mirrors. Think about it. A mirror or two placed in the right spots could actually make a garden seem twice as large as it really is.

I hope this helps.

For more free information on small gardens, visit Small Gardens and Small Garden Ideas

Members Picture Gallery

The new member project picture gallery is starting to get quite a few hits.

While I'm hoping for more activity in the future, one gentleman has posted several wonderful waterfall, pond, and sculpture pictures for you to enjoy and get ideas from.

Go take a look and post some of your own stuff.

member project pictures gallery

My offline company, S&S Designed Landscaping, will be going through some major changes this year.

Just this last year, two of my main competitors left the scene. And while this is a blessing, it can also be quite a burden at times. With 5 projects waiting at any one time and 12 designs to create sitting on my desk, I believe I've committed the ultimate contractor sin. Making more promises than I can keep.

So the first change is that we're not accepting any more large landscaping projects unless the client is willing to wait at least six months.

The second is that all design work will require an up front non-refundable deposit. Most of our work is referral and our clients want us specifically. These are no problem. However, no more free hours spent for bid getters and looky loos.

We will be focusing on small projects, sprinkler repairs, waterfalls, and the creation of our new nursery and retail outlet.

Here's to a better year and regaining my sanity.

User Image Gallery

Here's where you can help me help you and all the other visitors to the site.

I've just created a new picture gallery at www.the-landscape-design-site.com/pictures where you can view and comment on other do it yourselfer projects.

However, even better than that, you can post your own project pictures, before pictures, or whatever and get advice and comments on them. It's basically a picture forum.

I'm very excited about this new addition and hope you'll take advantage of it. I'm still tweaking on it but it is totally functional. Go to www.the-landscape-design-site.com/pictures, create an account and let us see what you got going on.

Pre Planned Gardens

So what about pre-planned gardens for do it yourself design?

It use to be that anything that didn't require some thought or hard work was somehow less than professional or truly creative.

However, as I get past my irrational artist syndrome ego, I guess it's o.k. to admit that these garden plans are as close to professional as paying a designer to come up with something for you. And cheaper. And Easier.

But just remember, that while they are a much cheaper way to go, there's also a trade off for economy. It will take part of the season to become a part of the landscape. A little patience is required.

Most folks do a pretty good job of choosing the right plants for a project or entire landscape. Even still, most people just feel more comfortable having someone tell them what kind and where to put them. Whether it's better than you could do yourself or not, it somehow just feels safer. And that's one of the reasons they've become so popular.

And while pre planned garden designs are already much cheaper than a designer, a wise homeowner can find ways to make them even more economical.

In the first place, I wouldn't recommend doing your entire landscape with them. Create some simple mature displays with local commercial stock. This will help to create some establishment. Then use the preplanned gardens as a very professional looking and planned filler. This can save you a lot of money for a professional look.

Next, keep in mind that most of these gardens are perennial plants. Most can be divided and propagated easily next season. However, for now, you can get a little more bang for the buck by spreading the garden a little further than recommended. Remember, they'll multiply.

Since pre-fab garden plans are becoming so popular, several design firms have come about that offer pre made gardens to the general public. We're even planning this for our own greenhouses in the near future. However, until then.....

I've tried several different design firms without any real bad experience. I can't say anything bad about any of them. However, I am a bit partial to the designs of White Flower Farm and Spring Hill Nurseries. Between the two of them I have enough selection to fit almost any application from shade to sun and everything in between. And so far they've consistently had far better quality of plants.

Don't be afraid to give this simple resource a try. And especially if you're horticulturally or color challenged. Try it in one area. If it works for you, you can get more to fit the different applications of your landscape design.

Proper Placement Of Trees In Landscape Design

A properly planned landscape design requires a little vision and thought into the future. As a professional, it’s my job to also consider the mature landscape including any damage and inconvenience that improperly placed trees could create. There’s a little more to think about than you might think.

Landscaping and landscape design goes beyond just creating beautiful designs. As a professional designer, it’s not only my job to create designs but also to envision every possibility of the mature landscape in years to come.

And while most elements will remain what they are for years to come, the one thing that most do it yourselfers and some professionals overlook is the space that tiny little sprouts will occupy when they become mature plants and trees.

