Winter is winding down and the days of those final snow flurries are numbered. Cabin fever is at its worst as Spring is imanate and we can almost smell the flowers. Now is the time to start making plans for your spring garden. What better way to while away the last few weeks before planting time. Even if you can't actually plant anything yet a lot of the work can be done. Survey your garden space, which can be done by just looking out the window. Imagine while looking at this space what you would like to see after your garden is done in the Spring. There are hundreds of flowers and plants to choose from. Once you have this mental image of your garden put everything down on paper. Garden layouts can be formulated on your own or by picking one out of a gardening magazine or online at numerous site that sell plant, flowers and gardening accessories.

After you have decided on the layout the next step is to choose the plants that will make up the garden. If you have chosen a professional garden layout, many may even come with a list of flowers and plants that would complement that particular layout and how to plant them for the best visual result. If this is the case then you will only need to have these plans ready when time comes to plant.

If you are doing your own plan then start by drawing out the shape of your future garden, being sure to write in the length and width of the garden. Choose which flowers or plants that you want to plant and pencil the names of each into the proper spot on your garden diagram. Many garden suppliers allow customers to preorder their plants and then deliver them at the proper planting time. You can also go ahead and purchase the other supplies you will need and you will be ready to go. This preplanning will allow more time actually spent in the garden.

We all have stress from our daily routines and our jobs. It is hard to find just the right way to relieve those stresses. One of the best ways to relax is to have a quiet, peaceful place to go. If living in an urban area that might be a bit harder to find.
Having a backyard garden is an excellent way for Urbanites to create their own little oasis. Depending on available space, the possibilities are endless. The actual creation of one's own garden is a tension reliever in itself. Choosing the colors and types of flowers and plants that will be in the garden, the layout and style of the garden will bring a smile to your face. Trees of all stages of growth can be used in larger areas to eventually offer shade and beauty to the scheme.
Gardens can be sculpted to totally enclose you in what will seem like another world altogether. Imagine coming home from a hard day, slipping into something comfortable and then stepping out into the majesty of nature. That's the feeling one can get from a garden. Sitting quietly soaking up the waning sunshine, listening to the birds singing, and admiring the calm beauty of your backyard garden. It will feel as if Mother Nature herself is there soothing away the worries and tensions of the day.

Having a private garden to relax in after work can also provide a less stressful place to finish up little things for work that you may have to bring home, but being able to putter in a garden, to watch the flowers and plants flourish and then be able to sit back and enjoy looking at them gives the feeling of accomplishing something other than bringing home that paycheck. No worries here. Just peace and quiet and beauty.

Creating an appealing, eye catching picture of your yard or grounds will include a lot more than merely planting a few things. The will be several phases of different types of "designî that will make up the complete process of bringing everything together in a certain way to achieve the desired effect.
Garden design is the actual planning of a garden and laying out that garden. Choosing the all of the many flowers, plants and/or shrubs that will go into the garden is also part of garden design. Deciding how you will arrange the living things that will make up the garden and actually planting them in their designated area is also part of this phase. Landscape design will be a little broader; more of an in depth study of the layout of the grounds in general in regards to exactly HOW landscaping should be in relation to what already exists on the property. Landscape design works with trees, water sources buildings, lighting sources etc. that must be worked "aroundî or worked into the landscaping plan. It also can include such things as soil analyses to drainage to best know where things should be planted while deciding how to incorporate finer touches into the scheme. In short, landscape design is a method of joining culture and horticulture to best suit the needs of the space.

Although there are no huge differences between garden design and landscape design on the surface the variances between the two show when developing a total landscape make-over for your property. When they are used in conjunction with each other the end result will be well worth the extra time it may take you to go through the process of utilizing both garden and landscape design. Both can be done by the homeowner depending on how hands on they want to be.

Below is a new online product that can determine your Plant Hardiness zone by simly entering your Postal Code. The Plant Hardiness Zones map outlines the different zones in Canada where various types of trees, shrubs and flowers will most likely survive. It is based on the average climatic conditions of each area.
Compliments of GardensCanada.com

In late September I visited the Earth Art exhibit at the Royal Botanical Gardens, below is a collection of photographs taken during the day.

This was my favorite exhibit I seen during the day:


there were other art structures listed below

Most residential landscapes involve a functional paver or flagstone surface to the front door, I do not have an issue with this however, please cover it up by placing some portion of the landscape in it’s path to obscure the walkway.



This can be done by including a planting area just outside the walkway.

Most landscape illustrations only address the perspective of standing outside at the furthest point of your property, and looking back towards your home!. Well that’s okay for your neighbor. What about the perspective you will be looking at everyday, for those times when you sit on your front porch or glance out the window. I consider this an important consideration when preparing a design.



Most of out time is spent in the kitchen so why not address the view out from the patio door to the entertainment portion of the patio. You may want to sit at the kitchen table when the BBQ

A simple definition would be that Hardscape only pertains to structures and surfaces, while Softscape would involve everything else.



Some landscaper contractors would define themselves as Pavers + Wall contractors whereby they have the invested in tools and equipment to carry out the construction and installation element of the hardscape. This leaves the homeowner with the task of determining what to plant in the newly constructed planters

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