Many people consider installing artificial grass a long-term investment. According to IBIS World (1), there are 1,801 artificial grass installation businesses in the US in 2023. However, artificial grass and dogs are topics you will love to delve into in a home with pets before investing in turf grass.
You can use concrete, cement, or blacktops for your backyard. However, cement pavements can get hot during summer, and your dog won’t love walking around. You may also want to retire your mower, as maintaining natural grass is expensive.
Herein, we discuss how to create a dog-friendly artificial grass environment, maintain artificial turf for dogs, and keep artificial grass cool. Continue reading to learn more about artificial turf and dogs.
Is Artificial Grass Too Hot for Dogs?
Is artificial grass too hot for dogs, or does artificial grass get hot? The short answer is NO! Synthetic grass cannot get too hot to harm your dog.
Artificial lawns use special products that are developed for landscaping. Unlike artificial sports fields, artificial grass doesn’t have black crumb rubber infills. On the other hand, quality artificial grass uses polyester tire cord backing.
Turf grass mimics real grass in almost every aspect. While artificial grass can get hotter than natural grass, a few tweaks will reduce temperatures to normal.
How To Keep Artificial Grass Cool for Dogs Before Installation
A slight mistake in choosing the suitable turf for your dog may result in considerable damage. Choosing the wrong material or poorly installing turf will not work as efficiently as professionally installed artificial grass.
In scorching areas, the choices below will help you choose a product that is cool for your dog:
- Less dense products: allow air circulation. In return, heat dissipates quickly.
- Temperature-controlled fibers: Some products are heat resistant. You may see a “cool yarn” tag on them or something similar.
- Lighter-coloured grass and fibers: dark shades absorb heat readily and retain it. Use lighter-coloured threads as they will stay cooler.
- Installation under a shade: By installing turf under a shade, your dog can play on artificial grass even under the hottest sun, as they will have a roof over their head.
- Heat-reducing infills: Choose specialized infills to help keep your turf cool and your dog’s paws comfortable.
A combination of lighter-colored artificial grass, strategic location, heat-reducing infills, and less dense products before installation will lower lawn temperatures under the rare summer sun.
How To Keep Artificial Grass Cool in Summer After Installation
Unlike natural grass, artificial grass is often made from synthetic materials that can readily absorb and trap heat. The temperature of artificial grass can rise significantly, especially on hot, sunny days. It’s important to be aware of this potential temperature increase and take proactive measures to mitigate the risks.
If you have already installed the best artificial grass for dogs, the following tips will help reduce grass temperatures:
- Create a Shade or Plant Trees
- Using a retractable awning, cast a shade on artificial grass
- Block direct sunlight by covering artificial grass with shade cloths
- Plant or buy trees that will provide shade to your grass and dog
- Cool down hot artificial grass with water from a sprinkler or a garden hose
- Add sand infill to your fake lawn. Sand weighs your grass down and dissipates heat to protect artificial fibers.
In addition to these cooling measures, regularly remove any debris or organic matter from your artificial grass. Leaves, twigs, and dog poop on artificial grass can hold moisture and increase the likelihood of heat retention.
By promptly cleaning up any messes and regularly raking or brushing the grass, you can help maintain a dry and comfortable surface for your dog to play on.
Artificial Grass for Dogs: 13 FAQS
Below are 13 other frequently asked questions about artificial turf for dogs we receive from our audience.
How Do You Maintain Artificial Turf for Dogs?
- Hose down your lawn every week to eliminate urine smell and any other odor.
- Increasing air flow and circulation by use of a blower.
- Scoop up dog waste and dispose of the feces in a dustbin.
- Use temperature control systems to cool down your artificial grass.
- Install a shade to protect your artificial dog turf from harsh weather conditions.
- Trim your dog’s nails regularly to prevent it from tearing the turf while playing around.
- Use a pressure hose to water down urine and keep the grass clean.
Is Artificial Pet Turf Actually Safe?
Yes, high-quality artificial grass is safe for dogs. Manufacturers usually test their products and attach certificates for us to confirm. It’s also difficult for your dog to rip off quality artificial turf.
Since dogs cannot dig through fake grass, pet owners and dog boardings prefer artificial grass to natural grass.
Does Dog Pee Ruin Fake Grass?
No, but it may smell. Unlike natural grass, artificial turf may not wither or die when your dog pees on it. To deal with the smell, regularly hose down the area.
Is Artificial Turf Suitable for Dogs?
Yes, and it does more good than harm; your dog will have a resting place during the hot summer, and you don’t have to worry about replacing it, as turf doesn’t dry up or wither.
Can Dogs Ruin Artificial Grass?
If you install low-quality artificial turf, your dog will rip it into pieces. On the other hand, quality fake grass will withstand your dog’s activities, such as running, jumping, and even occasional digging.
Only a persistent dog can destroy and tear through the turf’s thatch, infills, and the 2-3 layers of polyester backing.
Does Artificial Grass Have Chemicals That Will Harm My Dogs?
Manufacturers only use pet-friendly products in making artificial grass. Also, unlike natural grass, your artificial pet turf does not need fertilizers and herbicides, as weeds do not grow there. No harmful chemicals in your lawn means your turf is free from them.
Is Artificial Turf Resilient and Long-Lasting?
Artificial turf has a life span of 20 years or more. Fake grass is also made to withstand daily pressure and your dog’s roughshod. Unlike natural grass, you don’t have to groom your turf and mow it frequently. Hence, your pet turf will be vibrant and fluffy for years.
Can Fleas and Ticks Live in Artificial Grass?
While dealing with ticks and fleas is difficult, artificial grass doesn’t provide a conducive environment for these pests. Artificial grass guarantees 100% removal of parasites because there is no soil to facilitate nesting and debris accumulation.
For a pest-free artificial lawn, clean your dog kennel and artificial grass frequently.
Does Dog Pee Ruin Fake Grass?
No, as fake grass does not wither or dry, dog pee will not kill it by taking a leak on your turf. However, water down the spot to deal with the urine smell or create a designated area for your dog to urinate.
How Cost-Friendly Is Artificial Grass?
The upfront cost of installing artificial grass is high. However, it is worth it in the long run as it will save your water bills, maintenance costs, and weed control budget in the long run.
What Can I Put Under Artificial Grass for My Dogs?
Add several layers of sand or any other infill under artificial grass to keep it cool. Most dog owners prefer spending more on silica granules than using crumb rubber infills to pumper their dogs and keep the artificial grass cool.
Verdict: Is Artificial Grass Too Hot for Dogs
Does artificial grass burn dogs paws? Artificial grass is not too hot for dog paws and will not cause considerable damage to your furry friend’s paws or skin. However, beyond heat-related concerns, ensure your artificial grass is safe and non-toxic for your dog.
At Pet Grail, our top priority is the well-being of your dog. Look for products that are specifically labeled as pet-friendly and have been thoroughly tested. The hassle may be breathtaking, but it’s worth it!


Purpose of the project:
This project seeks to stop erosion, reduce sedimentation, reduce elevated water temperatures, and restore a riparian zone of the Mulberry River, a state-designated Extraordinary Resource Waterbody and nationally designated Scenic River. Restoration will take place on private property adjacent to US Forest Service (USFS) lands. This is a cooperative community project that will restore the streambank, reestablish the riparian zone 60 feet out into the floodplain, and educate citizens on water quality and river protection.
Human Interest/Community Benefit:
This project will benefit the health of the land and water utilized by citizens visiting the nearby USFS property. At least 20 students from the Oark Public School will assist in planting 515 native trees, shrubs and grasses. They will also assist with the construction of 800’ of livestock exclusion fencing to protect the riparian corridor. An isolated community, the people of Oark work together to help each other. Residents know Ms. Brown’s property and are aware of the unsightly erosion issue she is dealing with. This project is the centerpiece of a historical site known as the “swinging bridge”, originally constructed in the late 1930s and restored in 2015. It is a 150’ long foot bridge that people can walk across from Highway 215 to access the river. Many people drive up and down Highway 215 every day and can see the ugly vertical walls of exposed soil that are dumping sediment into an “Extraordinary Resource Water” and a “Natural and Scenic Waterbody”. This project will have a huge impact on the community and it is likely that the nearby Environmental Science class at the Oark School will use this site as an educational opportunity.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permitting was completed in the winter of 2015/2016. Streambank stabilization work will be completed during low flow conditions in the summer of 2016. It should take approximately two weeks to complete excavation work. Livestock exclusion fencing will be constructed after rock vanes are installed in late summer or early Fall 2016. Tree and shrub planting will occur during dormancy in the winter of 2016/2017.
Economic Calculator results:
$228,005.91 USD total sales,
$131,883.11 USD value added, and
$86,730.57 USD income.
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC),
United States Forest Service (USFS),
Cathie Brown (private landowner),
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),
Clarksville Chamber of Commerce –
Johnson County Development Foundation,
and Oark Public School.


Residential – Pool Surrounds
Resin Bound Gravel is the perfect solution for the surrounding surface of your swimming pool. A Resin Bound Gravel pool surround offers a safe, practical and stylish alternative to decking, concrete or paving slabs. Because our Resin Bound Gravel pool surrounds are completely free of loose stones, they are comfortable to walk on barefoot and just as smooth and easy on the feet as they are on the eye.
Depending on your requirements, Cambridge Resin Bound Gravel can be installed with either a permeable or a watertight finish. However, swimming pool, Jacuzzi and hot tub surrounds often end up covered in standing water; our permeable Resin Bound Gravel will allow the water to pass straight through it, safely removing any slip hazards.
Resin Bound Gravel also offers you the opportunity to make a design feature of your pool surround with a huge range of colours and textures. Depending on your requirements – whether you are creating a stylish grown-up’s playground or a feast of colours for the little ones – we can provide an almost endless list of colour and texture options.
For areas over 20m², we recommend you use one of our Resin Bound Gravel approved installers. However, for smaller projects, we can provide a DIY kit for you to complete the work yourself.
Our Range of Resin Bound Gravel
Please click here for our product range
We’d love to hear from you!
If you have any questions about Resin Bound Gravel, we’re here to help.
Every Resin Bound Gravel project is backed by a comprehensive 10 year guarantee, providing assurance against loose stones; cracking; oil damage; UV degradation; colour change; frost damage and workmanship (when installed by an Approved Installer).


