Outdoor Oasis for relaxation and peace of mind.

There are so many ways that you can create a garden, so. ultimately it comes down to personal preference. There are a few basic garden styles that you can follow. Make sure when you choose a style that you consider the architecture of your home. A formal garden will not necessarily be the best choice for a cottage style home. Also, consider the color of the items in your yard, the fence, any outbuildings. The color of your home and it’s trim are also important factors. There are five general garden styles.

Formal
The formal garden has a long history. French or Italianate gardens feature strong symmetry. Asian or Islamic gardens have strong geometric patterns. A formal design will have strong defined lines and edges. Paving and paths are central and will lead the eye to some kind of specimen plant or other garden element, such as a statue.

Hedges and shrubs are prevalent. They should be trimmed into symmetrical shapes such as pyramids, balls and boxes. Formal gardens are frequently monochromatic in color. Often they will be one single color, like white.

Informal/Casual
The goal of the informal garden is to soften the boundaries between the home and the garden. An informal garden will have winding paths, and mounded groups of plants. The casual garden will include more potted plants and beds with mixed flowers. Large shrubs should be used as a backdrop for plants. The casual garden should have a relaxed and inviting feeling.

Contemporary
Contemporary gardens use shapes that include circles, ovals and triangles. Geometric beds can be used, but the plantings should appear to have a bit of organized chaos. Often architectural features of a home, (I.E. oval windows), will be copied into the garden. House trim color is also copied with the flower color.

Also present are living walls covered with climbing vines, container groupings that mirror bed shapes, and newly introduced plants. The contemporary garden is also a great place for espalier’s and topiary’s. The topiary’s should be trimmed into free-form triangles and ball shapes. Of most importance is that this style remain fluid. A contemporary garden is a “blend of traditional style with modern design principles.” (Flower Gardening; Julie Bawden-Davis; 2004)

Natural
The ultimate goal for a natural garden is to replicate nature. Major features include groupings of odd numbered plants, plantings in layers and levels, and native flowering plants. A natural garden should also include plants that attract wildlife, like birds and bee’s. Keep in mind when creating a natural garden that room should be left for a compost pile or bin. A natural garden should also be free of harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Combination
The combination style of gardening is perhaps the most difficult to do successfully. This type of garden requires experience. A successful combination garden will have many aspects of different styles woven together. The best way to approach this design is either to plan it right from the start, or experiment as you go. Begin by choosing one of the classic styles that works for you. Transition this style slowly into a combination garden.

The above garden styles will add flair to your garden. By choosing a style that you enjoy you will add cohesion to your garden, inviting people in to experience it’s pleasures.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

You can have your sprawling wooden deck, your table and chairs, the big umbrella, a giant $2,000 barbecue station, and even one of those hideous plastic weatherproof storage bins – you can have all this, and a beautiful backyard, too. Let the Jones’s next door stare all they want; theirs will be a look of admiration tinged with envy.

Stain or paint your wood deck.
It’s true that treated lumber can be left to mellow for years, to that dreary shade of gray which says, “I have no imagination at all.” You deserve better. Have you seen any all-white decks and railings lately? The look is traditional Colonial, but its beauty has returned to fashion after years out of vogue. Your home could be one of several styles, but the elegance of snow-white painted or stained wood will still be the perfect complement.

If your taste turns to more earthy shades, use one of the better grade semi-transparent stains to add rich color to your deck, instead of the white. You may need to power-wash and bleach before adding finishes. If you do use stain, please don’t match the color of the house! Carrying one color scheme too far makes everything tend to clump together visually. White is the exception.

Landscape for visual appeal.
Add a curving walk of pre-cast brick pavers in earth tones, leading at least a dozen feet into the back yard, for grounding. Carry your rail design along this walk by adding a matching free-standing section or two as accent. Plant strong shades of green to hide the deck’s open sides using juniper, yew, holly, or similar evergreens to highlight white wood all year long. In spring and summer, use brilliant flowers like impatiens or petunias to add a flash of color to this classic wintry scheme. This approach works well with stained wood, too. You might need a bit more color in that case.

