By Ella Schwarz

While a house in a hilly area comes with a promise of stunning panoramic views of the surroundings, to their utter chagrin, homeowners quickly realize that working on a sloping backyard can be a harrowing task. However, the old adage, “More work equals to better results” certainly holds true in case of landscaping a sloping yard which presents innumerable opportunities for aesthetically pleasing inclusions that would otherwise look mundane.

When planning a landscape for a hilly yard, it is quintessential to include this topographical feature as a crucial consideration when deciding on every aspect of the landscape, from the type of plants that you intend to use to the design of the garden. Preplanning will help you to tackle the more cumbersome aspects of landscaping a slope while yielding astounding results. So, here are some tips on how you can landscape your sloping backyard to create a stunning medley of colors and textures.

Get to know the terrain

Grading the terrain: Before you draw up plans for landscaping your sloping backyard, it is imperative to study the terrain and the slope to ensure that your landscape will be able to efficaciously handle the drawback of gardening on a slope, while making the most of the natural features of the terrain.

A simple thumb rule to understand how the extent of slope will impact your gardening efforts is that the steepness of the slope will be directly proportional to the water you will need for your plants. Because steeper slopes tend to funnel moisture away from the plants, forcing the water and soil to flow downhill, it is vital to get the slope graded. As a matter of fact, most experts suggest that getting a sloping yard professionally graded can help you to save a significant amount of money on watering the steep terrain in the future.

Visual analysis: Alternatively, you could also do a visual analysis of the area. Gauge the severity of the slope and create a quick diagram labeling the steepest portions of the yard; make a note of the amount of sunlight that the different portions of the yard receive. You may also want to include comments on any drainage problems that may be encountered in specific areas.

List the various elements of the landscape: With the diagram in hand, you will be in a better position to place the various landscaping elements in the drawing such as tress, flower beds, fountains, walkways, boulders etc. It is crucial to accurately anticipate the area that the plants and shrubs will cover at maturity so that the landscape does not look too crammed.

Mark the areas for planting: Ideally the trees should be planted at the bottom half of the slope so that they can add stability to the landscape and prevent soil erosion. The steepest sections should have shrubs with deep reaching fibrous roots that will hold on to the soil while the wider plants that will cover large areas at maturity should be planted at the bottom of the slope so that they can create a neat hedge while affording you all the privacy that you need to enjoy your garden.

Preventing soil erosion

Stability and accessibility: Soil erosion is a huge concern when gardening on a slope; however, depending on the steepness of the area, you will also need to give a thought to accessibility requirements such as a ladder or other forms of assistance for climbing. The type of soil and the steepness gradient will also impact the stability of the yard.

Drainage and soil erosion: The direction in which the water drains from a slope will have a bearing on the extent of soil erosion; for instance, if the water runs down straight to the lower ground, there will be massive erosion. Using non porous material for landscaping on a steep terrain will further augment the soil erosion problem.

Solving the soil erosion problem: There are several anti erosion measures that can yield remarkable results such as:

* Terracing

* Laying garden paths across the slope

* Using boulders and logs to reduce drainage

* Building retaining walls with small rocks,

* Planting specific types of grass

* Interlocking walls etc

Using the right types of plants can not only add to the aesthetic appeal of your garden but also help to reduce soil erosion. As a matter of fact, mixing different types of greenery is the ideal way to reduce the water from draining away too quickly. Plants such as deep rooted shrubs combined with trees like manzanita and juniper will hold the soil tight for the shallow rooted perennial shrubs and flowering plants like clematis and day lilies.

Preparing the ground

With a list of plants that you intend to use to reduce soil erosion, you are all set to prepare the ground for your landscape

The compass points need due diligence: Knowing the direction in which your yard faces will prove immensely useful when choosing plants for the landscape. Slopes that face to the south or west tend to drain faster and will have to be watered more than yards facing the east or north. So, if you are handling a western or southern slope, pick drought resistant shrubs or your water bills may go through the roof.

Ground cover will help: Although for regular areas, bare soil will be adequate to grow a bountiful flowerbed; the story will be different with sloping surfaces where the soil will dry up and erode quickly due to the slant. Use ground cover plants such as Vinca, Sedum and Liriope muscari for best results.

Use good ol mulch: This is a natural and affordable way to deal with soil erosion; also it helps to fertilize the soil. However, it is certainly not a permanent solution as the soil will drag the mulch away slowly, leaving bald spots in your landscape. Another issue is the fact that dry and dead leaves, twigs and branches are not exactly a visually pleasing sight.

