Makeover of the Month: Maintenance-Free Outdoor Living

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Adeck can be a lot of work to keep up, and the owners of this Raleigh home were looking to reduce their maintenance workload. So they contacted the pros at Robco Fence and Deck to remodel their outdoor-living space. Aside from their maintenance-free preference, the homeowners were also looking to preserve their potted plants and to incorporate outdoor lighting. The Robco team created a 3-D rendering of their design to illustrate the transformation for the homeowners, allowing time for any needed adjustments before the start of the project.

To ensure the new deck is as low-maintenance as possible, TimberTech composite decking was chosen. To add even more value, the pros at Robco recommended the Tigerwood deck board, which has a color and grain pattern that complements the deck’s Mocha border. The Tigerwood and Mocha trim were also incorporated into TimberTech’s builder rail system with LED post-cap lighting and custom-built planter boxes, tying all of the elements together.

During the construction phase, the pros at Robco encountered several challenges: extra joists and blocking had to be installed to bring the deck up to code and to provide additional support for the dense composite boards; the Mocha border and custom planter boxes, weighing hundreds of pounds, required precise cuts and made for a very labor-intensive project; the lighted railing system required an attention to detail and wiring at every post. Also, as the project progressed, the homeowners asked for two additional features: a balcony with composite decking and a mounted ceiling fan.

In the end, the deck is a beautiful blend of the Tigerwood boards and Mocha frame, illuminated by the integrated rail-lighting system. Jay Robinson, owner and president of Robco Fence and Deck, says, “This beautiful transformation will provide the homeowners with a lifetime of enjoyment.”

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(source link: http://trianglehomeimprovement.com/makeover-of-the-month-sept14/)

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Landscaping for Energy Efficiency

Landscaping your garden to be energy efficient can help you reduce your energy costs and make your home more comfortable to live in. To do it properly takes some planning, but a well-designed landscape can save enough energy to pay for itself in less than eight years.

This "Xeriscaped" yard in Texas uses very little water and hosts native plants.

FIRST, MAKE A PLAN

• Start with a to-scale drawing of your home and surrounding property, and include: sheds, fences and decks, flower beds, trees, play areas, walkways, overhead utility lines, and slopes in the ground.

• Mark areas where sun and wind (summer and winter) impact your house and yard to determine which walls and windows need protection. Also to determine the survivability of plants in those locations.

• Be aware of following factors:
  • Certain trees don’t do well in windy locations.
  •  Many types of flowers can’t handle direct sunlight or excessive moisture.

• Improve air quality by planting more trees; they trap pollutants, pollen, and dust, while producing oxygen.
  • Trees also improve soil quality by feeding it with organic matter.

PLANT WITH SUN AND SHADE IN MIND

• Plant a couple of tall-standing deciduous trees 15 to 20 feet around the sides where your home receives the most daily sun to reduce intense solar heat.
  • Deciduous trees with high-spreading, leafy branches will provide shade over your roof.

• Consider using vines and climbing plants like Boston Ivy and Clematis to create shade.
  • It could reduce annual air conditioning costs by anywhere from 10% to 50%.
  • Improve the efficiency of your air conditioner by shading the outside unit.
    • Keep the air intake free of leaves, branches, and debris.
    • Plant shrubs at least three feet away from the compressor to maintain good airflow.

• Shade hard, dark surfaces (i.e., driveway, sidewalk, patio, etc.) to keep surrounding outdoor spaces cool.

• Placing a row of evergreen trees to shield your home from harsh winter winds can cut heating costs by 10% to 50% yearly.

• Plant shrubs and bushes around the perimeter of your home, around one foot from walls to act as an insulator in summer and winter.
  • Shrubs can help trap snow and reduce drifts when placed along the windiest side of your home.

BASE STRATEGY ON LOCAL CLIMATE REGION

• Temperate Region – Mid-East Coast U.S.
  • Take advantage of winter sun for heat/light.
  • Shade your home from hot summer sun.
  • Use windbreaks to deflect winter winds coming from north and northwest.

• Hot Arid Region – Southwest U.S.
  • Shade your home’s walls, windows and roof.
  • Take advantage of summer winds to naturally cool your home.
  • Use plants to cool the air around your home.

• Hot Humid Region – Southeast U.S.
  • Channel summer breezes to cool your home.
  • Use trees to provide cooling shade in summer but warming sun in winter.
  • Avoid locating planting beds that need lots of water near your home.

• Cool Region – North-North East Coast
  • Use dense windbreaks to protect your home from cold winter winds.
  • Ensure winter sun reaches south-facing windows.
  • Shade south and west sides from sun if summer heat is a problem.