Cool way to visit the Red Centre
Rachel Buchanan, The Age
July 19, 2006
Xanthorrhoeas, hold your heads up high. Paperbarks, be proud.
Vanilla lilies, willow myrtle and woolly grevilleas, all of you
rejoice, because at last you have a public garden that celebrates
your spiny, flaky, fragrant, all-Australian beauty.
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne, the outer-suburban
sister to the better-known gardens in South Yarra, were established
in 1970 for "the conservation, research, display and enjoyment of
Australian native plants". They opened to the public in 1989.
Visitors to the 363-hectare site could walk through remnant heathy
bush, exploring swamps, wetlands and creeks, and enjoy the birds
and animals that lived there: honeyeaters, fairy wrens, robins,
Now, this original, wild area has been joined by the 25-hectare
Australian Garden, designed by landscape architects Taylor Cullity
Lethlean with landscape designer Paul Thompson. It opened in June.
In this spectacular garden, native plants go black-tie.
Around a dry river bed and a raised central dance floor of red
desert sand, Australian plants are grouped in formal garden beds:
the ironbark garden, the box garden, the peppermint garden, the
bloodwood garden, arid garden and a eucalypt walk. A serpentine
path leads to a bridge over a small waterfall and waterhole
bordered by an escarpment wall, a looming sculpture made from
oxidised iron. According to the brochure, the structure reflects
similar red sandstone plateau walls at Uluru and Kings Canyon. On
reflection I can see this, but my initial thought was, hey, check
out the amazing train wreck.
The waterhole is at the end of the best water feature you've
ever seen: a shallow canal dotted with square stepping stones at
different heights (children are invited to wade between the
lifesaving flags, so if you're visiting while it's still freezing
cold, put children in gumboots and bring dry socks and trousers for
the trip home!).
The waterway has subtle, angled terraces, so when the water
begins to flow it tumbles over the little shelves from one side to
another, like a curtain being drawn or a fringe falling over a
face. It's mesmerising and clever.
This side of the garden contains exhibition beds to give people
ideas for how to use natives at home. There's a kids' backyard, a
home garden, a water-saving garden and a diversity garden, in which
a few of the beds were mulched with shells whose blue bellies were
turned up to the sky. I liked the future garden the best. It was a
series of breast-like, round raised garden beds bordered by some
kind of coloured foam, mulched with bits of rubber (old tyres)
chopped very small like liquorice, and decorated with red and white
striped poles. The whole effect was very zany Dr Seuss, and I'd
love to replicate it at home.
After my visit, I sat in Boonerwurrung Cafe, which is at the
front of the stylish new slated visitors' centre that perches on
the garden's rim. I drank my coffee and enjoyed the view. By some
trick of midwinter light, the Dr Seuss beds appeared to levitate.
On the opposite side of the garden, clusters of 400-yearold
xanthorrhoeas (grass trees) bent over crushed rock. A man with a
sun tattooed on his left calf took his son's hand. The large,
central red sand garden keep off, staff only looked
brilliant and maybe a bit sinister beneath the low, grey rain
clouds. The Dandenongs were dark blue behind it all.
Visitors pay nothing to walk around the Australian gardens at
Cranbourne that have been designed by nature, but it costs $9 for
an adult to visit the Australian Garden. It seems a lot until you
see the site, how carefully it's all been done, how expensive all
the materials are, the tonnes of river pebbles and stones (which
river did they come from?), those ancient grass trees (which
forest?), all that red sand (which desert?), the shells (which
beach?). Maintenance will cost a fortune.
Not everyone will like this garden: the expensive artifice of
the inaccessible red centre; the monumental metal escarpment; the
literal silliness of the bright watering cans on sticks in the
water-saving garden; the inevitable cafe and gift shop. Maybe I
didn't like all of it either, but at least it felt safe to look at
the red centre through the windows of a cafe.
I've been to the real Red Centre, to Alice and Uluru and Kings
Canyon. I was frightened by the vastness of the horizon up there,
and the buzzing, thumping, chirping, scratching noises of the
desert night. On the endless bus trip back from Alice to Adelaide,
the Australian garden burned out the window, hot, hotter, 40, 42,
46 degrees, then black clouds hit the red dirt and great bolts of
lighting flashed and forked across the sky, but there was no rain,
and the garden remained dry.


WHAT WE DO
Our professionals are experts when it comes to landscape ideas that pay off. Not only can we make your outside spaces look natural and healthy but we’ll ensure that your landscapes give maximum protection for your property. Contact us today and let’s start revitalizing your areas with sustainable landscapes that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Trust us to make your lawns and gardens a natural extension of your home and an exquisite representation of your character and personality. From treating your lawn to a crisp, precise cut to weed control, fertilization, proper treatment, and more, our lawn care specialists will work out their magic to achieve premium turf. Get in touch today for lawn care services in Waltham, MA, and nearby areas.
The right irrigation systems will effectively water your plants and lawns and keep your landscapes looking lush and healthy. Count on us to expertly install the irrigation system that satisfies your property’s unique requirements and needs. This way, you get all the benefits of water conservation while keeping your landscape looking its best. Book your service today!
It takes a higher level of creativity, technical know-how, and skills to execute landscaping projects that boost the surrounding environment while maintaining aesthetic appeal and functionality. Whether it’s a private garden or an urban renewal project, we’ll work with you to build all the elements that match the unique requirements of your project.
Our pros are the partners you can trust for top-tier sprinkler systems, turnkey solutions, and high-quality service. We specialize in designing and installing a wide array of irrigation systems for residential and commercial clients in Waltham, MA, and nearby areas. You can rely on us to consider all aspects of your landscapes to deliver sprinkler systems that will keep your greens thriving season after season.
We’ll help you choose from a wide array of colors, patterns, and styles and deliver an expertly designed and built patio that adds significant value to your property. Whether you need a great place to host dinner parties or just want your own private space to unwind and relax, we are fully capable of giving you a patio that you’ll love. Feel free to reach out for any questions.
Masonry and Construction
Our professional masonry crews are the experts to call when you need the finest products, innovative techniques, and bespoke designs. From building stunning, one-of-a-kind stone fireplaces to designing elegant stone patios, custom chimneys and retaining walls, and more, we’ve got you covered with all that it takes to create your outdoor oasis. Give us a call today to get your estimates!
Waltham, MA and a 45 mile surrounding radius


If you’re thinking of expanding your home in any way, consider getting a modular garden room. These unique spaces can be customized to perfectly fit your needs and look great on your property. Not only are they practical and functional, but they’re also a unique way to add value to your home. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your modular garden room today!
What is a Bespoke Modular Garden Room?
A bespoke modular garden room (BMR) is a unique way to expand your home by creating an entirely new living space within your existing garden. BMRs are created by carefully selecting the right modules, or pieces, and then assembling them into a customised design. You can choose from a range of different styles and configurations, so there’s sure to be a BMR that suits your needs. BMRs can be used for all sorts of purposes, such as an outdoor living area, a workshop, or even a bedroom. They’re perfect for anyone who wants to create their own space, without having to spend a lot of money or do any heavy construction work. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile – you can rearrange them as often as you like, without worrying about damaging or destroying them. If you’re interested in creating a BMR of your own, here are some tips to help you get started:
The Benefits of a Bespoke Modular Garden Room
A modular garden room is a unique way to expand your home. Whether you are looking for more storage, a place to grow plants or just want to add an extra level of functionality to your home, a Bespoke Modular Garden Rooms can be the perfect solution. Here are some of the benefits of having a modular garden room: Increased Storage Space: A modular garden room can easily be converted into a storage area, perfect for storing seasonal decorations or gardening tools. More Functionality: A modular garden room can also be used as a home office, nursery or playroom. You can create any layout you desire, without having to worry about compromising on space. Customizable Layout: A modular garden room can be customised to fit your specific needs and desires. You can choose the size and layout of the room, as well as the furnishings and accessories. This makes it perfect for anyone who wants to create their own unique space. Cost Effective Solution: A modular garden room is a cost effective solution that can add a lot of value and functionality to your home. Compared to other types of expansions, such as adding an extra bedroom, a modular garden room is much more affordable and versatile.
How to Create Your Own Bespoke Modular Garden Room
If you love the look of modular gardens, but find they are a bit expensive or not in your budget, then you may want to consider creating your own Bespoke Modular Garden Rooms. A modular garden room is a great way to expand your home without breaking the bank, and can give you a unique and stylish addition to your property. Here are four tips on how to create your own bespoke modular garden room. Start by considering what type of garden room you want to create. There are several different styles of modular garden rooms available, so it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs. Some popular styles include Japanese gardens, English gardens, and Victorian squares.