Choosing plants for your sloping yard

Ornamental grasses: Local, ornamental grass varieties with their deep reaching root system that spreads horizontally is ideal for controlling erosion. Since grass is low maintenance, you will not have to worry about fertilizing the ground. Some attractive ornamental grass species include:

* Little bluestem

* Inland sea oats

* Plains lovegrass

* Texas beargrass

* Estern woodland sedge

All of these grass varieties thrive when planted on hilly terrain.

Ground cover plants: For a slope that receives a fair mount of sunlight; prostrate juniper should work just fine while for a shady area, you might want to use creeping boxwood, also known as pachysandra. Other ground cover plants include wintercreeper and periwinkle which also flourish on hilly grounds.

The decorative varieties: Plants that can be used in different areas of the landscape include:

California Privet: This is a tall shrub that can grow to a height of 10 feet and has a foliage width of almost 4 feet; the shrub grows in part sun and part shade producing cream colored flowers. The plant is hardy and drought tolerant so it’s an ideal choice for steep slopes.

Japanese Spirea: This is another plant that is a fabulous choice for a sloping yard; the deciduous shrub grows almost 6 feet tall with a foliage width to match. The leaves grow in a riot of colors from rich burgundy to bright green and every hue in between. The flowers are equally beautiful, an eclectic mix of purple and pink. However, the plant does need full sun and flourishes in warmer weather

Verbena: With its airy stems, the shrub can be coupled with plants that sport dense foliage. The plant is a superb choice for a sunny slope and works well as a foreground shrub. It grows about 6 feet tall with a foliage width of 3 feet. Its drought tolerant and the purples flowers can add a touch of color to your landscape.

Oleander: A favorite with homeowners all over, few plants can create a Mediterranean ambience like Oleanders in white and pink. The plant can grow tall to almost 20 feet with a foliage width of 12 feet. The flowers bloom in bunches almost continuously and are available in a myriad of colors such as yellow, white, pink, red and apricot. It’s extremely drought tolerant and easy to grow.

You could also try growing hibiscus and roses on a terrace. Remember to water a slope; a drip hose will be more appropriate than overhead sprinklers.

Innovative planting ideas

Bordered Tiers: Use boulders or landscape timber to create the appearance of tiers. When using timber, you will need to stick the pieces together and drive a rebar through them to hold the wood in place. Use glue to stick pavers on the timber and your tiers will be all ready. Use plants such as day lilies, lavender or other flowering perennial shrubs. You can use decorative stone or mulch to hold the moisture in.

Planted slope: You could also use a combination of flowering shrubs, evergreens and perennial flowers scattered all over the yard. Alternatively, create neat rows of greens and flowers for a formal look.

A flowing deck: You could also build a series of decks, each falling successively with the slope of the yard. Try building a series of walkways and steps connecting the decks. Use flowering shrubs and solar lighting to create an enthralling ambience.

Plant in basins: Another innovative approach is to chuck the traditional rows of shrubs in favor of basin like formations. Each basin will serve as an exclusive spot for certain types of plants.

Completing the landscape

To add the finishing touches to your landscape: Remove the grass and other growth from the areas designated for the walkway. Use gravel, stone or any other type of hardscape material to cover the surface and pack pea gravel or sand in between.

Use large boulders placed across the yard to create a natural and earthy appeal; the large stones should be placed at the bottom of the slope away from the steep areas for safety. Once all the stones have been placed as desired; bury them one fourth of the way into the ground, so that you get stability along with a natural look.

Finally add the finishing touches with a fountain placed in a central location, you could also use ornamental lights or antique wooden benches or wrought iron furniture to complete the landscape.

About the Author: Ella Schwartz is a writer for Hunterstruct Construction, a Vancouver based construction company offering design, building, structural repair and

home renovations Vancouver

and throughout Southwest British Columbia, including the BC interior and Sunshine Coast. Hunterstruct showcases some of its

additions to homes

on the Hunterstruct.com website.

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The Best Choice For Your Reno Lawn And Landscape Needs

by

Rogelio_A

As the seasons change, Reno lawn and landscape adapts to change, as well. Summer is a time for maintenance, as the extreme heat makes it difficult to spend long hours outdoors. Winter is a time for planning for the spring because much of your plants are in a state of dormancy. Fall and spring are the best times of the year, as the weather is much more hospitable to spending hours working outdoors.

