Think of your house as a jewel. If the setting in which it stands isn’t right, it spoils the effect of the house itself. The setting, in this case, is your front and back yards. Most people, of course, will only see your front yard – casual passers-by or the casual visitor. Your backyard, however, can be your own inner sanctum, the place where you go to retreat and reflect on life, the universe, and everything. So your landscaping can consist of an integrated design for both front and back yards, or two distinctively different designs, depending on what you want to accomplish.

It’s important to remember that your yards – the trees, the grass, the plants and flowers – are living things – and that you can bend them to your will in many ways, but if they do not have the right kind of soil and are not properly cared for, they will die.

So before you actually dig your hands into the rich earth and start planting anything, make sure that you have a detailed plan of what you want to do – and that you follow that plan.

Before you decide which flowers, grasses and plants your going to use in your landscaping, you must pay attention to the ground in which you’re going to put them. Spend a week or so tracking the sunlight and shade and how it plays across every square inch of your yard. The amount of sunlight an area receives will determine what types of flowers or plants you want to place there.

But don’t forget to track the ground’s reaction to rain, either. Are there any areas that remain soft for a long time after a rain? Are there any areas where the water has pooled? Again this will effect what you do with those areas of ground.

What about trees? Are there currently any trees in your yard and if so, do you plan to keep them all? After a couple of years spent raking leaves during the fall you might consider getting rid of those trees and replacing them with evergreens. Evergreens present their own challenges, of course, as its sometimes difficult for grass to grow right up amongst the roots of the tree.

Do some soil tests, as well. These are done easily with a kit you can buy from any local garden store, or even the bigger supermarkets. You need to check for the pH balance of your soil. If it is too alkaline or too acidic, plants won’t grow properly, and you’ll have to add fertilizer to help put the pH balance back to even.

Make a physical plan

Get yourself some graph paper, and some tracing paper to put over it. Draw a scale-model drawing of each yard on a piece of graph paper, blocking out all important areas such trees and other features that are to remain, and features that will be removed. Then use the tracing paper to sketch in various ideas for flower beds and ornamental design. If you want to get fancy, you can also buy software which will enable you to make these plans in three dimensions.

Where to get ideas

While you’re tracking the private life of the ground, you can also be on the lookout for ideas you’d like to implement. There are dozens of magazines on landscaping and gardening, and innumerable books available from your local library or bookstore. The Home and Gardening Channel will be a fount of ideas as well.

The right equipment

Depending on the size of your yards, you might not want to buy all the equipment you’ll need to do your landscaping, as you’ll probably only need garden rollers and aerators once a year. This equipment can usually be rented from your local garden store.

The right crew

Depending on what you’re going to be putting into your landscape – fountains, ponds, heavy statuary, make sure you have the right crew for the job. Don’t try to move a heavy statue yourself, for example, and if you have absolutely no technical experience, it’s always best to hire a professional to install a pond or fountain.

With all the right stuff, your home will shine like a jewel in its proper setting.

Andrew Caxton is a journalist who has written more articles and newsletters on this subject for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A website with tips on landscaping.

Landscape rock or a waterfall are probably the last things you want to consider when creating that special backyard landscaping project. This is entirely due to cost and the lifting or moving of large stones, right?

Landscape rock doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to maneuver with any backyard project ever again. Now there is a great new method of creating the size, the shape, and the color of your landscape rocks and stones to fit perfectly into your landscaping design. Everyone loves the peaceful serenity of a waterfall, now you can create your own quiet and tranquil setting at home.

CaveRock Design has copyrighted the first residential backyard do-it-yourself artificial rocks, boulders, and waterfall formula that literally anyone can afford and apply. The method is simple, yet very versatile and durable. They have already established customers around the globe using this ideal process of making the landscape rocks and boulders for many personal projects.

Artificial rock is now curbing the rock and stone business to accommodate the weekend warriors, who just want to spice up their landscape and not spend a fortune on the materials.

