Landscaping

3 Alternatives If Grass Will Not Grow In Your Landscape Garden

For most landscaping projects, whether they be a large project or a small one, the use of grass in some capacity is almost certainly going to be included. However, there may be some circumstances where using grass is not possible or advisable and alternatives need to be considered.

Apart from the person who owns the garden deciding that they do not want grass, the main reason for having to look at alternatives is that the grass simply cannot grow properly. This is best discussed with your landscape designer, landscaping company or horticulturist that you are using to advise you. The main cause of this can normally be attributed to the lack of one of three things which grass needs to grow and to thrive, which are water, nutrients, and sunshine.

This means that in locations that have low levels of rainfall, soil that is dry and lifeless, or where the sunlight is blocked, perhaps from tall buildings, then the grass is at best going to less than healthy, and in the worst cases, not grow at all. This brings us to the alternatives which are available to you, and in most scenarios one of these three choices is the one that the majority of landscape gardeners opt for.

Patio / Decking

Ok, so maybe two alternatives in one, but in effect what you doing here is building a surface or platform where the natural grass would have been. There are several materials that can be used with patios able to be built from gravel, concrete, bricks, limestone blocks or wood. Decking panels can also made from wood, but the most durable and easy to maintain is decking where the panels are made from man-made composite material.

Decks and patios are great for entertaining guests – having a barbecue, a nice shade sail from oneshade.com.au, and relaxing outdoor furniture are easy people pleasers, and the other advantages that they have are that, in the main, they require a lot less maintenance than grass, and they should last for many years.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
A Critical Factor In Landscaping

Why The Direction A Garden Faces Is A Critical Factor In Landscaping

When asked to design landscaped gardens, there are many variables that landscapers must take into account. The list of variables is a long one, and can include:

  • Client’s budget
  • Uses for the garden
  • Size of the garden
  • Lawn or no lawn?
  • Level of garden maintenance
  • Real lawn or artificial lawn?
  • Types of plants such as shrubs, flowers, or trees
  • Decking, pergolas and pathways
  • Fixed features such as seating and retaining walls
  • Water features, pools, ponds
  • Timescale for completion

Doubtless, you will be able to think of several more. However, there is one aspect of the garden being designed that we guarantee many clients do not even think of, and possibly even a few landscapers fail to think of too, and that is the direction the garden is facing. Whether a garden faces north, east, south, or west, can have a significant impact on what and how well plants grow there, as well as several potential features that may be included.

The direction a garden faces will determine how many hours of direct sunlight it gets during daylight hours, and crucially how hot it becomes when the sun is at its peak. Given all this, it is imperative that landscape designs take account of the garden’s direction, and below we have outlined briefly how this design might be influenced based on whether the garden in question faces, north, east, south, or west, respectively.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago

7 Tips For Allergy-Friendly Gardening Within Landscaping Designs

It is one of Mother Nature’s cruel twists of fate that some of the most beautiful flora and fauna in creation can cause misery for many of us. We are talking about allergies and in particular pollen allergies which makes it extremely difficult for many sufferers to enjoy their garden and that includes those gardens that have been created using a landscaping design.

Thankfully, it is not all bad news as there are many ways in which anyone suffering from pollen allergies can make their landscaping design and activities in their garden less likely to cause them the usual difficulties they suffer from when in an environment with lots of pollen. Some of these tips relate to the landscaping design itself, and others are changes in how the person works in their garden. Here are those seven tips.

Have Someone With No Allergies To Mow Your Lawn: There is nothing wrong with avoiding cutting the grass in your landscaped garden due to your allergies. Hiring garden services to provide professional lawn care is always a readily available option.  Instead, we are sure your friends and family will be willing to take on that task for you occasionally, albeit you might need to bribe them with a beer or some other desirable treat or two.

Work In Your Garden On Windy Days And In The Early Morning: It makes sense that if something harms you, such as pollen, that you limit your exposure to it. As it happens, when it is windy and in the early morning are times when pollen counts are at their lowest, so it follows that these are great opportunities to work in your garden.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
6 Tips On Using Landscaping To Create A More Energy Efficient Home

6 Tips On Using Landscaping To Create A More Energy Efficient Home

There are many reasons why homeowners might wish the gardens around their property to have landscaping, and many times it will be to improve the appearance. In addition, there can be financial advantages to having gardens landscaped with the most obvious ones being an increase in the value of the property, and increasing the possibility of being able to sell a property quickly.

There is a further financial incentive, which in the vast majority of landscaping projects is often not considered, and that is that landscaping can increase the energy efficiency of the property in question. The savings which can be accrued, as a result, apply to any utility that you would normally expect to pay a bill for, such as water, gas, or electricity. Below are 6 examples that can be incorporated into a landscape design to achieve energy efficiencies.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago

3 Ways In which Landscaping Can Boost Your Home’s Value

There will be many people who instigate a landscaping design project for their home, for the pure and simple reason that they love gardening. For others, the motivation will be that they want a beautiful outdoor space on their property where they can relax or invite friends and family to.

Beyond these very personal benefits of having a newly landscaped garden, there is one benefit, where for some, it does not even register a thought, but for others, it will be the prime motivator, and that is an increase in the value of their property. There is no denying that a property with a beautifully landscaped garden designed & sculptured by landscapers versus an identical property with just a plain back yard, is always likely to be worth more.

Another consideration is that where there is a more urgent need to sell a property, perhaps because you have already agreed to purchase your next home, you have a far greater chance of finding a buyer quickly if you have a landscaped garden, than if, once again, all you can offer them is a dull, boring backyard.

Before everyone starts calculating how much more their property might be worth, it is important to understand that simply having a garden, landscaped or not, is not the key factor here, especially with respect to adding value to your property. Any landscaped garden, in order to increase the likely sellable value, needs to be created in a certain way. By that, we mean that some thought must go into your landscaping design.

