Bark Mulch is not only a way to protect your flowers and create a layer of weed control but it is also a great way to decorate a space, tie in flower beds or create lovely walking paths through a garden or yard.

There are a number of different types of bark mulch including:

• Hemloch Bark Mulch:  This is one of the more popular mulch, it provides a vibrant color that ranges from a dark brown to a brownish red.  The mulch is usually preferred since it has a very beautiful smell and it decomposes slowly. This means, less time spent replenishing your mulch.  Another bonus with Hemloch Bark Mulch is that it is a “sliver-free” mulch and it provides all the benefits to your garden that other mulches do.
• Douglas Fir Bark Mulch: Another popular product that can bring a rich dark chocolate color with a hint of red to your garden.  It is a versatile mulch and it can be used for all of the same reasons that you would use any other mulch.  One of the biggest bonuses for Douglas Fir Bark Mulch is that you can purchase it as a shredded mulch and also as a nugget.
• Pine Bark Mulch:  This is one of the more cost effective mulches that you can buy.  It has a reddish brown color and is usually used to cover larger areas since it is a cheaper alternative to other bark mulches.
• Cedar Bark Mulch:  There are several types of Cedar Bark Mulch but one of the best cedar mulches is the Western Red Cedar Bark Mulch.  It is a reddish brown in color with just a slight touch of orange and has an excellent smell to it.  Cedar Bark Mulch is one of the most weather resistant of all mulches and you will find that fewer pieces will blow away during a wind storm.  The product also has a natural herbicide in the bark that helps control weeds in your garden.

And that was a run down of a few bark mulches that you can purchase.  If you are looking for cost effective, go with a pine mulch but if price is no deterrent, then by all means go with whatever will look good in your landscaped space.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit

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Now besides me coming off as a completely impatient woman that is almost unbearable, I thought I would look at planning a landscape for the future. This is a great way to continually build on your yard and to see improvements each year without having to wait for all the trees and bushes to mature and for everything else to fall into place.

When you sketch your garden out on a piece of paper, you will probably be sketching for the end result of your landscaping, taking into account full sizes for trees, plants and anything else that you are putting in.  The whole problem with this type of planning is that you will end up having  a lot of empty spaces for several years since it takes time for a landscaped yard to take full effect.  So, instead of dealing with all those gaps, plan your landscape for the future.

First, before you do anything else, take a look at your end design. How big is it? how big are the plants that you are putting in?  If they are larger sized plants and shrubs, then you aren’t going to need to plan for the future garden too much. If you are starting with young plants, you are going to have a few years to wait for them to grow to the desired size.

Now that you have accessed that, take your garden plan and chop your garden beds into thirds.  This is the best way to plan a garden.  In the center are the taller bushes and perennials that are going to take some time to grow.  When you get outside and put your plan to good use, you will want to dig out the first ring of gardens for the first year.

Fill that first tier of planting with the desired plants and to deal with some of the sparseness, plant some annuals as filler.  The second or even third year, move out to the next level and expand your flower beds.  Repeat what you did during the first year by adding the new plants that you wanted and filling in with annuals.  This is also a great time to reassess what your gardening goals are and you can make some changes now instead of being stuck with a space that you just don’t like.

Lastly, finish the third tier of planting after another year or two.  I am using the word tier just to differentiate between the expansions of the garden but it can be a level garden you are planning.  Again, fill in with plants and annuals and then sit back and let the garden grow.

This may seem a bit more work but it gives you a chance to see how your garden is working and it will also stretch out the costs of landscaping through several years.

Below is a sketch of how to plan for the future garden.  Please bear in mind that it is the levels I’m illustrating and I am by no means an artist.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Now, I can’t really help with that but I can help with the difficulty of drawing in all those different geometric shapes onto a piece of graph paper.  Whenever I try to sketch something out, I try to remember every little detail my teacher taught me in grade 10 drafting.  Needless to say, my shapes are a little wonky, my dimensions are usually inaccurate and I just shake my head in dismay that I can’t fit everything in. 

Landscaping programs are perfect for alleviating this problem.  It is very easy to punch in dimensions of your yard, and get to planning from there.  There are many landscaping programs that you can purchase and all of them have good points and bad.  One of the biggest detractors to landscaping programs is the cost but there is a free online landscaping program that you can use to plan your landscaping.