A question I get asked quite frequently is why choose artificial grass for lawns?
Reason to choose artificial grass for lawn
There are many good reasons, and I am going to explain a few of them in this article. As artificial turf is made from fibers that are completely synthetic, it is completely weatherproof. Water, sunlight, and temperature do not affect it in any way. This means that your lawn can be set up anywhere you like, even in the middle of a severe hurricane, and it will still look great.
One of the biggest benefits of cheap artificial grass Dubai is that it requires absolutely no maintenance. Unlike natural grass, there is nothing that needs to be done in order to maintain it. If you live in an area where snowfall is common, then your artificial turf may be kept relatively clean, by using a good snow removal product on a regular basis. If you live in a hot climate, then it would be wise to keep it covered during the summer months, with a light cover when you leave it outdoors.
Safe for kids and pets
Artificial turf is non-toxic and safe for kids and pets. Many pet owners are turning to this alternative because it’s more comfortable for their pets. If you have a dog or a cat, you know how much the coat of your animal can become drenched in urine or feces. Having natural grass underneath doesn’t make it any worse. In fact, it’s far better for your animals, as they can use it without fear of harming themselves on a daily basis.
Doesn’t require that much upkeep
Another big reason to choose artificial grass is that it doesn’t require that much upkeep. All you need to keep it looking good is a good cleaning product and a light spray every couple of weeks. This may seem like a lot of work for something that will be dead soon, but in reality, all it takes is a simple cleansing ritual to get artificial grass looking as good as natural grass does. Now, if you’re still asking.
The most important reason to choose artificial turf is the money you can save. You’ll be able to cut back on your heating and electric bills. It also makes a great addition to a green lawn. Instead of spending hours digging and planting seeds, you can simply turn your lawn into a lush green landscape that will look exactly like your natural lawn without all the work.
Besides saving money, there are other benefits to choosing artificial turf over natural grass. Artificial grass can resist all kinds of weather conditions. That means you can have it set up at home in any season. You don’t have to worry about it snagging in heavy rain during the winter or snagging too much snow in the summer. With natural grass, those things happen more often.
Best quality grass carpet is an excellent choice for anyone looking to reduce their costs. It is more cost-effective than natural grass, which is better for the environment. Plus, artificial turf is easy to maintain. Unlike natural grass, you don’t have to deal with weeds, and you don’t have to replace the entire lawn. All you need is a few thin layers, a light application of fertilizer, and you’re set.


Autumn leaves in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and Subtropics: garden design tips
Can that really be autumn foliage framing the Subtropical Dome at the Brisbane's Botanic Gardens in the year 2011 ?
Take a closer look: It's Euphorbia cotinifolia with a blaze of maroon foliage that frames the view of the classic geodesic dome at this popular Brisbane tourist attraction. I discovered this and other autumn delights when I paid a visit to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot tha this week.
It was the first week after the autumn equinox of 2011 and I knew the seasons were turning. I was curious to see how climate change is affecting the autumn behaviour of subtropical trees. I soon started to think: What has happened to Brisbane's best known, subtropical trees that usually produce lovely autumn foliage?
Where were the usual tones of orange and gold on trees such as Liquidambar, Crepe Myrtle and White Cedar ? I found a tiny patch of yellow leaves on a large Liquidamber tree near the Band Shell, and a Crepe Myrtle with some bare branches and plenty of green leaves in the Japanese Garden. (Refer photos below & right).
Then I reminded myself that Brisbane Botanic Gardens always turns on a show for autumn. Looking more closely at Kenso Ogata's classic Japanese pond garden, (which was constructed nearly twenty five yeras ago in 1988 - 89), I expected to see more deciduous trees with their autumn leaves.
But this was not to be. There was another surprise. Autumn had come in the form of some small, maroon foliaged shrubs, the occasional pink camellia bloom and a blue pond. No autumn foliage trees were to be seen - just a pond emptied of water to reveal its blue plastic liner.
Gardeners at the Botanic Gardens were taking advantage of the autumn weather to clean out the pond. This gave a good opportunity to see how these clever gardeners plant the normally serene water lilies that float on the surface of the pond.
On this occasion, the lily leaves lay draped and slightly wilted, with their thin, long stems quietly resting about the large black plastic pots in which they reside on the blue plastic liner at the bottom of the pond. Like clusters of patient refugees, they awaited the return of the water and the new prospects it would bring. One day soon, they would once again turn their faces towards the sun and re-establish themselves.
Travelling to the gardens, I had passed by one of Brisbane's stately homes. Its autumn charms are worth mentioning, as they complemented those of the nearby Botanic Gardens. In the garden of the yellow house depicted below, just as I had seen at the Botanic Gardens, there is a design that cleverly combines hard and soft landscape elements. By that, I mean a combination of the hard walls and roofs of buildings with the soft trees, shrubs and garden spaces around them.
What a welcoming entry has been created ! As though to celebrate the arrival of cooler autumn days, the sunlight played upon the warm oranges and golds of the roof and walls.
As poet John Keats said, autumn is the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. The restrained use of evergreen trees and shrubs in this garden catches the silent autumn mists as they glide by. It brings forth the mellow fruitfulness of brightly coloured native berries on the trees. And as a third blessing of autumn, there will be bird song, rather than the need for a sweeping up and carting away of a whole driveway full of deciduous leaves, as the months progress.
As though to confirm this abundance of autumn brought forth by walls, roofs and trees, the neighbour's equally beguiling footpath garden caught my eye as I turned to walk back down the hill from this property. The first verse of John Keats's, Ode to Autumn ran through my mind as I passed beneath the canopy:
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
Just as Keats's vines ran in happy proliferation around the thatch eves, here the vines and fruits fell in profusion over a subtle pink wall for all the neighbourhood to enjoy as part of their daily walk. These lovely colours and textures made me recall once again the combinations of walls, roofs and plants that I had seen growing at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
Firstly it had been the combination of the curved, reflective, geometric walls of the subtropical dome and the autumn colours of Euphorbia cotinifolia that had created a surprising and unexpected autumn note.
Secondly, it had been the combination of small, maroon foliaged shrubs planted in the foreground of a traditional, shingle roofed Japanese garden shelter that had created a welcome contrast of autumn colours and textures in the Japanese Garden.
Here, the hard and soft elements of the garden had worked together to create the autumn ambiance, rather than just relying upon the foliage colours of traditional deciduous trees and the lovely blooms of camellias.
Not to be cast aside however, an example of this classic combination of traditional subtropical trees with lovely, autumn blooms, sprang back to mind.
Going back to where I had commenced my visit at the entrance gate to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, I saw the frangipani trees with their leaves beginning to fall and the roses with their petals beginning to unfold. Regardless of climate change, there is always something exotic and unexpected happening in the well designed subtropical garden.
Do you have any questions or do you need some garden design advice? Contact us at email@example.com, or via the Order Page on this website.
Brisbane Botanic Gardens in Mt Coot tha Road are normally open each day from sunrise to sunset.


Kansas City Landscaping CompanyWe provide reliable service, creative designs, and budget-conscious solutions that address the unique landscape issues created by the natural terrain of mid-Missouri's beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. Mark Also places a priority on spending time with his family which brings balance to his life and makes his work the best it can be. Mark has an extensive knowledge of plants, trees, shrubs and their growing conditions from years of experience with Suburban Lawn & Garden in Kansas City, KS and Colonial Nursery in Blue Springs, MO. Sharp Landscaping only hires qualified workers who are committed to getting the job done right and value customer satisfaction.
To compute for the total cost of installing hardscape in Kansas City, you need to consider the materials and labor as well. Typical projects include landscape Hardscapes Saint Joseph, MO and garden bed design and maintenance, drainage solutions, hardscape design and installation, tree and shrub pruning, and container plantings.
Stone Solutions is a complete hardscape material supply company located in Merriam, KS. Brummel Lawn and Landscape LLC has many suppliers for different natural stone, concrete blocks, and wood to meet all of your needs. Outlook Hardscape provides solutions for your outdoor hardscape needs.
A hardscape in Kansas City is essential to make your garden or yard more accessible to people. We service customers from Lake Viking near Gallatin, Missouri to Kansas City, Kansas; from Brookfield, Missouri to St. Joseph, MO and all towns in between. Contact Second Nature to discuss your hardscape landscaping ideas with our team of architects and outdoor designers.
There are several factors that affect the cost of a Kansas City hardscape installation and that basically includes the design of the hardscape, the kind of hardscape, the materials, and labor cost. At F1 Hardscapes, we provide hardscaping services to improve the appearance and enjoyment of your outdoor living spaces.
They offer landscaping design, maintenance, and installation services for residential and commercial properties. Creative Surface Solutions is a hardscape and stonework company in Kansas City. Hardscapes add serious curb appeal and value to any outdoor space. Dirt Co, located in Kansas City, is a hardscape and stonework specialist.
Regardless of whether you want complete landscaping services or just need a fireplace or outdoor kitchen built, we are the experts to call. From retaining walls to stone paths to custom firepits, hardscapes and outdoor living collections can be used in countless ways.
For the best Kansas City hardscape, look no further than Next Level Lawn and Landscape. From design development to project build, we take pride in building hardscapes that withstand the test of time. Complete Hardscapes can repair your retaining wall to be structurally stable.


