Category: Gardens

5 Tips For Creating An Outdoor Workspace Within Your Landscaped Garden

During the Covid pandemic, there were very few businesses and business sectors that were not adversely affected, and landscaping companies were among them. Given the various lockdown rules and the need for social distancing, even though the garden is an outdoor space, there were few opportunities for landscape designers and their clients to meet and discuss new garden designs.

Another result of the pandemic and lockdown was that millions of people who would have normally commuted into an office were obliged to work from home where it was feasible. Whilst this was a necessity due to the pandemic, many soon found that working at home was an enjoyable experience, and as a result, many businesses reported that the productivity of many of their employees went up significantly during this period.

Coming out the other side of covid, many of the employees who worked from home have been allowed to remain doing so, either full-time or for part of their working week. This has led to many individuals seeking ways to create an outdoor workspace with all the benefits that it brings such as working in the fresh air, and the natural surroundings.

So, if you have been considering an outdoor workspace for yourself as someone who now works from home, or if you were already working from home and wish to have an enhanced workspace, or simply for times when you are browsing the web on your laptop, here are five key tips that will help make that outdoor workspace all the more feasible and enjoyable.

(more…)

7 Landscape Design Principles Used To Augment Smaller Gardens

It is often said that landscape designers have a bag of tricks when landscaping for smaller gardens, and whilst we accept that what they can achieve is wonderous, it is more down to their skills and experience than any hocus pocus or magic wands.

The skills and experience we talk of come from not just their early days’ training but often through years of designing landscaping for gardens and public areas of all sizes and shapes, as well as fulfilling the wishes of their clients. As a result, they will have followed several core landscape design principles on each garden’s design, and if you carry on reading, we will highlight seven of these used when landscaping smaller gardens.

Larger Plant Beds

When amateurs try to design a garden, if it is a small one, they will try to make the plant beds as small as possible. However, although it might seem counter-intuitive, it follows proven landscape design principles if you make the plant beds larger. This can be done by extending fully to the outer walls and other boundaries, with the effect being to make the garden seem more significant.

Upscaling

This is the first of two opposite approaches, however, the great news is that both of them work in smaller garden designs. Upscaling means that you increase the scale of as many features within the garden as you can as this gives the sense that the garden is larger than it is. Examples include using wide decking boards instead of thin ones, large concrete pavers instead of bricks for patios and walkways, and wide fencing panels.

(more…)

Lawn Landscaping

Lawn Landscaping

Your Front Lawn

Don’t you love driving down a suburban street and drool over a house with front lawn landscaping that must be the envy of the neighbours? According to the turf experts some people being able to do that to their front yard is a labour of love, and they find it easy to do. But there are those amongst us who just don’t have that eye for design nor do they have a green thumb.  It’s really not that hard if you can grasp a few fundamentals of landscaping design. Let’s look at some ideas that might help get you started.

The Layout

Having a layout plan in your head or at least drawn is a great start. It’s really the first step in the project. You can’t really plan what you are doing if you don’t have a concept or a layout at least. When you design your landscape, the main thing is to ensure you balance all the elements. For example, a symmetrical design will be like a mirror. Split the yard area down the middle and what you plan for the left side should be balanced by what you plan for the right as well.

If you are going for asymmetrical that is also okay as it tends to offer a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere which is nice to have in a front garden design.

(more…)

Mowing Your Lawn: Pro Tips to Get the Job Done Right

Mowing Your Lawn: Pro Tips to Get the Job Done Right

Mowing your lawn can be tedious, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and knowledge, you can get your property looking its best with minimal effort. From choosing the right mower to understanding the correct cutting pattern, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions to make lawn maintenance a breeze. Hiring lawn mowing services is always a great option if you need more time. They can cut your grass for you.

Check blade condition

Before you begin mowing, check the blade condition and mower oil levels. Dull blades tear and shred the grass, making it more prone to disease and browning. Low oil levels can lead to engine overheating and damage to the mower. If you need clarification on the blade condition or oil levels, consult your owner’s manual or take your mower to a certified technician for a checkup.

