Many homeowners enjoy the plentiful, lush look of an English garden. If you're one of them, or want to learn more about English garden design there are many resources out there. An English garden is known for its distinctive look, which is deceptively haphazard. In fact, there is much planning that goes into this type of garden design, and the casual look is achieved on purpose. There are some steps to take before you are ready to plant your English style garden. The first is to choose your colors.

When designing one of these gardens, you will want to pick around four colors to serve as your basic color scheme. If you want contrast, choose colors that oppose one another. For a more coordinated look, you might want different shades of the same color or colors. When it comes to choosing colors, you are in luck because the flowers normally seen in an English garden are found in many different shades and hues. Common English garden flowers include foxglove, roses, daisies and climbing plants. This brings us to the use of vertical space in the English garden.

Many English style gardens feature lattice work or trellis accessories on which climbing plants and flowers can thrive. Morning glory and clematis are two examples of climbing blooms, while ivy is a very popular plant for an English garden. You want the tallest plants in the back, the medium height plants and flowers in the middle, and the shortest ones in front. While you can vary the sizes for a more thrown together look, you don't want to obscure view of any part of the garden. It is even possible to get the look of an English garden using containers that are strategically placed.

There are many resources out there that can help you create your English garden design. For example, just by browsing through Google Images you can see photos of other gardens that you may want to copy in some way. There are also great books with step by step instructions on when, where and what to plant to achieve the results in the book. Try something like The English Garden by Ursula Buchan, English Cottage Gardening: For American Gardeners, Revised Edition by Margaret Hensel and Tasha Tudor, or Creating a Cottage Garden in North America by Stephen Westcott-Gratton and Paddy Wales. These are just a few of the books published on this subject that may help you.

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215 651 8329 http://www.seedlingsrus.com http://www.digatree.com http://www.huntingrelics.com Groundcovers for Steep Slopes
Steep slopes present both challenges and wonderful opportunities for landscaping. Steep banks can be difficult and dangerous to mow. Erosion can be a serious problem if vegetation is not established. South facing slopes may warm up and dry out quicker than other areas, while north facing slopes may be cooler than surrounding areas. So, what are your options if you have a steep incline in your yard that presents maintenance problems?

First, determine the existing conditions. Which direction does the bank face? Is it shady or sunny? Then, decide if you want a formal, manicured look or a more natural look.

If you prefer a well-maintained look, plant low growing groundcovers other than grass. Numerous plants are available that will blanket the ground, protecting it from erosion and remaining neat throughout the year with little or no maintenance. Low growing species of juniper (prostrate juniper) will do well in many sunny, drier locations. They spread rapidly and vary in texture and color from blues to greens. In shady spots, the non-native pachysandra often does well. This plant remains green throughout the winter and spreads easily. Wintercreeper is another non-native but hardy plant that grows in sun and partial shade. Varieties are available that have white or gold variegated leaves. Yet another possibility is periwinkle—actually a Vinca species—known for its blue or white flowers. Check with a local nursery for species that are best suited for your area.

When planting groundcovers on slopes, try to avoid planting into bare soil. This may not be possible with new construction. In this case, mulch around the plants with an organic mulch to help retain water and prevent erosion. If you have existing sod, it is preferable to kill the sod and plant into it. This limits the potential for serious erosion before the new groundcover becomes established. You may want to mulch around the plants so the area looks neat. Providing extra water while establishing your plants greatly enhances success during dry periods.

If you prefer a more natural look, plant wildflowers and native grasses on slopes. Once established, these natural plantings can provide season long color, food, and shelter for birds and butterflies. Periodic mowing may be needed to control growth and keep woody shrubs and trees from becoming established. Check on local ordinances dealing with unmowed areas.

Terraces provide another option for steep slopes. Terraces provide architectural interest as well as opportunities for extensive gardens. They can vary considerably in cost--depending on the materials used and the area to be terraced. Terraces must be installed properly to ensure the stability of the slope. Check on local ordinances and building codes if considering a terrace. When contracting for the work, use a reliable, competent professional.

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Landscape Design and Consultation services. Online Landscape Design work availible.

Reasons for getting a Landsape Design:
- Comparing different landscape contractor bids and pricing.
- Avoid big problems later.
- Style landscape to match home.
- Create unity and flow through landscape.
- Provides ability to work in phases with budget (without yard looking choppy and not well thought out)
- Reduce irrigation expenses
- Focus on low maintenance.
- Provide color all season.
- Improves home value.

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http://www.WatchMojo.com video on how to decor your garden-ideas for different size gardens

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Landscaping of our backyard. Stamped concrete with brick retaining wall. + night lights in the wall.

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My husband and I have been in our house for 2 1/2 yrs, and still haven't worked on the landscaping. Being our first home, I don't have much experience w/ designing lndscp. Any ideas?

