Home Landscape Designs and Ideas

Who doesn’t want to save money on their landscape project, all they need for the home landscape design are some basic ideas to achieve an attractive landscape.

Landscaping your home is a great investment which can increase the value of your property, beautify your home and give an outlet to get some exercise, and enjoy the fresh outdoor air.

Here’s 5 quick things you need to know for a successful landscape:

- Know the Soil Type
- Know the Space
- Go Native
- Plan Bloom Times
- Use Wood Chips and Mulch

more on home landscape designs and ideas

Large Indoor House Plants and Floor Plants

Aglaonema BJ Freeman is somewhat of an “old-timer” in the world of large indoor house plants and floor plants - this Aglaonema has proven to be an outstanding performer. Read more on Indoor House Plants and Floor Plants

Landscape Rocks

Landscape rocks can give your landscape design a differnt look from all the green grass, trees and flowers found in your neighborhood. There are many different ways to landscape with rocks or stone to give your yard adding style and beauty. More on Landscape Rocks…

Home Waterfalls Water Features To Consider

Question: I want to add a water feature at home, waterfalls are definitely on the drawing board. Can you give me any ideas as to different styles or features to use when I’m working with my landscape designer.

Answer:

Just like opinions you can build waterfalls and water features for the home or commercially in as many different ways as you can think of them. Every waterfall man-made or natural is a work of art. Having some basic ideas on the waterfall features will help you create just about any effect possibe.

If you know what you want to accomplish you’ve got have the battle won, there isn’t anything “secret” in building - pedestal areas, catch basins, streams, falls, shelves or the pond.

Pedestal Water Feature

Pedestal areas can be flat sections usually lined and approximately 8 to 12 inches deep. They area can hold stones or feature rocks in a variety of settings.

Building any kind of water feature is more than throwing down some rocks and setting a hose on the top… then hoping the water will end up in the pool area to be recirculated. pedestal areas expand the water area under the rocks so any water not following the path you dreamed of will collect and can be directed to the pond naturally or by pumps.

Catch Basins Water Feature

Just like the name implies a catch basin catches falling water to cut down on splashing. The deeper the catch basin the less splash. When water hits rocks directly you never know where it will go, therefore it can’t be controlled.

Maintenance costs can grow if splashing water continuously flows and drops onto landscape rocks and stones alone. Water will evaporate much faster and more water will need to be to the pond.

Catch basins can improve the sound if that’s what you’re looking to achieve. Water falling into deeper water has more bass, travels through walls and surrounding foliage to fill more landscape areas of your garden or house. Water falling onto rocks or in shallow pond areas give off more treble sound. Treble is filtered easier by elements in its path.

A general rule when determining the size of a catch basin:

- The quantity or amount of water falling
- The distance the water will fall

Make the catch basin deeper when more water is falling, the great the height of the water fall the surface area in the catch basin should be larger. As a minimum make the catch basin twice as wide from the farthest edge of the waterfall than the height of the water falling.

Example: If a waterfall is one foot wide and falls from a height of two feet, make the catch basin approximately 5 feet in diameter. A water depth in the basin of 12 to 24 inches should be acceptable for most applications.

Streams and Falls Water Feature

If you watch any news, from time to time you’ll see video clips of streams and rivers that have run away and just can’t be controlled. The “mini” streams and waterfalls in your design can quickly grow into one of the most aggravating dimensions of any water feature project.

Water can run off the liner like an out of control swelling stream, water running into “unprotected” areas and falling in places you didn’t intend.
As the amount of water and sloop of the stream increase so does the difficulty of controlling the water flow.

The basics - streams are paths and channels connecting catch basins to falls or catch basins to the pond. Falls are simply places in the stream where you plan for the water to fall into a catch basin.

Shelves and Ponds Water Feature

Water shelves separate the deepest pond areas from the shallow areas. They create stopping points where rocks will be placed and prevent the other rocks from sliding to the bottom of the pond. Shelves can be larger in areas holding larger stones, giving a more natural and visual interest. Shelves mimic nature very much, think of the Continental shelf running along the coast.

Don’t think of a pond as a hole in the ground, it holds it’s own environment and ecosystem. A place for fish to enjoy life, and water lilies to show their beauty, a soothing refuge by a quiet reflecting pool on the weekend, with water the fuel of the system…

Chinese Evergreen

The “Chinese Evergreen” or Aglaonema are cold sensitive and should be grown in protected areas if used in any outdoor landscape (which is very rarely). The primary production of Aglaonemas as a group is for use indoors as houseplants where they can enjoy the same temperatures you do year-round.

Thousands of Aglaonemas are grown today for indoor use. They are available in most garden centers, grocery stores and nurseries that carry indoor houseplants.

Read More on the Chinese Evergreen…

Next Page »