Dress your deck in mulch skirting.
Create pleasing contours that ease the transition from lawn to lumber. Put that neglected old roto-tiller to work for a weekend. Use a garden hose (no water) to mark interesting and easy-to-trim curves in the lawn on one or more sides of your deck. This method softens all the harsh lines created by your deck’s rigid right angles. Use chalk or any biodegradable powder to outline the curves created by the hose, right on the existing grass. A perimeter of three to six feet away from your deck is fine, and simpler to maintain.

Use a spade to cut the line you’ve drawn, remove the sod and set it aside, then break up the newly exposed garden area for manageable planting. Be careful working around bushes or trees you’ve already added or saved. Then bring in colorful mulch and some decorative stones to make it all look gorgeous. Sprinkle with flowering perennials for maintenance-free beauty from spring to fall. Vary the breadth and height of permanent plantings for variety.

Add a touch of class with lighting accents.
On those warm summer nights, you’ll want to enjoy your backyard retreat until it’s time for sleep. Don’t rely on the fire-flies for lighting, and don’t let your glaring security lights provide the only illumination there. You’ll want to entertain your friends in a soothing atmosphere of muted and variable lighting.

Use an elegant sconce where the back door lets out onto your deck, in place of whatever the original builder placed there. With the switch turned off, you can make this swap yourself (test for power with a special “pen” available at the store where you buy the new light). Somewhere on or near your deck you should have an outdoor outlet available. If you do, then add more lighting.

Your choices for accent lighting have broadened considerably in the last two decades. Most will plug into that existing outlet, and provide outdoor-grade wiring for several fixtures. You can hang these low-wattage lamps in a variety of ways: from corner poles, along railing sections, at the base of the rails, or even in your new surrounding garden areas. For larger decks, try a mixture of these ideas.

With a couple hours of reasonably simple electrical work, you can also install a pole-mounted outdoor lamp with beveled glass for less than $300. Locate this fixture near the end of the walk you created, to offer visitors an invitation to explore your lawn for romantic evening strolls. Most post-lamps include a small bar extending perpendicular to the pole, which gives you a place to hang a basket overflowing with flowers or one of those cute little theme-flags, as you prefer.

Don’t stop there!
Over time, as your budget allows, soften your deck’s harsh planes with ornamental trees like Japanese maple, weeping cherry or flowering dogwood . Place these outside the garden areas, but close enough to the deck to act as embracing accents. Add a decorative wrought-iron bench or two (about $140 each) to create intimate conversational areas.

For more adventurous (and expensive) landscape features, consider blending a re-circulating pool and waterfall into an appropriate nook nearby. These can range from a few hundred dollars (you do the work) to a few thousand dollars when you hire professionals. The soothing sound of water flowing, and the drama of lilies and orange koi will repay your investment nicely.

A final touch of elegance can be achieved using one of the many kinds of real or pre-cast stone wall designs as a counterpoint to wood and shrubbery. Even a small, strategically-placed edging just a foot or two tall can make a dramatic difference in the flow of your landscape design. Use more mulch and basic plantings to carry your theme throughout.

Professional landscape firms can offer design services and fancy software assistance in the quest to blend your backyard deck into an appealing yard design, if you have thousands to spare. If a tight budget limits your cash outlays, invest time and hard work instead, to achieve the same effect for a fraction of the cost. Let your imagination guide you from boring rectangles to extraordinary visual appeal for your back yard.

Author: Jim Bessey, Helium Senior Steward

For more articles written by this author, go to Helium or for more information and blogging on home improvements, go to D’zyne.

The Waterwise-Landscaping and Watering Guide describes the seven principles:
1. Planning and Design
2. Soil Improvement
3. Practical Turf Areas
4. Efficient Irrigation
5. Mulch
6. Low Water Use Plants
7. Appropriate Maintenance

By applying these principles, you can save substantially on your next water bill. To obtain a copy and learn more, please visit Water Wise.

I wanted a self-sustaining pond which required minimal maintenance, which would become a home for fish, frogs and other aquatic life, and which would not become a smelly, stagnant pool. My knowledge and experience of ponds was limited and I did not have much of a budget.