This program is offered by Better Homes and Gardens and it is called “Plan-a-Garden.”  The program itself is very basic.  There are 3 plans to choose from and one blank plan where you can create your own shape.  For all of the plans, all you need to do is click and drag to change the actual measurements. 

After you have your general shape and dimension of your space, you can start adding to the space.  The program offers you plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, accents, structures and garden beds for the graph.  All of the items can be changed in size to reflect the plant or accent that you are thinking of putting in. 

This is a great program since it is free and it can help you with a rough idea of what you would like to see in your space.  It is very easy to use and all you need to know is how to click and drag your mouse.  Another bonus is the ability to save plans to open later.  This saves a lot of time if you decide to change something last minute and want to incorporate it onto your plan.  Simply open up a saved garden and you are ready to fix it.

One negative to this program is that you need to register to use it.  This leaves you open for excess mail to your email account such as the latest news and promotions that is happening at Better Homes and Garden.  The other detractor is the limited shapes of items.  A patio is square, a walkway is straight and a pool is kidney shaped.  If you are going for a circular patio made with a mosaic of flagstones or a winding walkway through a maze like garden, well, it is better for you to pull out the graph paper and get sketching.

Still, for a free program with little fuss, this is an excellent online landscaping tool that I would recommend.

Sirena Van Schaik

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I find that I tend to gather ideas like that.  Passing by a house and seeing how well an idea works for them that I feel the need to rush out and copy it.  This idea was very simple and made use of cinder blocks and impatients.

The owners of the house had created two large flower beds on either side of the stairs leading up to the front yard, something that tends to be pretty standard for a lot of homes.  Instead of relying on a simple plant to create the boarder of the flower bed, the person took regular cinder blocks and placed them along the flowerbeds with the hollow portion of the blocks facing up.

A passerbyer would only see the dark grey stone and the flowers and shrubbery that peeked over the top of the stones and alone it might not have been that interesting.  That is if they had kept to just the border.  Instead, they took the cinder blocks and built up a mini stair case going up the sides of the stairs in an interlocking pattern.  Once the blocks were in place, the cinder blocks were filled with soil, and an impatient was placed into each one to create a boarder/planter out of each block.  The effect was amazing and it really made me think of different ways to use this little idea.

I felt the overwhelming need to share so that is what I did.  Lately, I have seen a big move to living mosses on stairs but this took the idea to a new level and instead of having to worry about moss tripping guests, the homeowner was able to create a different sort of steps leading to the house and also create a frame for the garden around the front door.

So if you are looking for an inventive way to do your edging, I would strongly suggest cinder blocks and a nice flower that can rest securely in each one.

Sirena Van Schaik

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This can be done in a variety of spaces from the home spa (also commonly known as the bathroom), gyms, hiking or an all time favorite, the back deck or pool.  It really isn’t shocking to find out that everyone has their own special place for reflection and that for many, nature can be the biggest tools for unwinding.  Unfortunately, this isn’t a blog about creating a perfect bathroom spa, and believe me, I have the designs already in place – I just need to win the lottery, so I will have to go with something that is just as great.  Designing a backyard space or more specifically, using a pergola to make that space of reflection.

Pergolas can provide the perfect area for a place of reflection and although they can be used to create a diversity of spaces, one of my favorite uses for a pergola is in this capacity since they can accommodate so many elements.

You can build a pergola to reflect the need of any space but when you are creating a private reflection space, it is suggested to keep the space and the pergola small.  Since the overall affect is different for everyone, you should only follow this as a loose guideline to creating your own reflection space.

For me personally, I prefer to have a quiet place to sit and relax; maybe a spot in the shade to read.  Since my meditation will come in the form of the written word, a perfect setting would be one with sun dappled shade and a pergola of dark wood nestled into a horseshoe flower bed filled with tall perennials.  A small pond may rest to one side but the main focal point would be the climbing roses that grace the top of the pergola itself.

Comfortable wicker chairs and a small table would complete the space under the pergola and a lush carpet of grass would grace the floor since nothing is more relaxing to me than feeling my toes sink into cool grass.  The water would be for reflection, the chairs for comfort, the flowers and gardens for nature and the pergola for the seclusion that I was looking for.  Having an extra chair or two would make it a multi functional space where a friend or loved one could curl up beside me and chat but the main point would be the calm.