- See more at: http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/landscaping-for-energy-efficiency#sthash.rLvK1I2E.dpuf

(source link: http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/blog/landscaping-for-energy-efficiency)

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How to get the most from your patio

A patio is generally a small area with big potential, however careful thought is required before your money is spent.

There are two main considerations you should take into account before creating a patio area; practicality and appearance.

Firstly, assess the location. It needs to be easily accessible and weatherproof to ensure you gain maximum benefit and useage.

To look its best, the patio should tie in with your home and blend into your garden. You can achieve this by matching your patio area with the outside of your home and continuing your indoor colour theme outside.

Top tips to make the most of your patio:

Functionality

A patio’s size and shape will depend on how you intend to use it. If you want to entertain and love a child-friendly family barbeque, then you’ll need a large flat space, and preferably a base that can be easily cleaned.

If its primary use is for relaxing, there are endless options for varying heights and base shapes which bring depth and dimension to your garden, visually enhancing the space.

Fix a budget

Careful planning is the key to success – you should fix a budget and remain within it.

Materials such as sandstone and limestone are currently cheaper than ever before, so you don’t have to spend a fortune. Other surfaces worth consideration are concrete, slate, and granite. You can keep costs down with attractive gravelled or pebbled areas in different colours.

Privacy and the law

You are more likely to enjoy your garden if you are not overlooked, so choose a private area for your patio. If your favourite spot is halfway across the lawn, look into practical gravel paths or stone walkways for easy access.

Using trellis and plants is a great way to create privacy and introduce more greenery to your garden. Another popular alternative is to intall a pergola.

When deciding, be considerate of your neighbours. Don’t block their light, and ensure your drainage is adequate, otherwise water may overspill into their garden, and you may be liable for flood damage.

Garden furniture

Garden furniture can transform your patio so take your time to find the right set for you and remember to think about storage solutions for seat cushions.

Modular furniture suits most homes as it's generally light and easy to move around the garden. Hammocks, swing-seats, and beanbags are good options for children.

When considering material, try wicker, or rattan for comfortable stylish seating. It’s an expense compared to plastic seating, but a worthwhile investment. Cheap plastic chairs will disintegrate and fade in the winter months, and you’ll need to buy them over again. 

Enhance with plants

Growing vertically saves ground space, so use trellis to grow clematis, jasmine or rambling rose. You can also grow herbs and sun-loving veggies, such as tomatoes, chilli peppers, basil and strawberries in tall multi-pocketed containers.

If you have space, then a well-watered container garden with fresh carrots and runner beans is a cook’s dream. Bush roses, fuchsias and camellias are beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers that thrive on a patio if vegetables aren’t your thing.

Atmospheric lighting

Create the perfect atmosphere by investing in some soft lighting. Solar-powered is an ideal option, particularly to avoid dangerous trailing wires. Solar lights come in many different varieties to hang in branches, trellis, or around a table top. Richly coloured Moroccan lanterns are soothing on a summer’s evening, especially if you use insect-repelling citrus candles.

For brighter options, a qualified electrician can install power and down-lighters.

The finishing touches

Complete your seating area with an awning to protect against the rain, or a patio heater for warmth in unstable weather. Alternatively add a chiminea or fire pit for a stylish focal point.

To encourage wildlife into your garden, accessorise with a bird feeder or a bird-box. A container of wild meadow flowers to attract beautiful butterflies, and a tinkling, relaxing water feature will add atmosphere.

If there is space, consider a barbeque or an outdoor kitchen with storage, ideal for feeding the family and entertaining friends.  

Planning your patio to an easy to use and attractive space is worth the time and money invested.

A useable patio creates an extra room in your home, which is a great selling point should the time come, when you want to sell your property. 

(source link: http://www.realhomesmagazine.co.uk/rooms-gardens/gardens-terraces/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-patio)

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A garden for entertaining

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Following a lengthy house renovation project, Clive Francis and Caroline Illingworth turned their attention to their uninspiring garden, transforming it into a stylish outdoor entertaining space.

Fact file The owners: Clive Francis (right), a company director, lives here with is partner Caroline Illingworth, a hospice nurse and bereavement counsellor. The property: A 19th-century, five-bedroom former mill owner's house, set in a third of an acre. The location: Harrogate  North Yorkshire What they spent: The couple’s garden redesign project cost around £45,000

When we started looking for a house to renovate in 2009, a large garden was top of the wishlist,’ says Clive. ‘In fact, I’d say the garden was as important to myself and Caroline as the house.’

The couple found a period property on the outskirts of Harrogate that stood in a third of an acre, surrounded by school sports fields and countryside. ‘The garden was only a lawn with borders, but it was private, with a high beech hedge and lots of mature trees,’ says Clive. ‘We could see the potential to create a series of outdoor rooms rather than leaving it as an ordinary garden.’

