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First choose a good location in your yard. Make the pond a focal point. Design your pond with a can of marking paint or an old garden hose. Start digging around the perimeter. You can make the pond different levels by making shelves as you dig. If you want fish to live year round in colder temps the deepest area should be at least 30 inches.
Next add some sand in the bottom and on the shelves to level and protect the liner. You can get a liner from your local home improvement store or use some rubber roofing material. Spread your liner out starting in the deepest area. Fold the liner to the contour of the pond,up and over the top edges.
You’ll need to get some rocks. Just plain field stone you can find it around in your yard or creeks. You may also just purchase some field stone from a local stone dealer. Start laying the rock around the perimeter of the liner. Making sure to choose the flattest rock first to get a good base.
You’ll need a Pump to circulate the water. Place the pump on one of the shelves and run the hose through the second layer of stone. Decide which area you would like a waterfall and place the pump there. Continue finishing the stone layers and stack a few more for the waterfall. Take the hose and slip it in you waterfall.
Finally fill your pond with water.Plug in your pump and check water flow.Let sit over night before adding fish.
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Have you created a woodworking shed in the past? If It may be your first time you may want a small amount of coaching with the process. It’s sometimes not as easy as it seems to implement. It is imperative that you’re planning your projects prior to deciding to do.
What else in necessary.
The first thing to decide on is the reason why you desire to have a woodworking shed inside your back yard garden. Are you considering the fact that you really need a place to put your current home or garden tools or perhaps do you wish to store your golf equipment there? Do you need to have a place to hide, to relax from time to time? Would you be willing to let the kids use it as a playhouse also?
You’ll find so many possible reasons why you would like to enjoy a woodworking shed and virtually no motive is more preferable to another one. They are typically somewhat easy to understand and as long as you plan your work prior to deciding to do anything you can expect to end up being delighted with this original smaller sized building in your backyard.
The next thing you should identify is where you would wish to position your woodworking shed. Is there an ideal space inside the backyard that you can already envision? There are some things you should remember while you are attempting to figure out where it needs to be positioned. Right off the bat, you really should build it in a location in which it certainly can’t disturb your neighbors. That’s important to take into account no matter what outdoor project you are planning the construct. An often overlooked detail to consider is the fact that it should be positioned where it isn’t shading the garden from the sunshine.
The third aspect to figure out is actually how big you wish your woodworking shed to become. This is determined by what you would like to utilize it for. How many tools will be permanently set up inside? Does it need to be large enough for the kids to use it as a playhouse? Alternatively, does it need to only protect your golfing equipment from the elements? If you are going to be building small projects, birdhouses and the like, it’s still best to plan a little extra space for storing materials- along with the clubs.
Answer these types of questions, one at a time and when you’ve done then it’s time to begin designing your own woodworking shed. You will soon discover that it can be quite fun to plan and build something like this. If the planning stage is not your cup of tea, consider purchasing step by step plans and take the stress and strain out of figuring out dimensions and material lists and every other detail that tends to be overlooked!
Have a plan and use it and use it and remember this project as one that went smoothly, efficiently, and didn’t cost more than expected!
How to Build a Rock Garden to Add Beauty to Your Landscape
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Home » Gardening & Landscaping » How to Build a Rock Garden to Add Beauty to Your Landscape
How to Build a Rock Garden to Add Beauty to Your Landscape
Purpose of a Rock Garden
The purpose of a rock garden is to show off either existing rock outcroppings or boulders with existing sculptural values, or to create rock effects. Whatever the purpose, a rock garden provides a home for diminutive plants. The treatment of the component rocks and flowers in such a garden requires a high degree of artistry. A common mistake is to try to form a rock garden from a pile of rocks in a small, level front yard.
Instructions
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Placement of Rocks
The rocks in a rock garden should look as though they belong to the site. They should be set solidly and firmly. If possible, stones native to the region should be used. Cut stone with flat surfaces should not be used. Sedimentary rocks which occur in nature with horizontal cleavage lines should be laid horizontally. Stones that are longer than they are wide should be laid horizontally. The largest stones should be placed at the bottom, with the broadest face down and the weathered surfaces exposed. Each stone should be laid so as to contribute to a look of stability. Rock arrangements are subject to the same general principles applying to other phases of landscapes. Each stone should be laid so that water runs back into the rock openings.
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Rock Garden Plants
The purpose of a created rockery may be to keep soil from washing down along steps or to serve as a dry wall for flowers. Since alpine and other plants used in rock gardens require a maximum of winter sun, they should be planted with that in mind. These plants should not be allowed to burn in summer. There should be an ample provision for the drainage.