The first step was to acquire a liner. These are available in rigid or flexible form – I was fortunate enough to be offered an old rigid liner which was still in good condition, and which was the right size for our relatively small garden. I then had to decide on a location which suited the garden and pond life.

I decided to select a spot which received the full sun in the morning and the early afternoon, but which would be in shade from the mid-afternoon and evening. This meant there was a balance of light and shade which I hoped would suit a wide variety of plants and animals.

I then dug a hole for the liner so that the top of the pond would be flush with the ground level. This was important to attract animals such as frogs; if the pond was set too high it would be difficult for them to get into. I wanted to create a wildlife pond rather than an ornamental pond.

Filling the the liner with water took a considerable amount of effort. Fortunately I had a couple of rain water butts that were completely full and while it was not enough to fill the pond completely, it made a substantial contribution. I then filled it with water from the mains but this contains chlorine and takes about six weeks to become suitable for pond life. By mixing it with a large amount of rain water I could speed up that process.

The next stage was to put plants into the pond. In order to be self-sustaining it needed plants which would oxygenate the water and help keep it clear. I was given some free floating oxygenating plants which replicate relatively quickly and have proved very hardy. I was also given two water lily plants which have bloomed every year since they were installed.

Several weeks after setting up the pond I put in half-a-dozen goldfish. Some of them soon became sick and died, but within a year the survivors bred and created a new generation. All of the first generation fish have since died but the next generation are going well and have just come through their second winter. I have a pump to run a small waterfall, but this is only turned on a few days each year.

The pond is now fulfilling its objectives – it is surrounded by plants and is full of life. Every spring dozens of frogs appear to spawn and the water teems with tadpoles. Dragonflies come to visit from time to time, and smaller, bright blue damselflies often dance across the surface in the sunshine. I have proved that it is possible to create a self-sustaining garden pond with minimal knowledge and budget.

Written by Andrew Michaels as found on his site at Helium.

LAWN: Your lawn should be well maintained. Mow often and set your mower higher: grass that is clipped too short will be more prone to drying out and weeds. Take the extra time and edge sidewalks and paths.

REMOVING PLANTS: Obviously, weeds should be removed. Overgrown plants and bushes should be pruned, and if they look too bedraggled, removed. If you have the time, some shrubs (like forsythia) can be brought back to life by cutting them back to a foot or so off the ground. They will grow back lusher and more full, but this will take time. Overgrown perennials can be dug up, divided, and used to plant new areas. If you have extra plants in areas that aren’t easily seen, move them to more obvious locations.

CHOOSING PLANTS: Landscaping plants, bushes, and trees all take time to establish themselves and grow. Of course, you can buy full-sized bushes and fifteen foot trees, but these can cost a significant amount of money, as well as needing specialized equipment to plant them. If your current landscaping is spartan or nonexistent, a wise choice is often to purchase one largish bush or small tree as a focal point, and surround it with smaller, cheaper plants. Annual plants (plants that die off each year) can provide a show of color and take less time to fill out than perennials. Annuals can also be significantly less expensive, especially if you grow them from seed. If you have a couple of months before you plan on listing your home, flower seeds like zinnias or alyssum grow quickly and provide a good show of color. Ornamental grasses can provide interest and height, and may grow faster than flowering plants or shrubs.

PLANT LOCATION: Choose a highly visible area for your planting; near the front of the house or next to a front path or stair is usually a good choice. Landscaping should match the style of the house: a small cottage will look good with a little plot of mixed wildflowers in front of the front porch, while a neo-classical or modern house may look better with a single sculpted evergreen and several smaller plants. Most smaller plants look best in odd-numbered groups: group 3 or 5 plants together instead of having one of everything. Plant smaller plants in front and larger plants in back. If your planting is not next to a house or wall, surround a taller plant with gradually shorter plants.

MULCH: Mulch can make all the difference when it comes to getting that manicured, landscaped look. Not only will a good layer of mulch keep the weeds down and retain moisture for the plants, but it can make the garden areas around your house look well cared for. If your planting areas border your lawn, use flexible edging to keep the mulch neatly in place.

