Landscaping Ideas

A house, no matter how beautiful and well-kept, is not complete without a formal or informal arrangement of plants and flowers. Yes, landscaping does improve the natural beauty of the land and effectively “frames” a house. Landscaping is not only environmental-friendly but it also increases the value of your home and serves as a haven for garden-friendly insects and birds.

1. Landscape Design Styles: There are several types of landscaping styles that you can use for your home. The main thrust is for the style of your house and the landscaping to match. You cannot opt for a traditional English garden-type landscaping if your home’s style is Mediterranean. On this website are the most commonly used garden styles, explained and illustrated. (www.the-landscape-design-site.com)

2. Landscape Styles: This website will guide you through conceptualizing and designing your home garden. It discusses the materials, plant and color palettes, décor and even fabrics to use for your landscaping. For a Tuscan-inspired garden, you can incorporate Travertine tiles, Italian cypress, and olive and wall fountains. (www.landscapingnetwork.com)

3. Finding Inspiration for a Design Theme (PDF): As a homeowner, you definitely have some ideas on how to go about beautifying your yard. If your ideas are all scattered, try to have a design theme as guide. This website will take you through identifying the characteristics of your garden/landscape design, whether you are into a Japanese or Italian garden. (www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu)

4. Creative Landscape Ideas: I do a little of mix-matching in tackling my garden. My home landscaping is so eclectic and I just love it! You can use contrasting elements to highlight the beautiful qualities of each element. You can mix-and-match the grasses, foliage, flowers, ornaments and other garden elements for an exciting home garden. Do not be afraid to experiment. (www.hgtv.com)

5. 80, 517 Landscape Design Photos: Feast on more than 80,000 photos of landscaping for homes. From formal to informal, traditional to avant-garde, from an English rose garden to a Japanese-inspired garden, the landscapes presented here are beautiful and easy to do. (www.houzz.com)

6. 13, 687 Flowers and Plants Landscape Design: The groupings of different plants are based on their durability, type, height and colors. Do not be afraid to experiment on your plant groupings. Be creative and artistic. Shown on this website are more than 13,000 photos of plants and flowers groupings in different garden settings. (www.houzz.com)

7. Types of Flowers: There are flowers that will thrive only in sunny location and there are flowers that will only thrive in shady spaces. Now, there are plants that will thrive in both sunny and shady location. There are plants that thrive in salty soil and there are those that will grow only in wet soil. If you live where there is wildlife, you should know which plants a particular animal (such as a deer) do not like. (www.about.com)

8. 10 Tips for a Beautiful Yard: There is nothing more welcoming for house guests than to be greeted with flowers as he/she enters your house. Vines are great to climb on trellises and arbors. Make the driveway more interesting by lining it up with colorful flowers and plants. (www.southernliving.com)

9. Dream Water Gardens: If space and location allows, it is a good idea to add a water element in your home landscaping. You can build a small pond overlooking the pergola or construct a natural-flowing stream. You can even opt for a contemporary fountain if space is constricted. A wooden bridge over a koi pond is a great addition for an Asian-inspired landscape. (www.bhg.com)

10. Easy Solutions to Landscaping Problems: Not everyone can afford a professional for his home landscaping. If you are intent on a DIY landscape project, you might get stumped by some landscaping-related problems. This website presents solutions and help tips on some of the most common problems encountered in landscaping a garden. (www.about.com)