When choosing a landscaper, you want someone who has years of experience locally. Climates and plants that thrive in them vary in important ways. What works and grows in Nevada will not necessarily do well in Maine. A qualified landscaper must be acutely aware of local conditions and how they change with the seasons.

Expert Reno lawn and landscape can also increase the resale value of your home. Real estate agents often talk about curb appeal, what your home looks like when someone looks at it from the curb. It is the first and last impressions for prospective home buyers and has been the deciding factor time and again.

The fall season is the key to keeping your lawn looking its best. Aerating and dethatching are important steps to

Reno lawn maintenance service

. Lawn aerating is done by pulling out small plugs of grass and soil with a machine called a lawn aerator. This allows for air, water, and nutrients to get deep into the soil and feed the grass at the roots. Dethatching is the process of pulling out the layer of interconnected living and dead plant material that develops between the grass and the soil. Thatch prevents water and nutrients from reaching to the roots of the grass, and makes the lawn more prone to pest infestations.

Fertilizing your lawn also keeps it looking its best. Fertilizer should be applied in the late fall to encourage winter root growth, and again in the spring if necessary. Well applied fertilizer improves the color of your lawn and increases its thickness. Organic fertilizers with a slow release work best.

Summer is the time for pest and water management. Head off any signs of pest infestation immediately, before they become even more difficult and expensive to fix. Most people water their lawn entirely too often. Excess moisture can actually damage a lawn, allowing for fungus growth and encouraging certain pest. For help with maintaining your lawn, contact a

Reno lawn and landscape

professional today.

All Seasons Lawn & Landscaping is a fully certified

Reno Landscape contractor

offers Reno lawn service. Learn more about

Reno irrigation service

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Submitted by: Phil Maunder

The best thing about Foxmowings committed approach towards creating for you an effort-free garden is it sets you up for better ways to spend your weekends.

We all know it; those who have taken up gardening as a pastime or hobby. The big picture shows us the beautiful, naturally decorated surrounding around our home that both attracts compliments as well as creates a feel of jealousy in others, but truth be told, there goes in long hours of efforts and painstaking procedures that take away more than half the fun and pleasure of the natural treasure you build up finally. Plus, sourcing the materials (tools and plant nutrients, pesticides and the likes) is also a big ordeal that often makes your hots for the hobby go up in a wisp of smoke. Uh, wouldnt a plastic garden be better?

Absolutely not! An easy way out is outsourcing the entire task (from procuring materials to using them and tending an already built up garden) to someone who knows the job and is committed towards giving you the pleasure of owning a garden minus the hardships. This is where Foxmowing comes in. From lawn-edging, weeding and fertilising the patch of land to irrigation and hedge trimming, Foxmowing offers everything that you may require for your garden. Even end and initial tasks like green waste removal (clean up) and lawn-laying, Foxmowing bundles up all their services to give you an effort-free gardening.

You need Foxmowing when you are tired of seeing overgrown grass! Trust that Foxmowing shall provide an affordable, all-round Lawn Care Service. With our skilled and experienced team of gardening experts, you are provided even with customised lawn cutting services. The results? A clean and healthy lawn thats at par with your expectations and even beyond!

Foxmowings commitment – apart from providing the highest standards of effort-free gardening services – is for rates that are highly competitive. It has helped us to convert business relations into personal ones that make our existing customers (we dont carry a list of former customers; once you come to us, you become our forever customer) call upon us again and again, whenever there arises a need to mow their respective lawns or for some other kind of effective lawn and Lawn Mowing Businesses for Sale. Foxmowing takes professional maintenance services up several flights; it helps you save both time and money and find out time for your other favourite activities.

Look nowhere else for a committed and effective, effort-free Garden Maintenance; Foxmowing speaks the last word in the realm. Even if you need to set-up your garden again following a disaster, were just a phone call away! Pleasures of an effort-free garden need a green thumb behind, which are us!

He subsequently sold over 500 franchises over the next 15 years, before selling the Jims Mowing South Australian Regional Franchise in 2005. Philip also developed the second largest Jims Customer Contact Centre in Adelaide servicing five States and Territories and over 600 franchisees before selling this in early 2007. From May 2007 thru to October 2009, Philip worked for Jim’s Group as the Divisional Manager for Jim’s Mowing. Philip also consulted to the Jims Group National Office from September 2011 thru to February 2012.

