Increasing the Curb The appeal of Your Home & Garden
What is one of the
least expensive ways for you to give the outside of your home a new look and
feel? By planting a garden or giving it some personality on the outside. It not
only helps your house to look more welcoming, but it can also help to increase the
value of your home. By taking the time to get the right tools & materials
to give the outside of your house an appealing look, you will be able to make
your house into a home that you will love.
Adding flowers and
plants to the outside of your home can bring new life and color. The key is to
find the right plants and flowers for your particular space (sunlight level)
and for your own personal likes. Whether you prefer a more cohesive grouping of
colors or just like bright and bold colors, there are hundreds of different
choices that you can choose from.
Unique planters and
other touches can really draw the eye up to your house. This can make a big
difference in the welcoming level of the home as well, which can help to
increase the value. Whether you want to sell your home or you simply want it to
look better, these small touches can make a big impact on how your home looks.
When you want to give
your home more appeal, the right home & garden tools can be the key to
helping you meet this goal. Simply think about the style of your home and the
way that you can add to its beauty. Whether you are going to add decorative
items or you want to add some new life with plants or flowers, you will find
that it can turn your house from boring and bland to amazing.
Basically, the
principles of good design apply as much to curb appeal as to any other
3-dimensional space. First, off things should be neat and clean (and weed-free).
If you don't have that then there's no use putting any time or money into your
front yard design. Then you look to harmonize the front of the house with
similar colors, textures, and patterns. The eye should flow easily from one
element to the next. And once you have a good flow or harmony going only then
bring in an element or 2 of contrast.
Increasing your curb
appeal comes down to treating your front yard like a painting or sculpture.
Study some of the elements of good art and apply them with success to the front
of your house. Then people passing by will enjoy your dwelling and not really
know why.
Something as simple as
a lush patch of grass in front of your home can do wonders for your curb
appeal. Unfortunately, this past summer's drought and high temperatures added
nothing but misery to even the most meticulously cared-for lawns. Many
homeowners were left scratching their heads. "What is the best way to care
for my lawn? Should I hire a lawn care service? What products should I be
using? Are organic products really better for my lawn?"
Your lawn is as
sensitive as you are. You need oxygen, water, food and shelter to live, grow
healthier and survive and so does your lawn. If you want a beautiful lawn, you
have to put in your time and attention. An ideal lawn calls for more than just
routine watering, mowing, and trimming. Many things need to be taken care of
when you want a picture-perfect garden.
One problem that
homeowners fail to recognize is that a problematic lawn is usually due to
problematic soil. Problems with soil will lead to problems with your lawn.
Performing a soil test may be the answer to your questions. These are available
at many garden supply stores and can give you answers as to what type of soil
you have and what nutrients need to be added to it. You can also look to private
companies whose job it is to provide testing for a fee.
A great, pleasant
garden brimming with pretty flowers, fresh plants and lush grass needs great
soil. Soil enriched with nutrients is vital for healthy plants. The soil in
your garden should also be effective in absorbing water. Soils that are hard
cannot soak up water efficiently. In addition, without water, plants eventually
wilt. To have a nice lawn, you primarily need good soil.
Natural & Organic Lawn Care
Organic lawn care and
natural lawn care are becoming more popular for homeowners: especially those
with pets and children. The two should not be confused, however. Organic lawn
care follows specific instructions based on organic principles. Natural lawn care,
in contrast, may simply mean that the products used to aid the growth of your
lawn are not derived from synthetic, manufactured substances.
Both organic and
natural lawn care avoid harsh chemicals and pesticides. Unfortunately, the
effectiveness of such products is up for debate. Most are relatively new and
need some more time to be tested. The best way to find out if either method
works for your lawn is to experiment for a season or three.
Besides watering needs,
fertilizer needs to be taken into consideration. Just as with any plant, grass
needs nutrients in order to grow thick and stay green. Going organic with lawn
fertilizers is definitely a feasible option. The products you use are a
personal preference. Regardless, the timing of fertilization is most important.
Fertilizing is best done during the cooler parts of the year, once in spring
and once in fall. You'll simply need a spreader or a sprayer that attaches to a
hose, depending on the type of fertilizer you choose.
One of the things that
go along with natural lawn care is a tolerance for many different kinds of
plants in your lawn. Nowhere in Nature will you find a monoculture of lawn
grass. There's good reason for this. Many different species of plants in a lawn
help to balance each other out and fill little ecosystem niches. Personally, I
think all the diversity in a natural lawn is very beautiful!
Fall and Spring Lawn Care Tips
It is also very
important to mow your lawn in a routine. In summers, the grass grows pretty
fast so you might need to trim it around 2-3 times a week. However, during the
autumn season, growth becomes a little sluggish. Fall lawn care tips given by
experts advise all garden owners to trim their grass about once a week, or as
needed according to rainfall.
Fertilizer used in the
autumn should have a lower content of nitrogen and high levels of potassium to
keep the grass roots strong during the winters. The feed used during spring and
summers needs to be heavier with nitrogen to augment the leaf growth. To ensure
that you apply an adequate amount of fertilizer, break up your lawn into
several one-yard patches. Then apply your fertilizer according to the rate
given on its package. Water your lawn after a couple of days following the
application of the fertilizer.