Trees serve a number of obvious purposes in the landscape. Creating shade, wind blocks, noise reduction, boundaries, and focal points are just a few. Once I have established where I’ll need trees for these purposes in a design, I have several other considerations before I can designate their permanent home.

Planting without considering the space that the mature full grown plants and trees will occupy can become more than just an inconvenience. It can be costly.

Things to consider.

Around Play Areas

A shaded canopy over play areas, sand boxes, etc. may be desired for shade from afternoon sun. However, you need to consider the mess that birds and other critters will drop right into your childs play area if the canopy extends over it.

The solution to this is to place large shade trees a distance from the area in line with the travel of the sun. If you know the trees you plant and how far the mature canopy will extend, you can still plant for shade without exposing your kids to unsanitary conditions.

Around Pools

Keeping a pool clean is hard enough without a mess of leaves and branches. And while most pool areas are sunny locations, it is sometimes desirable to have a space near the pool where one can escape the sun.

Unlike play areas though, you may not want to shade the entire pool landscape from the afternoon sun. Therefore you shouldn’t plant large shade trees in direct line with the travel of the sun. Design as to create a shady area to one side or the other. This is also another spot to eliminate top rooting trees around concrete. Evergreen types are usually your best bet for around pools.

Roots And Concrete Footings And Foundations

While infrequent deep watering as opposed to frequent shallow watering will help deter top rooting trees, some trees are still determined to seek out other sources of water which may be on the surface or moist areas under structures.

The seeking roots of large trees are a powerful force that can break sidewalks, foundations, and even lift walls out of place. This is the biggest and most costly mistake I see. Know your landscaping trees before you plant them next to your home.

Under Power Lines
Know what’s overhead.

Property Lines And Easements
This one can make enemies out of neighbors.

Underground Utilities, Sewers, And Septic Tanks

Besides the roots being able to break pipes and lines, you don’t want to have to move or destroy a mature tree to fix a leak. Locate lines and plant away from them. Some trees can spread out much further underground than they do up top. Know what’s underground.

Perspective

You need to keep in mind the mature size of trees in proportion to the size of your home and other landscaping elements. Large trees can dwarf a small home and small trees can look like shrubs placed around a very large home. Know the mature size of trees and keep them in perspective.

Hiding or framing a home

Consider the view from the street and other areas and consider the purpose of your trees. If you wish to seclude your home, you don’t need much thought for that. However, if you only wish to frame or accent your home, you’ll again need to consider the mature size and placement of your plantings.

Parking Areas

Here’s another opportunity for birds and critters to make a mess of things. If possible, plant in accordance with the travel of the sun. And once again, know the mature canopy of your trees.

Usefulness And Cost Effectiveness

If you’re going to make an investment in landscaping, look for ways to make it work for you. Placed properly, large trees can shade your home and reduce your cooling costs and vise versa. You can intentionally create shade for your shady garden, screen and divide areas, reduce noise, and a world of other applications if you just give it some thought.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free information on landscaping and garden plants, visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

Cottage Design Ideas

I found the following article that got submitted to the DIY Article Directory to be a very enjoyable read. And while it geared more towards interior design, it does have some good tips that might help you in designing a cottage garden. I believe you'll find it very enjoyable as well.

Cottage Style Home Decorating: A-Z "QuikTips" for Instant Cottage Style

By: Kathryn Bechen

Arrange your living room furniture in a “U” shape for great conversations.

Birdhouses painted to match your home are wonderful.

Cats in a windowsill are “very cottage.”

Dogs curled up in front of the fireplace say “cottage cozy.”

Entertain your friends around a round table with good food and wine.

French touches in furniture say “sophisticated cottage.”

Gates with clever signs hung on them say “instant cottage.”

Hatboxes covered with vintage wallpaper are great for storage.

Ingenious cottage touches are a claw-foot bathtub and thick fluffy towels.

Junk from flea markets can be repurposed into creative plant containers.

Knickknacks from family or collected from your travels add personality.

Lattice lining patio walls creates charm.

Mementos framed in shadow boxes add personality to your cottage.

Nurture yourself with a four poster bed and sumptuous linens.

Ottomans can be used in place of a coffee table or at the end of a bed.

Pictures of florals, botanicals, or your travels say “instant cottage.”