And that would be my perfect reflection spot.  Of course, there could be other ways to create it with more water, such as a small stream running beside it and a Asian water garden theme.  It could be a place of meditation, completely free of any furniture except a small mat to preform yoga on.

It can be nestled into a corner of a corner or resting on the highest grade of the garden but the main theme that would shine through would be that it was a place to rest.  A spot to take a moment, inhale the fragrant garden around it while you refresh yourself from the busy schedule of meetings, grocery shopping, errand running and if you are a parent, all the things that go hand in hand with children.

So if you are looking to create a space for reflection, what better structure than a pergola could you use?

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 

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This need for privacy has created a growing market for privacy fencing and other products that separate backyard oasis from the busy world outside.  Unfortunately, privacy fences are not always the most attractive thing in the world to grace a yard.  Thankfully, though; there are things that you can do to create both the privacy and elegance for your space.

Using Foliage:

Of course, one of the most basic things that you can do is to use foliage as either a privacy wall in itself or to cover up a privacy fence.  Dense privacy shrubs can provide a living screen for a yard and can be purchased in varieties that need very limited care.

If you need a fence, for things such as keeping your pets in the yard, but don’t want to see it, simply cover it up with large bushes, evergreen tress and shrubbery or climbing plants.  There is a lot that you can do to cover up a privacy fence and you can incorporate it all into the overall theme of your landscaping.

Elegant Blind-spots:

Although  most privacy fencing is done to the complete yard, there really isn’t a  need to do so.  You can create privacy areas for entertaining or relaxing by using decorative screens.  Mount them in flower beds and you will have elegant partitions that also serve as a focal point to your landscaping.

Screens:

Lastly, use backyard screens.  These can be simple from a trellis to extravagant, such as a decorative wooden room divider.  You can add a touch of rustic with built in wooden planters or make it whimsical with thin metal framing.

Screening can also be done by using large flower beds with tall perennials or with trees.

There are many ways to combine practical and ornate when it comes to privacy fencing and it is simply a matter of finding what works best for you and your space.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 

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Hidden treasures are really what brings a landscaping design together. Sure you can make a pretty spectacular landscape with large bold statements that can be seen by all but it lacks a special something that personalizes the whole space. There are many ways to add hidden treasures in your landscaping ideas and these can be:

• Vases or urns: Hide them in plain sight or in places where no one will even think to look. I came across one home that had urns filled with brightly colored flowers tucked beneath some vibrant green foliage. A quick glance didn’t really show the layers of textures and colors but when you sat down in the space, you picked out the subtler details and the effect was beautiful.
• Secret Gardens: Mini gardens or little oasis in your landscaping plans are excellent ideas too. This can be extravagant to something as simple as a small bird feeder or bird bath nestled into a shady spot under a cove of small trees. A person jogging down the walkway may not notice this little oasis but if he was meandering, he might be surprised by this little secret world that you created in amongst your greenery.
• Add some exotics: Having a few rare blooms or greenery can also be a nice touch. Not everyone will get the rarity but for those who do, you will enjoy surprised exclamations when they notice the little treat.
• Personalize: A few personal touches, things that you love can be a great way to add a hidden treasure to your garden. This could be with stepping stones, wind chimes, candles or anything else that would be a treasure to you. I know when I was about 10, my dad and I went on a hunting trip in British Columbia where I grew up. We were passing this huge field that sloped down the side of a mountain when I had this urge to go for a hike. My dad grumbled about it but climbed out thinking that maybe I saw a deer and didn’t tell him (I did that a lot on hunting trips). We didn’t find any deer but what we did find was this breathtaking boulder that had split completely in the middle. I had him lug this 40 pound rock back up the side of the mountain and when we got home it found a cherished space in one of our flower beds. It became a hidden treasure with a personal story and even when we sold the house, we took that rock with us.

And there are a few ways to add hidden treasures to your landscaping ideas.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 

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When I was a little kid, I remember spending summers helping my parents add plants, build up gardens, set up bird areas and even build a patio.  I hated it, or thought I did and I never really understood why so much effort was put into the landscaping around the house.  I mean, we never spent much time in the yard, except when we were working in it and most of our time was spent out of the house and yard.