Landscape rock has always involved heavy lifting and difficult placement. Most of the time a landscaper has to work around the rock work that’s in place or settle for what they can manage to do with large landscape rock. This is remarkably easy to do and the build time is virtually a couple of days for a large project. The time savings alone is priceless.

A new application has been made to create a cave-like project for the kids or grandkids and show off your new found skills. This will surely impress the family, once you tell them you are a cave builder.

Doubling as a kid’s cave, CaveRock Design’s process also allows the victory gardener to create a place to store the daily gardening tools or a place to put your tools away from the elements and keep them handy as well.

Prior to CaveRock Design’s formula, the only place you would find this type of artificial rock formations would be at miniature golf course or a theme-park. Now when you see those picture perfect artificial rocks, and waterfalls, you can say, I can create my own artificial rocks, boulders, or stones, to make the perfect landscape design and create my very own backyard waterfall.

To see what all the fuss is about, you need only to visit CaveRock Design on the web; www.wealthsmith.com/CAVEROCK.htm

Jim is an online writer and entrepreneur that enjoys sharing his discoveries on and off the web with his faithful readers. Today it’s all about landscaping with artificial rocks, boulders, and making a backyard waterfall: http://wealthsmith.com/CAVEROCK.htm or Backyard Waterfalls

When you are searching for prints or posters to add to your walls, you will very often find several paintings that are completed by a landscape artist. Originals from the master painters are probably not in your price range, but a print or reproduction is probably more in your budget. This makes the landscapes by such artists as Monet, Constable, and Pissarro very accessible to all kinds of people.

Amateur artists most often choose landscapes for their first works. This may be due to the lack of studio space and the ease in which it is possible to find a subject out in the natural world. Most landscape artists before the time of Impressionism, painted inside their home or studio, working by memory or from drawings. Monet and Renoir took their work outside and were considered weird because they did so.

Landscape painting is done in many countries. Landscapes are particular predominant in Japan, Holland, the United States, France, and Britain. European landscape artists were influenced by two Japanese artists during the 19th century. Hokusai and Hiroshige painted images of mountain ranges, forests, and the ocean using bright colors. From the twentieth century forward, other forms of art began to occupy the time and effort of artists and critics. Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, and Cubism became much more popular. This has made landscape painting somewhat unfashionable.

Most of the general public still loves purchasing and looking at landscapes. They feel very connected to the subject and this is even more evident when it reminds them of an area in their past. A portrait or still life will not evoke the same kind of response in most cases. You will find in looking at landscape paintings that some painters paint the same area. Paul Cezanne was a big example of this, due to the fact that he painted the same mountain range around eight times. The Montagne Sainte Victoire, near his home in France, became one of his favorite subjects. He enjoyed painting it in different seasons and different weather conditions.

Two of the first European landscape artists to paint the ocean were Rembrandt and Vermeer, both Dutch painters. Some artists enjoy painting sky and water as their recurring themes. JMW Turner, and English artists, enjoyed painting seas and stormy skies, but his paintings later turned to a more abstract painting of blurring the sea and the skies together. Monet perfected his water technique by sitting in a rowboat on the water. This helped him to get as close as possible to his subject. Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth are well-known American landscape artists who are well known for their ability to capture light on the water.

Andrew Caxton is the editor and journalist of many information websites like http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com, who has written more articles and newsletters on lawn care. Find more publications about landscape at his website.

Colors are probably the most powerful design factor in garden design. And plants are generally the easiest and most dominant element where color and contrast can be achieved and manipulated.

However, for many gardeners and landscapers in their quest for the perfect color combinations, there is another side to plants that is often overlooked. And that would be the contrast of the many wonderful and varied textures of plants. Specifically and for the sake of this article, green plants. And yes, green is a color.

Green plants not only serve as a color element just as any other color, but can also be used as a neutral transitional color that ties other elements and colors together. Or in other words, as a filler or where one area of the garden transitions to the next. Natural transition is very important in garden design.

I was reminded the other day as I spoke with a client of how so many people actually overlook green as actually being a color design element in garden and landscape design.