For two-and-a-half years the couple did nothing with the space while they completed the renovation of the house. ‘After the builders had used diggers to create the foundations for their extension, the garden was completely devastated,’ recalls Clive.

The design

In November 2011, Clive and Caroline began their garden project. First, the builders laid a path and wide patio round the house, providing a dry area ready for work to start on the landscaping. It took two months to complete the paving, which includes a small area of Yorkshire flagstones reclaimed from the garden and larger areas of Raj Green Indian stone. The basic paving was finished by January, then there was a six-week gap before work on the rest of the garden could begin.

Clive and Caroline asked local company Garden It to landscape the site based on a design created by Julia Kelly of Garden Therapy. Their wishlist included features such as:

• raised vegetable beds
• a wildlife pond
• a large outdoor shed where Clive and his friends could watch sport
• an outdoor cooking facilities, including a spit roast and a paella stand
• a fire pit in the middle of the garden

‘We have seven children between us, and when they bring round their friends we soon have enough people for a party,’ says Clive. ‘Nothing beats eating outdoors during a great English summer.’

The levels of the garden were dictated by the footings of the extensions to the house. The property is on aflood plain, which meant the internal floors had to remain on the same level as the garden, so the soil was pushed back and retained by a low stone wall to create the wide patio, with steps up to the lawns, pond area and decking. This worked out well because the doors can now be opened straight onto the patio, making it seem like one big room, inside and out.

The garden redesign took six months to complete, which was longer than Clive had first anticipated. ‘A lot of work went into the preparation,’ he says. ‘It was stressful at the time but you soon forget that when you are out there enjoying the results.’

Creating the perfect garden

One of the first jobs was to dig trenches for the land drains, which prevent waterlogging in poor weather. The pad base was created for the shed and the hardcore laid for the paths. The pond was then excavated and the good soil piled up behind it ready for a feature rockery, which hides the gravity-fed filtration system.

An area was dug out for the fire pit, decking was laid across the back of the garden for sun loungers, and the flowerbeds were dug over ready for planting. Garden It also built the circular stone pillar topped with a huge cast-iron paella pan, which is run on bottled gas. As the pan is too large to fit into a sink and takes two people to carry it, it is usually washed down in situ and oiled to season it and prevent it from going rusty. A hot water supply was also connected to a reclaimed sink next to the barbecue and the water can be turned off with a stop cock to prevent the pipes freezing up in winter.

Although the west-facing garden was designed to be a sociable, outdoor space, Clive and Caroline wanted to introduce colour with flowers, mixed grasses and small shrubs, as well as having vegetable beds to grow their own produce. ‘Once the plants were in and the grass was down the garden was completely transformed,’ says Clive. ‘It already looked quite established because of the mature boundary hedge and the four huge trees, which were here when we bought the house, but the greenery pulled everything together.’

With the fundamentals in place, the couple started to add the finishing touches. The spit roast was made by a friend from a mangle found by Clive and a motor large enough to be able to turn a whole lamb.

Garden It built two glass and stone cold frames by the garage along with a covered log store. Clive bought two large waterproof storage boxes to store away the soft furnishings in bad weather, and sourced a mirror for the end of the garden path, which Garden It set into breeze blocks and Clive painted. ‘I liked the idea of making the garden look as though it extended through the hedge,’ he says.

‘We’ve achieved exactly what we wanted with the new design and it has more than lived up to expectations,’ Clive adds. ‘The only things we might have done differently would be to have more vegetable beds, and to have built an outside toilet near the shed, but those small things aside, we have everything we could have wished for. The Garden It team did a fantastic job – after renovating the house we had almost run out of steam, but the garden has definitely been the icing on the cake.’

(source link:  http://www.realhomesmagazine.co.uk/rooms-gardens/gardens-terraces/garden-for-entertaining)

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Backyard Patio Transformation

With not much more than a concrete slab and a patch of grass to go on, this homeowner transformed his backyard into a stylish outdoor retreat. See how he did it, and get great cost-cutting ideas for your own yard remodel project!

Beautiful Backyard

The homeowner and designer knew his backyard had potential. And he had a plan. The tiny patch of grass behind his 1950s split-level would be plain no longer! With ready-made materials and his own blueprint, the homeowner created an outdoor retreat for his friends and family.

Cold Concrete

Before the makeover, the back patio was small and cluttered. The unwelcoming concrete slab didn't scream impromptu BBQs or intimate dinner parties with friends. There was barely enough room for two backyard basics: a picnic table and grill.

Slippery Slope

The small backyard provided great green space. However, it sloped steeply into the bramble and bush of a wooded ravine.

