Raj asked:


What can I do if the builder is incharge of home owners association (because sub-division is only 50% built) and discriminates me because of warranty disputes I have with hime. Association asked me to provide a plan for the Land Scaping in August, 2006, which I did. They never contacted me after that (My telephone company log show no missed calls or received call since August from their office, but when I enquired last week, they sent a letter disapproving the lanscaping saying the size of plants/trees put in is not as per their rules. They also said that they tried to contact me by phone which they did not (can be proved from log of their office phone and my home phone by the telephone company) and they had my address to send me a letter. When I called last week, office manager told me that she does not know why my land scaping was not approved (it is normally approved with 3 weeks) and said she will let me know after a meeting with project manager (who is an employee of the builder)

Jorgan Sprie asked:




Not all homes have estate-sized yards. In fact smaller yards, say under than 10 square meters, are far more common and they can still be transformed into a landscaping showpiece with some good landscaping ideas.

If you plan a DIY (do it yourself) landscaping project, then take some time planning before putting shovel to dirt. Do a little research by exploring design ideas online or from your favorite landscaping magazines. Choose the landscaping ideas that inspire you the most and then find ways to integrate the different elements with each other in such a way to make a cohesive design. DIY Landscaping usually works best if you have a great eye for coordination and design.

Small Spaces

In small spaces clutter becomes enemy number one. So plant choice becomes the linchpin to a fun and functional design. The plants you choose should be selected based on what your end goal is. Also elements such as color and size should fit well with the design elements you discovered in your online and magazine research. Also make sure to give serious consideration to how fast plants grow. A small space can get cluttered very quickly s be wise and choose slow growth pants. These kinds of plants will keep your small space open and clean while freeing you from endless hours of pruning and trimming.

Some great choices that fit these requirements are plants like Carissa and Privet. These plants have a slow growth rate and they retain their shape quite well for up to a few years. Other great choices for small spaces are small slow growing bushes like Pistacia Pittosporum, Myrtle and Nandin.

Water Feature Landscaping Ideas

Having a beautiful water feature is almost always a great choice to bring soothing fresh appeal into an outdoor space. While the size of the feature is important, don’t think that you cannot use larger design elements such as fountains, waterfalls and even small ponds.

If you want to have a prominent water feature then you will want to position it in such a way as to not overwhelm the space. For instance placing waterfalls in a corner allows it to be feature yet out of pathways and open space. If corner space is occupied then consider building your waterfall directly into a wall with a rock formation fanning out to the ground. Such design tricks will allow you to have the features you want without intruding into precious center space.

And these types of water features are often easier to build than at first believed, some of them come pre-fabricated. It is simply a matter of unpacking a small ceramic basin or bowl and then placed in a well chose spot.

These landscaping ideas are great for many types of small spaces, and they take very little time and effort to complete yet they can add huge visual impact.

Regardless of what landscaping ideas you come up with it will be best to draw out a landscaping plan showing in detail where things will go and how much space they will take up. This type of planning will help you be more organized, and it will help you to think through the small but important details like where to put water sources and where to place electrical outlets.

DinaJ asked:


My boyfriend and I bought a house and there is some existing lanscaping. There is a tree with a plant bed around it. Cute, but I wanted to rip up the old plants and put in new ones. But once I start ripping them up I find a stump from a previuos tree. I dont want to hire a stump grinding service or rent a stump grinder. Too much time annoyance and cost. But I still want put my lil bed around the tree and somehow hide that stump. Maybe with a bush or something?

I have read a couple of articles on the net about using clematis because not only is it pretty but it wraps around the stump pretty well and eventually will smother the stump. But the stump in my yard is pretty low to the ground and I cant see a clematis wrapping around it.
Thanks ahead of time !!!

Zul Wafiy asked:




If you are getting bored with your typical front yard that normally would be patch of grass, a mailbox and garden flag. Just open your mind and with a small creativity, there are numerous front yard landscaping ideas can be applied. Following are three simple ideas for your front yard landscaping which may make your neighbors envy about.

Create visually pleasant displays

The first front yard landscaping ideas will be creating a fun place in your front yard. The idea here is to add stimulating objects that can attract the wildlife such as birds and butterflies visiting your front garden naturally. These can be done by adding a bird house or bird bath and planting shrubs and flowers. Naturally, all those beautiful and attractive insects will fly around of your front yard landscape. A good example is by placing the bird bath in your yard and plants those colorful arrays of flowers around the base.

Create sitting area or space

The appreciation of having a sitting space in your front yard creates a wonderful place to interact with neighbors, watch the daily happenings on your street or better still watching your kids while they play.

You can start creating a little sitting space in your garden by placing a bench under a tree or under small shed. With little creativity, create some sort of isolated space or borders around this small area by surrounding it with different types of flowers and shrubs. Adding a few potted plants also a fantastic way can sine it give you option so that you can change the plants anytime and anyway you like.

Mixing Perennials plants and Annuals plants

The third front yard landscaping ideas is by mixing the perennials plants with the annuals plants. Perennials bloom year after year and can be propagated by division, making them an inexpensive way to add to your front yard landscape, and they are relatively maintenance free. Perennials tend to bloom in succession, so you always have something blooming in your yard.

Annuals on the other hand give a continuous burst of color in your front yard, but they only last one season. They aren’t that expensive, so it isn’t hard to plant them each spring. Because they only last one season, they are wonderful for people who like to try new things each year. By having a mix of perennials and annuals in your front yard, you get the best of both worlds.

Jorgan Sprie asked:




There are lots of different backyard landscaping ideas that can make a backyard pop to life. One of the best ideas in backyard landscaping is to use stone to add structure and style to an otherwise dull space. Stone is a great medium because it comes in a wide variety of textures and colors. And one of these varieties will fit the bill in your own landscape design.

Stone Furniture

One of the least considered elements in backyard design is the use of stone furniture, which is often perfect for gardens and yards with ample space. The beauty of furniture created from stone is that it can hold up to the weather and they don’t break as easily as other types of furniture will.

Some of the most common mediums are Granite and marble, though some stone furniture designs are mixed media with other earthy elements such as metal or glass.

Stone Walls

Using stone as a dividing wall or retaining wall is a very simple design element that allows you to separate your yard into specific areas. The walls can be used to divide portions of ground that are higher or lower than each other. They can even double as low benches and seating around a barbecue area.

The types of stone used for building walls are usually slate, river stones and limestone. Though other flat varieties can easily be used for walls as well.

Stone Walkways

Flat stones are an excellent choice for creating walkways that can define a space or direct traffic though sensitive vegetation. Consider using walkways as a means to break up large expanses of grass or protect visitors from stepping in soggy dirt or mud. Walkways can also include stairs since flat stone such as flagstone or lime stone can be stacked in such a manner to build up steps.

Water Features And Other Items

There are numerous stone elements that can spark many backyard landscaping ideas. For instance consider building arbors and trellises from stone and cover them with climbing plants. Or perhaps build a beautiful water feature from stone that serves as a focal piece for your backyard design. The types of stone useful for building arbors and trellises are varied from simple concrete structures with a rough finish for the creeping plants, to complex Water features made from granite or marble.