HARDSCAPE: Hardscape refers to the non-living elements of your landscaping. If your property is overflowing with rocks, consider edging areas with stone, or if you have larger rocks, arrange them in a pleasing configuration and surround them with mulch. Add a ceramic bird or two for a dash of color and interest. If you live in a dry, arid climate, use Zen gardens for inspiration; arrangements of gravel, sand, and stone can be just as beautiful as plant life. Benches and bird feeders can beautify side and back lawns, especially when they are placed against a backdrop of taller plants. (A note on garden gnomes, ceramic ducks, plastic flamingos, and the like: while you may love and treasure these things, you should be aware that potential buyers may not be of a similar mindset. It is best to remove any inanimate objects that possess a face from your yard before showing your house.)

The trick to landscaping a house to sell is to get the most selling advantage for the least amount of money. Focus on the main areas: near the front entrance, along a path, and the front of the house. Choose one or two larger plants or shrubs, and surround them with smaller, cheaper plants. If you choose flowering plants, make a note of when they flower and how they look after flowering. A mass planting of tulips will look gorgeous while they are in bloom, and terrible later in the summer.

If you are completely lost as to which plants to pick or where to plant them, consult a gardener friend or ask advice from your local nursery. (Gardner friends are also sometimes a useful source of extra plants.) When in doubt, you should be pretty safe planting three different heights of plants next to a foundation wall, as long as you make sure they get the required amount of sunlight.

For more articles by this author, please go to Helium.com

Composting is the process by which bacteria and other organisms break down dead plant material. For this break down to occur, an active compost pile requires a temperature of 55-70C, adequate moisture and good air circulation.

Properly maintained it will not give off bad odors, or attract insects and animals. To avoid the undesirables, you should note that certain materials should not be used for composting purposes. Meat, fat, bones and dairy products decompose very slowly, cause terrible smells, and attracts vermin and flies, while pet waste can spread unhealthy organisms.

The composting process results in a rich dark humus that is ideal for improving soil quality. This practice makes an excellent organic plant food and creates a rich, natural soil conditioner with a coarse texture that helps loosen heavy clay soils, improving them for healthy root growth. It also improves the water-holding capacity of sandy soils.

Composting also allows you to re-use organic waste, such as lawn clippings and leaves that would otherwise take up space in a dump or landfill.

The easiest way to compost kitchen and garden waste is to create a loose pile where air and water can reach it. For best results the pile should be approximately one meter high by one meter wide. An overhang such as the canopy of a tree would be beneficial as this would prevent the compost heap from getting soaked or blown apart in a storm.

Another efficient option is to purchase a pre-made compost bin from a garden center or hardware store. Some are available in tumbler form. These are cylinders that allow you to rotate materials inside with little effort. The least expensive units are simple round or square plastic bins with a lid and air vents.

Composting materials should be turned regularly with a garden fork to allow for ventilation, which speeds up the decaying process. Turn your compost once every fortnight; using a fluffing action to help add more air to the pile and break up any clumps. Also water lightly to make pile moist but not soggy.

You can compost most organic waste materials such as lawn clippings, vegetable scraps, manures (chook, cow, horse, and sheep), shredded newspaper, twigs and sticks, even wood ash. The key is to add a fairly even mixture of green and brown materials – damp and dry in layers and to chop or shred the materials before adding. The smaller the material, the quicker it will compost. Autumn leaves make an excellent addition to the compost heap but can take some time to break down. If you don’t have a shredder just spread them over your lawn then mow and collect them in the catcher.

When your compost has fully decomposed it becomes a versatile, easy-to-use product which can be dug into sandy of clay ground to make it a more nutrient rich and water retentive soil ideal for raised garden beds and landscape beds.

Compost can be mixed with potting media, 1:3 ratio, or added as a dressing for container potted plants. It acts as a slow release fertilizer reducing the need for chemical feeding.

Apply two or more inches of your compost as mulch. It will protect and keep root zones cool and help conserve moisture while slowly feeding the plants. If applied much thicker or over multiple layers of newspaper it acts as a marvelous weed barrier meaning less time weeding the garden and more time enjoying it.