Quilts on the end of a bed or draped over a chair are pure cottage style.

Rugs in sisal, jute, or colorful cotton add a cottage touch.

Sink-down-in-and-rest-awhile white slipcovered sofas are very cottage.

Texture in rugs, fabrics, and pillows creates interesting dimension.

Upholster your furniture in coordinated florals, plaids, and stripes.

Vintage trunks make great coffee tables and linens storage.

Welcome signs are charming near your front door.

Xtraordinary touches include floral painted mailboxes and fountains.

Yellow in a bright canary shade is a great color for a cottage front door.

Zest for living always accompanies the cottage style spirit!

c2006 Kathryn Bechen and Kathryn Bechen Designs.

All rights reserved.

Visit Kathryn Bechen Designs for more free ideas and tips for decorating your cottage style home on a dollarwise budget, to view Kathryn's blog, and to sign up for Kathryn's free e-newsletter of decorating tips and resources. Kathryn is an interior decorating consultant and author who specializes in Cottage Style, Non-Toxic, and Dollarwise decorating.

So What Is A Landscaping Berm Anyway?

An easy method to adding interest to landscaping is simply by adding some height to the landscape. Height is often overlooked or created without any thought to its role in the artistic value of the design. However, it can and should be given some thought as a design element in landscapes and especially in dull flat yards.

There are several ways to create height in a landscape. Generally, height is created by retaining walls, walls, arbors and other hardscapes, plants, and berms.

So what is a berm anyway?

Berms in landscaping are small sweeping hills that are usually created for the purpose of creating height and interest. They work well in landscape areas that don't necessarily call for damming or retaining walls. A good example would be in the middle of a large lawn area. Berms can help add height, levels, and interest to yards and landscapes that would otherwise be dull and flat.

I've never given much thought to how I create a berm or have I been asked how to make a berm correctly until recently. I all of a sudden got a slew of emails requesting information on how to build a berm correctly.

While there's no trick, special art, or rules to creating berms, I guess there is some method and a way to keep them from looking like odd bumps in your yard. These are just the simple "rules" that I can think of. They're not written in rock.

A berm should be at least 5 to 6 times as long as it is high and should gradually "feather" into the yard. If you create a two foot high berm, make it "feather" 12 or so feet long into the yard.

Depth is, I think, is just a matter of feel for what looks natural and good. A 2 foot high, one foot wide hill would have too much of a slope to hold ground cover and would look very unnatural. The width should also "feather" into the yard.

Oftentimes, berms occupy and fill corner areas and a lot of times have a crescent shape open toward the yard. However, shape can be anything that fits, is creative, or follows the flow of the yard. Berms in lawns can be continual, connecting, and flow throughout the yard.

In bed areas, boulders or larger rocks can be placed into the berm to give it a more natural look, places to plant around, and aid in holding smaller ground cover in place.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the owner and chief designer for S&S Designed Landscaping in Carlsbad, NM. He is also the creator of The Landscape Design Site.com which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free information on landscape and garden planning, Visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

Starting A New Landscape Design

Reply to email question:

QUESTION

You've probably heard this question more than just a few times, but in creating a landscape design,where's the best place to start? I feel so overwhelmed.

We bought a new house this summer.The traditional 2300 sq. ft home sits on a wooded 2 acre lot cleared of brush. A crushed gravel circle drive comes right up to the front door. Mostly shaded, with the area around the south and western sides of the home in full sun.

I guess the purpose of the design would to be a beautiful eden of a yard with "rooms" for childrens play area, water features, and meditation.

how would I go about creating cottage style borders to complement the white siding and black shutter traditional home?

I know your time is of the upmost value,but I would appreciate any advice or direction. Would it be a sound investment to pay $528 for a landscape architect to create the design I'm looking for?

Thank you so much-

ANSWER

While that's not a bad price for a good designer and design, I believe you'll feel better about spending it if you're absolutely sure it was the only way to go.

I wrote an article not too long ago about one way to start a design. You can see it at: Do It Yourself Landscape Design-Where To Begin.

I also have a very large picture gallery which inludes a cottage and meditation garden category. See it at Landscaping And Garden Design Pictures.

Getting started is always the hardest part. I know it is for me if I don't have a vision to begin with.

