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Sustainable landscaping is the process of working with the environment where you design landscapes that is in tune with the weather conditions

It needs no other resources such as organic  minerals or any other soil nutrients.

There are many different levels of sustainable landscaping, the best way to get involved is to just start somewhere by setting short and long term goals.

A small objective could be putting up a composting bin.

A much better way could be creating a sustainable area where harmful chemicals are eliminated for good.

Following are helpful tips on how to create a sustainable landscape:

1. Shrink Your Lawn

Those expanses of green turf take an enormous amount of resources.

Take out some lawn and design a natural background.

You’ll save on fresh water and this ultimately save you money on water bills.

Moreover, you may not need to use the raker or the hoe often.

2. Store rain water in barrels

Harvesting rain water in barrels helps to conserve water and save money.

Usually rain water is pure and of good quality.

You can even use it for drinking consumption.

3. Use a protective cover like mulch.

Mulched beds improve the appearance of any landscape.

Though more valuable than this is that it germinates the seeds and provides micro-nutrients when it decays.

Mulch slows soil erosion, retains moisture and helps to prevent weeds.

You’ll save some time watering your plants, in turn lets you enjoy your garden.

4. Compost, Compost, Compost

Composting organic waste from your home improves garden soil because it generates humus.

By composting you minimize your garbage wastes, thus lessening the greenhouse gases.

You save on your expenditures on chemicals as well.

5. Plant the natives

Indigenous plants can adjust in any soil condition and weather the harshest climate.

They are also better able to resist pests and diseases, thus reducing the need for harmful chemicals.

6. Attract Pollinators to Your Yard

By growing a variety of plants you increase the number of different wildlife species that are attracted to your garden.

Insects, bees, birds and bats contribute to a healthy ecosystem by transporting pollen from one plant to another during fertilization.

7. Plant Deciduous Trees

Consider deciduous leaf shrubs near your home to cut your electricity bills in summer season.

Deciduous trees drop their foliage in fall and this allows more sunshine in your house.

But, trees deliver more than cost savings; they are important carbon sinks and help to reduce global climate change.

8. Plant Edible Ornamentals

Aside from beautifying your garden, it would be great if you can have edible shrubs in them.

Onion chives, scallions, and cherry tomatoes would look nice in your ornamental orchard.

9. Choose natural resources

Rather than using exotic materials trucked in great distances for your landscaping projects, consider using stone, salvageable concrete, used bricks, and other recyclable materials found locally.

10. Use alternative power gears

You can use a push reel mower rather than a power mower.

You can just use a hoe and hand shears rather than an electric weed trimmer.

You can just allow leaves on the ground to decay to convert into soil nutrients instead of still using a leaf blower.

Better yet, think of having a meadow rather than just a lawn.

I have been involved with Sustainable Calgary Landscaping in Calgary, Alberta Canada for a long time. These Tips have been implemented with my company for over 8 years.  We have had alot of fun Landscaping in Calgary over the years. What we do will work almost anywhere in the world to create sustainable landscapes.

Remember, just because I use this with Landscaping Calgary, doesn’t mean it won’t work in your local area. Now get out there and try things out!

Written by: Custom Stone and Waterscapes ?3829 Parkhill Place SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6 (403) 870-1142

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Gardening has turned out to be so much fun, even if we only get a little done at a time.

I walk by some nice home gardens when I am out for my exercise but the ones that stand out the most to me are the few places than have sunflowers growing.

I am always amazed how how fast they grow and how big they get. But it really seems to be the sun that makes the biggest difference.

I see the places that have sunflowers growing. Because I messed up the first year we planted our garden because I didn’t pay attention to where the sun was going to be as the summer progresses I didn’t have much of a garden. It was still an amazing experience and lesson learned.

I saw a row of sunflowers that were much taller than I am. So tall that I could barly reach my arms up to take this picture. The head on the sunflower, where the seeds are, was nearly a foot across.

They same place this sunflower is has had them growing for years and it just makes my day every time I walk past them.

I take pictures every few days and it made me think I would like to have a sunflower growing in our year.

Then a friend calls telling me she has a girl friend who has a daughter. She planted a sunflower but it was not doing too well. So she asked me if they could plant it in our yard for her.

I couldn’t say no to that and it was perfect because I had set the pack of sunflower seed down somewhere and ended up planting my almost a month too later. So they are only a foot high.

Peggy brought the sunflower plant over and I planted it in corner of our little garden. It’s still a little plant, only 3 1/2 feet tall but it’s got this cute little flower blooming.

Pruning

Pruning is a vital part of plant and tree care. The following guide can be useful to help you prune properly.

Three basic tools suffice for most pruning jobs: shears, loppers, and a pruning saw. Keep them sharp for clean cuts; disinfect after pruning diseased material.

