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landscape planning

Paver Planning Series: Textures

A new patio, outdoor kitchen or outdoor living area is an exciting and valuable addition to your home. But like building a home, building a Hardscape comes with a lot of decisions. In this short series of articles, we are looking at how the patterns, colors and textures in concrete paving stones can influence the

How to be a hipster gardener

If you think vintage accessories, old traditions and careful tending are the bee’s knees, you may be a garden hipster. The hipster aesthetic is marked by an obsession with independence, eco-friendly living and vintage style. This group has its own style in clothes, food and yes, gardening. Aside from the new urban chickens movement, hipsters

Planning a new patio? Consider installing an automatic sprinkler system

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” -Cicero, Roman orator Moving water from its source to where it is needed is an ancient craft. Aqueducts helped cities flourish in ancient times. Today, various water sprinklers help maintain the lawn’s lush look. Homeowners use everything from a simple watering can

When to use stones or mulch in your landscape

It’s gardening season again! If you haven’t already, it’s time to take out that digging tool and break ground. April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring weeds. You can drastically cut down on weeds in your garden by adding mulch or pebbles. Mulch and stone coverings make flower colors “pop” by adding a

Why Hardscaping distributors are worth the trip

When it comes to sprucing up the backyard or adding some curb appeal, most homeowners think of the nearest big home improvement store as a place to get ideas and materials. While a big box store can help with smaller quick fixes, Hardscaping distributors are a better choice for major project inspiration and supplies. Many

4 ways a creative garden wall can make a cookie-cutter landscape unique

A new home in a new development is an exciting prospect. But in a neighborhood of similar home models, how does a homeowner make their house stand out? With a little creativity and perhaps the help of a landscape designer, adding a simple garden wall to your front landscape can change the entire look of

Drip, drip: Drop an efficient, money-saving watering system into your landscape

Lush gardens are a wonder to behold. We all love seeing those rows of plants spring up and watch veggies grow big, not to mention seeing the joyous colors of the season in the delicate flower petals we’re lucky enough to enjoy. All of this takes work, of course, but for many gardening is a

Build another kind of fire in the backyard: a blazing swath of fall leaves.

October is well underway and parts of the country are seeing the colorful goodness of the season. Indeed, fall leaves are a tourist draw for many of the northeastern states. You can have your own bright show every year if you choose the right species of tree. Here are 4 for the northeastern corridor as

Throwing shade: Patio options for summer sun

Sitting outside in the summer is one of life’s simple pleasures. A few clever and well-placed shade providers can make your patio an even cooler place to hang out. While some people still love to bask for hours in the sun’s hot rays, many of us prefer to enjoy the outdoors in a cooler, shady

Anticipate the roadblocks your contractor may encounter

Getting a patio or pool installed is a major project. Here’s what your contractor wants you to know about the common problems workers face when construction begins. Good communication is the best skill a homeowner can bring to a project. Many difficulties can be avoided when both the homeowner and the contractor are aware of