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Articles about yard design (0-50 of 1324)
- Salt Water Backyard Pools: The New Choice For Aqua Fun
By: Alex Neir | - We would all like to be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty, and relaxation, of our own backyard pool. Having a pool instantly increses the home's value and if you decide to sell your home in the future, this addition to the amenities will no doubt put your house at the top of the list for buyers.
Rectangular, round, kidney-shaped, square, above ground or permanent in-ground the style choices are endless. But there is also another choice to consider when you are thinking abou ...
Tags: salt water pools, swimming pools, home improvements, landscaping, yard design
- Landscape Design Creates Outdoor Living Spaces
By: Jeff Halper | - In one very real sense, the entire purpose of residential landscape design is to create outdoor living space. After all, what do you intend to actually do with your landscape after it is complete. The whole point of the endeavor is to live outdoors as much as possible. The structure, beauty, and form of a Houston landscape should been turned into truly refined and comfortable outdoor living space.
We should certainly hope so. Without a very necessary sense of livability, a ...
Tags: outdoor landscape design
- Lawn Landscape Design Is More Than Simple Yard Care
By: Jeff Halper | - It is more about craftsmanship than mowing. The lawn is worked into a unifying fabric of shapes and design that connect the many elements of residential landscape design. Both organic and inorganic forms must be included in this fabric.
The point of lawn landscape design is not to magnify the greenery at the expense of human architecture, but rather to blend green elements with fantastic figures of stone, tile, wood, brick, and gravel. Then, and only then, can we say that the ...
Tags: landscape design
- Outdoor Fireplaces - Adding Flair With Flame
By: Greg Smith | - Everyone loves the relaxing glow of a fireplace, whether it is in your living room or at a camping spot in the woods. One trend that has come on strong in recent years is the outdoor fireplace - either stand-alone, portable units (fire pits) or a brick structure that is in itself, a decorative addition to the home.
One of the key advantages to having an outdoor fireplace is being able to extend the use of your patio into the cooler months. If you build your fireplace within a covere ...
Tags: landscaping, fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, home improvement, yard design
- Play Sets Can Sell Your Home
By: Mike Ciucci | - Homebuyers who have young children are often on the lookout for a complete family setting a great house that comes with a spacious back yard and plenty of fun things to keep their kids busy. Homes that offer not only space for children to play, but a ready-made playground will likely increase the chances of an offer being made to purchase.
Who doesn't remember the hours we spent as a child flying high on swings, hanging from monkey bars, zooming down a slide or digging through a ...
Tags: landscaping, yard design, play sets, play grounds, childerns playsets
- Creating More Privacy For Your New Home
By: Ben Nicolas | - In any housing market it is fairly likely that the home you choose to buy is not going to be perfectly ideal for your needs; buying a house is always about balancing what you want with what kinds of homes are actually on the market and available to you. One of the ways that home buyers often feel that a home doesnt fulfill their needs is in the amount of privacy that they have in their yard. There are some easy ways to create privacy in your new yard however: plants and constructed structures ...
Tags: home improvements, privacy, landscaping, yard design, outdoor decorating
- Outdoor Living Rooms Add Value
By: Tony Kawaguchi | - It doesn't matter what size your home is – from an apartment to a luxury seaside retreat – having a place to step outside and enjoy the fresh air is a must for most people. It is not surprising that interior designers are seeing more requests for a piece of outdoor tranquility, and they are delivering.
Creating an outdoor getaway can be done on your own as well. There are a number of books, magazines and websites to guide homeowners as they transform the look of their e ...
Tags: outdoor living, outdoor living rooms, landscaping, yard design
- Outdoor Patio Design Is Based On Function And Artistry
By: Jeff Halper | - Outdoor patio design is based on function and artistry. People look for professional landscaping companies who can build patios that provide amenity and comfort for special events and that will support activities pertinent to their interests and lifestyles. They also want these patios to contribute a sense of artistry and design to the property as a whole. They want beauty added to the organic elements of their yards beyond the simple level of lawn and garden forms.
The functio ...