Brainstorm. Look at the pictures. Don't try to get your idea from one photo but take pieces from different pictures and try to make them fit together.

With the picture ideas in your head, scribble out the different areas using a bubble graph. Draw several versions but don't discard the old ones just yet. See: Using A Bubble Graph In Landscape Design

Also see the landscape planning page.

Once you have shape, you can create unity and continuity with elements like groundcover, decor, rocks, plants, and all hardscapes.

Once you go through these steps and still don't like what you come up with, you can justify spending the money for an architect.

I hope this helps.

Meditation Gardens Added To The Site This Week

I had noticed a few folks searching the site for info on meditation gardens. I managed to put together two full pages of meditation garden pictures and links.

Here's the link:
Pictures Of Meditation Gardens

Landscape Design - Well Balanced Home Landscaping

Balance is a principle of all art forms, design, and even landscape design. It implies a sense of equality. And while there may be just a little more to it, this is how I best explain it to make it easier for first timers and do it yourselfers to understand.

A garden, landscape, or any form of equal proportions would naturally feel and look balanced. However, most gardens and landscapes are not exact or symmetrical in shape and form. They’re asymmetrical and abstract in form and are often without any natural balance of their own. So landscaping often relies on other elements to create balance and harmony through unity.

Many times, a lack of balance is directly related to a lack of repetition. Repeating alike elements such as plants or rocks throughout the landscape will help unify different areas to each other. As little as one repeated matching plant group, color, piece of decor, or hardscape can accomplish this.

A lack of balance is also created by placing too many or all non matching elements throughout a landscape design. This can sometimes seem cluttered and unkept when it grows in. In the beginning of your design, plan for less, place just a few matching plant groups throughout the garden, and keep decor matching and to a minimum. You can add more later.

So many of the questions that I receive about landscape design deal with the shape of a design . Shape is unique to each design and will ultimately follow all necessary paths and your visions. However, any shape or form can be filled with elements and still be either dull, void, loud, cluttered, and unbalanced. Balance isn’t necessarily dependant on shape. It can be but generally it’s not. So don’t get too hung up on trying to even things out entirely by shape.

Landscape design is an art form and so it deals with "all" the same principles that other art forms use. Repetition, unity, and balance are all principles of art that go hand in hand with each other.

Architects use repetition in design by making doors, windows, fixtures, trims, etc. the same sizes, shapes, and styles. Imagine how your home would feel if every door, door frame, window, and fixture were of different sizes, shapes, colors, and types. It would be uncomfortable and chaotic.

And so it’s the same with landscape design.

In order to create balance, appeal, and even comfort in a landscape that is lacking, we need to create some form of consistent repetition. As little as one matching element placed on opposites can create a sense of unity and consistency.

It's easiest and most often created in the softscape (plants, ornaments, lawn, decor, etc.). However, it should be considered in the hardscape (walks, driveways, necessities, fences, walls, raised beds, boundaries, etc.) of your drawn design plan.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site.com which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. To discover more about the principles of landscape design, visit his site at: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

Professional Landscape Fabric For Landscaping

A lot of folks are having trouble finding the purchase link for our landscape fabric.

Here's the link: Buy Landscaping Fabric

For information on correctly using it see:

The Do's and Don'ts of Landscape Fabric

Is Landscape Fabric Even Necessary In Landscaping?

The Secret To Healthier Plants

Farmers and gardeners of a few decades ago knew a thing or two about healthier plants and soils. This is what I learned from one of them.

My Grandfather was an old school farmer from way back who depended on his crops for his living. He, like farmers then and now, knew that the secret to optimum yield and plant health begins in the soil. If the soil was just right and other conditions were favorable, his yields were higher and he could make a descent living that would get his family through the rest of the year.

My grandfather also knew that the condition and health of the soil directly influenced the plants ability to resist disease and insects. Having to use any type of insecticide on his farm was virtually unheard of. And yet, he had no insect problem.

So the question of what is the secret to healthier and more beautiful plants should really begin with the question of what is the secret to healthy soil.

Many factors will influence the quality and condition of your soil. And at the top of the list is the ph (acidity or alkalinity) of soil. Most folks have heard about soil ph but very few know how important it is and the difference it makes in color, yield, flavor, heath, etc.