Test soil moisture before mowing

Before starting any mowing job, it is essential to test the soil moisture. Mowing a lawn when the soil is too dry can cause damage to the grass and can even kill it. The trick to a green, healthy lawn is knowing the proper moisture content of your soil. Use a moisture meter or probe to test your soil moisture; this will indicate the hydration, and you can decide whether to add water before mowing.

(more…)

Why The Direction A Garden Faces Is A Critical Factor In Landscaping

Why The Direction A Garden Faces Is A Critical Factor In Landscaping

When asked to design landscaped gardens, there are many variables that landscapers must take into account. The list of variables is a long one, and can include:

  • Client’s budget
  • Uses for the garden
  • Size of the garden
  • Garden pots or no pots?
  • Lawn or no lawn?
  • Real lawn or artificial lawn?
  • Types of plants such as shrubs, flowers, or trees
  • Limestone blocks or tiles?
  • Decking and pathways
  • Fixed features such as seating and retaining walls
  • Water features, pools, ponds
  • Timescale for completion

(more…)

How to Get Rid of Moss

Get Rid of Moss

If there’s one thing that often drives homeowners batty – especially those who make lawn care a priority – it’s moss. It turns up uninvited, can be tricky and messy to remove, and it can prove hazardous on footpaths and in patio areas.

Moss thrives in moist, shady areas, on rocks, soil, wood, and grass. It has thread-like stems and creates a thick mat of greenery that often gets in the way of the plants you do want to have around. So, once it takes up residence on your property, what can you do to give it its marching orders? Here’s how you can make sure your property is as moss-unfriendly as possible.

Improve Your Lawn’s Drainage

Experienced landscapers will tell you that Moss loves moisture, so don’t give it any. If there is a part of your lawn that attracts moss because it’s quite wet, then improve the drainage. Lawn care must be your priority. Aerate your soil, dig trenches, and divert water away into a different area of your property. The less water you have, the less desirable it is for moss.

Use a Lawn Spreader to Add Lime

By using lime in a lawn spreader, you can increase your soil’s pH level and create more favourable growing conditions for your grass, rather than the moss. Talk to your local gardening or lawn care expert about how to do this properly for best effect.

(more…)

How to Landscape on a Budget

Landscape on a Budget

Not everyone has the experience, knowledge, or inclination to work on creative garden makeovers themselves. And that’s okay because there are plenty of landscaping experts to lend a helping hand. However, if you are trying to bring your property up to scratch on a budget, a landscaping business owner who’s trained in that very task may not be within your reach.

If that’s the case, then you must try and battle through on your own. While it’s going to be tough without the help of someone with years of experience, it’s not impossible. Here are a few helpful hints to help you landscape on a budget.

Use Spreading and Sprawling Plants

The larger your yard, the more plants you have to use. The bigger the number of plants you have to buy, the more money you need. The problem is, not everyone has a massive budget to spend on plants alone. Therefore, you may like to consider purchasing spreading plants that take up a lot of space as a single plant. You can then buy fewer of them, however the garden maintenance of them should also be considered.

(more…)

Easy-Care Plants to Enhance Your Landscape Design

Easy-Care Plants

While landscaping and landscape design is important to many people, very few would want a yard that seems to use up all their spare time. But how are you supposed to strike a balance between a beautiful yard and one that takes minimal effort to maintain? Easy-care plants could be the answer. Here are a few easy-care plants in Australia that are worth considering to enhance your landscape design.

Liriope

Liriope is a landscape design expert’s best friend. Not only is it beautiful, vibrant, and full of life, but it’s low maintenance, affordable, and versatile. You can use Liriope for border planting, green walls, and mass planting, and grow it from a cutting. As soon as you have one substantial plant, you can then split it into smaller plants and grow those to your heart’s content too.

This easy-care plant is robust, ideal for sun or shade, and you can cut it back to allow for new growth. What more could you want?