It wasn’t until much later, when I was sitting in a seating area beside a lovely Koi pond that my husband’s coworker had built that I truly understood what the importance of landscaping is.  We were quietly enjoying the candles reflecting in the water and the soft gurgle of the man-made waterfall when his wife leaned over to me and said, “My husband made this in memory of my daughter.” 

I was stunned to silence, not sure what to say but as I watched her face and the ease that she could sit in such a blessed space, I finally understood why people landscape. 

Sure it can be about raising the value but I really believe that it is about creating a space that means something to the individual.  A tree that was planted to provide privacy may also have some hidden reason that reflects the landscaper.  It can be functional or decorative but there is some meaning to it.

I am happy to be blogging here and although I am not be a professional landscaper, I hope to bring something to the savvy landscaper.  An insight, maybe, that was gathered at the edges of a Koi pond and one that I have put into any landscaping ideas that I have had since.

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Activities For Altering Land

Landscaping involves a number of activities common to all of which is giving an improved and pleasing look and feel to a particular area. Landforms and terrains are altered for their shape, elevation and the position of water bodies. Gardening is a central feature of most landscape designs because plants and flowers add a lot to the beauty of the place. Another important element of creating attractive landscapes is the modification or introduction of human elements i.e. fences, buildings or any other manmade structures and objects. Finally, the effects of certain abstract components of a landform, like weather and lighting, are skillfully introduced or modified in order to impart a brilliant look to the place. Landscaping is thus a blend of an understanding of natural elements and human creation used in combination for improving the aesthetic appeal of land.

Landscaping Through History  

The exact origin of landscaping is hard to determine and it is thought that the art existed in some preliminary form among the earliest humans. The conscious development of the practice of shaping land as an art is generally traced back to the ancient Greece. Renowned Greek scientists and philosopher Thales is said to have reflected on the nature and scope of landscaping. Unlike some of his students, Thales believed that any aspect (and not physical features only) of a land that affected the visual perception of humans could be the subject of modifying the view of that land. Later, Plato and Aristotle endorsed Thales’ view of modifying land. In the 17th century, European philosophers debated the visual aspect of beauty as the rightful object of landscaping. By the mid 20th century, there was a general agreement over the absence of any objectively definable standards of beauty and many experimental effects have been appreciated as fitting in with the desirable effects of landscape shaping.

Significance In Human Life

Landscaping is attributed a great deal of significance in daily human life. It is a form of art that brings greater beauty and joy to one’s living place. Modifying land for the better shows a heightened consciousness to the physical surroundings and their effect on human life. In addition, landscaping has been found as an ideal mean of relieving stress. Also, manipulating land creatively is a way of learning, experimenting and skill-building.

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Formal Landscape Design

In the formal form of arranging a garden or any area, one can see order if the landscape that has been made or is to be made. The plants and flowers chosen are usually chosen with care to complement each other and because they bring out the features of the landscape that they are planted on. Formal landscaping usually has low hedges or low walls to separate flower beds in an orderly fashion. Some formal garden designs are patterns that are geometric in shape and form. The essence of formal landscaping is to have a sort of order that is hard to miss.

Water structures as well as other stone or wooden structures are also found in formal landscaping designs. Stone is a common medium used in formal gardens since they add a touch of class and elegance. Most formally landscaped areas are larger than most since the beauty and order of the formal garden needs to be seen in a larger picture.

Informal Landscaping

The art of informal landscaping is actually not as easy as you might think. Although, informal landscaping features a jumble of plants and landscape structures, there is a certain order in the jumble. Many professional landscape designers also have to consider the area and the preferences of the homeowner when making and informal garden design. Informal landscaping is more like letting the garden run its natural course with some guidance. By culturing the plants in a natural way, without any large scale pruning or trimming, you the gardener actually lets the garden have some semblance of disorder which is natural in nature.

Landscaping can be a very interesting project for those who wish to do it themselves. The actual process of planning the area to be landscaped as well as making the design which you will base on the basic lay of the land is a worthy project that a homeowner can tackle. Not only will you have fun planning your garden or your yard but you will also enjoy maintaining your garden after the entire landscaping project has been finished.

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