Hi, there's a lot of interactive programs you can download for free. If you search online, look for one called realtime landscaping. You download it, you can even take a picture of your own house and pick your plants, trees etc. Some will even let you "walk through the yard" and "see" what it looks like.

Do you know any sites that has good landscaping pictures to get ideas? I have planted 6 fruit trees, and now need to do the landscaping and the ground work to cover the dirt and make it look nice.

If i don't cover the dirt, weed keeps growing and dried grass. Pls help, thanks!

Go to bhg.com (Better Homes and Gardens). They have landscaping plans for all types of yards and conditions, along with substitute plants for the ones they list in some of them. They also have a program on their site where you can create your own plan by plugging in the dimensions of your yard and adding plants the size you want to see how it will look.

One good way to keep the weeds from coming through is to put down black plastic before you plant. Fasten it down well (we cut about 6" lengths of wire and bend them like staples), cut holes in it where you want your plants, and plant them through it. You can cover it with mulch once you've finished to hide the plastic. The plastic also holds in moisture and heat, so you won't have to water as often.

I would like a rough estimate on installing the following in the backyard of a 50x115 foot lot:

Grass
A few trees/shrubs
BBQ

You can do it for next to nothing if you do it yourself, and buy small plants and wait for them to grow into their spots. If you want big plants now, it'll be about 5-10 times as much outlay for the plant material.

Seeding grass is a fraction of the cost of laying sod. So again, if you need instant gratification, it'll cost more.

Hardscaping is the most expensive - cost depends on what you want.

The tasks performed by professional landscape garden designers are varied depending on the needs of the client. Of course the main objective when landscaping any area is to make the most of it through clever design strategies. One thing you might not know is that professional garden landscapers spend less time outdoors than many people think. Much of their time is spent in their office, consulting with other professionals and designing landscape blueprints using sophisticated computer software. This software gives them a virtual picture and lets them design a landscape to perfection.

Many pro garden designers belong to associations and organizations that uphold them to stringent quality standards. You might want to check online for such organizations in your state, as they can refer you to accomplished garden designers. Also, you can have your garden landscaped by many nurseries and garden centers. You may want to check around to see who offers the best price for what you want. Some landscapers will charge per project, others per hour and some per square foot. If you find that hiring a pro is too expensive for your budget, there are some tasks you may be able to accomplish yourself.

If you want to do some garden landscaping on your own, first do what the pros would do. Take a close look at your outdoor area and where you want your garden to be placed. After you've designated an area, take measurements to find out the dimensions of your garden. This will help you figure out how many plants and flowers you need, and how much border material you require if you are using a border. Popular materials for creating a border include stone, brick, plastic, wood and metal. So there are many options when it comes to barriers for your garden.

For those who want to become landscape garden designers, you will need the right education and training. A landscape architect must complete a minimum of four years of college to get their Bachelor's degree. If you want to work less on the planning aspects and more on the gardening itself, consider studying botany and horticulture. Maybe you just want to learn more about gardening as a hobby. If so, classes can help, as can instructional books and websites. There are many options in the world of landscape design and gardening for you to explore.

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A good yard landscaping idea is one that everybody can make use of. There are numerous different yard landscaping concepts and a lot of them are very good but to find the one which is best for you and that's just what your yard wishes may take some reading. This paper will help you to find the perfect yard landscaping concept for your house. A good yard landscaping concept is to use evergreens. The employment of these fantastic trees will do o much for any yard.

They'll add a stately nature to the feeling of your house while keeping it friendly and warm. Many folks like to use deciduous trees in the yard and this is usually a good idea but it's the evergreens that may give the yard the structure and the stableness that it wants for a good yard landscaping idea and design. You want to search for a backyard landscaping idea like the one above which will provide advantage to you all year long.

Deciduous trees won't be beautiful in all seasons, most maybe, although not all. Evergreens on the other hand are always wonderful and they look as stunning in winter as they are doing in the summertime and this is the reason why they make for such a great yard landscaping idea. The key to any great landscaping design is to get a backyard landscaping concept like this that will keep your yard engaging irrespective of what time of the year it is.

Another good backyard landscaping idea is by utilising hardscape. This is the utilisation of stuff like rocks, fences and walls. These can make your yard look extremely fascinating during all the seasons. You may have climbing plants on it in the summertime and spring and pretty trees around it which will look good in winter. When looking out for a good yard landscaping concept you want to search for other alternatives besides just plants. There is way more to landscaping than simply plants and trees. Walls and fences can frame your property wonderfully and using them is a great yard landscaping idea because they'll simply accent your other fantastic yard landscaping ideas. They can frame your yard as a picture frame frames a beautiful painting.

Look at this type of yard landscaping idea as well in your hunt for the one.

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