About the Author: Philip purchased a Jims Mowing franchise in Melbourne in 1989, before purchasing the Regional Franchise for South Australia in 1990, becoming the first ever Regional Franchisor in the Jims Group.Visit Here For More Information :

foxmowing.com.au/

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Wide-Range Of Irrigation Techniques That Are Used Today

by

angelinalewis

The technology has predominantly brought significant changes in every aspect of life. The human endeavor has broadened and the system of work has been redefined due to various specialized machines and techniques. The motive of life is to attain huge amount of flexibility and enhanced living with the usage of proper machines and techniques. One such well defined growth in the concepts of garden irrigation has been attainable providing enhanced methods of watering. The effective and some of the best irrigation systems which are used in different climatic conditions are other aspects of irrigation system have been discussed below.

Garden Irrigation Systems

The garden irrigation is not a new concept now.Its obvious advantages and tremendous results have brought more and more people demanding the usage of it in their gardens too. The garden irrigation is a product designed to control the flow of excessive water. The garden is watered in a uniform manner. Throughout the garden the water is distributed in such a manner that it complements the growth of plants and grass.

My Sprinkler Blow Out

As the vagaries of monsoon are largely seen in some parts of the world some of the irrigation systems are designed to match them. The sprinkler blowout is one of the machines that are used during winter. It is essential to consult a professional as he would be able to explain you better the working of the sprinkler blow out. The machine has to be joined to a downstream blow out fitting for the proper working.

Bonita Springs Lawn Irrigation

Obviously, the automatic working of water irrigation is the biggest advantage of it.But when there are water restrictions then the usage of irrigation system is rather more essential. As the name implies the Bonita Springs Lawn Irrigation is especially designed for the spring season and it is enough to water the huge yards of landscape just once a week.A specific day and a specific time can be fixed. It makes the work so simple and easier.

Cape Coral Lawn Irrigation

There are wide options open to a person while they are looking for lawn irrigation machines. The Cape Coral lawn irrigation provides you an advantage of setting the time to water the garden. That places where the water scantily is huge and there are specific permitted hours to use the water, this irrigation system can be installed. The automatic working of it enables a user to set the time and use it effectively. You can use it in the mid night or set the time considering the various aspects.

These irrigation machines can be used for watering gardens and lawns of different sizes. It can be easily installed with the help of professional. These trained personnel help their customers through the installation and also guide them on how to use it effectively. There are irrigation machines which are uniquely designed for commercial purpose also. Therefore according to the requirement a person can opt for the one which satisfies their need.

Angelina Lewis is professional writer who has written multiple articles on Irrigation and lawn sprinkler. You can check out his latest articles based on

irrigation service

and

irrigation

at www.irrigationservice.com

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Blinded By The Light

by

Anthony Arrigo

Want to guess the number one reason people install outdoor lighting? So they can see at night, of course. Improving nighttime visibility is what it’s all about. Did you know that often times the lights we install to help us to see at night actually hinder our ability to do so? It’s true. Sadly, improperly chosen outdoor lighting is almost the norm.

Many people choose an outdoor light fixture that’s pretty” to look at in the daytime, with absolutely no consideration for how it will perform at night. The pretty” brass & glass fixtures that are so common nowadays often shine more horizontally than down. This means that the majority of the light these fixtures put out is aimed right into your eyes. Think that’ll improve your visibility? Nope, not even a little.

What you’re experiencing, even if you don’t know it, is a form of light pollution known as glare. Glare is the result of an excessive contrast between bright and dark areas. Light shining into the eyes of drivers and pedestrians is glare. Glare is a particularly important issue in road safety, as poorly shielded lights along roadways may partially blind drivers or pedestrians and contribute to accidents.

Wow! The very lights we install to help us see can actually reduce our visibility if they’re not chosen wisely. I’ll come out on record and say it. Lighting manufacturers should not be allowed to sell these vision robbing glare bombs. They are dangerous and inefficient products that can be immediately replaced by better and more efficient designs already on the market.

Fortunately, there are a large and rapidly growing number of attractive, high quality outdoor lights for homes, businesses and communities. These don’t cost any more to purchase and often will be significantly cheaper to operate due to more efficient use of the light produced.

Many communities have begun requiring the use of exterior light fixtures that only shine light down. This significantly improves nighttime visibility while also dramatically improving the views of the night sky as an added bonus. Hopefully, these night sky friendly” outdoor lighting ordinances will continue to spread. There might even be one under discussion in your community?

Anthony Arrigo is an avid astronomer and night sky activist. His company, Starry Night Lights (www.StarryNightLights.com) specializes in night sky friendly

outdoor light fixtures

.

Article Source:

eArticlesOnline.com

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