Tags: Outdoor Patio Design
- Landscaping Your New Yard: Underground Menaces
By: Gregg Camp | - When you buy a new home there are often changes you look forward to making around your home and yard.The fall can be an ideal time to make changes in your landscaping, particularly if you live in a moderate climate. There are a variety of things that you should be aware of before you start moving earth around in your yard, no matter if youre looking to change the profile of your yard or just install a fence on the edge of your property.
There are many problems that can literall ...
Tags: home improvements, landscaping, yard design, yard hazards, wiring, pipes
- Waterscape Designs Add Relaxation And Beauty To Any Yard
By: Nelson Stewart | - It is the ultimate in curb appeal for the front of a home, or a secret garden addition for serenity in the back yard. Waterscapes, or water features in landscaping, have become exceedingly popular in the last 10 years, with no end in sight as homeowners strive to beat the stress of everyday life.
But what constitutes a water scape design?
Simple ponds, waterfalls, streams and fountains are examples of water scapes that can be installed in the smallest yard, or even onto ...
Tags: landscaping, ponds, water fountains, home improvements, yard design, water scapes
- Fall Garden Fun
By: Jonathan Boatwright | - Some people are under the impression that once they've planted their gardens, apart from watering and weeding, the work is done until next spring. That couldn't be further from the truth. There are so many things you can do to ensure a successful lawn and garden for the following year. Besides, it's just plain fun to get back digging in those beds again.
Clean-Up
Now is the time to rake up any leaves or mulch them with your mower. Your grass requires sunlight to thrive ...
Tags: fall gardens, landscaping, yard design, DIY gardening, home improvements
- Outdoor Landscape Design Consists Of Hardscapes And Softscapes
By: Jeff Halper | - Outdoor landscape design is always centered on the home. This is because the house rises preeminent as the dominant symbol of lifestyle and resident value system. Due to its significance, the home must be reflected and complimented by all points in the yard in order for the landscape design to be effective.
The residential landscaper develops these elements in two distinctive levels: hardscape and softscape. Softscape refers to organic elements such as trees, gardens, and grass ...
Tags: Outdoor Landscape Design
- Pond Landscape Design Should Recreate The Look And Feel Of Far Mountain Lakes
By: Jeff Halper | - Pond landscape design can function as an element in its own right or work as part of a more complex landscaping form such as a Japanese garden or tropical garden. In either scenario, pond landscape design should occupy a central position to all or part of the yard. This helps contribute to the feeling that one is looking at a natural scene rather than something deliberately manmade. Ponds in the tend to be found in the center of clearings or valleys. Centrally locating a pond in the middle o ...
Tags: Pond Landscape Design
- Impeccable Garden Design Is A Blend Of Many Different Forms And Patterns
By: Jeff Halper | - Garden design should always be done to scale by a professional with a sound understanding of geometry and experience in hardscape plans. This is because so many plantings are installed around horizontal surfaces areas such as patios and pools, and because vegetation in general seems to go hand in hand with the decorative aspects of custom fountains and outdoor buildings.
A good working knowledge of plant science helps as well-although a formal degree in botany is not required. ...
Tags: Garden Design
- Garden Landscape Design Magnifies Landscape Architecture With Organic Presence And Diversity
By: Jeff Halper | - Garden landscape design contains and magnifies the power of organic vitality through controlled cultivation of organic forms. It works to compliment the architecture of the home and other outdoor structures, and it serves as a unifying force between the natural and manmade.
The first step in garden landscape design is choosing the best location for a garden. The area chosen must be one which looks look in relation to the house. Not only should the garden offer a pleasing site ...
Tags: Garden Landscape Design
- Pool Landscape Design Ties Architecture To Landscape
By: Jeff Halper | - One of the most important services we offer to our clients is pool landscape design services. We do this because we know the importance of the position that a well-constructed swimming pool occupies on the landscape. A custom swimming pool represents a special environment connected to all surrounding environments, and it functions as a hub for all sorts of activities and recreation.
Regardless of whether or not guests every get in the water is irrelevant. Sink, swim, eat, dri ...