Fall is the right time
to fertilize the turf grass in your lawn. Turf grasses stock up carbohydrates
in the root system during the second half of summer; those nutrients are then
used in the spring to help the grass start growing again. Therefore, if you
desire a healthier grass in spring, you need to give sufficient feed in the
autumn.
Follow these lawn care
tips to get a lovely garden. Also, use good lawn care products and equipment.
Backyard Landscape
Design - Part 1
Your backyard is special. Unlike the front yard, you don't have to worry about what the neighbors will think of your taste. Do you prefer the look of overgrown, naturalistic wildflowers? Put them in the backyard to enjoy without the neighbors criticizing your unkempt taste. Do you prefer a peaceful retreat with the sound of running water?
A simple fountain or pond can transport you to
somewhere exotic as soon as you step out your back door. Your backyard is yours
to do with whatever your heart desires (within zoning laws, of course).
Figuring out what you want is the first step to enjoying a suitable backyard
design.
Backyard landscaping ideas are aplenty. The Internet is crawling with landscape design pictures that can help give you an idea of what is possible within the space that you own. First, take a look at what you have to work with. If you are blessed with a large flat area, the possibilities could be endless.
But a steep sloping yard,
or one that very small, can be challenging. Fear not: landscaping rocks,
terraces, and containers can be beautiful. Attractive stones that create
terraced steps can add dimension to your yard as well as create a space for
flower beds and even vegetable gardens.
The first thing you
need is a plan. Do not start hastily planting flowers in hopes that it will provide
temporary appeal. Start with an idea and let it grow in stages. Flowers should
be the last things added to your landscape, as sunlight and ground space need
to be considered. There are also seasonal considerations. Are you planting only
daffodils in the one space you have for flowers to bloom? You might be sorry
the rest of the summer when that space is barren, as daffodils are spring
flowers that wither by mid-summer. Be sure to diversify.
A simple backyard space
that's all your own can make the backyard such a wonderful place to spend time
with friends. Image via Flickr.
This can all be a
daunting task. Landscaping is a visual process and it can be difficult to use
one's imagination throughout the stages of planning. Thankfully, landscape
design software can help you by virtually creating a visual landscape and
allowing you to import photos of your home and yard so that you can personalize
a design that suits your needs. You can then review your projects as the
software takes you from day to night and season to season.
Good landscaping
software can help you choose the right plants for your environment and even
create a visual representation as to how the plants and trees will mature. They
are also user-friendly, created for typical homeowners who want to avoid the
cost of hiring a landscaping service. You even can save your design to revisit
in a few days in case you change your mind before making an investment in
materials.
Transforming your
backyard does not have to be done within one season. Simple landscape design
ideas can build upon each other year after year. With some patience, you can be
enjoying your ideal tranquil space, made for your eyes only.
Before you start
looking for backyard landscaping ideas, you need to be very clear about what exactly
you have in your mind. Are you looking for a backyard landscape design where
you can just sit and relax your mind? Or do you have a lot of outdoor cookouts
planned in your mind? For people who have pets or children, it is essential to
take into account their needs while searching for landscape design online or in
pictures.
A good option is to use
a landscape design software to get your creative juices flowing; you can draw
whatever you have in your mind or export ideas from other pictures and designs
and then customize your backyard according to its size, shape, and slope.
To give you a general
overview of the kind of backyard styles to think about, here are some simple
landscape design ideas:
Although it may seem a
little clichéd to some but a pool is a great option for your backyard
landscaping. You can go for a large, central pool if your backyard is big
enough in size, otherwise, you can get a small one made in any shape. The areas
around the pool can be decorated with small plantings and shrubs etc. that form
a beautiful contrast of green and blue in your backyard.
However, pools require
a lot of maintenance and a large budget to be constructed. Therefore, the idea
may seem charming to you initially, but make sure you are ready to maintain the
look of your backyard once the pool has been constructed.
A natural swimming pool
can combine the best of both worlds: a relaxing place to swim, and an oasis for
wildlife. Image Wikimedia.
The Outdoor Kitchen
An outdoor kitchen would mean installing a number of appliances in your backyard but make sure that everything you choose for your outdoor kitchen goes well with the natural ambiance, which is the main element of the idea. To make it look conventional, you can go for a brick oven and you can complement it with an outdoor fireplace.
A good idea would be to have a look at the landscape design pictures
of stone or wooden outdoor kitchens. Make sure that the furniture you add to
your outdoor kitchen is also simple and comfortable.
American style outdoor kitchen
An outdoor kitchen area
can allow you to do some barbecuing, cooking, and bartending while entertaining
guests. Image via Flickr, Texas Custom Patios.
For small backyard landscaping, setting up a themed garden can make your backyard look welcoming and lively. Either you can go for a color theme i.e. you can make a series of flower beds with specific colors or you can go for a fragrance theme.
For a
colored garden, you can have small bunches of red, yellow, and orange flower
ranges. In between these, you can also add colors of purple and burgundy or a
combination of black roses. On the other hand, the fragrance theme will require
you to choose a particular type of flower species. You can go for red roses,
lilies, tulips or any other flower that you like. Do not forget to add a
contrast of green in your garden; otherwise, it will look too dull.
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