Landscaping Ideas: Make Your Neighbors Go ‘Wow’!

A patch of greenery right within the boundary of your own property can be your retreat at the end of hard day’s work. It can be the place where you can recharge your emotions; it can be a place for rejuvenation of your senses! The color in it can brighten up your inside, literally….here are few ideas to get you started in the creation of your very own wellness resort.

Decide on the style

• When it comes to brightening your own patch of green, first decide on a definite style… an English landscape, a Zen garden, a Swiss style cottage landscape, etc.
• Take cues from several styles and forms to create something unique of your own. But in this case, you should be careful about the right balance and co-ordination between the different elements.
  

Co-ordination of five elements of design

Whenever you blend more than one element to create something new, you become a designer. Same is true of landscape designing where you can experiment with five major design elements:

• Color
• Line
• Form
• Texture
• Scale

When you are designing the landscape, it is imperative that you give due consideration to all these five elements.

Treat your backyard as a canvas

• Imagine yourself to be a painter and treat the small patch of land lying in your backyard as a canvas. The only difference is that instead of filling it up with colors by using paints and brushes, you are filling up your land by growing plants in the different corners of it.
• The perspective of an artist will help you in your experimentation with the form and texture of the selected plants.
  

Make use of rocks

• Not only in the forms of sculptures, can rocks in their natural forms do wonders for a landscape. Just place a huge rock in the shady corner of your garden; it will serve the purpose of a seating area without interfering with its natural look and feel.
• Use the stones of different sizes to create the edging for your flower beds.
• If you happen to have a pool inside the garden, border it with rocks with different size and shapes.
• To add some fun elements, use stone structures of unusual shapes.
  

Brighten up the space with a series of landscape accessories

• Before adopting just any style of landscaping, make sure of the purposes you are going to use the space. Add accessories to keep with the spirit. As for example, you can consider keeping a hot tub if the space is meant for private family relaxation.
• If you are planning to use your garden for frequent outdoor parties, you can consider erecting a pole lamp and adorning it with creepers like ivy.
• In addition to that you can place a buffet table fitted with mirror; it will enhance the drama by reflecting the lighting in the evening.
• Comfortable lounge chairs and a coffee table are the must have accessories for enjoying a peaceful summer weekend in your backyard.
  

Always let your ideas grow and evolve; mix and match different styles, elements and concepts. Be bold in your experimentations and soon you will be full of innovative landscaping ideas of your own that inspire other landscape enthusiasts in their creation.

Get more ideas for decorating your outdoor space visit Outdoor Landscaping Ideas

7 Tips to Keeping Your Koi Fish Pond Healthy and Happy

Did you concider installing a koi fish pond? Bringing these magnificent fish in your backyourd pond is very rewarding and it is not as complicated as you might think. If you take proper care for them koi fish live very long and some can become almost a meter long. Follow these suggestions to make your fish pond properly so your decorative koi fish will live and multiply.

Koi don't like shallow ponds

Depth of your pond is important for the health of your koi. You pond should be at least 4 feet deep, however it is best to give your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will ensure that your koi are protected from raccoons, cats and other animals who can empty your pond. Deeper fish pond also helps to keep water cool in summer months

Koi really love a lot of room to swim

Small ponds are not suitable for koi. Remember, with time will grow in size and numbers and they will need a big space. Also there are so many color variations of koi, that with time you will probably want to get other varieties. So it is better to create a big backyard pond from the start than rebuild it later. About ten thousand gallons is suitable for a koi fish pond , bigger would be even better.

Heat the water in colder months

Unlike tropical fish, koi are resistant cold; however you should never let your pond freeze completely. Installing a proper pond heater will always keep an opening in the ice. Also keep in mind, that koi fish only grow when the water is warm, so with a heater your fish will grow faster

Provide your fish shade

When selecting where to place your pond, make sure it is out of direct sun. Also keeping water plants like water lilies in your pond can be very beneficial - not only they add beauty to the overall landscape, but they also provide shade for the fish. However, you should avoid building your koi pond under trees. Cleaning a koi water garden of fallen leaves is can become a hard work.

Keep the birds away

There are many birds of prey that will enjoy eating your koi. Don't give them the opportunity; plan your pond location so it is possible to cover it with a net.

Insectocides can kill your beautiful fish

When designing your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides or herbicides near the water. Even a small amount of common garden poison can make sick and possibly kill your beautiful fish.

Pumps, filtration systems and other fish pond accessories

Several accessories are absolutely essential for good health of your fish. Ideally you should get a water pump, filtration system, pond water aerator and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is still, your fish might feel unwell. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive, so if money is an issue you can make your own homemade filters.

To get more ideas on landscaping visit Outdoor Landscaping Ideas