Tags: Pool Landscaping Design
- Outdoor Lounge Design Helps Complete The Impeccable And Truly Unique Outdoor Living
By: Jeff Halper | - The strength that outdoor lounge design contributes to the landscape is its unique ability to combine a sense of openness and freedom with a feeling of unspoken separation from more busy and activity-prone areas of the yard. It creates a special outdoor living experience replete with all the comforts of a modern living room, but without the confines of enclosure that limit one's sense of freedom and expression. Instead of a ceiling, you have nothing but the open sky above you. Instead of four ...
Tags: Outdoor Lounge Design
- How To Design A Difficult Landscaping Spaces
By: Jeff Halper | - Landscape design comes with big challenges. Perhaps your property is next to a 30 foot high wall of a neighbor's townhouse or office building. Maybe the space is narrow with straight lines and right angles. Or you've remodeled your residence, changed the elevation, added a new room and reduced the size of your backyard, all of which affect the relationship to the existing landscape.
You must break through the dissatisfaction of your existing landscape design and just decide what y ...
Tags: Difficult Landscaping Space Design
- How To Design And Build A Koi Pond
By: Jeff Halper | - All over Houston, koi ponds are becoming increasingly popular. Architectural features in their own right, koi ponds are highly unique in both design and construction. They tend to occupy a very significant position on the property, and they function as prominent elements within the overall theme of the landscape.
Koi ponds are named after the fish that inhabit them. Koi are a hybrid species of carp produced by cross-breeding brown German carp with Asian carp. They are very col ...
Tags: Koi Pond Design
- Landscape Design: The Art Of Eucalypts, Daylilies And Rock Gardens
By: Robert Rava | - Landscape Design is, at its core, an aesthetic choice. As a home owner, or long term renter, you may have considered sprucing up your yard with the myriad of possibilities that landscape design has to offer. From tree houses, to koi ponds turning up the volume on your exterior space will no doubt provide a lasting experience for you and your guests. However, land scape design, if done properly and by a professional, is by no means cheap. Consider the costs, but as youre evalua ...
Tags: aesthetic, compost, creative, design, eucalyptus, garden
- Gardening By The Ocean
By: VK Melhado | - Maintaining a garden in an ocean front location is not all blooming hibiscus and scented plumeria. Extreme conditions such as high winds and drought can play havoc on the sturdiest landscape. When planning your ocean front garden, you need to do you homework. Here are some flowers that love to bloom in the toughest of environments.
Rugosa Rose: This Siberian native knows all about tough climates. the Rosa rugosa endures extreme temperature shifts, drought, wind and salt spray. Expec ...
Tags: seaside gardening, gardens, home improvements, landscaping, yard design
- Home Exterior Design Is New Trend In Landscaping
By: Jeff Halper | - The intent of home exterior design is two-fold. On the level of aesthetics, home exterior design provides an external and sophisticated compliment to the architecture of a house. By integrating Nature and man-made structures, the home interior designer creates a framework into the usefulness of the home interior can be expanded into the world beyond without compromising the beauty of the landscape.
This is very important, because the functional elements of the outcome must ble ...
Tags: Home exterior design
- Hardscape Design Is The Back Bone Of Great Landscaping
By: Jeff Halper | - The term hardscape refers to landscaping structures constructed from inorganic materials that work toward sculpting the overall landscaping design. These structures include many things such as driveways, patios, walls, fencing, and drainage. The design of hardscape must always be treated as a very critical and precise art.
Since the human mind naturally gravitates toward a sense of order and system, manmade structures on the landscape must be carefully engineered so as to give ...
Tags: Hardscape Design
- Grow Tropical Plants For The Price Of A Fruit
By: Jonathan Boatwright | - If you’re looking for plants to spice up your garden or home, consider the many fruiting varieties of tropical plants that can be germinated from seeds in fruits sold in your local supermarket. The main advantage of germinating fruit seeds is that you may grow plants that eventually produce fruit of their own. However, even if your plants don’t produce fruit, they will provide some variety to your home.
Many of these plants, being tropical, require a lo ...
Tags: tropical plants, home gardening, gardens, landscaping, yard design, home improvements
- Good Garden Design Plans Can Help Your Landscaping Project
By: Jeff Halper | - Garden design plans are best developed with the help of a professional landscaping contractor with formal training in botany and landscape architecture. Gardens are key components to any yard and contribute much more than color and greenery to the aesthetic of your home and your landscape.