In order to help you with that task, we are going to outline 3 simple, but highly effective, strategies with regards to the design of your landscaping that can help boost the increase in your property’s value even higher.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
7 Top Tips For Landscaping In Locations That Get Little Rain

7 Top Tips For Landscaping In Locations That Get Little Rain

Gardeners worldwide will have landscaping designs and activities affected by their climate. Some will need to account for excessive rain, others might live somewhere where temperatures are cold for most of the year, and then there will be a group whose landscaping is impacted by a lack of rainfall.

You might think that this last group has the biggest problem to deal with, given that anything you want to grow in a garden needs water to survive. You might be right, so to help anyone who does indeed live in an area where rainfall is limited, here are some ways you can address this issue and even turn it into an advantage in your landscape gardening.

Research Your Plants: Landscapers advise that many plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees thrive in dry conditions. You should research which ones fall into this category, decide which ones you like the look of, and then use these in your garden instead of those that require a lot of watering.

Plan Your Planting: As part of your research, and especially if you wish to still include plants that need a fair degree of moisture, you should categorize each group depending on what the experts say about the amount of moisture they require. Then, you should plant each group of plants who have a similar need for water together, thus preventing one or two plants from depriving other plants nearby of the moisture they need.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Landscaping On My Own

Should I Attempt Landscaping On My Own?

In general, landscaping can be a difficult and time-consuming process. And yet, many people continue to attempt to do it alone. It’s certainly not for everyone, and you will need to think very carefully before committing to completing your landscaping projects on your own.

Because of this, it’s important to understand exactly what landscaping involves and why it’s so difficult. Ultimately, we always recommend using a professional landscaping team, such as Landscaping Sydney but in the end, the choice is yours. We’ve put the following guide together to help you out.

When Can I Consider Landscaping Alone?

Ultimately, there are a few times when deciding to take care of your own landscaping projects is a good decision. Some of these times include:

  1. When you’re a handy person with gardening/outdoor building experience.
  2. When your project is only small. For example, installing a new garden bed or laying new artificial turf.
  3. When your budget is extremely low and you want the most bang for your buck.
  4. When you already have a strong landscape design plan and you feel you can take care of everything on your own.


Even if you do decide to do things yourself – and yes, it is possible, if a little difficult – you should still always start with a detailed design blueprint.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Winter Landscaping Ideas

Best Winter Landscaping Ideas

Many people decide not to sell their homes in winter because their yards look depressing. Plants appear to be dying or in hibernation, and all the greenery is gone from your stunning feature trees. There’s no denying that winter weather can put a dampener on your mood and property’s attractiveness, but it doesn’t have to. Here are a few of the best winter landscaping ideas that can make your property shine in all seasons.

Keep Colour with Evergreens

Deciduous trees can transform a property in the warmer months of the year, but come winter; they are an eyesore. Deciduous trees lose all their leaves in winter and look but a mere skeleton of their former selves. You can avoid this problem by planting evergreens instead.

Evergreen trees, such as Silver Sheen and Leighton Green Conifer retain all their foliage throughout the seasons to keep your yard looking as vibrant as ever before.

Rely on Four-Season Perennials

Many gardeners dream of having their flowerbeds thriving and surviving in winter, but that’s not always the case. Many flowers and shrubs go into hibernation, and you’re left with a dull, brown and often-barren landscape that offers no appeal. When you are undertaking landscaping around your home, consider four-season perennials.

Star anise, aloe topaz, silver swan, and jelly bean plants are all examples of perennials that withstand wintry conditions and come out the other side looking lovely.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
eco-friendly garden

A Complete Know-How On Environmental Friendly Gardening

In this age of condo and apartments, gardening is limited to balconies and few potted plants that appeal to aesthetic sense and go well with the décor of the house. Those living in houses built on their own land create a garden landscape in and around the home with care – usually with the help of an expert team. Both attempts are worthy for the environment.

All household dwellers with gardens shall make a conscious attempt to make an eco-friendly garden that protects the environment and the soil.  Make a choice of products that sustain the earth and are easily recycled. Waste reduction is also very important. The facts highlighted by research are that home gardens:

  • slow down climate change through carbon imprint,
  • reduce energy cost, and
  • cut down waste

Composting Pit

Use garden waste to make manure pit for the garden. It breaks down quickly into moisture and nitrogen. It will diminish landfill waste, enrich the soil and reduce the cost of market manure for your garden. Household waste takes long to rot comparatively. It gives carbon and fiber. Both composts are good for plants. Compost pit is harmed by weeds, pet ease, sick plants, and soiled nappies as unwanted pests live on it.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago
Designing Your Dream Pool

Considerations for Designing Your Dream Pool

With intense heat a standard part of an Australian summer, it won’t be long until you start looking at pool design options. After all, there’s only so long a blow-up paddling pool will tick all the boxes. As soon as you start looking at what a landscaper can do for you, you will realise there is much to consider. Here are a few things to consider in your pool design to make it work for you.

The Size

The size of your new swimming pool can depend on many things, including your legal requirements. Before you get too involved in your sketches, consult an expert landscaper and local council representative. There might be things you can and can’t do.

However, make sure the size suits your pool’s purpose. For example, if you want to swim laps, then make it the length of a lap pool. If you want it for sitting in, then let it conform to your yard’s shape.

Features

The pool design itself is only one facet of the design process. What materials will you use? What will go around your pool? Will you have a lot of plant life? Will there be a diving board or a waterfall? Think about what will make you happy.

If you want your new swimming pool to be the picture of luxury and perfection, then talk to a landscaper. They have enough industry experience to know what works and what doesn’t.

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By Electronic Housing Code, ago