Remember, today’s garden waste can easily become tomorrow’s rich garden soil through composting.

If you layered your flower bed with mulch over the winter, now is the time to start removing the mulch to allow any perennials the chance to grow. Sometimes, the perennials may break through a thick layer of mulch, but most of the time the perennials will be damaged. Depending on the weather, you should start checking your perennial growth in late winter or early spring and determine if the ground is thawed yet. If the ground is thawing and you do not remove the mulch, you will ultimately smother the flowers. Removing the mulch will allow the flowers to breath and thrive for the spring’s growth cycle. Once the flowers have sprouted out of the grown, then you can replace the mulch around each flower.

If you are trying to plant vegetable in the spring, then you have to determine when the frost dates will be for that area. If you are just transplanting, then you can do that after the last frost date is past. If you are planting seeds that will sprout within 2 weeks or so, then you can plant them 2 weeks prior to the last frost date.

If you want to apply lawn fertilizers in the spring, then Scott’s suggest a four-part schedule starting with your spring grass. Generally, slow-release lawn fertilizers are the best type to apply on your grass. This schedule depends on where you live and your grass-type, so you should refer to Scott’s schedule for more information.

If you have crabgrass that you need to get rid of, then you can start killing crabgrass earlier in the spring by using pre-emergent herbicides. In many regions of the U.S., you will want to start applying the herbicides around May 1st, but application will vary depending on where you live and how warm a spring you’re having. Down South, herbicides will need to be applied even earlier to prevent crabgrass growth.

If you are not sure whether to fertilize an older well-established tree, then consider that fertilizing older trees in the spring can result in vigorous new growth, which includes a thicker leaf canopy and a richer color in the foliage.

If you want to prune your flowering shrubs, but not sure when, a general rule of thumb is to first determine the reason for pruning. If you just want to rejuvenate overgrown, neglected flowering shrubs, then the best time to prune is late winter or early spring. True, pruning flowering shrubs at this time will reduce or eliminate blossoming in spring that year, but the trade-off is in gaining healthier, more vigorous flowering shrubs for the long run.

If you want to just do a routine pruning to maintain the flowering shrubs within certain dimensions, then observe the shrubs’ blooming habits. For shrubs that bloom in summer or fall on the current year’s growth, prune in winter. For shrubs that bloom in spring from last year’s growth, prune after their blooms begin to die.

There are a few basic tools that every gardener should have. Garden tools can be broken down into four main categories: digging, weeding, raking, and pruning.

Digging Tools

A trowel is used for planting, transplanting and dividing small plants. Trowels usually have a short handle and come in regular and narrow sizes. Some trowels will even have inches marked along the blade to help gauge how deep to plant your plants. A trowel is a must have item for gardeners.

A spade is a lot like a shovel. A spade has straight sides and a rectangular shaped head with a sharp, flat edge. A spade is used when you need sharp, clean cuts. It is ideal for lifting sod, edging beds or working in closely planted areas. A spade is more versatile than a shovel and should be the item bought if you cannot afford to buy both.

A shovel is used for digging and lifting jobs. Shovels come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most useful of these for gardening is probably a long handled, round-point shovel.

A spading fork is indispensable in gardening. A spading fork has a short handle and four flat tines. It is useful for turning over already loosened soil and also for breaking up heavy soil when preparing to plant.

Weeding Tools

A hoe is one of the oldest and most effective tools made for the garden. It is definitely another of those must have tools for a gardener. A hoe will scrape out weed seedlings and hack out shallow rooted weedy plants.

A hand fork has a short handle with three or four curved tines. A hand fork is a necessity for any garden. It can be used to eliminate weeds. It can also be used to pull rocks, leaves and other debris away from your plants.

An asparagus weeder is handy for getting rid of weeds from the root. An asparagus weeder has a long shaft with a V-shaped notched blade at the bottom. This blade is inserted below the root levered down to help pop out the weed.

A garden claw has sharp tines set in a circular pattern. You insert the claw part into the soil around the weeds and twist the handle. This loosens the soil and allows you to pull the weed free. A garden claw can also be useful for hand-tilling your soil.