When designed in accordance with a master landscaping plan that reflects the entirety of your living experience, gardens accomplish a number of things for your property that add vitality and ...
Tags: garden design plans
- Modern Garden Design In Houston Texas
By: Jeff Halper | - Modern garden design enables functional elements of the landscape such as walkways, motor courts, and patios, to work as integrated portions of the landscape rather than typical stand alone elements. We see this a great deal in contemporary landscaping, where features are characterized by very stark geometry and abstract forms.
Inorganic themes define the yard, with the organic only serving as a frame or connector of significant geometric design elements and outdoor forms. Gar ...
Tags: Modern Garden Design Houston
- Living Large And Luxury Landscape Design
By: Jeff Halper | - Luxury means different things to different people, but this concept within a luxury landscape design can be communicated in many ways. For instance, a sense of luxury shows in the materials you choose and the way they complement your home.
A luxury landscape design can also be revealed in simple details such as an antique ornamental iron gate. It is conveyed with your plant choices, the combination of form, texture and colors. Design pros suggest striving for just the right balan ...
Tags: Luxury Landscaping, Landscape Design
- Strategies For Outdoor Backyard Design
By: Jeff Halper | - Professional landscape architects take a very systematic and strategic approach to outdoor backyard design. Activities and personal tastes form the underpinnings of the landscaping plan. Great care is taken to understand the expectations of the client in order to construct outdoor structures that transform the backyard into a realm of entertainment and comfort that rivals public entertainment.
At the same time, it is essential to remain mindful of the natural setting in which ...
Tags: landscape design, Back Yard Design
- How To Design A Contemporary Front Yard
By: Jeff Halper | - Contemporary front yard design tends to be more customized to home architecture than other forms of landscaping design. This is because contemporary homes typically emphasize the abstract side of the mind with the use of very basic geometric forms, minimalism, and linear angularity that suggests a stripping down of reality to its most rudimentary components. Front yards surrounding such homes must reflect the patterns and lines of movement evident in home design in order to maintain continuity ...
Tags: Front Yard Contemporary Landscape Design
- Easy Tricks For Updating Your Deck
By: Lynn Bulmer | - You've cleaned and repainted your deck, maybe added a couple planters, but somehow, it still lacks pizzazz. Deck styles and accessories have changed considerably in the last few years. Think back to the last time you bought your table or umbrella; if it was more than 5 years ago, it could be, your deck needs some updating.
Here are a few ideas to help get you started. Some involve structural changes, while others will provide a quick pick-me-up for very little effort or cost.
Tags: home improvements, decks, outdoor accessories, yard design, outdoor furniture
- Staging Your Yard
By: Buddy Blake | - Just as the first few moments when you first meet someone can set the tone for your opinion of them, the first glimpse you have of a house can make or break your impression of it. The first thing you see will be the yard and outside of the house which can either make you eager to enter the house or make you dread what you might find inside and a million varying degrees between those two reactions. It is important when you're selling your house to consider its curb appeal in advance of putting it ...
Tags: yard staging, home improvements, landscaping, yard design
- Jazz Up Your Patio With Color
By: Justin Havre | - Nothing jazzes up a patio or any outdoor living space, like color. It can take a bland, nondescript area and turn it into the center of attention.
Furniture. Metal tables and chairs are reasonable and come in an array of bright colors. It's easy to maintain and repaint when it starts to look worn. Wicker can also be repainted in bright teals or oranges, or liven up with floral seat cushions. Traditional muskoka furniture looks fine with a natural stain, but try painting it in a b ...
Tags: patio, home improvements, outdoor living, landscaping, yard design, patio improvements
- Color Me High Tech! Remodeling Help For The Artistically Challenged
By: Lynn Bulmer | - Are you a visual person? Are you able to plan a new garden layout or color scheme for your home without lifting a finger? Can you take a paint chip, tape it to your wall, and instantly visualize the whole room washed in that color? If so, you're one of the lucky few who have strong visual-spatial skills. For the rest of us, breathing new life into a home or garden can be an extremely challenging task.
To take a small sample of color and mentally apply it to an entire room is very ...