Image, Atmosphere, Environment
|Phone||(07) 4055 5332|
Our Cairns nursery is home to an extensive range of tropical indoor plants and outdoor plants of all sizes including popular North Queensland favourites bamboo palms (chamaedorea seifrizii) and peace lilies (spathiphyllums).
We use organic plant foods and pest repellents and our plant carers, landscapers, lawn and garden managers hold, or are in the process of obtaining professional horticulture qualifications.
Clients say the reason they choose Pynes is because they don’t have to call or watch over us. Their indoor plants, outdoor landscaping, gardens and lawns always stay healthy and beautiful and our professional team quietly manage themselves.
At Pynes Indoor Garden Hire & Garden Management we take great pride in all we do. From our initial phone conversation, to selecting the best plants for your needs and unobtrusively maintaining them on your site - nothing is too much trouble and we are not happy unless you are.
You can rest assured you are getting the safest, highest standard of product and professional horticultural service when you choose a Pynes indoor plant hire, landscaping, lawn mowing or garden maintenance solution.
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NYIT's School of Architecture and Design is one of two U.S. university programs—Harvard is the other—to compete in an invitation-only international design competition hosted by the L. Bocconi Business School in Milan Italy. The challenge faced by the six worldwide competitors (other invitees are based in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain, and Sweden) is to design a futuristic extension of the Bocconi campus in the industrial neighborhood Centrale del Latte. The NYIT team led by Adjunct Assistant Professor Giovanni Santamaria includes 2012 graduates from his Design VIII class—Arianna Armelli, Peter Cecora, Aurelija Jara, Talha Kirmani, Ishan Kumar, and Wagdy Moussa—as well as members from the School of Landscape Architecture at Kingston University in London, England, and the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Politecnico di Milan, a partner on the school's May 2011 design proposal for Nuoro, a city in Sardinia, Italy. They will submit a design proposal on Thursday, June 7.
Their design envisions an environment of open spaces integrated with Milan's urban landscape and serving as a connection to the city's surrounding communities. The architects worked sustainable strategies into their proposal, such green roofing systems, water collection, natural ventilation, solar energy, and biomass. The campus will feature:
A jury of industry professionals will select three winning designs in early July.


Garden Machinery jobs
General Cemetery Company
£24,960 - £27,040 a year
- Ability to operate cremation and abatement machinery to.
- Preparing Gardens of Remembrance ashes plots (rose bushes, rose trees, headstone plots etc).
£18,250 - £19,201 a year
- The use of pedestrian and ride on grass cutting machinery.
- Assisting with all forms of gardening, horticulture and landscaping works to HES Gardens.
£8.21 an hour
- Undertake the painting of all external fencing and garden furniture contained within the homes gardens and to ensure the maintenance and repair (including…
Transform Landscape Design and Construction Ltd
- Process tree work arisings using appropriate machinery.
- An interest in tree work and gardens.
- Outline of day to day duties:
- Fell and process small trees.
£8.21 - £9.74 an hour
- Details for a Parks and Garden Assistant:
- The duties for a Parks and Garden Assistant:
- Using power tools or ride on machinery.
- Working as part of a team.
David Paul Thomas
- Strimming of gardens and grassed areas.
- To be able to carry out physical work, including carrying of machinery mowers rubbish etc.
Michael Stuart Fisher
- Work in a team building and implementing garden designs from start to finish.
- Some machinery work and hard physical labour in all weather conditions, all year…
£17,942 a year
- Practical experience of garden and grounds maintenance.
- Experience in using a broad range of horticultural machinery and equipment.
£8.75 an hour
- Operation of grass cutting machinery.
- Assistance with maintenance of high profile grounds and gardens.
- We are now actively recruiting an experienced Grounds…
£9 an hour
- You will also be responsible for maintaining a large woodland garden in a retirement village and as an important part of the maintenance team you will be…
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IDEAL OUTDOOR OASIS
Cooler weather is right around the corner—but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on spending time outside. Prep your patio space just right, and you’ll be able to make the most out of every last ray of sunshine in your ideal outdoor oasis.
TOOLS, TOOLS, TOOLS
It takes a little bit of elbow grease to create a great outdoor space—and once complete—you’ll need a dedicated area for all of your tools. A spacious and stylish shed is a great place to store larger gardening tools, equipment, and accessories without impacting the appearance of your yard. A sliding door is a helpful feature, providing quick and easy access and making sweeping up fall leaves a breeze.
DOUBLE-UP WITH MULTIFUNCTIONAL STORAGE
Sheds are great for storing larger tools and yard-care equipment, but what about those smaller tools that you want to keep close at hand? A versatile storage container like the Backyard Oasis is perfect for the patio—it provides easy access to all the essentials and doubles as a space to serve food and drinks for breezy patio entertaining!
AUTUMN SHOWERS, AWESOME FLOWERS
Early fall is an excellent time for plants, from beautiful flowers to delicious herbs and veggies. Mums, pansies, and even ornamental peppers can bring color to your space and create a vibrant autumnal feel. Make sure to plant in pots with drainage holes to avoid root rot. While fall can be a little wetter, it is still worth keeping your hose stored close by in case of a dry spell. A compact hose reel keeps the patio safe and clear.
STYLISH STORAGE ON DECK!
Complete your perfect patio space with a sturdy, stylish Suncast deck box. They’re great for keeping seat cushions out of the rain or stowing blankets for enjoying the longer evenings. Plus, they’re made of high-density resin, so they can stand up to years and years of outdoor use in all climates all across the country.


Earthworks provides a complete range of landscaping services to businesses throughout North Texas. We have extensive experience working with apartment complexes and office park/complexes and can support your commercial landscaping needs.
Products / Services- Commercial Landscaping, Landscape Consulting services, Drainage and Erosion Control, Landscape Installation, Design and Build, Landscape Irrigation, Tree Services
Keywords- landscaping ideas in Houston tx, commercial landscaping in fort worth tx, fort worth landscaping services, landscaping contractor in Dallas tx, landscaping in fort worth tx, landscaping services in Dallas tx, commercial landscaping in Dallas tx
Payment Method- Visa, Cash, Debit/ Credit Card, Amex, Android pay, google Pay, Visa Electron, Cheque
Locations We Serve :
Fort Worth, TX


Start out at the main entrance, then bear LEFT through the Barber Alabama Woodlands towards the Japanese Gardens. From there, loop north through the Asian Glade.
Birmingham botanical garden - UK - Things to do in Birmingham
An urban oasis featuring more than two dozen specialty gardens, Birmingham Botanical Gardens shares the · The Gardens are buzzing with bees and butterflies.
Attractions. Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit Website. Lane Park Road. Birmingham, AL () Join the Friends. Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos. Birmingham, AL followers. Growing a greener tomorrow.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a Wedding Venue in Birmingham, AL. Read reviews, view photos, see special offers, and contact Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Created to extend the reach and impact of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the nonprofit Friends of Birmingham Birmingham, AL | www.4-artists.ru Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Lane Park Road, Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Alabama's largest living museum features more than 12, different plants on 67 acres. See more than 25 display gardens, more.
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I love this idea. Palm trees are so beautiful, but the ones we typically see aren’t too happy to be in our yards. Palm trees are the perfect touch for the home, and they provide us with a place to sit and relax. The natural palm tree, when planted next to a house, becomes a focal point that can add so much warmth and beauty.
So how do we plant palm trees next to our home? One way is to dig a hole in the ground, fill it with soil, and then plant a palm tree in it. It’s a bit labor intensive, but if you live in an area that gets frequent rain, it’s a fantastic idea. Another way is to take a shovel and dig a hole, put in some soil, and then plant a palm tree in it.
A friend of mine once planted a palm tree in his front yard, and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. It was so bright and green that it almost looked artificial. I’ve also seen some nice palm trees planted in front yards by other people as well.
I think that it is important to note that plant like this don’t necessarily need to go on the ground. You can also stack them in a wall or a fence, or in a roof. I think its great that you can build a tree house in your own backyard.
I think this is a great idea, but we don’t know a lot about the plant. We know that a lot of trees can grow tall (and therefore be a bit intimidating), and that some of them can be deadly if you don’t take proper care of them. The one thing that I do know is that a palm tree has the power to grow back if you don’t take proper care of it. A palm tree can grow back if you don’t water it.
I think you are right that a lot of trees can kill you if not water them. I have seen a lot of dead palm trees in my life. They are so beautiful in the winter, and we need to make sure our trees dont die. It seems like a really nice idea. I bet you could make a really cool tree house in your back yard, or maybe you could build one in a front yard.
A palm tree is very easy to care for. That’s not the only thing that it can grow back again from. It can be a very nice place for it’s own shade, as well. So if you live in a place where most people have a palm tree or two, try to include it in your yard. But you should also make sure that it is watered from time to time, and that you are careful with it.


With the recent tragedy in Beirut on our minds, we share the introduction of At the Edge of a City: Reinhabiting Public Space Toward the Recovery of Beirut’s Horsh Al-Sanawba, a book dedicated to Beirut’s public space through an examination of the closure of a public park, and why its presence is needed in a city still reeling from the violence of the civil war.
“[T]he public space of Beirut’s Park lies at the edge of modernity, politics, social convention, conflict, power, class, and confessionalism; the park itself is at the edge of history, memory, nature, and design; and, the location is actually at the geographic edge of city and suburb. Therein lies the book’s title, At the Edge of the City. But how can one account for transitioning – at least analytically – a public space from being at the edge of the city into becoming at the center of daily social practice? How can one suggest an alternative discourse to the constant treatment of public space as a dichotomy of total freedom and absolute control?
Public space acquires its key significance because it constitutes the institutional intersection and spatial interface between governing and governed, policy directives and institutional competence, state and citizen. In this regard, the subtitle of the book reflects an investigation of the meanings of a park and the dimensions of public space in Beirut. The undertaking involves a contemporary documentation, reading, and analysis of Horsh Al-Sanawbar; more specifically, how it transformed from a seventeenth century pine woods to a twentieth century park. But, the contemporary condition of Horsh Al-Sanawbar from woods to park and from open to closed space propelled an alternative discourse to promote, in return, its re-opening such that it sustains its raison d’être and the investment of rehabilitation.”


