A pretty backyard can only go so far. Many experts have proven that energy efficient landscaping that takes into consideration energy needs, may well save a family more then 30% of their usual heat or cooling costs - either in the winter or summer. These savings could tangibly translate to almost $250 worth of savings in a year.
Of course we would all like to save on our energy costs but how can we do this? Many of us already have solar garden lights but are there any other ideas like maybe using wind power? There are several innovative backyard landscaping ideas to look into when relandscaping your yard.
Making Use of or Protection from the Sun's Rays
You may live in the southern most part of the country where summer days are long, hot and very dry. On the other hand, you may live in the north where the winters are long, very cold and brutal and the days are short. The type of backyard landscape you have surrounding your home can make a huge difference. You may need large shade trees to protect your home's walls from the sun's rays or you may want the sun to warm your home for as much of the day as possible.
Usually, the best way to keep the sun out is to design shade landscaping. Plant deciduous, dense, and broad trees to the south or west of the house, where their foliage can provide shade against the rays of the hot summer sun. Keeping the sun out can reduce temperatures to up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
These deciduous trees lose their foliage over the winter and will give you access more of the sun's heat in the winter when your home's walls and foundations need the heat.
Create A Wind Break
Wind chill can also cause your home to be cooler. A cold winter wind blowing through your home can quickly drop the inside temperature by as much as 10%. Ask your local nursery expert about using trees as wind breaks and which trees would be the best as well as fast growing. Some of the more sturdy walls or fences can also be excellent wind breaks.
Keeping Your Home Cool or Warm
One of the primary culprits in the wasting of energy is the heat or cool that escapes through the home's roof, windows and doors. It is imperative to find a way to keep heat or cool air inside the home.The best way to achieve this is by planting shrubbery around the home's foundations. This creates a dead air barrier, keeping the heat and cool inside the home where it matters. Experts have suggested widening the distance between the shrubbery and the house's walls in order to increase this area for dead air. A properly maintained and landscaped home cannot only be attractive but practical. You will saving hundreds of dollars each year by making energy efficient backyard landscaping a priority.
Showing posts with label LANDSCAPING TIPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LANDSCAPING TIPS. Show all posts
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
WHERE TO GET THE BEST LANDSCAPING SOFTWARE
Are you looking for the best landscaping software on the market? There are some fantastic landscaping software programs that will help you to design the backyard of your dreams but there are also some landscaping software programs that are a complete waste of money. The trick is to find out which landscaping software programs are good before you purchase them.
Many of the landscaping software programs that are on the market for the regular consumer are not really very good. Some of them are just plain awful and to buy them is to throw your money down the drain. They will have terrible cartoonish drawings that are not clear and that will not do you any good at all. On the other hand there are some of the more expensive commercial grade landscaping software programs that will blow you away with their capabilities.
What you need to remember when you are using a landscaping software program is that it is not going to do anything for you, it is only a tool for you to use to make your ideas a reality. So if you are wanting to buy some landscaping software so that you can have your yard designed for you then do not even bother. If on the other hand you have some great ideas and you want to get them laid out so that you can see if they are really as good as they seem then a good landscaping software program might be for you after all.
Before you commit to buying any landscaping software try to get a demo. This will let you try out the program to see if it can even help you in what you want to achieve. You should try to choose a landscaping software program that has good graphics. The better the graphics are on your landscaping software the easier it will be fore you to visualize the end result of all your hard work. Remember that this is the goal of any landscaping software program. If the landscaping software is crap then you might be better off using the drawing programs that are already on your computer.
By getting a demo you will also be able to directly compare the different programs in terms of price. Lets face it, if there are two landscaping software programs and they look the same and they both have the tools that you need but one is cheaper, which one are you going to chose? The cheaper one of course. So check out the prices.
Many of the landscaping software programs that are on the market for the regular consumer are not really very good. Some of them are just plain awful and to buy them is to throw your money down the drain. They will have terrible cartoonish drawings that are not clear and that will not do you any good at all. On the other hand there are some of the more expensive commercial grade landscaping software programs that will blow you away with their capabilities.