1. Prune Roses

Prune in winter or early spring when plants are still dormant. Prune plants to maintain symmetrical bushes and to encourage strong new growth. Cut back all previous years growth approximately one-third its length. Remove branches that cross through center and remove plants understock. Also prune weak and dead stems as needed. This tends to encourage strong new growth. The new and very popular “Knockout Roses” are really best left alone unless you find dead spots on them, prune them as soon as you see them regardless of the season.

2. Prune Crepe Myrtles

The best time to prune crepe myrtles is in February. Prune out twiggy stems and any dead wood. Thin out crossing or crowding branches in the plants center. If tree form, prune lower branches. Prune top ~to keep symmetry. Each year after flowering, cut 12 to 18 inches off the tips of branches that have bloomed.

3. Prune Hollies

Prune in winter or early spring mostly to shape plants. Cut back wayward branches and prune out weak unproductive dead stems as needed.

4. Prune Butterfly Bushes

Butterfly bushes bloom in summer on new spring growth. They may be pruned in late winter or early spring. By pruning old blooms you are going to encourage new flowers. Also prune out old dead and unproductive branches.

5. Prune Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas fall into two groups. Some you prune in early spring and others after the flowers fade.

1. Early Spring Pruning

Hydrangeas bloom on new growth. These plants are Climbing Hydrangea, Annabelle, Grandiflora, and PeeGees.

2. After-Bloom Pruning

Hydrangeas bloom on last years stems. Included in this are Bigleaf Hydrangeas, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Lacecaps, SummerBeauty, and Nikko Blue. Pruning should be done when the flower has faded. Cut back the flowering stems to the strongest pair of new shoots. As plants mature, begin to thin out the oldest woody stems. Remove crowded crossing, broken, or dead branches.

6. Prune Clematis

Clematis can be put in three categories: Spring-flowering, summer-flowering , and twice-flowering.

1. Spring-blooming

Clematis produce flowers on stems that grew in the previous year. Prune when flowers are done blooming. Cut back the flowers that are dead. Prune out any old dead stems also.

2. Summer-blooming

Plants bloom on new growth produced in the spring. Cut back stems before new growth begins. Late autumn or early spring is a good time to prune. Cut back about 12 inches of old growth. Every year the vine will grow larger and stronger.

3. Twice-blooming

Plants first bloom in spring on stems produced the previous year. Late summer or fall would be the next bloom time. In late fall or very early spring, prune lightly to thin the stems. After the spring bloom, prune more heavily to get more healthy stems to develop for the next bloom. After the second bloom, prune old flowers away.

7.Prune Fruit Trees

By far the most common fruit trees are apple, peach, pear and cherry.

1. Apple Trees

Apple treesneeds to be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth starts. Always remove all suckers (summer is a superb time). Also remove dead along with otherunproductive limbs as needed.

2. Peach Trees

Peach trees are fast growing and ought to be pruned in winter. Without pruning the peaches will grow farther from the tree’s center. This may put great strain on the branches, causing them to break. In winter, thin out upward-growing branches that cross in tree’s center.

3. Pear Trees

Prune back in early spring. Always prune dead and unproductive branches as needed.

4. Cherry Trees

Prune in winter. Prune out branches that cross in center and dead unproductive branches as needed.

8. Prune Azaleas and Rhododendrons

They may be pruned in winter or early spring. However pruning at that time will prevent plants from producing many blooms. The most effective time to prune azaleas and rhododendrons is definitely after their blooming period in spring.When you prune at that time, no additional pruning is going to benecessary.

9 Prune Junipers

Junipers need very minimal pruning. They ought tobe pruned to correct their shape, to accent their form,as well as to limit their size. This should always be done during the juniper’s growing stages in mid-summer.

10. Prune Flowering Trees

Flowering trees need to be pruned once they have finished blooming. Prune as little as possible. Dead branches, branches that cross in the center, and branches which are unproductive need to be pruned out.

Three basic tools suffice for most pruning jobs: shears, loppers, and a pruning saw. Keep them sharp for clean cuts; disinfect after pruning diseased material.

Plants, colour and mood is very important for your garden, no matter where you live I been involved with Gardening in Calgary, AB Canada for many years.

Have you ever walked into a flowering garden and your mood instantly changes? Do you find that plants have the power to change the way you feel? Did you have that tranquil feeling or did you feel more livelier? The colours you choose as a backdrop influences the air of the place and affects the atmosphere of your occasion as well. Colour is taken very seriously in my Calgary Gardens I suggest you find your own tastes when it comes to Gardening with colour.

Dropping by a beautiful local garden like many Gardens in Calgary I frequent can help decide what colours that fit your personality and its the best decision you can make if you want to set the mood of your yard Do you want your backyard to be a place to relax? Or maybe you want an exciting backyard where people come to play. Remember that the colours of your surroundings sets the vibe. Know what kind of garden that you have always wanted, so you may have an easier time making that a reality. You may have some difficulty finding the perfect design, but the more you it, the easier it becomes. Choosing the right shrubs and its right variety that will fit in your garden. can be difficult, make sure you exercise patience.