Today, urban gardens became a permanent exhibit at the Plateau in front of the Svilara Cultural Station.
First and second graders of the ‘Ivan Gundulić’ Primary School made urban gardens at the plateau in front of Svilara, together with coordinators Vesela Mačkić and Aleksandra Ičević. They have been planting their own plants for years now. This way, children will have an opportunity to take care of plants every day, as well as to hang out and share experiences with the older generations of the Almaš neighbourhood.
Seedlings were raised and plants were grown and nurtured by the students themselves. In the end, they planted all the plants in urban gardens of the Svilara Cultural Station.
Modern lifestyle and the pandemic crisis enhanced people’s need for nature. However, the city, the concrete and the lack of green spaces don’t make this need easy. Plants can be grown in jars, pots, cans, wooden flowerpots on windows, balconies and so on. However, this way of growing plants has its advantages too.
In bigger cities, there are garden initiatives that promote urban agriculture, while the citizens have been growing agricultural plants within their homes for a very long time. They’ve been learning about all this together, passing the knowledge on to others as well, inspiring them to do the same. This is very significant for the Almaš neighbourhood since every house used to have their own gardens within their backyards in the past.
Gardens have an educational character and a lot of benefits too: social (a meeting place for neighbours and friends), sanitary/health (green parts of a plant positively affect the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide) and therapeutic – beautiful colours, scents and tastes.
Special thanks to DEPO workers for the Serbian National Theatre scenography and plant containers, as well as director Radoslav Milenković and Milјena Vučković, set designer of the ‘Ivona – kneginja Burgundska’ play, who gave permission to use parts of this play’s scenography.
Photo: Uroš Dožić


ASLA’s Universal Streets section incorporates Vaughn’s concepts and picks up where the already-robust guidelines for complete streets leave off by centering people with different ability levels.
Universal Streets are multi-modal and include pedestrian islands. ASLA’s guidelines specify wide sidewalks to allow enough room for people in wheelchairs to turn around or rest and for people using sign language to face each other and communicate without impeding foot traffic.
Universal streets also include frequent seating with arms so that people can rest and easily lift themselves; flexible seating so people can choose where they want to sit; good lighting that minimizes shadows, which can be perceived as grade changes by people with low vision, and glare which affects people with sensory sensitivity. Universal streets have visual patterns to them so that people can easily navigate and understand them, as well as tactile cues for people with low vision.
ASLA’s best practices call for areas for socializing, complete with shade and seats, and enclosed areas of refuge for people with sensory processing issues. It suggests trees and plants to help attenuate acoustics. As Alysia Abbot, the parent of an autistic child wrote in a recent Curbed feature about parks and accessibility, green space is vital for people on the autism spectrum or who have sensory disorders.
”We made the case that green infrastructure—the ecological element—should be part of universal design,” says ASLA’s Jaren Green, who co-authored the guidelines. “Nature benefits everyone across abilities. Research shows exposure to nature provides cognitive benefits, improves mood, and creates a sense of greater well-being. If someone is finding accessing or traversing the built environment stressful, to begin with, it makes sense to reduce the stress through adding greenery without adding obstacles.”
Appropriating assistive design en masse can make the world work better for everyone, a concept designers call the “curb-cut effect.” One of the first-ever curb cuts—those areas where the sidewalk slopes down to meet the street at intersections—was built in Michigan in 1945 to help to return World War II veterans with disabilities. Now they’re common fixtures, which allow people with strollers, suitcases, carts, and more to use sidewalks more easily. Adopting universal streets could lead to a similar effect. Greener streets, more welcoming streets, more places to sit, more places to retreat, and more places to just exist would improve the quality of life for everyone.
“The public realm is the most critical space to design for equity and access simply because it is the largest scale we can work at and it affects the largest amount of people daily,” Vaughn says. “If we focus on how to design for different bodies in the public realm, we can move toward creating holistically accessible cities.”


Ecco Landscapes is a progressive landscape company situated in the beautiful surroundings of Wanaka, New Zealand.
At Ecco Landscapes we offer a professional landscaping solution to your project. We get involved in your project from the early stages of planning and design right through to construction and ongoing maintenance.
Ecco Landscapes have recently won two awards for landscaping projects at the 2014 Landscapes of Distinction Awards held in Wellington on Saturday 5th July.
The Awards are held in conjunction with the Landscaping New Zealand Conference which is held annually. The Latimour Garden by Ecco Landscapes won Gold in the Large Residential Category for Landscape Construction, and Silver in the Large Residential Category for Horticulture.
Click here to see our awards.
GET IN TOUCH
Phone 03 443 5121
Mobile 027 443 5121
Fax 03 443 5421
192 Dublin Bay Road Wanaka New Zealand


WHY HIRE A PROFESSIONAL?
BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT INVESTMENT:
We can save you time and money by designing a garden that is tailored to your budget and needs. A well crafted garden adds value to your property, so should you decide to move, it will increase the likelihood of a quick sale.
We have the creative imagination and practical expertise to translate your brief into a flourishing garden.
We can help you get work done on time and within budget. We'll guide you through the process, recommend trusted trade partners or work with yours to bring your vision to life.
WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT...
Each project is unique to client and site which is reflected in the services we provide and the design fees charged.
Broadly speaking though, our process is rooted in three guiding principles - the 'three C's'
CONSULT, COLLABORATE & CREATE.
To design a successful space we need an accurate SURVEY detailing the boundaries, the existing house, any features to remain, any relevant services and the topographic details.
Once we have a completed survey we can start work on the design.
At CONSULTATION we discuss your requirements and aspirations for the garden and use this brief as the start point for the design process.
We produce a set of CONCEPT PLANS and MOOD BOARDS showing the hard landscaping layouts for the garden and suggested materials and planting styles. We can create 3D VISUALS of the outside space together with an annotated 2D MASTERPLAN.
When the overall plan is approved we can then produce PLANTING and LIGHTING PLANS, and also produce any TECHNICAL DRAWINGS required of any features in the design.
A PLANTING PLAN shows the detailed planting in plan form. This shows the plants, their location, numbers and sizes. The planting design is based on a number of factors including the site conditions, colour, form, texture and season of interest of the plants.
A PLANT SCHEDULE lists all the plants used in a particular scheme and an AFTER CARE REPORT is produced to detail what needs to be done to the plants to ensure they are properly maintained.
We are able to monitor the project if required. This involves sourcing a contractor and we can produce construction drawings for bespoke elements required together with a SCOPE OF WORKS and SPECIFICATION to enable the tendering of the works to selected contractors.
If you'd like to get more out of your garden or outdoor space without major re-modelling work, maybe you should consider our GARDEN ENHANCEMENT service.
We can visit your garden and walk around with you, perhaps looking at parts you find challenging, particular areas you'd like to focus on or we can give an overview of the whole space.
We can provide a REPORT of the visit with recommendations and suggestions, including planting and management advice, as well as weblinks and recommendations of suppliers.
The report would be tailored to your specific site and preferred garden design styles then provided digitally.


Substantial construction progress has been made on Anne O. Moffat Park, the half-acre natural space at the corner of Sharon Road and Hazelton Drive that serves The Sharon at SouthPark and the other residential areas of SouthPark.
The park is dedicated in the name of Anne Moffat, who was president and CEO of The Sharon at SouthPark for 18 years. A granite marker at the entrance to the space proclaims that Anne’s “steadfast leadership and vision helped to enrich the lives of those we serve providing a nurturing environment that fosters joy, purpose and well being.” The park was made possible through a generous donation from the families of Averill and Henry Harkey.
Besides thoughtful landscaping, restful benches and a soothing fountain, the park will soon include a mural created by a local artist to encourage public engagement and draw attention to the park as a gathering place. The SouthPark Association of Neighborhoods (SPAN) secured grant funding for the art, which will soon be installed.
A dedication celebration will be held later this year.


