"yard" yards, pictures, and ideas...
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
Robert Frost wasn't crazy about fences, but his neighbor was. Maybe Frost was messy and the neighbor wanted everybody to know where Frost's property ended and his began; maybe Frost's neighbor wanted to keep kids out of his yard. Who knows? In any case, fences are a very popular addition to many yards. ...
Create Your Own Small Pond This Weekend
Ponds and water gardens are great assets to the landscape and provide much interest for the homeowner. Small ponds are not expensive; you can purchase a pre-formed hard-plastic variety and dig a hole to fit its contours, or, a flexible pond liner that will lay down and follow the shape of the hole you’ve already dug....
Grow Up! Ideas For Climbing Plants
When you’re running out of space in your yard, or you need some height to create additional interest, grow up! There are numerous twisting, twining and climbing plants available—both annuals and perennials....
Make Room For Nature On Your Patio
A patio is a transitional space between your home and the great wilderness (AKA: your backyard). Unfortunately, many of these spaces languish as barren concrete deserts. It’s time to think about ways to bring in the green without sacrificing the utility of your patio. ...
Annuals: A Cure for Spring Fever
Before you go out on your annual spring trek to the garden center this season, be sure to make a list of the sites in your garden you want to brighten up by adding annuals. Without a plan, you may find yourself tempted by the many varieties offered, seemingly everywhere you go....
Rocking Your Yard With Stone
You may keep your favorite pet rock in a shoe box in the closet, but the rest of the mineral family has to make its own way in the cold, hard world outside. That’s OK. There are plenty of places in your yard where they can feel right at home. ...
Ornamental Grasses to the Rescue
Ornamental grasses are multi-task plants: they offer attractive foliage, flowers and seedpods; their beauty is heightened by sunlight and they dance with the wind; they require little maintenance; they provide almost year-round interest in the garden—and—they are problem solvers for less-than-ideal sites in the yard....
The Many Uses of Roses
Gertrude Stein famously wrote, “A rose is a rose is a rose.” You can't really argue with that, unless you want to split hairs. However, her implication seems to be that a rose is just a beautiful flower and that's all, end of story....
How To Grow Exotic Air Plants
All they need is the air they breathe, bright light—but no direct sun—and a bath two to three times a week. Do not add soil; they’ll just hang out wherever you plop them down and in whatever container you plop them in....
Is Your Landscaping Pet Approved?
Backyard landscaping isn’t just for the birds (and raccoons and squirrels). Pets need a safe place to frolic and have fun too. It’s good for their mental and physical well being – plus the more hair they shed outside the less ends up on your couch. ...
