Backyard landscaping is not just positioning plants in your backyard. Consider it as an art, a masterpiece that shows your creativity and personality. There are three elements in landscaping your backyard: structure, area and texture of your plants.
Structure refers to the form of the plant and the arrangement of the branches. Plants, such as trees, come in different shapes. This ranges from the hanging form of the white bark willow, to the stiff form of the Lombardy poplar trees.
The second element of backyard landscaping is the area. This refers to the visual flow and the arrangement of plants in the backyard. The movement of the eyes is affected by different grouping of the plants.
Texture is also an important component of backyard landscaping. The texture of the plant refers to appearance of the plant as it is perceived with the other plants surrounding it. A good example is the texture of marigolds can be distinguished as rough or smooth when grouped with other plants.
Knowing that we have defined the elements of backyard landscaping, you can now begin putting this knowledge to use. Below are more tips on how you can landscape your backyard.
Planning
Make a list of the needed materials and tools to redesign your backyard. Most importantly, you need to list the plants that you wish to place in the area. Do not forget to include a list plants that you can substitute in case your preferred plants are not obtainable.
Organize a schedule for the construction process and outline the process according to priority. Creating a schedule helps you estimate the time the landscaping process will consume. Most landscaping projects can be done in a week or two.
Selecting the Plants
Apply what you have learned about the elements of backyard landscaping that were mentioned earlier. There are many kinds of plants that work well in a group. The pattern of the plants should create a 3D effect and should look well from all perspectives.
Remember to be creative. You can use themes on your backyard. These may involve a country, romantic or tropical theme or others.
Make it work the Construction Process
Prepare the soil where you will plant your selected plants. One method you can use is by creating an elevated bed. You can pile soil or use rocks to do this. Creating an elevated bed also helps you solve the problem of losing excess water when irrigating the plants.
Generally, the best period to plant foliage or trees is during the months of October and November. Plants can develop sturdy roots during the winter season prior to development of other parts during the spring.
Bill McRea is the publisher of Garden Facts also Garden Decor and Landscape Trees Landscaping and Gardening with information and products.
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Most people don’t think of Fall as a time for planting new landscaping and garden plants. To most, it’s time to put garden ventures to sleep until Spring. While it may not seem so, Fall planting of trees, shrubs, Perennials, bulbs, and cool weather grasses like Fescue is a very good idea.
Roots of newly planted plants and trees can continue to grow and become established in temperatures as low as 40 degrees. And since the roots don’t have to supply the rest of the plant with energy to grow, more energy is focused on root production. Come Springtime, because of an established root system, plants shoot out of the ground with plenty of energy for top growth.
Soil Temperature
Planting in the fall, soil temperatures are still warm from a long Summer. The warmer soil temperature encourages root growth.
In the Spring, the soil is still cool from the Winter and roots are very slow to become established. Even if you grow plants from seed indoors and transplant outside when the temperature warms, new sprouts still don’t have the advantage of Fall planted plants.
When Exactly Is Fall?
The Fall season officially begins with the equinox in late September. However, Fall weather varies considerably from one part of the country to the next. Basically, the best period for fall planting is around six weeks before the first hard frost in your area. You can get an idea of the average first frost date near your area from here: http://www.almanac.com/garden/frostus.php Just keep in mind that the roots need to have time to become established before Winter sets in.
Autumn Bloomers
Fall isn’t just a time to put the garden to sleep and start getting ready for Spring. The growing season isn’t quite over yet. You can add color and new life to the garden by replacing dying Summer Annuals and Perennials with Autumn blooming plants like Pansies, Chrysanthemums, and Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Marigolds, and others.
It’s also the time to plant spring flowering bulbs and divide Perennials.
Written by Steve Boulden. Steve is the creator of The Landscape Design Site which offers free professional landscaping ideas, plans, and information. For more free information on landscaping and growing plants, visit his site at: http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com/plantselection.html
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Does it seem that with every passing year it’s getting harder and harder to find good paying jobs? If you think so, you’re not alone in your thoughts. In fact, this is a common complaint that many people have and it is even
worse for those that do not have a college education.
Jobs are not bountiful right now and even college graduates
sometimes find themselves waiting tables for a year or two
after they receive their diploma before they are able to
find a job. So, with the work force becoming tougher and
tougher to break into, what are you going to do about it?
Give up or fight back? Well, the best way to ensure you will
get hired at great jobs is to attend college. A degree is
incredibly important, but it’s not a guarantee for getting a
job. Luckily, there are things you can do while in college
to beef up your resume and make you stand out amongst all
the other applicants.
First of all, learn a foreign language. Learn two if
possible. If you don’t know right now how important this is,
you will understand once you’re trying to enter the work
force. Many jobs are requiring applicants to speak at least
one other language and you won’t want to be turned away
because you don’t. So, sign yourself up for Spanish, Italian
or Arabic and become fluent if you want your resume to
outshine the others.
Secondly, and I can’t stress enough - apply for internships.
If you want to be a writer, find a local magazine and intern
there for a few hours every week. Not only will this
provide you with invaluable hands on experience but it will
also get your foot in the door when you’re applying for
writing jobs. If you’re a marketing major, do an internship
at a restaurant that is just opening or work at a local
television station if you’re major is broadcasting. Do an
internship for as long as you can throughout your college
years. Trust me, this will look fantastic on your resume and
will automatically put you ahead of any other applicant that
doesn’t have the same experience.
Lastly, get involved in your community and college. You
might think human resource people don’t look at volunteer
activities or hold student government activity with high
regard but they usually do. Put any extra-curricular
activities like this that you’ve done on your resume when
you’re looking for jobs. Employers like to know that
applicants are well-rounded and volunteering makes you
look
like you’re an outstanding member of the community and
student government involvement demonstrates that you
have
potential to be a great leader.
If you follow these tips, getting good jobs will come much
easier regardless of what the employment rate is when
you graduate. So, don’t get discouraged-just make a vow to
become the best version of you possible and be confident
in your abilities and skills. All prospective employers will
be impressed with that and who knows - you just might get
your dream position after all!
Eva Perkoski is enthusiastic about jobs and
is the originator of Fore
Jobs
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