If the ph of soil is incorrect, nutrient uptake is limited or restricted altogether. It doesn’t matter how much fertilizer you add, the plants won’t be able to use it efficiently. Iron, for instance, becomes locked into soil that is too alkaline. It won’t matter how much iron you add, the plant won’t be able to pick it up and use it.

If growing is not optimal, plants start to yellow or look sickly, and there is no obvious signs of insects, the first place to start is by testing the soil. In granddads day, folks would actually taste the soil to test the ph. If it was sweet, it was acid. If it was sour, it was alkaline. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to go out to our gardens and eat dirt. Modern test kits are available at garden centers, they’re inexpensive and easy to use.

Most plants prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil. Neutral is a 7 on the scale while slightly acid is a 6 on the scale. And I did say most plants. Some plants do prefer more acid soil and some do like alkaline. It’s a good idea to know a little bit about what you’re growing.

Now, my grandfather had a magic ingredient that he continually added to the soil. This magic ingredient would actually create healthy soil, buffer perfect ph, and facilitate proper nutrient uptake. It also made plants not so tasty to insects.

A magic ingredient? Not hardly. A lost art and science. Definitely. His magic ingredient was that he dutifully returned everything back into the soil. Everything from plant wastes to manure to kitchen scraps. His magic ingredient was nothing more than pure natural organics. If a soil was found to be out of balance, it was a matter of a simple adjustment. A little bit of sulfur to buffer alkalinity or a little bit of lime to buffer acid and also tilling in more bulk organics.

Farmers and gardeners back then couldn’t rely on a lot of chemical fertilizers because they were either unavailable or they simply couldn’t afford them. Oh I’m sure they would have liked to have had them since it would have made life much easier. However, what we didn’t use then that we do use now is why they had healthier plants, higher yields, better tasting food, more nutritional food, and even more colorful flowers. Again, the difference is organics.

Organically prepared soil eventually becomes stable and naturally balance in ph. All necessary plant nutrients become available and plants are able to use what they need and only when they need it. An excesses of individual nutrients in organic soil will actually be buffered and not do the plants any harm.

Plants grown in organic soils are naturally more resistant to insects and disease. They’re simply healthier and insects and disease generally attacks plants that are already unhealthy to begin with.

Chemical fertilizers are like a quick shot in the arm and plants will greedily take in more than they need. This weakens a plants ability to resist disease and insects. Then, of course, you’re going to need insecticides. However, healthy organic soil is also full of millions of beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms. Chemical fertilizers and insecticides will kill these very necessary elements and weaken plants immune systems even further. And so in using chemicals, we create a never ending no win cycle.

Creating organic soil will take a little effort and won’t happen overnight. It will take a few seasons. However, the rewards will far outweigh the effort. And eventually you’ll find that you spend less time taking care of your garden and more time enjoying it.

To begin with, start saving those leaves and grass clippings. This is a wonderful no cost resource. If you don’t have any of your own, I’m sure your neighbors will give you some of theirs. You can compost them or shred them as top dressing that will eventually break down into the soil.

I’ll also suggest two books to you. Rodales Complete Book Of Composting and Rodales Encyclopedia Of Organic Gardening. These two books alone will give you all the knowledge you need for composting and organic gardening.

Other secret ingredients are all around you, are usually free, and are often found right in your own trash can. Kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and even some papers can be composted.

Have a friend with a stable? Some folks will let you clean out their stable just for doing it. This is a very inexpensive way to add a lot of bulk organics very quickly. Keep in mind though that manure is better composted as it is extremely alkaline due to a high content of urea.

On top of all of this there is an endless list of organic materials, mineral dusts, and rock fertilizers available through organic gardening stores and sites.

So there you have it. I did learn something from my grandfather. And so did you.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free landscaping advice, plans, and tips to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more free information on landscaping and growing plants, visit his site at: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com

New Pages Added This Week

Garden Themes

I finally got a page together of rose garden pictures into the garden theme directory. It was difficult to find good pictures of entire rose gardens. However, I still managed to get together 52 links of some pretty good stuff.