What you need to remember when you are using a landscaping software program is that it is not going to do anything for you, it is only a tool for you to use to make your ideas a reality. So if you are wanting to buy some landscaping software so that you can have your yard designed for you then do not even bother. If on the other hand you have some great ideas and you want to get them laid out so that you can see if they are really as good as they seem then a good landscaping software program might be for you after all.
Before you commit to buying any landscaping software try to get a demo. This will let you try out the program to see if it can even help you in what you want to achieve. You should try to choose a landscaping software program that has good graphics. The better the graphics are on your landscaping software the easier it will be fore you to visualize the end result of all your hard work. Remember that this is the goal of any landscaping software program. If the landscaping software is crap then you might be better off using the drawing programs that are already on your computer.
By getting a demo you will also be able to directly compare the different programs in terms of price. Lets face it, if there are two landscaping software programs and they look the same and they both have the tools that you need but one is cheaper, which one are you going to chose? The cheaper one of course. So check out the prices.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
USING YOUR OWN LANDSCAPING IDEAS
It is not all that easy to always come up with your own landscaping ideas. In fact, most people are going to need a little help with their landscaping, it is a good thing that it is easy to find landscaping ideas to use.
Whether you want a plain vegetable garden or an elaborage Japanese garden, there are a few places that you can get some fantastic backyard landscaping ideas and probably the best place is the internet. You will find hundreds of sites on the internet that will all have a great landscaping idea or two for you to take and make your own. It is important that you put a lot of though and consideration into the landscaping of your yard in the front and in the back so finding the perfect landscaping idea is essential to your success.
You should start by taking a walk around your property in order to get a good sense of what can be done. See how the drainage is and check out the slopes and levels of your property. This way you will be able to tell which landscaping idea is right for you right off the bat. The more you notice the easier things will be. It would be terrible to choose a landscaping idea and then start work only to find that it cannot be completed halfway through due to some aspect of your property.
Before you choose any landscaping ideas, take a little extra time to learn the basics of landscaping. This is imperative if you have never done any work like this before. If you are new to the whole world of backard landscaping, then you might want to take out a book or two from the library. This way you do not have to pay for them and you will still get all that they have to offer. There is a lot of be gained from reading some good landscaping books, you might even find a landscaping idea in them.
If you know that you want to change both your front yard landscaping and your back yard landscaping, then you need to use landscaping ideas that will incorporate both of these. Your front and back yards should flow together, this will give you the best possible design so look at a landscaping idea that will give you this kind of harmony and you will have a better yard for it.
Whether you want a plain vegetable garden or an elaborage Japanese garden, there are a few places that you can get some fantastic backyard landscaping ideas and probably the best place is the internet. You will find hundreds of sites on the internet that will all have a great landscaping idea or two for you to take and make your own. It is important that you put a lot of though and consideration into the landscaping of your yard in the front and in the back so finding the perfect landscaping idea is essential to your success.
You should start by taking a walk around your property in order to get a good sense of what can be done. See how the drainage is and check out the slopes and levels of your property. This way you will be able to tell which landscaping idea is right for you right off the bat. The more you notice the easier things will be. It would be terrible to choose a landscaping idea and then start work only to find that it cannot be completed halfway through due to some aspect of your property.
Before you choose any landscaping ideas, take a little extra time to learn the basics of landscaping. This is imperative if you have never done any work like this before. If you are new to the whole world of backard landscaping, then you might want to take out a book or two from the library. This way you do not have to pay for them and you will still get all that they have to offer. There is a lot of be gained from reading some good landscaping books, you might even find a landscaping idea in them.
If you know that you want to change both your front yard landscaping and your back yard landscaping, then you need to use landscaping ideas that will incorporate both of these. Your front and back yards should flow together, this will give you the best possible design so look at a landscaping idea that will give you this kind of harmony and you will have a better yard for it.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
EASY BACKYARD LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Having a low maintenance backyard is the goal of many people. You can get easy to manage backyard landscaping done by any of the professional landscapers in your area or you can do it yourself. Either way you can have front yard and backyard landscaping done that will take minimal work to keep looking fantastic all year round. If you are going to get a professional in to do your landscaping though, be sure to tell him that this is your over all goal, that you want to have a yard that will not take a lot of work to keep up.
