Landscape design is not just about beautifying a space; it's about creating an oasis that reflects one's personal taste, adds value to a property, and offers a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The transformation of a backyard from a barren plot to a vibrant garden is a testament to the magic of landscape design. In this blog post, we'll walk through a real-life example and provide insights into how you can embark on your own landscaping journey.
The Enemy: Understanding Your Lawn's Challenges The first step to conquering your lawn is understanding the enemy. Common foes include weeds, pests, drought, and poor soil quality. Each of these issues requires a different approach, but the key to victory lies in prevention, early detection, and the right treatment. Weeds: The Invaders Weeds are opportunistic invaders, thriving where grass is weak. Combat them by maintaining a dense, healthy lawn that leaves no room for weeds to take root.
Whether or not you need synthetic turf in Oakland, California depends on your needs and preferences. Here are some factors to consider: Climate: Oakland has a Mediterranean climate, which means that it has warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Artificial grass is a good choice for areas with extreme weather conditions, as it is resistant to both heat and cold. Traffic: If you have a lot of foot traffic in your yard, such as from children or pets, synthetic turf is a good option.
Real grass has a magic appeal, but we can't overlook the fact that chemically treated lawns are no more than ecological wastelands. In a chase for a pretty lawn, we are poisoning ourselves for the sake of a status symbol. There are only two ways to create landscapes that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. You can replace turf with native plants that improve water quality, fix the soil, benefit wildlife, and remove carbon from the air. Or you can install artificial grass.
Artificial grass is a savior for people who don't want to spend time and money on lawn maintenance. Everyone loves to decorate the space with greenery that never needs extensive care to remain in its original color. The green landscape is not easy to upkeep, especially when you are living in a water-deprived area. Synthetic turf is an excellent option whether you want to use it in a playground, lawn, backyard, or indoor space.
There was a time when only people living in areas that suffer from drought considered artificial grass for its green touch. However, more of us started to realize that synthetic turf is not only useful in dry regions, but it also helps to save money, free our time, and conserve water. What's more? Artificial turf is not subject to uneven patches or seasonal browning inherent in real grass. Up-greening your front or backyard guarantees the perfection of your exterior design.
Natural Lawn Winterizing Winterizing a lawn is more critical if you cool-season turf (Fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, or perennial ryegrass.) These types of grass grow more in fall; it's recommended to apply winterizer fertilizer in October or November. Warm-season grass (Bermuda, St. Augustine, centipede, zoysia) goes dormant in close-to-freezing temperatures. In Northern regions, colder temperatures typically happen in the fall; the last fertilization must be done before September 1.
How much do you remember about 2006? Five meters long Northern bottlenose whale lost in the River Thames made Londoners think they are hallucinating. Mumbai train bombing left 209 dead, the video of Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein's execution was leaked into the media, and the shockumentary Borat was getting high-fives almost all-around for being offensive in the funniest possible way. The same time, Google purchases YouTube for 1.
Lawns are going through somewhat of a revolution and lawn care companies and home improvement stores either have to evolve or risk getting left behind. For the last couple of years, big chain stores and online retailers like Lowes, Home Depot and Amazon keep adding new synthetic turf products, drawing you into new and exciting twists you never saw coming. It's 2019.
Great landscaping lies in the eyes of its creator. While the principles of landscape design are excellent guidelines to keep a tap on, don't feel like they're the "must-have rules" of landscaping. Use your creativity, but don't misplace the creativity with originality. The landscape design process is a problem-solving process best approached in a systematic manner.