"steps" yards, pictures, and ideas...
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. ...
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......
A Thousand (or slightly fewer) Points of Light
Unfortunately, many of us don't think about "lighting" in our landscapes except for the month of December, when we drape a few measly strings of half-twinkling bulbs over our evergreens or, at the other extreme, fire up an animatronic-reindeer display that would put Clark Griswold to shame. But your landscape doesn’t just stop when the sun goes down....
Outdoor Kitchens: Cooking Up Some Ideas
So you’ve decided to take the plunge and create your own outdoor kitchen? Good for you. Let’s face it, wheeling out that dusty grill every time you want to fire up some dogs and burgers is pretty lame. Permanent, built-in structures dedicated to outdoor cooking are all the rage, and it’s not a fad that’s going anywhere anytime soon. So strike while the grill is hot!...
Weekend Project: Teak Maintenance
One of the items on my pre-summer to do list is to sand and oil our teak patio furniture. We've had this set for 4 years now and this is the third time I've done it. For those thinking about purchasing outdoor teak furniture, let me lay out the pros and cons for you......
DIY Walkway in Your Yard
One way to significantly change your yard is to create a new walkway. Most people think of a walkway as simply a functional part of the yard that allows you to get from point A to point B without trouncing all over the grass, dirt, flowers, etc. But it also works as an accent to your overall landscape....