If you have less grass in your backyard landscaping then you will cut out a lot of maintenance time right there. Mowing the lawn can take up a lot of time and energy so keeping the grass to a minimum is a great way to save on work. Talk to a landscaping expert at your local home improvement or garden store about alternative backyard landscaping ideas that you can use to keep your yard look good with a little lawn area.
Some people choose to use clover instead of grass. Using a clover lawn in your front yard is one of those great landscaping ideas that will save you money and time. You will not have to mow it very often at all and a clover lawn is even good for front yard landscaping in area that is prone to droughts. They do well virtually everywhere. And best of all for those who want to get out there and enjoy their front yard landscaping, bugs hate clover.
Watering the yard can be a big hassle as well. That is why many people incorporate automatic irrigation systems into their front and backyard landscaping designs these days. This can save you tons of time and money. This is one of the easiest ways for you to keep your yard looking healthy and well watered during the hotter months of the year. No more hooking up the sprinkler or having to drag out the hose.
You can get a professional to install one of these systems for your front yard and backyard landscaping design quickly and easily or you can get a kit and do it yourself. I would recommend getting in a professional however, unless you have experience with this kind of thing. If you were to cause a leak then you could face some flooding and rotting and neither of these is going to be pleasant to fix.
If you have less grass in your backyard landscaping then you will cut out a lot of maintenance time right there. Mowing the lawn can take up a lot of time and energy so keeping the grass to a minimum is a great way to save on work. Talk to a landscaping expert at your local home improvement or garden store about alternative backyard landscaping ideas that you can use to keep your yard look good with a little lawn area.
Some people choose to use clover instead of grass. Using a clover lawn in your front yard is one of those great landscaping ideas that will save you money and time. You will not have to mow it very often at all and a clover lawn is even good for front yard landscaping in area that is prone to droughts. They do well virtually everywhere. And best of all for those who want to get out there and enjoy their front yard landscaping, bugs hate clover.
Watering the yard can be a big hassle as well. That is why many people incorporate automatic irrigation systems into their front and backyard landscaping designs these days. This can save you tons of time and money. This is one of the easiest ways for you to keep your yard looking healthy and well watered during the hotter months of the year. No more hooking up the sprinkler or having to drag out the hose.
You can get a professional to install one of these systems for your front yard and backyard landscaping design quickly and easily or you can get a kit and do it yourself. I would recommend getting in a professional however, unless you have experience with this kind of thing. If you were to cause a leak then you could face some flooding and rotting and neither of these is going to be pleasant to fix.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
LAYERED GARDEN LANDSCAPING IDEAS
Could your home do with a few more landscaping ideas? Probably so, and that is a good thing. In fact you should be very excited about it because there is nothing more fun than garden and backyard landscaping ideas. If you get your imagination working overtime you will have a fun time planting and rearranging your plants and flowers.
By layering your garden landscaping beds you will be able to add a whole other level of beauty to your landscaping design. Your yard is the first thing that people will see when they come to your house and giving a grand tour that includes a fabulous garden is always fun and exciting. You will be the talk of the neighborhood, and for all the right reasons this time, when you have some great landscaping ideas.
Layering your garden landscaping design is easy to do. You need to know the flowers that you are going to plant first however. The choices that you make as far as the flowers and other plants will affect just how your garden landscaping is laid out. For example you do not want to have the taller plants in front of the shorter ones. This is obvious but you should still make a rough sketch of where you want things laud out for your garden landscaping before you begin. This will help you to keep thins as simple as possible. Your garden landscaping will go a lot faster this way and you will run into fewer problems as you go.
