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Butterfly Gardening
Copyright © 2005 Jane Lake All Rights Reserved Butterfly gardening is not only a joy, it is one way that you can help restore declining butterfly populations. Simply adding a few new plants to your backyard may attract dozens of different...
Is a Landscape Architect Really Necessary?
Many people feel that when they are ready to design a landscape, that a landscape architect is necessary. They do not feel that their natural tastes or inclinations are “correct,” and they feel that they may irrevocably ruin their yard if they...
Pictures Of Landscaping - Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.
One of the most common searches on my site is for pictures of
landscaping. So I know that a lot of folks rely on photos of
other peoples designs to get ideas. But at the same time, while
I do have a large picture directory of other peoples...
Preparing to Build Wooden Fences in the Landscape
While chain link fences are use in some landscapes, most people prefer to make use of wooden fences when building an attractive landscape. This is because wood is a rather versatile material that can be made to look a variety of ways. Installing...
Viburnums: Shrubs With All Season Interest
Viburnums: Shrubs with All Season Interest Viburnums are the
most attractive, versatile, adaptable shrubs for any landscape.
They can be used as hedges or screens and in mixed
perennial/shrub borders. They can also stand alone as...
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A Compost Primer
Most gardeners and landscapers will agree almost unanimously that the single best thing you can do for your lawn is to add compost. Good, organic compost can remedy almost any problem you have with your soil. If you soil is too acidic, adding compost will help neutralize it and bring it back to a proper pH level. If your soil is too alkaline, ditto! Adding compost will help balance the alkalinity in the soil. If you live in an area with a lot of heavy clay, adding compost will help loosen and aerate the soil. If you live in a coastal or southern area with a lot of sand, adding compost will help bind it together. Soil lacking nutrients? Add compost to add new life to overworked soil.
So how do you make compost? It’s easier than you can imagine and cheaper than anything else you will do. How cheap? How about free! All composting is, is the natural decomposition of organic matter. Walk through a dense forest and take a deep handful of soil from under your feet. Notice how black and rich it is. It didn’t get that way from fertilizers or manure. It got that way from all the decomposing organic matter. A forest takes care of itself by recycling. It recycles every leaf, branch, berry, and bush. It does this quite simply. All the organic and living matter in the forest decomposes into compost which feeds the existing plants (and some animals!).
In the forest, when leaves fall from the trees, they all gather on the forest floor. In storms, branches may fall, as well as entire trees. This creates layers of organic matter on the forest floor. Eventually it rains
adding fuel to the mixture. The rain aids the microbes that begin to eat the organic matter, eventually turning it into the rich, thick carpet you see on the forest floor. This compost feeds the living trees and other plants providing nutrients that rival the best fertilizers.
You can emulate the forest by creating your own compost. Avoid store bought compost, especially those made from manure. There’s nothing natural about spreading rotted and decomposed cow feces on your lawn or garden. It’s actually pretty gross! Especially considering the number of chemicals and steroids that are given to cattle and cows in the United States. If you must purchase or acquire compost from somewhere else, call your local municipal office. Many municipalities have their own composting facilities and they give away the compost to their residents for free! In our township, for example, all the leaves that are gathered in the fall from the local streets, are mulched up and composted in a huge field. In a year or two, once the leaves have thoroughly composted, we are permitted to haul away as much compost as we like! The only catch is that we must load it ourselves, but this is a small price to pay for free, organic mulch.
About the Author
Dean Novosat is an avid gardener and landscaper. He has transformed many boring yards into beautiful landscapes. He has several websites including http://www.the-garden-doctor.com and http://www.dr-landscape.com.
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Landscaping Ideas | Landscape Design | Landscaping Pictures |
Information for homeowners on hardscape and softscape elements in landscape design. Includes a chat room and forum. |
landscaping.about.com |
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Gardening - Landscaping |
Design a landscape that works best with your yard, deck and home. |
www.homeandfamilynetwork.com |
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Gardening |
Find all the information you need to plan and design a beautiful garden for your landscape. Get zone maps, garden plans and the plant and flower index to ... |
www.homeandfamilynetwork.com |
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Landscaping - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an ... Landscaping also refers to building a model landscape such as model train ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Landscape architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
The activities of a landscape architect can range from the creation of ... Landscape designers, like garden designers, design all types of planting and ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Gardening Landscaping & Design - Landscape Gardening for Patios ... |
Learn more about landscape gardening and design for patios and decks from Home & Garden Television. |
www.hgtv.com |
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EERE Consumer's Guide: Landscaping |
On average, landscaping for energy efficiency provides enough energy savings ... Use energy-efficient landscaping strategies based on your regional climate. ... |
www.eere.energy.gov |
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Planning the Home Landscape |
Advice and tips for planning, preparing, and constructing a new landscape area. |
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu |
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Landscaping Ideas, Designs, Pictures and Plans for the Home. |
Respond?s community provides landscaping ideas for the home. Find landscaping designs, pictures and plans to help you design the best landscape for your ... |
landscaping.respond.com |
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Landscape Design Services and Earth-Friendly Garden Products for ... |
Landscaping resource for the do-it-yourself homeowner featuring interactive online landscape design. |
clearwaterlandscapes.com |
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Landscaping & Design |
Turn your yard into a spectacular showpiece, whether you're planning all-new landscaping or hoping to update a flower bed. |
www.bhg.com |
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Great Lakes Environment: Greenacres-Green Landscaping |
A key source of Great Lakes environmental information. |
www.epa.gov |
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Landscaping - Outdoors - homesite.com.au |
Landscaping - homesite.com.au, Australia’s No.1 home and garden web site. |
www.homesite.com.au |
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H2ouse.org : Tour : Landscaping |
Attractive gardens and landscape add to the value of your home and bring ... Upgrade the look of your landscape by learning the how-to's of proper lawn care ... |
www.h2ouse.org |
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Landscapers | Landscaping |
Get matched to local Landscape, Decks and Fences contractors for your home improvement projects. ServiceMagic's network of Landscape, Decks and Fences ... |
www.servicemagic.com |
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Complete Landscape Design for Do It Yourselfers |
Do it yourself tips, tricks, guidelines, and resources for home landscape design. |
www.the-landscape-design-site.com |
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Landscaping Ideas | 2854 + Landscaping Pictures |
Landscaping Ideas To Make Your Homes Beautiful. ... Click here to access all 4290+ landscaping photos, and get instant access to valuable savings coupons to ... |
www.landscapingideasonline.com |
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Landscaping for Energy Efficiency |
Are you looking for cost-effective yet eye-pleasing ways to lower your energy bills? Planting trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and hedges could be the answer. |
www.pioneerthinking.com |
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Edible Landscaping Online |
Only the most productive disease resistant varieties make it onto the approved list here at Edible Landscaping. Our plants are guaranteed to arrive healthy ... |
www.ediblelandscaping.com |
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Free Landscaping Ideas, Landscapes, Front Yard, Garden Landscaping |
Landscaping ideas that transform your boring, unattractive yard into the picture perfect oasis you've always dreamed of. Find out h... |
www.greatlandscapingideas.com |
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