Landscape Gardening Tips
by: Melissa Albright
Landscape gardening has often been associated with the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has told you that a good picture should have a point of interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make the piece more beautiful. So in landscape gardening there must be a picture in the gardener's mind of what he desires the whole to be.
From this study we will be able to work out a little theory of landscape gardening.
Let?s start with the lawn. A good extent of open lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful. It adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. So we might generalize and say that it is good to keep open lawn space. If someone to cover his lawn with a lot of trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. It is a bit like an over-dressed person. One's yard has lost all individuality. A single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not center the tree or trees. Let them drop into the background. Make a pleasing side feature with them. In choosing trees you must keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree; the tree should be of good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit. While the poplar is a rapid grower, it sheds its leaves early and is left standing, bare and ugly, before the fall is old. Mind you, there are places where a row or double row of Lombardy poplars is very effective. But I think you'll agree with me that one lone poplar is not. The catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until away into the winter, add a bit of picture. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech are beauty points to consider.
Placement makes a difference in the selection of a tree. Suppose the lower portion of the yard is a bit low and moist, then the spot is ideal for a willow. Don't group trees together which look awkward. A long-looking poplar does not go with a nice rounded little tulip tree. A juniper, so neat and prim, would look silly beside a spreading chestnut. You must keep proportion and suitability in mind.
I would never advise planting a group of evergreens close to a house, and in the front yard. The effect is very gloomy. Houses surrounded are over capped and are not only gloomy to live in, but truly unhealthy. The requisite inside a house is sunlight and plenty of it.
As trees are chosen because of certain good points, shrubs should be also. In a clump I would plant some that bloom early, some that bloom late, some for the beauty of their fall foliage, some for the color of their bark and others for the fruit. Some spireas and the forsythia bloom early. The red bark of the dogwood makes for a bit of color all winter, and the red berries of the barberry cling to the shrub well into the winter.
Certain shrubs are good to use for hedge purposes. A hedge is prettier usually than a fence. The Californian privet is excellent for this purpose. Osage orange, Japan barberry, buckthorn, Japan quince, and Van Houtte's spirea are other shrubs that make great hedges.
I forgot to say that in tree and shrub selection it is usually better to choose those of the locality where you live. Unusual and foreign plants do worse and often harmonize but poorly with their new setting.
Landscape gardening may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. There are danger points in each.
The formal arrangement is likely to look too stiff; the informal, too fussy, too wiggly. As far as paths go, keep this in mind, that a path should always lead somewhere. Its job is to direct one to a definite place. Now, straight, even paths are not unpleasing if the effect is to be a formal garden. The danger in the curved path is an abrupt curve, a whirligig effect. It is far better for you to stick to straight paths unless you can make a really beautiful curve. No one can tell you how to do this.
Garden paths may be gravel, dirt, or grass. You may see grass paths in some very lovely gardens. I doubt, however, if they would serve you nearly as well in your small garden. Your garden areas are so limited that they should be re-spaded each season, and the grass paths are a great bother in this work. Of course, a gravel path makes a fine appearance, but again you may not have gravel at your command. It is possible for any of you to dig out the path for two feet. Then put in six inches of stone. Over this, pack in the dirt, rounding it slightly toward the center of the path. There should never be depressions through the central part of paths, since these form convenient places for water to stand. The under layer of stone makes a natural drainage system.
A building often needs the help of vines or flowers or both to tie it to the yard in such a way that it forms a pleasant whole. Vines lend themselves well to this work. It is better to plant a perennial vine, and let it form a permanent part of your landscape scheme. The Virginia creeper, wistaria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose, the clematis and trumpet vine are all satisfactory.
Close your eyes and picture a house of natural color, that mellow gray of the weathered shingles. Now add to this old house a purple wistaria. Can you see the beauty of it?
Of course, the morning-glory is an annual vine, as is the moon-vine and wild cucumber. Now, these have their special function. For often, it is necessary to cover an ugly thing for just a time, until better things and better times come. The annual is 'the chap' for this work.