As we talked about her project I pointed out that we now had four colors in her plan and that we needed to repeat them throughout the design to create some balance. Remember, balance and repetition are principles of landscaping. She questionably stated that we only had three colors in her design.

At first I was puzzled but soon understood what she meant. Green isn’t really a color. It’s just the medium that holds the real colored parts in place.

Now if we looked at green as just being a neutral medium, I might be able to go along with this. However, as a designer, I see it in a much different way. There are many shades of green that hold many different textures that can create such wonderful contrasts that can de designed with.

Some of the most vibrant and lush gardens I’ve ever seen have simply displayed this one color in many variations. Light greens, dark greens, yellow greens, etc. And I haven’t even touched on texture here. Even the same shade of green in different textures creates a wonderful contrast for designing purposes.

Try and picture the lushness and beauty of a dark jungle. Their beauty and contrast are generally created by the variations of shade and texture and not bright colors. Shady gardens that resemble a deep forest or jungle are absolutely beautiful in their own right.

Keep this in mind when planning your next garden. Just as one example, a mixture of Hostas, Ferns, and Ornamental Grasses can create a very memorable and eye catching display using the color green.

Yes… green is a color.

Whether it’s the sudden appearance of quality copper weathervanes or even a recent resurgence in classic automobiles, there seems to be two conflicting trends in this high-tech world of ours: Either people completely endorse all things technological and turn their homes into living computers—or, they tend to cling harder than ever to the traditions of the past.

The weather vane has been part of human culture dating all the way back to the time of the Romans. The sudden reemergence of the weathervane in popular culture and appearance on the rooftops of homes in recent years means that it seems to be making a comeback. This newfound popularity is occurring despite the fact that we can learn more about the weather from a 30-second newsbyte than we could from staring at a wind vane all day! So what explains this newfound love affair with quality copper weathervanes and other finials?

The true collectible copper weathervanes were typically made in between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of WWII. Although not exactly hand-crafted like the ones prior to the Civil War, this period of weathervane construction saw the widespread use of molds create the various shapes typical to the craft, including: Horses, Roosters, Fish, Deer, and especially Horses. The halves of the molds were often joined with solder or some form of welding and this technique proved very effective because many of the antique copper weathervanes available today are still in good shape and actually work.

Of course, one concern with anything made out of copper, including weathervanes, is the process which creates patina. It generally takes about 5 years for copper weathervanes to develop that green patina they are so famous for. However, many manufactures of contemporary weather vanes made from copper have developed a process that creates the patina through a chemical reaction so that the buyer can have what appears to be a classic vane sitting atop their rooftop—but without the big expense that comes from buying an authentic copper weathervane from generations past.

Truthfully, none of us truly need any kind of weather vane or finial perched atop our homes these days. Even people who make their living in agriculture and who thus depend upon the weather can easily log on to a website or flip on the television to find out the latest satellite images of what is happening in their area. No, there is something else driving the recent rise in popularity of premium contemporary weathervanes and it is a basic yearning for simpler times. While it may not eliminate any of the modern pressures, driving home to a place with a quality copper weathervane perched atop the roof can alleviate the stresses for just a minute and remind us of what truly matters when we step through that front door.

Let me guess you just purchased your new home. The inside is great cozy and clean. But the homebuilder left the backyard for you to finish. You give little thought on the initial days after moving in. But then you notice the dirt and sand tracking on your new carpet and floors. So you decide to take immediate action. You can hire a local landscaper or you can do the work yourself.

Either way here is the instructions on how to care for your newly sodded yard.

As soon as sod is installed:
1. New sod should be watered twice per day for the first couple of weeks. The sod should be kept moist. (Not drowned, not mushy)

2. All traffic on sod should be kept to a minimum as it separates the grass seams and disconnects the root attachment.

First Mowing:

1. The first mowing can usually occur about three weeks after installation or when

sod reaches a height of 3” – 31/2” tall.

2. Adjust mower height to approximately 2,5” and do not scalp grass to short.

3. Do not cut the sod if the grass is to wet. This cause matting and slows the

spreading of root system.

