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Asthma Friendly Gardens
Asthma Friendly Gardens Tom Ogren Recent studies have shown that babies born to mothers who were exposed to high levels of pollen in their last trimester of pregnancy have a much greater chance of developing asthma. One of the main keys with...
Improve Your Home’s Landscape in 6 Easy Steps
Think that improving the look of your home and garden requires too much time and money? It doesn’t have to. Here are 6 easy ways to spruce up the appearance of your home. These solutions won’t cost a fortune and won’t take long to complete, but it...
Installing landscape lighting
The tools you will need when it comes to installing your own
landscape lighting are an edger, screw driver, shovel, trowel,
and some wire cutters. Remember, one of the most important parts
of this fun project is to ensure that you lay out your...
Store Seasonal Items in your own Self Storage Unit
For the small business owner, particularly for businesses which
require access to tools and heavy equipment, self storage can be
a real boon.
If you're a landscaper, carpenter, plumber, or electrician, you
need easy access to the tools of...
Trees In The Home Landscape
Trees add so much to the home landscape! They provide shade, clean air, habitat for wildlife, value to your property, and even memories.
If your yard does not have any trees at the moment, you may want to consider planting some. Studies have...
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Hidden Costs of Landscaping
A complete makeover of your home’s landscape may not be possible. After all, there is no surprise that if you choose to completely re-do your landscape you will spend a great deal of money. However, there are surprising hidden costs in nearly any landscaping project, even some of the small ones. It is important to be aware of some of the costs that you might not normally think of before you begin a project. Otherwise, you will find that the project’s true cost is much more than you thought it would be, and you may discover that you might not have been able to afford your landscape change after all.
Perhaps the most hidden of landscaping costs involves features that require lighting and water. Many people think only of the cost of the equipment, and the cost of putting it in (which is minimal if they put it in themselves). They fail to consider how much money they will spend in the form of paying for increased energy and water usage. With outdoor lighting, it is possible to mitigate this cost somewhat by buying more energy efficient bulbs, or by confining the use of outdoor lighting to times when there is a special occasion. There is no reason for the lighting if you only use it so that the neighbors can admire your landscape even at night. Reserve the use of your outdoor lighting for times when you are entertaining people out of doors, or when you are sitting in your yard at night, and may need the light. Water features are a double whammy, as they require energy and water. Using a feature that reuses its own water can cut down a little bit on your water usage (although there will always be water lost to evaporation), and it is now possible to find some features that use less energy. However, if you must have a water feature and are afraid of the costs you will incur, you can always choose a very small pond or waterfall.
Related to the issue of water features is paying for water use when you water the lawn. Setting up sprinklers on a timer will ensure that you do not have to rely on your memory to remember to turn them off. It is important to note that most people
water their lawns two or three times more then they need to. The average lawn actually receives about the same amount of water as a tropical rainforest. This is not necessary for your lawn. Watering each part of your lawn for 15 minutes two or three times a week (depending on climate) is usually sufficient, if it is not new sod (which requires a good soak every day the first week). Additionally, it is a good idea to take into account the amount of extra water you will be using to help sod or a tree establish itself. This can add up to be quite a bit of extra water, and if you city charges more money once your usage reaches a certain point, it can be even more costly.
Also, you may not realize how much money you might spend if your soil is poor. Before being in raptures about a particular plant, determine what kind of soil it needs to thrive, this will make a difference in whether your plant lives or dies. The costs of adding fertilizer to sandy soil or gypsum to clay soil can begin to add up. This problem can be remedied, however, if you examine what plants grow natively in your region. By choosing plants that grow well in the soil you have, or in near conditions, you can save a great deal on soil amendment. Most local master gardeners will give you guidance on native plants for free, or for a very small fee.
Just as there are hidden costs in nearly everything, landscaping, too, has hidden costs. The key is to be informed about the various consequences of your landscape choices, and to be careful in what you decide to do. While the up front costs may not be too unreasonable, you may find that as you continue to enjoy your new landscape, the later costs may be more than your landscape is worth.
About The Author
Janeth Duque of Geeks On Steroids. Janeth is well-known in the world of web design and search engine optimization.
Web Site: Geeks on Steroids
View their website at: http://www.geeksonsteroids.com
janeth@geeksonsteroids.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. |
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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 ... |
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Landscaping - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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Landscape architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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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. |
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EERE Consumer's Guide: Landscaping |
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Planning the Home Landscape |
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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 ... |
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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. |
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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 ... |
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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 ... |
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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 ... |
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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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