As I wandered through my gardens on a steamy August afternoon, I paused to admire a beautiful black swallowtail butterfly floating among the flowers.
As I wandered through my gardens on a steamy August afternoon, I paused to admire a beautiful black swallowtail butterfly floating among the flowers. Moments later, it perched on a clump of bronze fennel in my herb garden, depositing a solitary translucent egg barely the size of a pinhead on the delicate ferny foliage.
Closer inspection revealed multiple eggs clinging to the wispy strands in addition to several minute, almost indiscernible caterpillars. In the weeks to come, a few of these tiny chewing machines with orange spots and a white saddle will mature, molting multiple times to produce bright green and black-striped larvae with yellow dots.
For some gardeners, the knowledge that a favored plant was about to be devoured by caterpillars would be distressing, but this was a happy discovery for this enthusiastic butterfly gardener, since I cultivate this plant both for its attractive licorice-scented leaves and as caterpillar food.Since early childhood, I have had a perpetual fascination with wildlife and flowers, spending hours exploring the woodlands, meadows and gardens that surrounded our Catskill Mountain home. It was this fondness for nature and my desire to garden that inspired us to purchase our current property more than 30 years ago. Bordered by a naturally existing brook, it became my mission to transform a barren builder’s lot, nearly devoid of trees and vegetation, into a wildlife-friendly habitat with special emphasis on plantings for magical butterflies and hummingbirds. For a landscape to serve as an effective wildlife habitat, it must provide nature’s basic needs of food, water, shelter and reproductive areas. An ideal habitat for butterflies and hummers should include a multi-layered environment with a progression of nectar-rich flowers in sunny open spaces bordered by small trees and shrubs, hedgerows or thickets that will offer shelter from bad weather and predators and provide nesting sites for the hummers. A water source is also essential and may be provided by water gardens, birdbaths or practically any container that holds water. Add stones, small branches or gravel to create landing platforms and provide shallow water for these tiny creatures. Hummingbirds will also gravitate to oscillating sprinklers or fountains to bathe or take an occasional sip of water. A varied habitat highlighted by plantings of boldly colored flowers is sure to catch the attention of butterflies and hummingbirds passing overhead. Mass plantings of colorful flowers, particularly those tinted pink and lavender, are irresistible to butterflies. Compound flowers and especially daisy-like, composite flowers invite numerous butterfly species, their petals providing ideal platforms from which to sip the nectar found in the myriad of tiny flowers forming the central disk. Warm temperatures are essential for butterflies to be active, with the summer months being peak time for observing a profusion of “fluttering flowers,” as Robert Frost described these ethereal creatures. Red, orange and hot-pink tubular flowers tend to be most seductive to hovering hummers as many of these elongated blossoms contain plentiful nectar at the base of their tubes. Only one species, the ruby-throated hummingbird, inhabits our eastern gardens, usually returning from its tropical winter home at the end of April or in early May. Early-blooming plants that provide nectar for both butterflies and hummingbirds include lilacs, rhododendrons, azaleas, viburnums and columbines. Candytuft, dandelions and ox-eye daisies are early favorites for the butterflies while hummers enjoy quince, beauty bush (Kolkwitzia), Weigela, honeysuckle, lungworts (Pulmonaria) and coral bells. Hummingbird feeders with commercial mixtures or sugar water (1 part sugar combined with 4 parts water) can be used to supplement flower nectar. Hang feeders out of the wind, preferably in midday and afternoon shade, as the sugar solution is very susceptible to mold, bacteria and fermentation during hot weather, which can be harmful and even deadly to these delightful creatures. As the summer progresses and temperatures rise, activity increases with many more flowers to entice these special winged visitors. Numerous plants are equally effective for attracting both butterflies and hummingbirds including butterfly bushes, catmint, salvia, lilies, beebalm, phlox, verbena, zinnias, dahlias, lantana and pentas. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea), Liatris and fall-blooming sedums and asters are irresistible magnets for butterflies; Shasta daisies, Stokesia, Heliopsis, butterfly weed (Asclepias), yarrow (Achillea), Scabiosa, daylilies, Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, Gaillardia, Joe-Pye-weed and cosmos tempt numerous species. Fuchsia, million bells and Rose-of Sharon are potent lures for hummers in addition to trumpet vine, geraniums, impatiens, petunias, nasturtiums, cardinal flower (Lobelia), cannas, Penstemons and hosta flowers. Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of creating a successful butterfly garden is the provision of larval food sources, for without caterpillars there are no butterflies, and many species only travel a few hundred yards from where they hatch. Native plants, including pussy willow, spicebush, viburnum, poplar, cherry, birch, aster, milkweed, thistle, violets, clover, plantain and Queen Anne’s Lace set apart from more formal beds may be the best solution for accommodating chewing larvae. In the perennial borders, cultivated plants that sustain caterpillars include members of the carrot family (fennel, dill and parsley), in addition to artemisia, globe thistle, yarrow, licorice plant and snapdragons. While these plants may be temporarily chewed, most recover once the caterpillars wander off to form the pupal stage. It should be noted that it is the caterpillars of moths that tend to be most destructive, often hatching in large numbers and completely defoliating our plants. The majority of butterflies lay their eggs singly or a few at a time causing considerably less damage. Be sure to take time on these warm, sunny summer days to stroll through the garden and look for butterflies and hummingbirds among the flowers. You will be delighted by their magical presence. Suzanne Mahler is an avid gardener, photographer and lecturer who has been developing the 1.5-acre property surrounding her home in Hanover, Mass., for more than 30 years. She is a member of two local garden clubs, past President of the New England Daylily Society, an overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is employed at two garden centers.


Call me impulsive. Or a creative gardener. A risk-taking lawn owner?
I’m sick of grass. I don’t much care for weeds, either. So I pulled up some of my grass in early spring and planted some chamomile seeds on my front lawn. The seeds took a while to germinate, and now I have these pretty, leafy green plants (pictured on right side of photo, under the rudbeckia leaves), but no chamomile flowers yet. While playing with my daughter in the front I pulled up some more weeds. After a while, I had more space to plant in front. My intention was to plant flowers, ideally perennials that would grow back each year. I put in a few, such as creeping phlox, speedwell and Mexican primrose (at left in photo). But there was still room for more. If you recall from an earlier post, I had planted a lot of basil seeds. So I had a lot of basil plants. Since the groundhog or the deer had eaten my dill and chomped at my marigolds and nasturtium in the backyard, I thought my front lawn might be a safer place for my basil. I now have little basil plants in both my backyard and the front yard. And some parsley, too. A few oregano seedlings.
What’s going on naturally where you are? Visit Michelle’s Nature Notes:
8 thoughts on “Nature Notes: Slow Seed”
Good luck with all your herbs. Hopefully this time the animals in your area won’t eat them all.
So far, the basil hasn’t been disturbed in back or front. Animals have eaten some perennials that look very unappetizing to me, though. Strange.
I love the idea of getting rid of lawn and putting in plants. I want to do that with our front lawn. Already one section is moss, but I want to plant as much plant life as possible and have a little grass. I am guessing that my neighbors will find it very unconventional as the green lawn rules here.
I guess I am fortunate that I live on a block with some immaculate grass lawns, some perennials and/or ground cover, some neglected weedy lawns. I think I’m the first to plant basil in my lawn, but a neighbor down the street grows tons upon tons of basil in pots, as well as tomatoes and lettuce. They line his walkway. He grows lettuce the way some people grow flowers. I often consult him on gardening.
I love seeing little seedling holding so much hope. I have both perennials and self seeding annuals which I like a lot. My garden practically plants itself at this point but I guess that’s the advantage of staying in the same house for 25 years.
What a great photo of the seedlings. Keep us posted on the results of your herbs!
We just did something similar this year and dug up a fair bit of our tiny lawn to plant vegetables. It’s so much nicer! Oh, but chamomile….I am truly envious. I really hope it grows well for you. The scent when stepped on is heavenly…
Love chamomile chai – in Bulgaria it grow everywhere – as kids my sister and I liked to go in the fields and collect the flowers – then give them to Mom to dry – in the winter gratefully we enjoyed our own herbs. Happy you have chamomile in your garden!


Creating an outdoor garden can be daunting if you don’t know where to begin. Not only will you have to spend a little fortune to acquire the things you need to set up your garden, but you will also have to devote a lot of time and energy into caring and nurturing your plants. But if you decide to engage in this hobby, you will be rewarded with a thriving garden that you can be proud to call your own.
When creating outdoor gardens, there are some basic things that you will need. Depending on how big your garden space is and the layout of your outdoor garden, you may need specialized equipment like grass blowers and electric lawn mowers. But for most starter gardens, these are sufficient:
- Grass shears
- Watering can
- Gardening boots
Consider these steps to creating your outdoor garden:
- Plan your outdoor garden. Start with the end in mind. The best gardens will take a bit of planning. Think about what kind of garden you want to cultivate – do you want a flower garden, a vegetable garden, an herb garden, a zen garden and so on. Look at gardening magazines for inspiration on what outdoor garden styles you can create.
- Asses the viability of your plan. There’s fantasy, and then there’s reality. Once you have an idea of what kind of garden you want to create, you need to determine which plants you can use based on the conditions present in your garden. You have to note the type of soil that you have, the amount of sun that your garden receives, the amount of space you actually have to work with, and the kind of weather that you have year round. Factor in your skill level and the amount of time that you can realistically devote to caring for your garden. It also helps to make sure that the plants you choose are compatible or can thrive harmoniously with the rest of the plants in your garden. Choosing the plants that have the potential to thrive in your garden can spell the difference between success and failure.
- Create a blueprint. Now that you have selected your plants, decide where you will put each one. Draw a vision of your garden. Plot them while considering how much space they will need when they’re full grown. This will help you determine how many plants you need to purchase from the nursery for your starter garden.
- Before finally putting the plants in your garden, be sure to do some prep work on your soil. It helps to condition your soil to be the best it can be before you start your garden. Kill weeds and pests that may be present. Fertilize and add compost. Add rich soil to your garden. These preparations can save you a lot of trouble later on.


This tired 1970’s fibreglass swimming pool was in much need of attention after 30 years of family use and aging. The simple pool renovation transformed the pool from a signature 70’s styled pool to a beautiful modern Bali inspired area. The addition of the raised timber deck and seating area allows for pool side reading and relaxation as well as providing additional privacy from neighbours. The entire project comprised of; a re-coated fiberglass interior, new coping stone, extended tiled surrounds, a retro fitted solar heating system, addition of the timber deck and seating area, installation of a combination of black aluminium and glass pool fencing and finished with re-landscaped gardens.
This pool received a complete makeover that has set the overall atmosphere of the homes outdoor space and provides a space for the family to enjoy once again.


Feldmarkstraße 201, 45883 Gelsenkirchen
After reconstruction in the 1950s and 1960s, the Siedlungsverband Ruhrkohlenbezirk (today: Regionalverband Ruhr) devoted itself to developing regional plans for the districts, towns and municipalities belonging to the association. This also included the creation of modern recreational and leisure facilities. The aim was to take into account the changing leisure behaviour of the population and the growing need for easily accessible recreational opportunities. In addition to conventional leisure activities such as swimming pools or sports facilities, the district parks were created.
In contrast to the urban parks and gardens of the past, the district parks were designed for a regional catchment area. They had extensive green areas that were not only intended for viewing but were also designed for contemporary leisure activities (walking, playing, sports, lingering). Furthermore, right from the start, all the parks had modern and well-equipped swimming pools and a number of other facilities such as playgrounds, water areas, traffic practice areas, gastronomy and much more. Following this concept, district parks were created in Herne (Gysenbergpark, 1970), Gelsenkirchen (Nienhausen district park, 1972), Oberhausen (Vonderort district park, 1974), Dortmund (Wischlingen district park, 1976) and Duisburg (Mattlerbusch district park, 1979) in the 1970s.
Planning for the Nienhausen district park began in 1969 with the founding of Revierpark Nienhausen GmbH. She realized the park on the 30 hectare site of the former Nienhausen estate according to plans by A. Flöttmann (architecture) and Heinz Eckebrecht (landscape architecture). The park consists essentially of three parts: First, from the spacious green area with sunbathing lawns, seating, play facilities, Kneipp bath, water games and barbecue area. Secondly, the leisure house on the northern edge of the district park with gastronomy and common rooms as well as, thirdly, a swimming complex consisting of indoor swimming pool, outdoor swimming pool, wave swimming pool, brine swimming pool and sauna area.
Despite numerous additions and changes that the park has experienced in the past, the essential structures of the design intentions (routing of paths, lawn hills, groups of trees structuring the space) are recognizable. Architectural elements from the time of origin have also been preserved. These include the square concrete seating elements distributed throughout the park, or the Kneipp pool located in the eastern part of the park. Characteristic are also the bungalow-like buildings (swimming pool, leisure house, kiosk), which correspond to each other especially through the characteristic black flat roofs. The shape of these roofs is formed by the upper roof layer and the two lateral wooden trusses of the roof construction, which are paneled with sheet metal or black wood and thus form an optical unit.
In the next four years, the Nienhausen district park and the four other district parks are to be rebuilt with funds from the "Green Infrastructure NRW" promotion programme. In addition to improving climate and environmental conditions, social aspects with regard to education and participation also play a special role.