Tags: interior design, home remodeling, home improvements, landscaping, yard design
- All About Walkways
By: Mark Hostetler | - Our last house was built on a slope, and one of our biggest challenges was how to build the stairs accessing the backyard. There were so many options available, and each one suggested a different level of effort and expense.
Here is an overview of the different types of materials available and a brief summary of the process to help you decide whether this is a job you want to tackle, or leave to the experts.
Brick Path: Bricks are relatively inexpensive and provide ...
Tags: home walkways, home improvements, landscaping, walkways, yard design
- Edible Landscaping With Tropical Fruit Trees
By: VK Melhado | - Tropical fruit trees make wonderful additions to any South Florida landscape. Combine plants with lush green foliage, brightly colored flowers of all shapes and sizes to create an low maintenance, attractive outdoor design. Get creative and intersperse your fruit trees with other native tropicals and add a water feature or secluded seating area. The choices are endless, but the best part comes with the harvesting of this edible landscape.
Here is a list of some of the tropical fr ...
Tags: landscaping, tropical fruit trees, yard design, fruit trees, gardening
- Revive Your Patio Furniture
By: Justin Havre | - Now that the sun is shining, we'll be spending more time on the deck. Devote some time to cleaning your outdoor furniture and it will be all set for another season. Practice some of these simple tips every year to keep your furniture looking great.
First decide whether your outdoor pieces can be simply cleaned or whether they are in need of a new paint job. If so, clean them up, but put them aside for further attention.
Use a mile dishwashing detergent that has no b ...
Tags: patio furniture, home improvements, yard design, landscaping, furniture
- Keep Your Dog In Your Yard Without Unattractive Fencing
By: Mike Taylor | - A fence extension can keep your dog safely in your yard without you having to increase the height of the fence or resort to chains or shock collars. Fence extensions are not unattractive and many are easily removed and transported to a new fence if the owner needs to move. This is a great solution to the problem of dogs climbing or jumping fences.
Many homeowners have the problem of keeping their dogs in their yards because the dog climbs the fence. Many of the solutions to this a ...
Tags: fences, pets, yard design, fence extensions, home improvements, landscaping
- Partially Protected Patio
By: Tim Ryan | - The warmer months are fast approaching, so now's an excellent time to focus your attention on your outdoor living space. One thing that can be a true godsend in the middle of summer is to have covered area outside that provides inviting shade and protection from the sun's rays.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a covered section of your patio, deck or porch? Well, the advantages are many; first of all any additions that offer a choice in your home will add to th ...
Tags: landscaping, home design, patios, home improvements, yard design, home patios
- Garden Fountains 101
By: Lauren Kline | - While you're out surveying the yard this spring, deciding what new changes to make, give some thought to making your own fountain. Not only do they make an attractive focal point in your yard, the sound of water is nice and soothing, and the birds love them.
With a little planning and a few supplies you can create your own one-of-a-kind backyard fountain during a weekend. If all goes well, you may have time to sit back with a cold drink and quietly relax to the sound of your very ...
Tags: garden fountains, landscaping, yard design, home improvements, yard improvements
- Zen Garden Escape
By: Nelson Stewart | - Everyone needs a place in their home that they can call their own. A place to retreat, contemplate, relax, or just be alone. It's a place that exudes a sense of calm in an otherwise hectic life. In my house that place of refuge is in my Zen garden.
Otherwise known as "karesansui" or "dry garden", this is a landscaping feature commonly found in homes, temples, and many public places in Japan. It wasn't until the 1930's that the western cultures began to understand the principles o ...
Tags: landscaping, zen gardens, yard design, home improvements,
- Backyard Pizzeria
By: Jerry Clifford | - With the addition of a wood fired oven, there's no need to order out; you can have your own backyard pizzeria. Along with backyard kitchens, wood fired ovens have grown in popularity, becoming the latest "must have" item with people who love good food and enjoy entertaining.
Although these ovens make an amazing pizza, you can basically prepare anything normally cooked in a conventional oven. Other popular choices include cedar plank salmon, seared tuna, artisan breads, baked past ...
