Yard Ideas Blog

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. Read More

Most of us have an established yardwork routine. This is especially true for mowing. We start in the same spot every week, take the same paths, cut the same rows in the same order, and end in the same spot every time. Then maybe if you're up for it, you break out the trimmer and take down those scraggly weeds around the fenceposts or trees. Then you blow it clean and call it a day. Read More

What Makes a Garden Organic? - An organic garden is one in which you do not use synthetic products on the plants or soil. Synthetic products include things such as pesticides and fertilizers. Essentially, an organic garden is designed to replenish the resources it uses. Read More

Drainage is a huge consideration when it comes to almost any landscaping project. One professional landscaper I know has told me that drainage is far and away the top item that he fields calls about. Seems like everyone thinks they have some sort of drainage problem… but do they really? Read More

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! Read More

A lot of us look at our gorgeously-planted and perfectly-manicured yards and think, I could just about live out here.; Well, for many wild animals, your landscape really is their home. And inviting the local wildlife to hang out and share our outdoor spaces is just another way to get a lot of enjoyment out of a beautiful yard. Read More

When was the last time you stood on the street and took a good long look back at your house? The front yard is the statement you make to the rest of the world; is it saying what you want it to? Read More

One of the main reasons a lot of us do not spend more time outside is the heat. No matter how great your yard is, who wants to go hang out and get battered by the blazing hot sun? Shade is a necessity for any landscape that’s meant to be enjoyed. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that there’s a part of your yard right now that you would use more often… if only there was some shade overhead. Read More

So you finally created that perfect little spot in the backyard, just in time for summer. Maybe it is a big flagstone patio for parties, maybe it is a brand new deck, or maybe a cozy little terrace made from tumbled pavers. Looks great. Lots of room. Nice seating. Can’t wait to use it. But isn’t something missing? Read More

My daughter came home from kindergarten announcing that we needed a vegetable garden. The class had dropped a few seeds in some plastic cups and set them on the windowsill. A few days later, I’d been recruited to become Farmer Brown. Read More