One of the things that many times stops home owners from attempting to take on their own landscaping project is fear. Look through the books on landscaping and read some of the suggestions and it can scare a person to death.Fear not! You definitely need to read up and look at pictures before you begin a project, but remember; this is your backyard and you are free to do with it what you want.The main thing to be concerned with when planting different plants is to make certain of their growing requirements. Do they require a lot of sunlight, a mix of sun and shade, or mostly shade? Other than that, let's get started.The biggest and most dramatic feature you can add to your backyard is a pond. Put in a waterfall and enjoy the relaxing sounds of water while you sip lemonade and read a good book.If a pond is in your plans, do this first. It will be the focal point and you can begin your plantings later.A pond is not hard to build. Plan your layout and get some white spray paint or chalk and layout your design. You can use one of the plastic pre-shaped pond
.. more »
Tags: Focal Point, Pond Kits, Spray Paint
Adding a garden trail to a yard can really beautify an already landscaped yard or it can be a wonderful focal point to build around. Everyone has an opinion as to what kind of material should be used in constructing a trail or walkway. The choice of material is strictly up to the individual but be careful; the key to a long lasting path is really in the preparation of the space.Obviously locating a space for the trail is one of the first things to do. Take as much time as needed on this step. Once the area has begun to be prepped starting over in a new spot can be a frustrating proposition. A suggestion is to get a can of marker spray paint, available at any hardware store, and mark the outline of the trail. Take a few days with the space marked, if you are comfortable with it then proceed to digging out the area.The digging depth needs to be determined at the beginning of the project. After you choose your surface material you will need to add the underlayment depth. Sandy soils drain quicker than clay soils so you will need to add less sand or