The pockets and crevices that are created for plants should contain soil favorable to their growth, or else plants should be selected to fit the existing soil. A deep, moist soil is good for most rock garden plants. Peaty soil is best for members of the heat and orchid family. A soil composed largely of crushed rock or gravel is best for mossy and starry saxifrages and low-growing sedums. Leaf mold favors the primrose and lily families.
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Planting Details
The rock garden should not be planted too thickly. Enough space should be available for each plant to develop. Several plants of a kind grouped together are more effective than individual plants scattered here and there, each plant different.
Plants such as low-growing sedums should be placed in the sunniest positions; the more delicate ones, such as alpine primulas, should find shelter in nooks. Such plants as cerastium and dwarf phlox may be used to overlapping ledges. Some plants, wild ginger for example, can get a foothold on the steepest slopes. On the tops of rocks and in most conspicuous locations, the Acanthus mollis, Spiraea aruncus, and columbine can be used to advantage.
Because spring-blooming bulbs bloom early and don’t interfere with rock plants, they may be spread in masses among the alpine plants. There are thousands of alpines and dwarf perennials for you to choose from. Some dwarf annuals may be included, or dwarf species of bulbs, iris, and broad-leaved evergreens.
Among the numerous plants that can be used in rock gardens are the following few classified groups:
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Plants to be used in soil pockets: Golden tuft, Carpathian harebell, Scotch pink, hardy candytuft, tunica, double-flowered lychnis, shooting star, stonecrop, and gypsophila.
Plants for overhanging ledges: Arabis alpina, Daphne cneorum, Phlox subulata, stonecrop, Veronica rupestris, and myrtle.
Plants for deep recesses: Lily of the valley, showy lady’s-slipper, large yellow lady’s-slipper, bleeding heart, Japanese spurg, violets, polygonatum, and Trillium grandiflorum.
Plants for conspicuous positions: Columbines, gas plant, foxglove, eryngium, lychnis, Oriental poppy, and fritillaria.
Plants in moist positions: Calla, Indian paintbrush, forget-me-not, Potentilla, and buttercup.
Evergreens: Mugho pine, andromeda, dwarf box, Erica vagans, spreading yew, Daphne cneorum, and Retinospora obtusa.
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“How to Build a Rock Garden to Add Beauty to Your Landscape” is managed by Wenefredo Melencion
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How to Make a Rain Garden
Select a Location for the Rain Garden
If you are wondering how to build a rain garden, then the first thing that you need to do is select a location for the rain garden. Select a location for the rain garden that receives plenty of sunlight so that the excess water gets evaporated quickly. Make sure that the location of the rain garden is at least 12-15 feet away from the perimeter of the house. This is because if it is too near the house, it will cause water to seep into the foundation which might compromise the integrity of your house’s foundation. An ideal location for a rain garden is a spot that ends at a natural slope. This will make the water from the stormwater runoff naturally flow to the area.
Plan the Shape and Size for the Rain Garden
You can have a rain garden of any size, but make sure that the size is proportional to the area of the property and that it enhances the landscape. The depth of the rain garden for a ground which is fairly level should be around 3-5 inches. For ground that has a slight slope to it, a depth of 6-8 inches is sufficient. A natural shape like an oval, kidney or a teardrop shape looks more attractive than a square or rectangular shaped rain garden. So choose a shape that looks natural and gels well with the landscape.
Dig the Ground for the Rain Garden
Once the location of the rain garden has been established, it is time to dig the ground. Define the perimeter of the rain garden by laying a piece of string. Install wooden stakes around the perimeter of the rain garden that you are about to dig. Now start digging the ground to the required depth using a shovel. If you are planning to build a rain garden of a larger depth, then it is advisable that you use professional services for digging the ground. If you are building the rain garden on a slope, then you will need to make a berm on the downhill side of the rain garden. To build a berm just compact the soil that you dug out on the inside of the downhill edge of the depression. The idea is to have the same elevation for both the uphill and downhill side of the rain garden so that water does not flow out of the depression, but percolates slowly into the ground.
Plant Grass and Shrubs on the Depression
After you have dug the depression on the ground and created a berm around it, it is time to plant your garden. Select a variety of tall grasses, ferns, flowering plants and shrubs and plant them in the garden. Choose rain garden plants and shrubs that can thrive in a moist environment. Plants that have a well established root system are ideal for a rain garden as they help in absorbing the excess water without any fear of rotting. Add a layer of mulch to the garden bed taking care that you do not bury the crowns of the plants with mulch. Water the plants regularly after mulching them.