As you start to notice colour in different landscapes, pay close attention to certain public areas. Think about the flowers that are planted at amusement parks. The floral arrangements are usually shimmering in inviting colours that paves the way for the expected festivities in the place. On the other hand, some parks may have a meditation garden where the colours are very calming and peaceful. Landscape artists knows the need of perfect combinations of colours to set the vibe. It is important to have the right combination of colour and the mood to make your yard more attractive and also more beautiful to look at. You can also bring the shade of such landscapes right at your own home.

An extraordinary Calgary Gardens may give you a lot of pleasure. If you have a stressful job and you want to totally relax when you come home, plan your landscape accordingly. Garden design can help you achieve the comfort that you can only imagine. Picture the calming lavender flowers, with a nicely mowed lawn and a man made waterfall. Have you felt that yet? A garden such as this gives the visitor a feeling of peace and serenity.If will add a hammock or a wooden log, this completes the scenery even more. Just bring in folding tables and chairs if you’re gonna have a grand event.

Do you wish to have more diversions for your visitors? You can easily set up a picnic grill to cook sausages and ribs. If you wish to have a backyard like these, vibrant colors should go well. A good mix of burgundy, orange, yellow and little pink should be just fine. Choose flowers with large petals  like petunias  This flower needs little care but still blooms all year long. Put lots of thought into the styles and types of tools you are buying. Put consideration on the features that you will place in your garden. You should choose those suggested by professionals like Calgary Gardens. You can buy vibrant colored containers and then you can arrange them at the foot of the trees. Containers need no maintenance and it can instantly add aesthetics to your backyard. The use of self watering containers can also save you time.

You can create the mood you want by the plants you put in your landscape. Determine the tone that you want and the design that you like. You can achieve that with garden Design and for sure you will have the memorable moments in your home in no time.

Written by:Custom Stone and Waterscapes?3829 Parkhill Place SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6 (403) 870-1142

Mulch is necessary in garden care and landscaping for a lot of reasons. Perhaps most necessary is that a correct mulch helps you win the struggle in opposition to weeds. In addition, it helps preserve the soil moist and at the right temperature for the well being of your plants. As we speak mulches can even contribute to the look of your private home, as well.

If you’ve been wondering about good trying pink, brown, or black mulch that is being seen extensively, what you’re seeing is dyed mulch. These mulches are constructed from chipped hardwood that has been dyed. The main motive for dying them is that fresh, natural hardwood mulch seems good and brown to start with, however fades to a uninteresting grey in a couple of years. Dyed mulches maintain their rich colour for a few years, and accent the colour of your house and flowers. Along with crimson, brown, and black, you too can discover different colors, together with gold and different natural shades.

Homeowners differ in their selection of hardwood mulch. Some are die-onerous naturalists, while others compromise with nature a bit in order to get the look they want. Some folks may be wondering in regards to the security of the dyed mulches. Luckily, the dyes are made out of plant sources and are generally regarded to be secure for dealing with and around meals plants. It’s also possible to search for gardening merchandise which are certified to be safe by the Mulch and Soil Council (MSC.) This may ensure that there have been no previous strain-handled waste woods used in making the mulch, which have been found to increase arsenic ranges within the soil.

Hardwoods aren’t the one bushes that discover their ways into mulch products. The softwood, pine, is used in pine bark, pine straw, and pine bark nuggets. Pine bark mulch is just like the hardwood mulches mentioned above. It is a sturdy mulch, with the larger pieces lasting longer than the smaller ones. Pine bark mulch decomposes into wealthy soil over the years, and is especially applicable to make use of in flower beds.

Pine straw mulch is definitely the needles from pine trees that are raked up and baled to be sold. It’s less expensive than many different mulches, all pure, and easy to use. It is very good for controlling erosion on a sloping area and does not wash away as another mulches can. It decomposes more shortly than pine bark, and needs to be changed frequently. Pine straw is particularly acceptable to use around crops that love an acid soil, reminiscent of azaleas.

Pine bark nuggets are similar to pine bark mulch besides in bigger pieces. This means that they’ll decompose more slowly than the smaller pieces, however they can also be washed away in a heavy rain. Use them in degree locations to keep away from this. Basically, wood product mulches must be used in a layer of two-three inches. Any deeper than this, and they can develop into attractive to rodents. To keep away from any hazard of termite damage, you’ll be able to hold bark mulched beds away from the inspiration of your property and use stone mulches there instead.

At Mulchtypes.org you will find out all about cedar grove mulch, red pine bark mulch, and black gold mulch.