Archive for the ‘yard plant’ Category
June 5th, 2010 | 
Author: Your yard has a lot of potential, but it can’t live up to it without the right landscaping plants.
There are so many choices to choose from, and if you don’t know a lot about plants or landscaping, it’s often difficult to choose the perfect landscaping plants for your yard. There is a lot of great advice available on the internet and in landscaping books to help you narrow down some tough decisions and really make the most of landscaping plants to add a bit of magic to your yard.
The Right Landscaping Plants
There are many factors to considering when choosing the right landscaping plants. Where you are geographically has a huge impact on which plants will thrive in your yard. You may love Birds of Paradise, but that plant probably won’t grow well in your Canadian yard. Taking the time to research which plants will really thrive in your particular yard will save a lot of time and trouble.
Even if you live in a warm climate, tropical flowers may not be able to survive if you happen to have a harsh winter. Tropic flowers tend to thrive in year-round temperate climates. You can better monitor the temperatures of your tropical flowers if they are kept inside, in which case they can’t be considered as a staple of your landscaping plants.
Hardy flowering plants such as the Impatiens of Chrysanthemums are excellent choices if you live in a climate with very distinct seasons. Your local garden center is a great place to find out about all the different flowering plants that work well in your corner of the world. They can also fill you in on the basis of plant care including watering.
Another thing to keep in mind when researching the right landscaping plants is what functions you want your plants to provide. You made only have an aesthetic appeal in mind, but plants can serve other purposes as well. There are also many aspects to what you prefer aesthetically. Do you want a lot of flowering plants and colors, or would you prefer some elegant green foliage? Taking the time to consider the aesthetics qualities of the right plants and how different landscaping plants may or may not work together harmoniously is essential if you seek a beautiful yard.
Landscaping plants are indeed often more than just a pretty face. They can provide much needed privacy. The ivy vine is a great plant to consider if privacy is your goal because it can easily conceal the spaces in a fence. Ivy is also an attractive plant, so it can serve dual functions in your yard, providing both beauty and privacy. If you decide to use ivy as one of your landscaping plants, remember to keep it in check because it may grow too fast and overtake everything in your yard. It may grow to reach walls that you didn’t actually want it to touch. Just remember to keep a careful eye on the ivy vine, and the two of you can have a very symbiotic relationship.
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It is important to design a deck that complements the yard rather than dominate it. The best approach for how to deckscape a yard is to allow elements from the yard to intrude on the deck.
A guaranteed way to achieve this is to use some of the same plants blooming in the yard on the deck. Clumps of impatiens or mums on and off the deck would perform the task micely. For a more permananet effect, create room for an island bed of perennials or shrubs that already exist in the yard.
Hosta, false spirea, day lilies, yarrow, sedum and peonies are suitable perennials. Dwarf spruce, spreading juniper, lilac, holly, ornamental grasses and ornamental quince are compact shrub specimens that offer slightly more mass and staying power. The best long term solutions are dwarf ornamental trees.
Nonplant materials such as large stones, a yard sculpture or a water feature can be used to naturalize a deck. Planters, trellises, arbors and pergolas are special deck features that can be used as opportunities to bring greenery and color to the deck area.
Ground level decks as well as multilevel decks that step down to near grade level are the easiest to link to gardens and the yard. This is especially true if allowances have been made in the planning and design stages. The work is made easier by not having to deal with deck railing systems and staircases.
If a deck is rectangular in shape a formal look can be achieved by choosing border plants that mirror it such as a hedge of boxwood, yews or holly. Hedges provide an easy transition to the yard and a contrast to other more colorful plantings.
If the deck is squarish and its edges need to be softened, train vines to grow along the skirting and railing system. Several wisteria vines can quickly enclose a large deck and convert it into a private refuge. However, pruning several times a year might need to be done.
An upper level deck could benefit from a few tall trees planted in close proximity. Fast growth pines, firs and arborvitae can be used to draw attention away from unsightly spport posts or provide a measure of privacy.
Avoid planting them where they will eventually block a scenic view. Do not plant them too close to the deck or bird and tree droppings will become maintenance issues down the road.
Deck planters are the simplest way to integrate the deck with the yard. They generally take the shape of boxes or large pots or containers.
Deck gardens are great choices for growing herbs. Plant containers can also be matched with trellises to create living privacy screens. They can also be hung or placed on railings to soften the look of this deck barrier. Choosing plant varieties that blossom at different times of the year will guarantee a steady array of color.