Raking Tools

A bow rake is a one-pieced steel, metal-toothed rake. It is useful for smoothing soil and spreading fertilizer or compost. You should never use a bow rake to rake your lawn because it can tear your grass.

A lawn rake is a fan or broom shaped rake. These can be made with metal, plastic or bamboo tines. A lawn rake is useful for so many jobs including collecting leaves, grass clippings, twigs, light garden debris and many other garden jobs.

Pruning Tools

Hand pruners come in two styles: bypass and anvil. Bypass pruners have two curved blades like scissors. Anvil pruners have only one cutting blade that cuts against a straight, flattened edge. Hand pruners are used for innumerable tasks such as snipping blooms, harvesting plants, trimming small twigs and cutting back plants. Hand pruners should definitely be a part of your gardening tool set.

Hedge Shears are used primarily for pruning and shaping shrubs and hedges. They have long handles that can make it easier to reach those hard to reach places. Hedge shears resemble a large pair of scissors. Hedge shears can also be used to cut tall grasses and weeds.

Long-handled loppers are like hand pruners, but with much longer handles. Long-handled loppers also come in bypass and anvil styles. These are used to cut larger size branches that hand pruners cannot cut through.

Pruning saws come in handy for things that even long handled loppers cannot cut through. Pruning saws have a saw blade that is used to saw, rather than cut, through wood. Most pruning saws are folded, allowing you to fold the blade into the handle for safe storage.

The tools above can be found in many different shapes and sizes, along with a variety of quality. A good quality tool will say that the metal is tempered, heat treated or forged. Stainless steel tools are also very good, though they tend to be more expensive. Make sure that the metal part of the tool is attached securely to the handle.

Another way to ensure that your tools will last a long time is to take proper care of them. Make sure to pick up all of your tools when you are done a job and clean them off. Wipe all of the metal parts with an oiled cloth to keep them from rusting. Have your tool blades sharpened at the beginning of every season. And finally, store them in a dry place. Taking proper care of your tools will extend their life for years to come.

Yes, there is a disease called Snow Mold that occurs mostly in Northern regions. It is caused by several different fungi and affects many turfgrasses. The symptoms are irregular to circular patches of water-soaked, yellowed, or bleached turf. They sometimes bear a whitish, gray, or pinkish cast. There are two types of snow molds, gray and pink, that become active under the snow cover.

The web-like mycelium of pink snow mold (Microdochium nivale) may initially look white and mature to a faint pink/salmon color. Gray snow mold (Typhula spp.) is white to gray in color. The mycelium of both types of fungi will disappear quickly as the grass dries. A useful identifying characteristic of gray snow mold is the presence of tiny brown/black mycelial masses (sclerotia) on the blades and in the leaf sheaths of infected plants. These survival structures vary in size and color, becoming smaller and darker as they dry. The pink snow mold fungus does not produce sclerotia.

The damage from snow mold fungi usually becomes apparent as the snow melts and exposes the grass in late winter. Snow mold symptoms consist of roughly circular patches (approximately three to 12 inches) of dead and matted grass blades. In severe cases, these patches join together and may not be recognizable as individual circles.

It is useful to determine whether the disease is pink or gray snow mold because gray snow mold rarely damages more than the blades of the grass. Lawns with gray snow mold can be expected to recover fairly quickly even when damage appears extensive. Pink snow mold, in contrast, may invade the crowns and roots causing more serious injury. It is not unusual for both types of snow mold to be found in the same area.

Snow mold fungi are active at temperatures just above freezing in moist conditions. These conditions occur most frequently under snow cover or anything else that covers the grass, such as fallen tree leaves. Gray snow mold usually only occurs after prolonged snow cover. Pink snow mold may be active in cool, wet conditions from late fall through early spring even in the absence of snow or other covers, a factor which greatly enhances its potential as a damaging disease.