Tags: landscaping, bbq's, back yard bbq, yard design, fire pits, home improvements
- New Life For Old Garden Hoses
By: VK Melhado | - When your old garden hose is worn and in poor repair, don't throw it out. Garden hoses can be used in a number of ways and will remain useful long after they cease being used for watering your lawn.
Here are just a few inspiring ideas for your old hoses:
Protect Young Trees: When supporting young trees, cut a piece of garden hose and run wire through to attach to support stakes. The hose prevents the wire from damaging your saplings.
Earwig Trap: Earw ...
Tags: home improvements, recycling, garden hoses, landscaping, yard design, gardening
- Gardens Sure To Attract Feathered Friends
By: Mike Taylor | - When planning your spring garden, create a design that will provide hours of enjoyment by attracting birds and butterflies. There are specific shrubs, flowers and design principles that can be used to make your garden a magnet for our feathered friends.
Add Plants Wisely - Whether you're creating a new garden or adding to an existing one, be sure to include plants that attract birds and butterflies. Some good examples are Purple Coneflower, Sedum, Iris, Butterfly Weed (Monarch's ...
Tags: gardens, landscaping, wildlife, home improvements, yard design, gardening, bird gardens
- Improve Your Home's Value By Building A Home Workshop
By: Matt Barker | - Many people have their workshop in an unused corner of their garage or the basement or some other out-of-the-way area. This can prove to be problematic, if the space is needed for other things or if there isn't enough room to really spread out one's projects or tools. Building a workshop can solve these problems and also add to your home's value if it is planned out properly.
There are a lot of plans and instructions out on the Internet and provided by hardware supply companies an ...
Tags: home improvements, workshops, tool sheds, yard design, storage
- Think Wildlife When Planting Your Garden
By: Lesa Parham | - When landscaping or planting gardens, don't forget these basic strategies to attract and welcome wildlife to your yard. When you sit down with your morning coffee, the site of a bright blue jay or cardinal is a nice pick-me-up during the dead of winter.
1. When planting, make sure to include shrubs or trees that provide food sources for your feathered friends. Birds love anything with berries, seeds, fruit or nectar. You may be treated to a colorful migrating bird such as a tanag ...
Tags: gardens, yard design, landscaping, home owning, home garden
- Renovations And Those Darn Trees!
By: Marci McFarland | - Planning a renovation can be lots of fun, but why is it that the only tree in the yard is right where your new extension has to be? Yes, it is a problem when this happens, as it is quite an expensive project to remove a tree, and not one that you want to use your precious 'renovation budget' on!
Because of the expense, many people think of attempting to do the job themselves. There are probably the odd injuries sustained, but worse than a minor accident to you is a major accident ...
Tags: home renovations, trees, tree removal, landscaping, yard design, home improvements
- Challenges Of Ocean Front Landscaping
By: VK Melhado | - Planting and maintaining a garden near a large body of salt water can be quite different from your average inland garden.
If your plants are yellowing, burnt, or hard to establish, chances are they aren't the best choices for your seaside growing conditions. You may have to make some adjustments to your garden or re-think the type of plants that will grow successfully.
The five main challenges that confront oceanfront gardeners are:
1. Damage from ...
Tags: landscaping, ocean front landscaping, home improvements, yard design, ocean property
- Chain Saw Massacre On Your Tree.
By: Kevin Bilberry | - It seems that the best place to extend your home out into the yard always has a big set back, it is either a drain or a tree, and neither one is easy to deal with. Trees do add value to a property, so ask yourself if it really has to go.
Ensure that there is no other way that your addition could be achieved. For this you may need to have a party and ask all your friends over. Any excuse for a party? Not exactly, but you will have this new extension plan firmly rooted in your mind ...
Tags: home improvements, landscaping, trees, yard design, renovations, home remodeling
- Utilizing That Outdoor Space
By: Ed Kirkland | - Owning a home is Florida is a highly desirable thing. Not only are you holding property in one of the most valuable locations in the nation, but you have the ability to utilize the exterior of your home in a way that few other locales can offer. It is well known that what the rest of the nation calls winter, we in Florida call "a slightly cooler day, I think its only 85 degrees." The agreeable climate has enabled homeowners to take full advantage of their home's exteriors.
With th ...
Tags: home exteriors, making the most of your outdoor space, yard design
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