"bar" yards, pictures, and ideas...
Greenhouse Gardening
For gardeners in many climates, winter is the landscape’s off-season. The trees have dropped their leaves, the perennials have gone dormant, the thick insulating layer of mulch has been put down in the beds, and the lawn mower has been taken to the shop for its annual tune-up. But that doesn’t have to mean that you’re resigned to just twiddling those green thumbs until spring....
Psst! Hey, Man...Got Any Weeds?
They are every landscaper's nemesis, every backyard gardener's mortal enemy. Their very existence, intrusive and even invasive, is one of the main motivators for any outdoor renovation. But no matter what you do, or how much time or money you spend, they always seem to rise from the dead and wreak havoc again, like some machete-wielding serial killer in a cheesy horror flick....
Walk This Way
Creating a landscape to be gazed at from afar is all well and good. Presenting that sensational view from the street or from the house is one of the main goals of just about any yard transformation. But gardens are also meant to be enjoyed on a more personal level. Intricate leaf patterns, unusual foliage textures, and the detailed colors of blooms and flowers can only be fully appreciated from up close. ...
Landscaping with Trees
Ah, the trees. They bud out to let us know spring is coming, they shade us in the summer, they put on their own little fireworks show in fall, and even when they’re bare, they provide interest and structure in the dead of winter. But not all of us are blessed with tall mature trees in the landscape like WhackyWaco in Plano, TX. Check out those live oaks and tell me they’re not the focal point of that front yard......
Outdoor Kitchens: Steel Studs or Concrete Blocks?
Anyone who has ever contemplated constructing their own outdoor kitchen knows there is a long list of ingredients to consider. But while it’s easy to get caught up in the fun decisions like grill size, bun warmers, and beer taps, there’s a fundamental issue that has to be dealt with first: How will you build the darn thing???...
Got a Hobby? Take it Outside!
For most of us, our landscapes say a lot about who we are and what’s important to us. You can spot the yard of an avid gardener from a mile away. That backyard vegetable garden probably belongs to someone who’s concerned about where his family’s food is coming from. Take a look at this personal water park in Granite Bay, CA......
Make the Most of Your Small Space
Letting your landscape creativity run wild is easy when you have a sprawling piece of property to work with: a big, blank canvas ready and waiting for whatever your imagination dreams up. But what about when space is at a real premium, as in: you don’t have any? If your “yard” is a high-rise balcony twenty stories off the ground, does that mean you’re simply out of luck when it comes to creating a garden to call your own? ...
Are You Water-Wise? A Look at Xeriscapes
There is no commodity more precious to us yard lovers than water. But with many areas around the country experiencing severe drought conditions in recent years, professional landscapers and backyard gardeners alike have had to find ways to make the absolute most out of every drop....
Everything Zen - A Look at Japanese Zen Gardens
Searching for unique ideas on what to do with that small, secluded corner of your yard? Look to the East. Asian-themed gardens are prized for their simplicity, their meditative peacefulness, their effortless flow, and their exquisite balance of traditional elements. While designing a true Japanese Zen garden can take years of study and a lifetime to execute to perfection, borrowing a few key elements to put in your own landscape will almost certainly make a dramatic statement....
Just Add Water
In the Biblical story of creation, water shows up on the universe’s very first to-do list on, like, the third day. So why is it that so many backyard landscapers forget to include it entirely?...