For a formal deck style, make use of several containers with the identical shape. Blend in a contrasting shape such as an urn with rectangular planters to create a focal point. Use planters and pots with a variety of shapes and colors to develop a look that is more informal.
Railing boxes or rail planters keep decking surfaces free from clutter and are easy to make. Create several but remember to bore drainage holes in the bottom along the outboard edges in order that the top of the railing does not stop the water. Placing a couple of spacers under the box will permit ventilation between planter box and railing.
The use of a liner for a rail planter is a good practical decision. Cut holes in the liner to align with the drainage holes in the bottom of the planter. This will reduce the chance of the soil becoming saturated following a heavy rain.
An ideal way in which to integrate the yard with the deck is to create a through-the-deck garden. It has several advantages over planters that are positioned on the deck. The soil in planters tends to dry out more quickly than ground level soil. An in-ground planting bed does not need to be emptied and stored away in a shed the way that containers do during cold weather months.
Through-the-deck gardens benefit from being well lit at night as well as benches or planters that border them for safety purposes.
Integrating one or more trees into the deck plan can create a very dramatic look. Extra framing is required for support such as doubling up adjacent joists and installing headers to carry the joists that must be cut. For a younger tree space must be allowed to accomodate future growth.
Plant choices are nearly limitless for ground level decks. Perennials perform the best job of filling in large areas. Annuals are best used in planters because they offer color all season long.
For raised decks consider the use of flowering vines, shrubs, and trees. Flowering vines soften edges of decks and give a deck a rich, secluded feeling while cutting down on glare and heat from the sun.
Avoid plants that create a mess such as berry bushes and sappy trees. If maintenance is an issue avoid fast growing vines. Perhaps the wise thing to do is choose well behaved, low maintenance plants such as ornamental grasses, lavender, ferns and coniferous or broadleaf evergreens.
The very best approach as to how to deckscape a yard is to do the research required to make informed and practical decisions that will integrate the yard and deck so that they complement each other.
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Your front yard doesn’t have to be a typical patch of grass, mailbox, and garden flag. The front yard landscaping ideas that are available for you to use are endless. With a little creative thinking and an open mind, you can have a front yard that everyone in the neighborhood will talk about.
Front Yard Landscaping Idea Number One: Create Outdoor Rooms
Many landscapers sell the idea of creating outdoor rooms in your backyard, but it is very popular to apply this landscaping idea to the front yard. Simply assess the size of your yard and look for areas that can be landscaped as a separate little sitting space. Place a bench under a tree. Fill in the surrounding area with different types of flowers and shrubs, and add a few potted plants next to your bench. Having a sitting area in your front yard creates a wonderful place to visit with neighbors, observe the daily happenings on your street or even watch your kids while they play.
Front Yard Landscaping Idea Number Two: Create Visually Pleasing Displays
Make your front yard a fun place to be by adding lots of visual stimulating objects. Adding a bird house or birdbath will attract lots of interesting wildlife to your yard. Planting shrubs and flowers that attract butterflies is a great way to bring these gorgeous insects to the area around your house. Try to partner your non plant items with compatible foliage and fauna. For example, if you place a birdbath in your yard, plant a colorful array of flowers around the base.
Containers are a fantastic way to add variety to your yard. You can place big tubs or planters of flowers on your front porch, along your driveway, or even on your lawn. The beauty of containers is that when you get tired of them in one place, they are easy to move or replant.
Front Yard Landscaping Idea Number Three: Mix Perennials And Annuals
Perennials are one of the easiest ways to landscape your yard. The bloom year after year can be propagated by division, making them an inexpensive way to add to your landscape, and they are relatively maintenance free. Perennials tend to bloom in succession, so you always have something blooming in your yard. Annuals give a continuous burst of color in your front yard, but they only last one season. They aren’t that expensive, so it isn’t hard to plant them each spring. Because they only last one season, they are wonderful for people who like to try new things each year. By having a mix of perennials and annuals in your front yard, you get the best of both worlds.
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Decks, arbors, pergolas, hot tubs and other structures are the hardscape features that are most often found in a landscape design. Plants are considered to be the softscape features. The 2 elements interact and harmonize with each other to create a sense of aesthetically pleasing design. There are many ways in which to work plants into the deck design which can range from a few low maintenance plant containers to an integrated arrangement of permanent planting beds. The decision to place plants here or there can have a powerful effect upon the finished look.