Pictures Of Rose Gardens

Newsletter

The last issue of landscaping newsletter has been archived in the newsletter archives under:
Issue 03-03-05

Landscaping Newsletter

After getting a second spam complaint against my domain, I thought it best to delete the remainder of unconfirmed subscribers from the landscaping newsletter list.

It wasn't easy to push that button since there were over 10,000 unconfirmed names left on the list of which many were old friends and followers. However, I suppose it is worth it to keep the site from getting banned.

From here on out, all subscriptions have to be confirmed. While this still isn't a guarantee against these spoof subscriptions, it will decrease the chances of it happening again.

Here's to starting over.

Time To Hire A Landscape Contractor

If you plan to hire a landscape contractor in the Spring or Summer, now is the time to start looking into it. If you wait much longer, you may have to wait until the end of the Summer or even next year to get your project done.

Good luck

How To Save Your Fruit Tree Blossoms From A Spring Freeze.

In most parts of the country it's still dead of Winter. However, in a few spots like here in the Desert Southwest, the warming weather starts to play tricks on Spring budding trees and plants. They think it's time to wake up when it's really not quite safe to.

In my own garden, I have an old Peach Tree that produces the most wonderful almost softball size peaches. And up until a few years ago, I rarely got the opportunity to see one make it past the blossom stage.

As sure as the first warm days would wake the old tree up in a display of absolute pink, so surely would a Springtime freeze bring it to an end.

But then one day a few Springs back..... I had a great idea.

It was a little overdue but still quite fortunate that I picked those first warm Spring days to take down and put up the Christmas lights. Because as I held those lights in my hands and looked over at that beautiful pink tree just coming into its glory, a light bulb turned on in my head.

Hmmm....., are you thinking what I’m thinking? I'm sure you are and it does work.

From then on I've been able to get the majority of my blossoms to the point of battling birds and June bugs. However, battling the birds and June bugs will be another article altogether.

While I am more comfortable to grow more fruit trees now, I find that this method still works well for me because I do only have a few trees. I'm not sure how practical, cost effective, or easy it would be to string Christmas lights through more than a few trees.

If you do ever use this method, use the old fashioned base type bulbs and not the little twinkling lights. They put off more heat. Also, if you live in an area where the climate is harsher than here in the desert, it may be helpful to place a sheet of plastic or tarp over the trees in addition to the lights.

While there are other ways of protecting your trees and plants from a freeze, I just thought I would share this little bit of garden wisdom with you.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free professional landscaping advice, tips, plans, and ideas to do it yourselfers and homeowners. For more on garden design and landscaping, visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/

Pictures Of Landscaping - Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.

One of the most common searches on my site is for pictures of landscaping. So I know that a lot of folks rely on photos of other peoples designs to get ideas. But at the same time, while I do have a large picture directory of other peoples projects on my site, the most common questions I receive are still related to specific shapes and design ideas.

It would seem that with as many pictures of landscaping there are to look at online, just about everyone could find a close match to their own property that could be copied. It would seem so.....if every yard was square or rectangular. However, the fact is that most yards aren’t square or rectangular. So even with the endless landscaping ideas and examples out there, it’s still highly unlikely that you’ll find an exact match to the shape of your property.

Even as a professional, I still use pictures of other peoples landscaping as an educational tool and to get new ideas. However, I find it almost pointless to search for an exact idea to copy. I look for unique, creative, and new ideas and pieces of the puzzle.

Now here’s a piece of advice and the point to this entire article.
When looking at pictures of landscaping, pay attention to the details, ideas, and principles that are universal to most designs. Look for the things that are common and repeated often by different designers. These are the elements that look good because they are generally based on basic principles of art. These are the things that will probably incorporate well into your own design project regardless of shape.

Look at the way shapes are repeated, plants are placed, and colors are used. Take notice of little details like plants and rocks being grouped in odd numbers. Pay attention to the details of landscaping and not just the shape. You’ll discover more about the mechanics of landscape design and eventually it will materialize into your own ideas.

Other peoples landscaping pictures are a great design tool to help you get your project done. However, instead of hopelessly searching for your exact layout, borrow several ideas from several different designs. You’ll save yourself a lot of frustration and have a much better chance of creating something unique to your own property.

Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free landscaping ideas, pictures, and advice to do it yourselfers. Check out his gallery of free landscaping and garden pictures at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/gardenstyles.