Plymouth is over 40 per cent greenspace, protecting and making best use of this is a key part to the Plymouth Plan. The plan also sets out to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 50 per cent and increase recycling rates to 50 per cent.
There are a number of exciting major developments including:
Derriford Community Park
Derriford Community Park aims to deliver a high quality multi-functional green space that communities and visitors can access as a way of improving health and an environmental education centre offering learning opportunities.
To turn the idea of a community park in the north of the city into a reality a plan has been developed that identifies projects and proposals which will bring Derriford Community Park to life. The plan sets out the opportunities for an exciting green space destination in Derriford that will deliver benefits for the whole city.
Plymouth Energy Community
Plymouth Energy Community is a local Community Benefit Society aiming to give people in Plymouth the power to change how they buy, use and generate energy. They are run by the community for the community and work with a wide range of organisations.
The size of the tree is represented by the size of the ring. The health of the tree is represented by the vibrance of the colour (from dark brown: very unhealthy, through to bright green: very healthy)
The health rating is calculated by semantic analysis of the “TREE_CONDITION” description from the data
e.g: “Hollows where branches have broken off and dead wood on floor around tree.”
Author – Simon Lock Dataset
Designated greenspace in Plymouth
Taken from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) 2014 (released September 2016)


Aquatic Habitats was founded by John Artarian in 2000. With extensive on-site experience of aquatic design and installation, John decided to put his talent and integrity into the creation of Aquatic Habitats. Since its inception, Aquatic Habitats, with now more than a decade of experience, has become New York’s premier leader in aquatic design, installation, and service.
Aquatic Habitats has one simple goal, and that is to well exceed our client’s expectations in design, installation, service, and versatility. With over 200 year-round clients and 20 years of installations, we are very proud to say that we reach and surpass that goal each and every time!
Aquatic Habitats team members all take equal share in our passion for success!
Aquatic Habitats Team Members
Executive Operations Manager
Specialty Service Supervisor
Water Features Explained
27east.com/The Southampton Press


Splash park construction nearing completion
Published on 18 May 2020
The construction of Benalla’s splash park will be complete by the end of this week, with the concrete poured, water-play equipment installed and the pipework and services connected.
The splash park, which is on the banks of Lake Benalla near the Benalla Aquatic Centre and Visitor Information Centre, has been funded by the Victorian Government.
Mayor, Councillor Danny Claridge said the splash park will be a great asset to Benalla.
“Everyone is excited to see the splash park as it nears completion,” said Cr Claridge.
“The splash park will be a great community facility that will have many benefits for our town.”
Water features within the splash park include a low wall with blade sprays, tip and fill water play channels, water sprayers, a large bucket with rose filling spouts, water cannons, water arches and more.
Landscaping of the splash park site will take place after the cool winter months and in time for the park to be ready for full use by next summer.


In late fall, workers for the Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Louisville Parks and Recreation will begin $1.1 million worth of restoration work at Tyler Park.
“We are all pleased to see the start of this project as it will greatly improve the park for the neighborhood and its visitors,” said Layla George, president of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, in a post on the nonprofit’s website.
The 13-acre Frederick Olmsted-designed park, located along Baxter and Castlewood avenues near Eastern Parkway, was established more than a century ago in 1910.
“The centerpiece is a historic bridge, which adds character to this loved neighborhood greenspace. Keeping in mind the park’s uniqueness, historic features and needs of today, a solid plan for restoration was created,” according to the Olmsted Parks Conservancy website.
The project is being funded by support from donors to an Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s fundraising campaign, Louisville Parks and Recreation, Louisville Metro Government, Mayor Greg Fischer and Councilman Brandon Coan, D-8, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy stated.
On the east side of the bridge, four tennis courts will be repaired and resurfaced, while two other tennis court will be turned into a half-sized basketball court and two pickleball courts. New picnic tables, benches, a rain garden and an infiltration basin will be added, and walking paths will be improved.
On the west side of the bridge, workers will move and update the playground and spray ground. A natural area playground, picnic tables, benches, a new restroom will be constructed as well. Ornamental fencing around the park will be restored, and more parking spaces will be added.
The master plan also includes a 24-person pavilion that is not funded currently, according to the Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
Prior improvements to the park, funded by the Tyler Park Neighborhood Association, include a new walkway on the northeast side, more than 10 park benches and new trees and shrubs.
Reposted from https://insiderlouisville.com/government/tyler-park-getting-1-1-million-in-upgrades/


All things mulch. From saving money on it, the best time to buy it, to knowing if it’s even the best choice for your landscaping situation, here’s what you need to know about mulch. I also share my before and after pics so that you can see just how much of an impact it can make on your curb appeal.
I didn’t think that adding some new mulch to my outside decorative planters, and landscaping in general, would make a very big difference at all until I saw how great my friend Stephanie’s planters looked after they freshened theirs (they put new dark mulch on top of their old mulch).
When I saw how great it looked, I will admit….I had some fresh mulch envy going on.
Who would have thought that a fairly inexpensive and quick task would easily add instant curb appeal?
Anyway, so I was genuinely not trying to keep up with the “Jones’s”, but after seeing Stephanie’s amazing mulch results I knew that I needed to up my landscaping game and redo my mulch too.
As with everything that I do, I always do a ton of research before I do it so that I know the best, easiest, and most affordable/cheap way to do it…and my mulch task was no different.
So, I decided to share with you all both the best ways that I know how to get “your landscaping mulch on” as well as share some of the research that I found too.
Table of Contents, Skip Ahead To What You're Looking For
What is mulch?
I realize that maybe some young adults, or even some first time homebuyers may not even know what mulch is to begin with. So here’s the low-down on what mulch for landscape even is.
The type of mulch that I’m talking about is pretty much just to pretty up your yard and add some curb appeal…it does this by covering dirt, gives your yard a uniform look, as well as it is natural weed control because the sun just plain can’t get through it to allow things to grow sometimes.
Though according to Wikipedia, and this is a direct quote “Mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area.”…so there you have it… that’s what landscaping mulch is.
Landscaping mulch is typically made of chipped wood in various colors (sometimes even dyed)…but most of the time the mulch is just whatever color the tree was.
Can you use fresh wood chips as mulch?
I personally wouldn’t… unless the wood chips have had time to dry out a bit… I feel like they’ll start to rot/grow some mold if they haven not been spread out and allowed to dry properly before you start piling them on top of each other.
How to save money on mulch
Buying in bulk is your best bet for saving the most money on mulch. You can typically buy it by the truckload and that will save you the most money. The cheapest place that I was able to find mulch locally was actually buying it from the City…who knew that the City would sell mulch? I didn’t, but it was a very fortunate discovery.
You may even be able to buy it in bulk from a local tree-trimming company (an arborist), or even the dump (garbage disposal facility) in your area, so it shouldn’t be too hard to make a couple of calls to find your best option and price.
When is the best time to buy mulch?
If buying mulch by the truckload isn’t an option for your mulch project, your next best bet to save money on mulch is to wait until late summer/early fall when places like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and even Walmart deeply discount their bagged mulch…yes, I’m talking about a mulch sale.
Sometimes these sales have the product marked down to 1/3rd of the cost that it normally is, so if you have the time to wait, it may not be a bad idea to be patient to save yourself a little money.
I get it, buying mulch by the bag may not be ideal, but sometimes it’s necessary like if you don’t have the use of a truck to haul it or whatnot.
Those bags of mulch can easily be stored in a trunk, or on the seats of your car, so they’re just plain more practical to buy sometimes.
What tools do I need to spread mulch?
If you’re buying your mulch by the truckload you’re going to need a tarp or two. As well as come type of rope/cord to tie it all down properly (and for road safety in general).
You can use one tarp underneath the mulch to keep the truck bed more clean, or you can load it directly into the truck bed (in which case you’re going to need a broom to sweep it out when you’re done). You will also probably need a wheelbarrow, a shovel, a rake, and some gloves.
How to lay mulch?
Start out by leveling the surface of the area that you want to put your mulch…if you get a lot of rain in your area you may want it to slope a little bit so that the water will drain though.
This is a good time to think ahead and maybe put down some weed barrier, or at the very least take the time to spray any existing weeds with weed-killer so that you won’t have as much of a struggle with the weeds taking over later on.
If you bought your mulch by the truck load, get on your gloves, grab a shovel, and your wheelbarrow. Scoop the mulch into your wheelbarrow until it is full and then wheel it over to the area that you would like to start on. The easiest thing to do would most likely be to just dump the wheelbarrow and use a rake to spread it out evenly. Repeat the process until you are done.
If you bought your mulch bagged I suggest putting all of the bags near where you are going to be working. Then, snip off a corner of the bag. This hole in the bag should be big enough that you can easily control the flow of the mulch coming out, but not so big that it’s coming out in a gush.
You can easily just hold the bag over the area that you want it and sprinkle it, evenly, until it looks the way you want it to…you probably won’t need to, but you can use a rake to even out any areas that got a little too much. Throw away your bag once it’s empty and repeat until your landscaping mulch looks just right.
How thick should mulch be spread?
I think that anything over three or four inches thick is just plain wasteful…so try not to go too crazy when you’re laying your mulch. You could do a little bit of trial and error and spread some out a couple of inches thick and then just use your best judgement on how much thicker you need to go to have even coverage with no ground peeking through.
Can I put new mulch on top of old mulch?
People often wonder to themselves “do I need to remove old mulch before I put in new mulch”…and the answer is fairly simple. Unless your old mulch is soggy and rotting you absolutely do not need to remove the old mulch…just consider it a filler that will save you money on the whole thing.
You may want to use a rake and even out the old mulch first, but go ahead and layer the new stuff on top… the only time that I think that it would be a bad idea to put the new mulch on top of the old mulch is if the old mulch is soggy/rotting/moldy…because that indicates that you have a drainage issue that you need to solve before you put in all new fresh mulch.
When to mulch?
When is the best time to mulch?… I don’t think that there is one right answer for this…but there are a couple of wrong ones…lol.
Don’t mulch when it’s snowy or super rainy… just wait until the weather is a bit more moderate and you will have the best results possible that way.
Is mulch really necessary?
Mulch for landscaping purposes is mostly just to add some beautiful curb appeal in a very frugal way… so it’s entirely up to you on what you want your yard to look like.
Though something to think about is that mulch can really cut down on your water bills if you have lots of mulched areas instead of lawn/grass that needs to be watered all of the time.
When is mulch not a good option?
This is probably just my personal opinion here…but if you live somewhere that is REALLY windy…your beautiful mulch is just going to blow away and end up in the neighbors yard or down the street. This is one of the only times that I would say that mulch is a waste of money.
If it’s windy where you you live…instead of dealing with the headache that you will run into with constantly replacing mulch…it may be a good idea to just bite the bullet and use some landscaping rocks… rocks are not going to blow away.
What fresh mulch looks like before and after:
If you’re on the fence about whether or not the expense of adding mulch to your landscape is even worth the money…I thought I would show you the pics of the before and after’s of my yard.
Yes, I had some old mulch, so adding new darker mulch on top was just a “refresh”…but boy was I thrilled with how much better a little bit of effort made it all look.
So there you go…hopefully seeing my results will help you decide either way…but I definitely recommend doing it. Even if for no other reason than it makes a yard feel like less of a “dump”…lol.
How much mulch will I need?
Lucky for you, there are a bunch of handy “mulch calculators” out there. Basically all you will need to do is measure the square footage of the areas that you want to cover in mulch and then plug those numbers into a mulch calculator.
Those are really all of my thoughts I wanted to share on landscaping mulch. Hopefully you got at least a few helpful ideas out of it.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and supporting my endeavors to make people’s lives a little easier/better/more affordable.
If you liked this post, or found it helpful in any way, please make sure to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers via social media.
Or you could even send them the direct link via email. Whichever way you choose to spread the love, I super appreciate it! ~Sarah
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Check out my other projects
Here are several of my other DIY posts that you’re not going to want to miss out on:
My other DIY projects:
For those of you that would like the option of another “Pinnable Image” to share on Pinterest, here you go. Thanks again so much for the support!
*This post was originally published to this blog on September 10th, 2015 and has since been updated to provide better information, be more user friendly, as well as to remain current.


