September 14th, 2009 in Landscaping
Outdoor garden pots with built-in lighting
How cool are these? I love the whole concept. The lit garden pots can be used to warm up your landscape or mark a garden path. Created by Spanish company Vondom, the innovative pots are from the LLUM collection.
This sexy décor feature offers you stylish garden pots during the day and a unique, warm glow in the evening. Perfect for indoors or outdoors, the LLUM product line integrates self-watering devices in every model and includes wheels for easy mobility. And the pots are frost-resistant and ideal for any season.
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September 11th, 2009 in Landscaping
Smaller-sized trees can save you a world of homeowner headaches. Carefully choosing petite trees that still offer a full-size bang is essential for “lushing” up a limited landscape. When you’re shopping around, pay special attention to soil and water requirements, replanting tolerance, planting location, and plant hardiness zone charts that inform about the tree’s durability in your climate. Here are some small tree suggestions that go a shade farther than most.
Dr. Mike Dirr, a horticulturist at the University of Georgia, said this about the Eastern Redbud: “No equal, no competitor can be found among small flowering landscape trees.” The Redbud, along with the Flowering Dogwood, both rank in the top 10 most popular under-30-foot trees. The Redbud doesn’t actually have red flowers – it’s the tree’s magenta buds and pink flora, accompanied by dark, bluish-green, heart-shaped leaves, that often affirms it as the showiest.
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September 2nd, 2009 in Landscaping
First impressions are sometimes the only impression. Your indoors can be as cozy as an old quilt, but still the house will scream, "There’s something not right here!" if the exterior doesn’t reflect the same warmth. Here’s a simple checklist to ensure that your house’s charm won’t be overlooked.
Upkeep matters: So, keep up your lawn. Mow the grass, edge the sidewalks and flower beds, and prune and renew plants. Spreading new mulch or pine straw freshens up the landscape. Replacing broken bricks and other rundown plant borders make the grounds look neater.
Take matters into your own yellow rubber gloves: Put a sparkle on the windows, power wash siding, fencing and sidewalks, clean out gutters, and blow off leaves and debris from the roof. Clean stains from driveways and pull weeds growing through cracks. Repair, if possible.
Highlight the highlights: Your front door is most often the focal point. Choosing an eye-catching color for the entryway, installing a natural wood door, or upgrading one with ornamental stain glass can make all the difference. Replace old house numbers, door handles, wall-mounted mailboxes and lighting so that the door is enhanced. Paint the trim and shutters in colors complementary to that of the door.
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Most tender-plant gardeners prefer the accuracy of a hose nozzle. Don’t get me wrong, sprinklers are great for saturation watering, but a nozzle does the job faster and is better for hanging plants. But with so many options available, how do you find the perfect nozzle for your watering needs?
Let's break it down.
Photo Credit: chefranden
Multiple setting – For your money, a multiple setting nozzle is the best for spot watering of the landscape & garden because it has so many settings. There are usually several types of jet or full force sprays, but also medium and light settings for smaller plants. It's more expensive but worth every penny, especially if you’ve cultivated an extraordinary garden.
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Don’t let your summer go to waste! It’s a perfect time to upgrade your house or landscaping with a summer project. One of the best things about completing some (or all) of these assignments is the added value you return to your property. And, of course, the showers of praise from your friends...
Perk up the patio
Photo Credit: eyeliam
The backyard deck or patio is the ideal meeting place for social hangouts & summer barbeques.If yours has fallen off over the years, there are ways to perk it up. By simply planting more flowers and greenery, you change the patio’s entire atmosphere. Pick up some large planter pots, various types of sun/shade flowers, potting soil and a string of cool outdoor lights for after dark. You may also want to add some rose bushes or a dogwood for extra privacy.
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