Rhoeo

If you’re all about attitude, colour, and a little bit of pizzazz, then you’ll get that with Rhoeo. Also known as Moses in a Cradle, it’s a beautiful purple and green plant that both looks attractive and doesn’t need a lot of care. It will fill any area you plant it in – be it sun or shade – and will not ask for much love or your time. The only thing to consider is that this plant does not like wet soil and will sulk if you place it somewhere sodden. (more…)

Getting The Most Out Of A Small Space

Small Landscape Design

Designing a new garden can be both fun and rewarding. However, it can be hard to know exactly what to do with small spaces. Should you ignore landscape design and just throw a few plants or a fruit tree in, or should you spend time and money employing a professional to come and sculpt it to perfection?

Unfortunately, there’s no real correct answer. Some people will prefer not to waste their time and money on a good quality, experienced landscaper, while others would jump at the chance to turn their small outdoor area into more than wasted space. With this in mind, I’ve put together a few things for you to think about with respect to getting the most out of small outdoor spaces.

Start With A Clear Plan

Planning becomes essential when you’ve only got a small outdoor space to work with. Before you do anything else, you need to sit down and think about the following questions:

  • What sort of elements do you want to include in your landscape design?
  • Who’s going to be using your outdoor area? Do you need to make it child friendly, or should it be designed for adult entertaining?
  • What sort of budget do you have?
  • How much time do you have for garden maintenance?

The answers to these questions will help you clarify exactly what sort of things you should include in your landscape design.

Don’t Waste Space

If you’ve only got a small area to work with, whether it be inside to create a small home office or outside to create a garden, it doesn’t make any sense to waste space. Make sure that you use every bit of your yard wisely. Having a clear plan in place before you start landscaping is the best way to make sure that you can fit everything you want in your backyard.

(more…)

Best Landscaping Ideas for Your Garden

Landscaping Ideas

Your home isn’t just a place for shelter. It’s also where you want to live the good life. Isn’t that what every one of us wants? There are lots of ways to do that. You can renovate your house and add a patio, or a pergola, or perhaps put a pool in your backyard where you can cool down on a hot summer’s day. Those are great ways to improve your standard of living. But nothing beats the simple freshness that a landscaped garden gives you. Here are some of the best landscape design ideas you can incorporate into your garden.

Driveway Dress Up

Driveways are necessary for all homes, but it can ruin your house’s picturesque view. To avoid this from happening, you can break up the plain old concrete driveway with a central median strip of hardy grass. You can plant any kind of grass there, something like couch or Buffalo grass being the best ones.  This will add a bit of color to what is regarded as a boring, functional part of a house.

Grow Blooming Shrubs

Shrubs don’t necessarily ruin your home’s aesthetics — as long as you use the right ones! Hydrangeas are highly recommended because these bloom lots of vibrant flowers during springtime. This’ll surely transform your landscaped garden into something more stunning and lively, not to mention that they can also hide cracks in your garden’s walls. They also don’t grow too quickly, so there’s no need to worry about branches!

(more…)

How to Get Your Garden from Okay to Awesome

home-gardening

It’s true that the nicest home can be ruined by a garden that is less than its best. Even a garden that is deemed okay is not really good enough for a home that is special to its owners. Digging a few flower beds or planting some shrubs is not making the most of your block of ground. It will do nothing to present your home in the best possible light. So how can you go from okay to awesome? The secret is: with professional landscaping from Landscaping Sydney.home-gardeners

The best way is to seek professional help from creative landscapers whose work you have viewed and liked already.  Most local landscape gardeners will be able to give you the address of properties they have transformed so you can at least drive past and see some of what they have done. People who do gardening or landscaping for a living are good at what they do and they know the area they work in intimately. If they don’t, they know how to find out what kind of soil is there, what the climate is and if there are mini-climate conditions on the block, or the potential to create them.

Why do mini-climate conditions matter? They enable you to have many different types of plants. For instance, if your block is on a windswept hill, you will find it difficult to grow tall flowers such as gladioli and even dahlias because the wind will blow them over and their gorgeous flowers will be bruised and ruined.

Creating the min-climate can be done by installing an attractive garden wall or thick hedge to give protection from the wind. But that is not the most important part, though it can be an important part of the whole. The important part is to have the outlay of the garden area designed by professionals to take into account every facet and turn it into an awesome asset.

(more…)