Flowers go well along the side of the building, or bordering a walk. In general, though, keep the front lawn space open and unbroken by beds. What lovelier in early spring than a bed of daffodils close to the house? Hyacinths and tulips, too, form a blaze of glory. These are little or no bother, and start the spring right. Some make bulbs an exception to the rule of unbroken front lawn. Snowdrops and crocuses planted through the lawn are beautiful. They do not disturb the general effect, but just blend with the whole. One expert bulb gardener says to take a basketful of bulbs in the fall, walk about your grounds, and just drop bulbs out here and there. Wherever the bulbs drop, plant them. Small bulbs as those we plant in lawns should be in groups of four to six. Daffodils may be planted, too.
The place for a flower garden is generally at the side or rear of the house. The backyard garden is a lovely idea, is it not? Who would want to leave a beautiful looking front yard, turn the corner of a house, and find a dump heap? Not I. The flower garden may be laid out formally in neat little beds, or it may be more careless, hit-or-miss sort. Both have their good points. Great masses of bloom are attractive.
You should have in mind some notion of the blending of color. Nature does not
consider this at all, and still gets wondrous effects. This is because of the tremendous amount of her perfect background of green, and the limitlessness of her space, while we are confined at the best to relatively small areas. We should not blind people's eyes with clashes of colors which do not at close range blend well. In order to break up extremes of colors you can always use masses of white flowers, or something like mignonette, which is in effect green.
Finally, let?s sum up our landscape lesson. The grounds are a setting for the house or buildings. Open, free lawn spaces, a tree or a proper group well placed, flowers which do not clutter up the front yard, groups of shrubbery these are points to be remembered. The paths should lead somewhere, and be either straight or well curved. If you start with a formal garden, you should not mix the informal with it before the work is done.
About The Author
Melissa Albright is the webmaster for the website Know More Get More http://www.knowmoregetmore.com/landscape Giving you the information you need.
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Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
by: Susan Wong
Anyone who wants to enjoy a stress-free trip has to start with the basic concern of any traveler - how to effectively handle travel reservations. Below are a number of advice that may help:
- Decide on a travel plan - specific destination, how many days, what activities, routes, and other details. The attention given to this first step will ensure smooth sailing in making the necessary travel arrangements.
- If the destination is a foreign country, make sure all information that would be needed in making reservations are on hand.
How about booking your airline tickets? Below are some airline reservation tips you can use:
- If notification of your reservation is done by e-mail, make sure that the ticket price quoted is the same. Sometimes, some airlines claim the airfare booked earlier is no long available.
- If booking on online, use a reservation site...
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
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Camping Furniture You Should Have For Your Next Camping Trip
Camping Furniture You Should Have For Your Next Camping Trip
by: Gray Rollins
Camping conjures up images of campfires, tents, sleeping bags and generally roughing it. However, now there are so many pieces of furniture available for use in camping, you can deck out your campsite to look almost as good as your home. There are lounge chairs available, ottomans, tables and lamps to recreate a living area around a campfire. Portable kitchen areas will provide preparation areas and grills for a versatile dining experience. Your tent no longer has to consist of a sleeping bag on the hard ground but can include beds, tables and lamps.
Keep in mind that larger pieces of furniture are difficult to transport and may be heavy or bulky so these items are best used in stationary camp sites. If you will be wandering off to camp at a site where you will have to carry your equipment long distances, these items may not be ideal. However, if you have a campsite...
Camping Furniture You Should Have For Your Next Camping Trip
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Utility Trailers: Different Types And Uses
Utility Trailers: Different Types And Uses
by: Olga Sen
Are you planning a long haul trip or moving house with your family to another city? And are you a bit worried about the management of your furniture and possessions? How will you carry items like beds, cupboards, your play station, clothes, and all the other things? How would you manage? Well the answer is simple, get yourself a utility trailer.
A utility trailer is an engine-less and a motor-less trailer used to carry items. It is pulled by a powered vehicle with engine. It might be your car or might be a truck. . Utility trailers are used all over the world for transportation of heavy goods for long distances. Trailers can carry large number of goods at a time. Utility trailers are used for transporting almost anything. They can be used as bike trailers, car trailers, truck trailers or snowmobile trailers. Let?s discuss some aspects of utility trailers here.
Types of Utility trailers
Utility...