Use plants for screens to create a sense of privacy. Plant a leafy vine or a mass of dense shrubs to develop a feeling of enclosure. The same technique will work well to also block off an undesirable view.
Various types of plants can be utilized to add interest to walls and fences. Use vines and other climbing plants, shrubs as well as flowers to break up the monotony of such large wood, brick or stone surfaces.
Dividing the deck space into separate areas can easily be achieved through the strategic placement of plants. Build raised planters to visually define different areas and direct traffic patters to and from and through an area.
Use various plants to gently soften transitions from the house to the deck or from the deck to the yard. Plants in containers placed in corners and along deck edges can conceal or soften transition lines.
Plants can be used to link the deck to the garden by simply using a few of the same types of plants. This applies also to using one or more of the same bloom colors in both areas. The result will be a wonderful sense of design unity.
Use plants to create variety and interest on the deck. They are especially powerful when used as accents. Plant blooms can provide a spot of color in one area while an interesting foliage texture can create a pleasant distraction in another area. Container plants are a wonderful choice for this technique because they can be moved around so easily until a final decision is made where they are to be finally positioned.
Plants may be used to create perspective on and around the deck. The idea is to create compositions consisting of foreground, middle ground and background. This is achieved by the strategic placement of tall, medium and short plants in appropriate places. Two or 3 of these arrangements are especially effective in a larger yard in order to keep areas distinct from one another.
Plants are energetic. They grow and change during the course of the seasons. They definitely need maintenance and require specific growing conditions such as light and shade. Plants offer endless variations of color, texture, size, form and fragrance. The decision to place specific plants in specific areas depends upon a number of variables.
Identify the purpose of each planting bed, plant container or other plant location. That will determine whether there is a need for tall, massed shrubs for a privacy screen, a broad tree for shade or an eyecatching mix of bloom colors and textures for a decorative accent.
Discover the growing conditions of each specific panting area. Identify sun patterns, whether the soil is moist or fast or slow draining and if plants are able to grow in containers or plant beds.
Make a decision as to the amount of care that will likely be given to maintaining the plants selected. Some plants require pruning while others need pinching. Some plants and trees require constant sweeping up of needles or raking of leaves. Some plants need water twice a day while others require watering weekly.
Do some homework by walking around the neighborhood to see what looks and grows well locally. Talk to neighbors who seem to have a green thumb. Take notes. Bring along the digital camera to record what looks good, especially plant groupings. Visit the nurseries and garden outlets in town to seek expert advice for specific areas and situations.
Gardening books, internet websites, garden clubs, horticulture displa ys and shows are all excellent resources that can provide a wealth of usable information for deciding upon what becomes a part of the deck softscape.
The careful selection of plants and their strategic placement on or around the deck will do much to enhance the total landscape design and create an outdoor living space that is aesthetically pleasing to all who use it.
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Trees can make a lovely addition to your yard. They add color and beauty, not to mention the environmental benefits. Trees produce oxygen, protect the soil against erosion and attract many beautiful birds. If you like wildlife, especially birds and squirrels, and you haven’t already done so, you should plant some trees in your yard. Even a nice bushy hedge works wonders.
Trees come with some downsides, though. If they are too big or too close to your house, you could have branches smashing your windows during a bad storm. Not to mention all the leaves you have to rake in the fall. That can be quite a tedious job. Many people have started using leave blowers. Leaf blowers produce a lot of pollution in the air as well as noise pollution, driving your neighbors crazy.
Lawnmowers make a lot of noise too, but that is something we have all become accustomed to and generally accept as part of summer. Besides, it is quite difficult to cut your grass without a lawnmower. Leaf blowers, on the other hand are unnecessary. If you are too lazy to rake your leaves, hire a neighborhood youngster. He will be more than happy to earn a few bucks. Plus, your neighbors will thank you for not using the noisy blower.
Some cities have leaf and yard waste pick up on certain days of the week, while in some cases, you might have to take the leaves and fallen branches to a leaf drop off zone. These are usually located in parks. A section of the park is dedicated for this purpose. An area out of the way of normal park use, or in ball parks that are not used too often in the fall.
The little bit of extra work trees might cause is far outweighed by the beauty and other benefits they will bring to your property.