When layering you should have about three layers. Your back row should face north, if it can, and the back row should have the tallest plants and as the rows descend so should the heights of the plants and flowers. The trick of this kind of garden landscaping is that oftentimes the plants we buy are baby plants. So you will need to talk to those working at your local gardening store about how large the plants will grow to be. This is key to successful garden and backyard landscaping. If the front or middle row of your garden landscaping design is going to grow much higher than the last row, then you will have to do some rearranging.
The layering affect of your garden landscaping design will add depth and make your garden much more interesting to look at. This is what will make your garden landscaping a success.
By layering your garden landscaping beds you will be able to add a whole other level of beauty to your landscaping design. Your yard is the first thing that people will see when they come to your house and giving a grand tour that includes a fabulous garden is always fun and exciting. You will be the talk of the neighborhood, and for all the right reasons this time, when you have some great landscaping ideas.
Layering your garden landscaping design is easy to do. You need to know the flowers that you are going to plant first however. The choices that you make as far as the flowers and other plants will affect just how your garden landscaping is laid out. For example you do not want to have the taller plants in front of the shorter ones. This is obvious but you should still make a rough sketch of where you want things laud out for your garden landscaping before you begin. This will help you to keep thins as simple as possible. Your garden landscaping will go a lot faster this way and you will run into fewer problems as you go.
When layering you should have about three layers. Your back row should face north, if it can, and the back row should have the tallest plants and as the rows descend so should the heights of the plants and flowers. The trick of this kind of garden landscaping is that oftentimes the plants we buy are baby plants. So you will need to talk to those working at your local gardening store about how large the plants will grow to be. This is key to successful garden and backyard landscaping. If the front or middle row of your garden landscaping design is going to grow much higher than the last row, then you will have to do some rearranging.
The layering affect of your garden landscaping design will add depth and make your garden much more interesting to look at. This is what will make your garden landscaping a success.
Monday, September 8, 2008
BACKYARD LANDSCAPING TIPS
Good backyard landscaping ideas are ones that everyone can make use of. There are many different backyard landscaping ideas and most of them are pretty good but to find the one that is right for you and that is just what your yard needs may take some reading. This article will help you to find the perfect backyard landscaping idea for your home.
A great backyard landscaping idea is to use evergreens. The use of these fabulous trees will do so much for any yard. They will add a stately nature to the feel of your home while keeping it welcoming and warm. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is always a good idea but it is the evergreens that will give the yard the structure and the stability that it needs for a good backyard landscaping idea and design.
You need to look for backyard landscaping ideas like the one above that will benefit you all year round. Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find a backyard landscaping idea like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.
Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all of the seasons. You can have climbing plants on it in the summer and spring and pretty trees around it that will look great in the winter. When looking for a good landscaping idea you need to look for other options besides just plants. There is much more to landscaping than just plants and trees.
Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is such a great backyard landscaping idea because they will just accent all of your other wonderful backyard landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Look at these kinds of backyard landscaping ideas as well in your search for the one.
A great backyard landscaping idea is to use evergreens. The use of these fabulous trees will do so much for any yard. They will add a stately nature to the feel of your home while keeping it welcoming and warm. Many people like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is always a good idea but it is the evergreens that will give the yard the structure and the stability that it needs for a good backyard landscaping idea and design.
You need to look for backyard landscaping ideas like the one above that will benefit you all year round. Deciduous trees will not be gorgeous in all seasons, most perhaps, but not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always fantastic and they look as beautiful in the winter as they do in the summer and this is why they make for such a great backyard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to find a backyard landscaping idea like this that will keep your yard interesting no matter what time of the year it is.
Another good backyard landscaping idea is to use hardscape. This is the use of things like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look very interesting during all of the seasons. You can have climbing plants on it in the summer and spring and pretty trees around it that will look great in the winter. When looking for a good landscaping idea you need to look for other options besides just plants. There is much more to landscaping than just plants and trees.
Walls and fences can frame your property beautifully and using them is such a great backyard landscaping idea because they will just accent all of your other wonderful backyard landscaping ideas. They will frame your yard as a picture frame frames a gorgeous painting. Look at these kinds of backyard landscaping ideas as well in your search for the one.
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