The city is giving the concrete jungle a makeover: Some 1,000,000 trees are slated to be planted across the five boroughs over the next nine years.
Officials say the Million Tree NYC campaign will boost the number of trees in the city by 20%. The city has raised some $600 million in seed money to fund the greening effort.
- Tower Plan Ripped as Cell-Out
- Bike Fans Peddle Traffic Plan
- A Tree Flap Grows in Brooklyn
- Allies Split Over Rail Yard Plan
- Bronx Cheers for Jail Plan


Rhode Island Becomes First State to Embrace SITES Certification for Sustainable Land Development in Public Policy
State’s Green Buildings Act amended to include SITES and LEED for Neighborhood Development
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island – October 10, 2017 – In a groundbreaking legislative move, Rhode Island has become the first state to include the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) for land design and development in public policy. The Senate passed S-0952A/H-5427A amending its Green Building Act to include public lands and specifying SITES and LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) as applicable rating systems for certification. Governor Raimondo signed the bill into law on Thursday, October 5.
The state has been applying LEED in its newly constructed state-funded facilities since 2010. Starting immediately, Rhode Island and local governments working on new projects that address the space between buildings through public parks or landscapes will also consider applying SITES and LEED ND to sites adjacent to public facilities. LEED and SITES are complementary and can be used independently or in tandem, earning credits that count toward both rating systems. The U.S. General Services Administration has also adopted SITES and has been using the rating system for its capital construction program since 2016.
“Rhode Island is demonstrating that green building strategies should extend beyond just our buildings and into our landscapes and communities,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). “By encouraging the use of green business certifications like SITES and LEED ND for public projects, they are working to create healthier, more resilient places for residents and businesses.”
Used by landscape architects, engineers, architects and developers, SITES is based on the understanding that land is a crucial part of the built environment. It provides a roadmap for creating regenerative systems that foster resiliency; ensures future resource supply; and enhances human wellbeing. SITES-certified projects are better able to withstand and recover from catastrophic events, such as flooding, and can help reduce water and energy demand, improve air quality and promote human health and wellbeing.
LEED ND incorporates the principles of smart growth, New Urbanism, and green building into a global standard for green neighborhood planning and design. The result is a voluntary leadership standard for neighborhood development that provides criteria to help evaluate and guide development projects in terms of where they’re located, how they’re designed and how they perform.
“Now, more than ever, we need strong environmental leadership,” Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo said. “I am proud that Rhode Island – the Ocean State – is on the front lines of fighting climate change. Through net metering, we're making it easier for homeowners and businesses to invest in clean energy resources. We are the first and still only state in the nation with an offshore wind farm. And, we're partnering with other states to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the region, all while creating new clean energy jobs for our economy. Thanks to this new legislation, we can build on these accomplishments to extend our building sustainability efforts to public lands.”
Building on an eight-year legacy of green public buildings policy, the state’s decision is a signal of its support for a sustainably built environment. Green infrastructure and built landscapes help drive informed decisions in planning and design that strengthen communities, boost resilience and reduce our impacts on natural resources.


Personal Architect makes it so easy to add beauty and function to the exterior of your home. Import a photo of your house if you like and just ‘point and click’ to insert decks, patios, pools, hot tubs, gazebos, pathways, lighting, and more. Create garden areas in any size and shape and have fun filling them with a variety of different plants, trees and shrubs. Design in 2D or 3D and easily turn a plain yard into a personal oasis where you can eat, play and relax!
Decks & Patios
Have the handy Deck Builder Wizard build a deck or patio for you instantly, or ‘point and click’ to create a custom shape and style. Snap on a set of stairs that auto-extend to the terrain or another level — no calculations necessary.
Fences & Gates
Point and click to draw a fence in your choice of wood, stone or concrete. Pop in a matching or complementary gate with a single mouse click.
Sheds & Gazebos
Have the handy Shed Builder Wizard build a complete shed for you instantly, or insert a variety of pre-made sheds, gazebos, screened rooms, and more.
Pools, Hot Tubs & Play Structures
Swim, play and relax in your dream backyard! Just click to insert a pool, hot tub, jungle gym, sandbox, tennis court, and more.
Furniture & Accessories
Add function and comfort to your outdoor space with a variety of chairs, benches, tables, umbrellas, swings, hammocks, BBQs and even earth-friendly wind-turbines. Add your own decorative touches with arbors, trellises, fountains, planters, outdoor fireplaces, and much more.
Lighting and Irrigation
Add lighting to pathways and gardens and insert pop-up sprinklers with a simple mouse click.
Gardens & Ponds
Easily create soil-filled or mulched garden beds and become a virtual gardener as you add trees, shrubs and plants to your plan. Edge around beds or create retaining walls that stabilize and beautify. Add a great water feature by drawing a pond in any shape and size.
3D Visualization Instantly see what your new exterior looks like in stunning 3D. View from different angles and vantage points, walk around the property, create stunning renderings – even record a virtual tour!


Aluminum Garden Edging Kit
- – Easy to install
- – Can be used in residential and commercial applications for :lawns, gardens, gravel or mulch paths, concrete forming, sportsfield applications, artificial grass installations, asphalt borderingand riverstone/gravel bordering around foundations.
- – Available in Mill finish (aluminum color), Black and Brown finish
- – No connectors, one piece easily slides into another piece and off-cuts can be reused
- – Used with 10 in. non-galvanized staking spikes – sold separately
- – Staking spikes rust over time for better adhesion to the ground, we do not recommend aluminum stakes or galvanized spikes for use with this product
- – Creates a beautiful form for lawns
- – No tools required for cutting: Simply bend piece back and forth 4 – 5 times for a clean break
- – Green product – eliminates waste, once installed, never needs replacing.
- – Adjustable connections, no accurate measurement required for installation of final piece.
- – Vertical and Horizontal staking options every 10.5 inches, once installed this product resists/eliminates frost heave and keeps edging in the ground
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You may also like our Aluminum Brick Edging product