This was all about how to build a rain garden. Once the garden is established and the plants grow and thrive, remove weeds from the garden periodically. You can beautify the garden by using small pebbles or river stones along the edge of the berm. Creating a rain garden is not a difficult task, although it can be a little time consuming. However, the benefits of having a rain garden are many and you should definitely build one in your front or backyard.
Before beginning to build a raised garden, it is important to determine why a raised garden is needed or desired. Included in this assessment should be a consideration of the type of plants to be grown in the garden. Raised gardens are used to make a garden more convenient, to offer better soil content, for ornamental purposes, and a few other good reasons.
A raised vegetable garden may not be best for a landscape feature.
If the garden is being raised as a landscape feature, it may not be the best idea to make it a vegetable or herb garden because most of these plants are not perennials. This will mean that the garden is vacant and a possible eyesore for half of the year. Raised landscape gardens are best filled with small evergreen shrubs that can be surrounded by other perennials or annuals when the time is right.
Convenience and soil improvement are two excellent reasons for a raised garden.
Elevating the soil bed a foot or two can make weeding and pest control much easier. Having a raised garden filled with high quality soil for the plants will also mean less plant feeding and better sustained growth and crop production. It also affords more ability to see what the plants are doing regarding growth and health.
Regardless of the purpose, you can make the raised garden attractive if it is visible to the neighborhood.
While almost any material can be used to make the framework for a raised garden, some choices will make a more pleasing look. All types of landscaping material choices should be attractive and durable if installed correctly. For raised gardens that are intended for function only, using old railroad ties or recycling treated lumber will work fine. Some people have even used old truck tires although you might want to investigate the environmental impact as these degrade.
Pick a spot that will not need a lot of reshaping to make construction easier.
Unless you are in the middle of a major landscaping operation at your house, the best place for a raised garden should not need major excavation before construction begins. It is a good idea to remove any grass and plants that are already present in the site. However, if you intend to put a barrier under your raised garden, this may be unnecessary.
Determine the volume of your garden ahead of time.
Stake out the spot and compute the number of cubic feet of soil that you will need to fill your garden. This will help you decide whether to buy bags of soil or have it brought in by truck. It is usually much cheaper to have it delivered by truck if you need a lot. It is a good idea to buy a little extra soil to compensate for any unlevelled areas. If you have determined the height of the walls of your raised garden, just multiply the length times the width times the height in feet to get cubic feet. While you are at it, find the perimeter of your plot so that you can buy enough materials to build the walls.
For extra tall walls, buy lumber to use as anchors.
Most raised gardens are only about 12 to 18 inches tall. At this height, little, if any, engineering is necessary. If the wall grows to 3 or 4 feet or taller, you will find it needs to be anchored with boards passing through the wall and reaching several feet back into the garden plot. These will act as secondary foundations for the upper part of the wall and keep the built up soil from pushing the wall over. Just fit one in every couple of feet and attach the wall to it if you are using wood for the wall. Some of the manmade materials interlock and do not need this extra support.
Install a footing if you want to keep moles and other similar pests out.
A shallow footing of 12 to 18 inches deep will stop most moles from entering your garden. Just dig a simple trench and fill it with concrete. You can reinforce it if you will be building a heavy wall. Otherwise, putting metal into it is not really required. This shallow footing can be helpful if you make it a little wider than needed so that grass growth is kept away from the wall. It will make mowing around your garden much simpler.
Build your wall to the desired height.
For wood or other materials that you intend to install straight up and down, just build up your wall until it is the correct height for your raised garden. Some types of stone may be best installed by laying a row and filling with dirt. Let the next row rest with the inside edge slightly on the dirt. Repeat this process until the wall is complete. The finished wall should have a slightly sloped appearance. Do not let the slope be too great or the settling dirt will allow your wall to collapse.
Lay a barrier over the bottom of the garden.
For most raised gardens, it is a good plan to lay a barrier like paper or plastic over the exposed earth before filling the garden. This will help the garden retain more of the moisture that come into it. Some gardeners prefer no barrier so that roots can penetrate deeper into the earth. However, if the soil of the plot is the problem, this approach can be counterproductive to the garden.
The garden should be ready for planting.
With the good soil and raised garden, it is time to get some great plants and start your gardening. If you have used regular topsoil for your garden, you may want to get some type of water soluble plant food to begin feeding your new garden right away. Make sure that you use plants suited for the amount of sunlight available to your garden.
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