Utility Trailers: Different Types And Uses
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Tips On Choosing The Best Dog House For Your Pet
Tips On Choosing The Best Dog House For Your Pet
by: Nicole Martins
The Humane Society of America recommends dogs live indoors but sometimes it just isn't possible. Maybe you own a large dog and just don't have enough space in your home for the newest, furriest member. In this case, a dog house is a must. Here are a few tips on finding a dog house to suit your pet.
The most obvious factor - geographic location
If you live in an area with freezing cold winters and plenty of rain you should consider a heated dog house or at least one that is well insulated and waterproof. If it's really cold you can add in a heated bed or pad. Make sure you use a heated pad that's designed for animals and not humans, as the latter can get too hot for a dog. Heated pet beds operate safely at a lower voltage and are usually built to be chew proof. Look for cedar chip stuffing, too, as it repels the fleas. If you are concerned that other dogs or critters from...
Tips On Choosing The Best Dog House For Your Pet
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Camping In A RV For Fun And Pleasure
Camping In A RV For Fun And Pleasure
by: Sintilia Miecevole
Camping for most people means a tent and sleeping on a mat on the ground. If that doesn't really appeal to you, then camping in an RV is what you need. It is the ultimate camping adventure.
RV's come in many sizes and shapes. They start with campers that fit in the back of a pickup truck. These can have full kitchens, beds, a shower and toilet in them.
Next there are van conversions called Class B motorhomes that are basically a cargo van converted into a camping vehicle. These can have a raised roof for more head room. They also contain the same amenities as the truck camper.
Next up is the Class C motorhome. The front end looks like a pickup truck, but the similarity ends there. There is a sleeper extension over the cab and the back end looks like any motorhome you are probably familiar with. Basically a cargo box with windows, but much prettier. The Class C has all...
Camping In A RV For Fun And Pleasure
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Concrete Curb Landscaping
Concrete Curb Landscaping
by: Steve Joseph
The concrete curbing industry is currently experiencing a period of high growth as home owners look for new ways to customize and personalize their homes without over capitalizing their investment.
For the last ten years or more, many people have been able to take advantage of steady growth in the housing and property market, which has enabled more people than ever to become home owners. This growth in the housing market has been driven by a range of factors, one of them being the baby boomer generation, who have gained access to large amounts of superannuation, which has in-turn has stimulated the property market. Most economists would now agree that property and housing sector is due for a period of reduced growth, although other businesses are set to thrive in these conditions. The concrete curbing and edging business is one of these businesses. For more visit Concrete Curb Landscaping
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Jungle Mural - How to Put Some Swing Into Your Child?s Room?
Jungle Mural
- How to Put Some Swing Into Your Child?s Room?
by: Michael Holland
If your child loves all different types of animals, a jungle mural is a great way to make their room a fun and enjoyable place. You might be thinking how you will be able to achieve such a task, especially if you do not have artistic talents.
The truth is, however, that this type of mural is rather easy to construct as long as you have the tools to do it.
The easiest way to create a jungle mural is to transfer a desired jungle scene, animal or image to transparency film, and then use an overhead projector to display the image on the wall, which you can then trace out and begin painting.
You will find that transparency film can be purchased from any store that sells computer accessories, business or school items. As for the projector, you may be fortunate enough to be able to borrow one from your work place, or your child?s school.
If...
Jungle Mural - How to Put Some Swing Into Your Child?s Room?
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Log Cabin Living: Soften the D?cor with Fabric, Artwork, and Plants
Log Cabin Living: Soften the D?cor with Fabric, Artwork, and Plants
by: Aldene Fredenburg
If you're looking for a rustic living experience, log cabins - either individually built or from a prefab kit - are a great choice; but they do present some unique decorating challenges. Most often the interior walls around the perimeter of the home are constructed of the same rough logs as the exterior; so what do you do to define your d?cor, or to provide a new look to a home that's become boring to you?
Drapes on the windows are always an easy option, but don't stop there. Quilts or other fabric wall hangings can add interest while establishing a color scheme; add enough large quilts in your choice of designs and the bare log walls will fade into the background. (Wall hangings can also do double duty by helping to minimize drafts common in log homes.) Carefully chosen artwork can also help define the d?cor; a group of small paintings can complement the...
Log Cabin Living: Soften the D?cor with Fabric, Artwork, and Plants
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Beds mortgages Landscape Gardening Tips