4. Repeat mowing once a week during the growing season. Do not remove more

1/3 of the grass blade per mowing.

Weeding and Fertilization

1. After the first mowing, feed your new sod with a high nitrogen fertilizer. The following spring, a pre-emergent should be used in early spring to keep the weeds down to a minimum.

2. About every 6 to 8 weeks from April through October, fertilize your lawn with a well balanced (13-13-13) fertilizer at the recommended rate. The two direction is best to use to assure proper coverage and overlap. Light applications are generally better than heavy applications. More is not always better.

3. If you have crabgrass or a barnyard grass in your yard. Weed and feed will make it grow. My suggestion to kill these is get some round up herbicide and put on rag and rub on crabgrass leaf.

Other suggestions:

1. Once your lawn is established try to water longer to promote a deeper root growth and a healthier grass. But if water is running over curb you are just wasting water.

2. Watering yard during winter is important, especially during the initial planting stage. Also in the south where we don’t winterize our irrigation systems. I recommend running system weekly for a short period of time just to keep system clean and operational.

3. Also you want to be careful watering in the afternoon or night. Sod stay moist with encourages fungus to invade your yard.

4. Aeration to your established lawn helps facilitate air movement as well as fertilizer and water intake. This can be done a couple times a year.

Some areas of the world make it incredibly easy to cultivate
plants.

Step 1: plant seed in soil.

Step 2: water for a few weeks.

Step 3: Enjoy your beautiful lush plant.

Unfortunately, it is not that easy for everyone. If you live in
the west or southwest for example, there are a small number of
plants that grow naturally. The conditions of those areas are
not welcoming to very many types of plants.

One solution is to inundate the plants with chemicals and
fertilizers. It has been shown to work, but it’s unfortunate to
have to rely on man made chemicals for a natural plant to live.
If you’re growing fruits or vegetables, you certainly don’t want
to be eating all of those chemicals either.

Instead of chemicals, you can create a “microclimate” for each
type of plant. When you regulate the sunlight, shade, moisture,
and wind factors for each plant, you can help it to survive in an
area where the natural climate normally wouldn’t be very
accommodating. It is not easy to do this, however. When done
correctly, the plant is effectively tricked into thinking it is
growing in the climate that it is native to. Wind barriers,
shade umbrellas, extra water, and compost can be used to create
the microclimates.

You need to make a detailed plan before you start creating
microclimates. You should begin by fining a bush or tree that
will naturally grow fast in your area to create shade. To find
out what naturally grows, check to see what plants are on
undeveloped land. The plants there probably were not put there
by people. Instead, it grew on it’s own with no human
intervention at all. Growing one plant can help other more
desirable plants to grow.

If you have a fence in your backyard, you can start the
microclimates in the shade from the fence. A screen or bush may
have to be installed to shade the microclimate from the sun when
the fence cannot. The fence will also serve as wind protection
for your plants.

Once either natural or unnatural shade is created, the miniature
environment you created will be less harsh than what was
previously there. You will be able to plant another plant in the
new shade from the one that you just planted, etc. The process
is gradual, but works over time. Your choices become more open
when the environment becomes more friendly. You no longer have
to choose plants that grow naturally without human care. A plant
that survives in cooler weather can now be planted.

You may be trying to install a plant the requires more humidity
than is naturally present where you live. Because of
evaporation, adding a fountain or small pond can create the
moisture in the air that the plant needs. It is not a waste of
water to have these features since it is helping your garden in
multiple ways. The water feature itself will look nice, plus it
will allow you to grow new types of plants. The water features
will indirectly water your plants.

The specifics of the process can’t be explained simply here,
since the setup and goals will differ for each location and for
each type of plant. To reach your goal, however, you will have
to do plenty of research on each type of plant that you want in
your garden. Learn about the climate that it naturally grows,
and try to mimic those conditions in that area of your garden.
With some planning, you can reduce landscape design problems and imitate and control most climates.