In late fall, with beds full of worn out perennials and annuals, sad but resolute gardeners often bid farewell to their color-filled gardens and turn their attention to the fall clean-up. The talk turns to the beautiful autumnal leaves, while…
Everyone has their opinion of what makes something a joy to the eye. In winter everything is finely edited by our cold weather and killing frosts and further focused when snowfall covers the landscape, but that only means we have…
Your yard is an important part of your home; you use it for hosting parties, spending a quiet evening after work and even for attracting wildlife. In any case, most homeowners like to maintain backyard and front yard privacy. So…
Although outdoor water fountains have recently exploded in popularity, people around the world have been enjoying them for hundreds of years. Not so long ago, they were considered to be art for the elite, as they were placed politely in front of…
First of all not all country people are rednecks. They’re people that don’t give a damn about high society. I have seen some that do sport mullets, wear the plaid shirts with the cut off sleeves, have their cars upon…
Adding some garden art to your backyard does no require a lot of money, who doesn’t love something made from nothing? Gardens seem to be a natural home for all things re-used and up-cycled…it just seems to make nature happy,…
Hackberry psyllids are small aphid-like insects that cause hackberry galls commonly seen on the underside of hackberry tree leaves. An alternative name is hackberry “gall-maker.” They are most commonly noticed, however, as a household nuisance in late summer and fall.…
Focal points in a garden design to draw and direct the eye. Think of a garden or your backyard, large or small, that was just a swath of plants. Your eye sweeps along, not knowing where to land. A sense…
A gazebos are freestanding, open garden structure, sometimes hexagonal or octagonal in shape, with a roof. Most gazebos are constructed of wood or metal and have built-in seating inside the sheltered area. To add a sense of enclosure and privacy, latticework or…
Trees signal their water deficit through several symptoms. The most common changes in appearance are lighter green to yellow-green foliage, leaf scorch around the margins, wilting leaves and dropping them prematurely. Conifers will often produce an abundance of cones the…
Fall in love with your yard again with a pergola. For homeowners, beautiful landscaping can make a significant difference. While lush plants and verdant lawns are common outdoor features, adding a structure to complement the greenery in your backyard is a popular…
Design under your backyard trees without the extra cash to afford such things as designer landscaping bricks or other pre-made landscaping elements, I turned my attention to the resources of the internet for some inexpensive do-it-yourself ideas. I found some…
Properly placed trees can add value to your property. They can provide shade to keep cooling costs down in the summer and provide a windbreak to keep heating costs down in the winter. Trees can provide privacy and year-round interest…
Breathe New Life into Your Patio with a Group of Container Gardens Plants in containers have small footprints but make a big, beautiful impression. They’re a welcome sight at a front door, bring life to a back patio, and can…
The emerald ash borer is a threat to all the ash trees in our state. None of our native ash have any resistance to this insect and once attacked, unless insecticides treatments are started within a year or two, the…