Snow mold fungi remain inactive during the warm months when other disease fungi are most active. They survive in thatch and on plants as sclerotia (gray snow mold) or as mycelial threads (pink snow mold). In the fall, Typhula species sometimes produce small, white or pinkish, club-shaped spore-producing structures that may be seen among grass blades in lawns that have not been recently mowed. They grow from sclerotia that were produced in the previous winter for survival over the summer.

As cool, wet weather develops, the fungi begin to grow and infect grass plants. Like all living organisms, these fungi require moisture to survive. The cold, dry air of winter prevents active growth. The shelter of leaves, snow or any other cover on the grass maintains the necessary moisture for growth. Optimal conditions for snow mold activity occur when snow falls suddenly and remains on ground that has not yet frozen. In such cases, grass is often still lush, providing an excellent food base for the fungi.

Snow molds do not occur in the home lawn every year, but are most common during years when an early, deep snow cover prevents the ground from freezing. A cold, open winter will not promote snow mold, but may cause winter injury. The damage caused by snow molds is seldom serious. Generally, infected areas are just a little slower to green up.

If you take the following steps, you may be able to minimize damage in future years:
• Avoid excessive applications of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall.
• Continue to mow lawn at the recommended height until no longer actively growing.
• Rake up leaves in the fall.
• Manage the thatch layer to avoid accumulations of more than ½ inch.
• Spread out large snow piles to encourage rapid melting.

Chemical management is not recommended, especially if you have small children or animals that go outside. But if you must use a chemical, fungicides are most effective if applied just before the first lasting snow fall. Fungicides are not effective in spring after the damage has already occurred unless pink snow mold is involved. Pink snow mold may renew activity if cool, moist weather conditions prevail and may warrant treatment.

Landscaping is about patience. Secondly, it is about budget. There is such a thing as a Landscape Triangle that incorporates time, money, and knowledge. Without one, the other two are more difficult to work through in regards to having your dream garden. For example, smaller plants (which may be less expensive) take longer to establish themselves than larger plants, but if you give it time and know where and how to plant them, then you can have that fabulous garden over the long term.

First, make a design of what you would like for your garden to look like in about 5 years or even 10 years. Think long term when planning the design, buying plants, and building around the area. If you do not have this knowledge, then you might consider hiring a landscaper or at least consulting with one before you buy that first plant. A designer can provide you with information about your “dream garden” such as how fast certain plants grow, what plants might work well in your area/climate/soil, and long term care of those plants. Some do-it-yourselfers often plant too many small plants in one area, so as they mature, they crowd themselves right out of room.

One consideration when planning your design, especially when on a budget, is to figure out the cost per square feet of each plant. For example, you pass by the $20 hosta and instead pick the $4 primrose because you are on a budget. Did you save money? If a primrose ultimately fills one square foot in your garden, but the hosta covers 12 square feet, then to fill the same area, the hosta only costs about $1.67/sqft, where the primrose now costs $4/sqft. So, in dollar amounts, to fill that space in your garden, the hosta cost $20 and the primroses will cost $48. You end up not saving money at all, but spending more.

Once you do have the design of your garden in place, you can start figuring out what you want your budget to be, which helps keep your garden within your limits. The important part of the budget is just buying the best valued plants and materials possible.

Before purchasing that first plant, do an inventory of what you already have or what a friend, relative, or neighbor may give you.
• What plants to you have in your own yard that you can transplant, if necessary?
• What plants do your friends, neighbors, or relatives have that you can take a sprig and replant in your yard? But be aware that you should only take plants that are already in your plan. Otherwise, you will have to create a new design.
• Take stock of how much of your own time that you want to invest in this garden.
• Keep the Landscape Triangle in mind before, during, and after the landscaping project so you garden continues to grow year after year after year.

After you have gathered all “donated” plants and taken a look at your own yard, see what is left to get for your design. You can divide your design out into sections and plant one section at a time, or you can plan to plant all the large trees first, then all the small bushes, then flowering plants, etc. When you divide it up, then you can conquer easier, rather than trying to take on the whole garden at one time. Once you decide how to proceed, then start making your list of materials you need for each section/group and start shopping.

TIP: Keep checking your local papers for deals of the week on plants, mulch, and other needed materials.