Big changes come in small packages

Sometimes we try so hard to think of ways to make our landscape better. We look through plant books, research the newest trends and even scour the home improvement stores. Usually we give up frustrated with no answeres for our tired landscaping and just leave it alone. Usually we are right in our decision to do just that.

Our landscape is good. We have put a lot of thought into it and liked the outcome. Now it just looks tired and boring. The best fix for our tired yards can be as easy as new mulch. Thats righ, just some new mulch can give our beds the up date it so desperately nees. Add a bit of pruning and cleaning up and everything looks new again. Fresh mulch helps make the plants look their best and keeps them cool and moist in the hot summer sun. Now we can stand back and admire our beautiful landscape and know that our plants are happier and healthier too.

Reduce, reuse and save money

When thinking about your landscape it can be hard to imagine how you can reuse and reduce you water while still having a great yard. There are many ways to still have a great landscape without the typical water waisters and the expensive designer mulches. Some of these tricks are simple while others may a little imagination.

The first and most obviouse water waister is grass. You can transition from a cool season grass that strugles in the summer and requires a lot of water to a warm weather grass. The warm weather grass like bermuda love the heat and require less water. If you love your fescue and can not bring yourself to to convert, try making your grass area smaller. Pick an area that gets some shade in the afternoon and make an interesting shape for your grass to grow in. After you have established where you want the grass to grow, make the remainder of your yard mulch beds. Now you have cut your water use, still have grass and cut your mowing time.

Mulch is a great way to accent your grass. The green against the brown mulch highlights your grass area. Now you are probably thinking mulch is very expensive to cover large areas. There is a secret to saving on mulch. Stay away from the bagged designer mulches and use some of the shredded varieties. These are made from scrap wood of different kinds. The cheapest however can be found at your local landfill. Yes thats right, landfill. Most cities have an area where yard waist is taken and then shredded and composted to make a great mulch. This type of mulch is not a hard wood mulch, but made up of lots of different yard clippings. By using this type of mulch you can help to decrease the amount of yard waste that goes in the landfill, give your landscape much need nutrients and save you lots of money!

Now that you have decreased your grass area, added mulch and are feeling pretty good about yourself don't stop. There are still lots of way to continue to save. While you're putting in those mulch beds add a drip irrigation system to give water only to the plants that need them. Why water your whole beds when you can deliver the water right to the plants roots where it needs to go. These systems are very easy to install and have lots of options on emitters. You can even use a timer on your hose bid to schedule exactly when and how long you want your area to be watered. No more sprinkler moving or hand watering giving you more time to enjoy the wonderful yard you have just created.

There are many more tips to saving and reusing in the garden. These can be found on most websites. Check our our web site at www.cheapscapesnc.com for more tips.

plant pics

If you read my post on new plants, I have added a picture of the loropetalum purple pixie and the purple diamond for you to see. The purple pixie is the smaller on to the left.

water savers

Water Savers
The trend for outdoor living is still going strong. So is the movement to save water. Did you every think putting in a patio could save water? Well it will and so will so many things you can do to your yard just by eliminating or reducing your grass areas.

A yard without grass does not have to be hot and stark.
or without color. The leading manufacturers of concrete pavers have come up with some wonderful color blends that will match most any home color pallet.
Pavers now come in many shapes and sizes allowing for specialty designs to be integrated into the patio. Once you have chosen your color and design, find a nice spot in your yard to a create your outdoor living space. Once the patio is complete, fill it with comfortable seating and some colorful pots planted with your favorite plants.

Another way to save on water is to make your grass the focal point of your landscape. Create mulch beds and fill them with great plants that will add some interest. Once that is done your grass area will be small enough to enjoy without having to spend your whole weekend mowing, and your household budget will get a break with a lower water bill.

Whichever way you decide, you will be saving on of our most precious resources and that is a very good trend.

Curb appeal

So often we get used to our surrounding and don't notice the small things around us. We pull into our driveways everyday and walk to the door without a second thought. Seldom do we stand back and look at our homes in the eyes of our neighbors, visitor and passers by. If we did we would probably not like what was right there in front of us. When we look at our homes through the eyes of someone else, we can see areas that could use some improvement. Maybe the walk way to the front door isn’t as inviting as it could be, or our grass is patchy and not as green as it could be. Any of the list of things that you come up with can be solved usually without much time or money.

To get the most bang for your buck just clean. Give the outside a good pressure wash to remove stains and mildew. A simple washing will remove the dust and cob webs that have accumulated and make everything seem fresh. After a good cleaning add some color. Anything colorful will make your front door seem more inviting. Try a colorful wreath for the door, a new door mat with a colorful design, a bright pot with some colorful plants or a fresh coat of paint for your front door. All of this will make your front door more welcoming.

If you need to go a little bit farther, add mulch! Fresh mulch makes a world of difference in the appearance of your planting beds. The beds seem crisp and fresh and makes your plants pop against the dark brown of the mulch. If there is room add some annuals with bold color. Be sure not to skimp. If you don't plant enough they will look spars and get lost in the mulch. While you are at it, trim the shrubs in your bed. Remove any dead leaves or stems and give them a good shaping if necessary. Don't forget to remove any weeds while your at it. Weeds make a house look unkept and sometimes vacant! A vacant looking home is asking for intruders and they are not the kind of visitor you want to attract.

Great new plants

Too often mistakes are made when choosing plants for a landscape. The landscape should consist of different colors and textures. If all of the foundation shrubs are green, the landscape becomes boring and looses it's definition. The same can be said if all of the foundation shrubs are deciduous. The winter landscape then becomes a sea of bare sticks and looks cold and uninviting. There are some easy solutions to this problem. At Cheap Scapes landscaping we pick plants that add color and interest all year long.

One of my favorite plants is Loropetalum. There are many varieties that have been used over the years and they work just fine. One variety has a purplish leaf with a magenta fringe flower at various times of spring and summer. During the winter they turn deeper purple giving color to a drab winter landscape.

I never thought Loropetalum could get any better until a recent trip to a local nursery and found not one but two new varieties from the Southern Living collection. "Purple Diamond" is a beauty! It has a deep plum purple leaf that stays through out the summer months that offers great contrast to the magenta flowers. Purple Diamond gets about 5' tall and 5' wide at maturity. It is a moderate grower so it will take some time to get there. If you can't take a plant of that size there is a smaller form "Purple Pixie". "Purple Pixie" gets 1-2' high and 4' across and has the same great purple color and magenta flower. This would make a great ground cover or cascading over a wall. They both would look great in a Japanese garden , rock garden or shaped into formal hedges if desired. Any way that you use them I am sure that you will be pleased with the results.
Take a look around your landscape and see what you can do to give it some pop! If you are stumped and not sure what to do, take a look at magazines or look up some landscapes on the Internet for some inspiration. If that isn't working for you ask a professional for some help. What ever you do try to incorporate at least one of these into your landscape.