Breaking Boundaries

With a plan in mind, the first step was to extend the existing concrete patio. First, a level surface was created on the sloping ground. A retaining wall also helped solve this problem.

DIY Tip: Use what you have. Extending this small patio solved a big space problem. Adding on to existing elements will save time and money that you would sacrifice in a major overhaul.

Water-Ready

Flexible plastic tubing was placed along the length of his retaining wall to drain water away from the block wall.

Excavate Your Space

Inside a clearly defined perimeter, about 6 inches of dirt was removed by hand, making space to lay the new patio surface.

Walk This Way

Instead of a gate, the homeowner/designer set one wood-slat panel back a few feet to create an easy walkway. Without sacrificing its sleek, contemporary style, the fenceremains functional and welcomes guests into the new backyard retreat.

(source link: source link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11031825/Are-young-people-really-hooked-on-gardening.html/)

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Are young people really 'hooked on gardening'?

It's cool to compost: a survey suggests that the young are increasingly embracing gardening Photo: Alamy

By Leah Hyslop

4:38PM BST 13 Aug 2014

Comment

It’s often said that young people are more interested in smartphones and videogames than the outside world – but new research suggests that twenty and thirty-somethings are just as likely to be found harvesting tomatoes in the garden as on Twitter.

A survey found that the average 25-35 year old spends 12 to 15 hours in their garden each month, with the average couple set to spend £518 this summer on their garden – a significant rise from the previous year, when £273 was the norm.

Read: University gardening: students who spend the whole day in beds

Twenty-three per cent of adults surveyed also said that they thought time spent outdoors was more fulfilling than time spent watching television or films.

Experts at Alfresia, the furniture provider which commissioned the survey, attributed the increasing popularity of gardening to television shows such as ITV’s Love Your Garden and the BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge, which has been dubbed the horticultural equivalent of The Great British Bake Off.

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Craig Corbett, product director at Alfresia, said: “More and more young people are choosing to invest in their gardens to provide a place where friends and family can spend quality time together. Young people are increasingly eager to cultivate their own creative and social space in which to relax within the boundaries of their own home.”

Gardener and writer Lia Leendertz said: "I very much see a rise in young people getting interested in gardening, and it’s a joy. They are generally a pretty alternative, left-leaning crowd, intensely interested in the politics of food production, in the mechanisms of the chemical industry and what they mean for the wider world. There are more community gardening initiatives than ever before and this is allowing people without access to gardens to start getting their hands dirty and learn about plants. I think it’s an organic, productive, social and socially aware form of gardening that is most capturing younger gardeners’ imaginations.”

Not everyone is convinced that gardening is a growing trend, however. Alan Titchmarsh, the veteran gardener and TV presenter, has spoken several times about his fears that the young are ignorant of the natural world, and that few consider horticultural careers.

“The more children and young people are divorced from the great outdoors the more fearful they become of it, the less understanding they have of the world outdoors,” he told the Telegraph earlier this year. “And the planet then is in very shaky hands.”

(source link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11031825/Are-young-people-really-hooked-on-gardening.html/)

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How to use a greenhouse for next year's colour

An unheated greenhouse can help you get ahead with growing plug plants and seedlings Photo: Susanne Masters / Alamy

By John Walker

1:15PM BST 01 Aug 2014

Comment

Right now, the colour in our gardens is starting to fray at the edges. Flowering plants, in the ground or in containers, and hanging baskets, have been going full pelt to keep up with what so far has been (taps wooden trowel handle) a "normal", full-on summer. But as colour ebbs imperceptibly from these long, languid days, it's time to dream of colour yet to come – and to set those imaginings in motion.

I make mischief by telling admirers of my lean-to greenhouse that it runs on free and renewable energy. I give them a few seconds to peer upwards in search of solar panels, or a wind turbine perched atop the hill, before pointing a finger to the heavens. Sunshine, I say, is all I use to keep my greenhouse on the go year-round. Greenhouses (and polytunnels) are so lousily inefficient when it comes to heating, that I don't, for economic, let alone environmental reasons, do it anymore. I'd much rather use my "greenhouse effect" to grow food, and plenty of hardy flowers to enjoy indoors and out. A bright porch can work just as well.

Growing plants under cover shields them from the ravages of whatever autumn and winter throws at them. Glazing might be useless at keeping heat in, but it's nifty at keeping rough weather out. If you want colour to be your constant companion in the coming months and on into next spring, you need to get going now.

1 Sow and dream on

Pansies, violas, daisies (Bellis perennis), primroses and polyanthus can all be sown now in small pots in an unheated greenhouse. All these will tick over slowly and steadily through autumn and winter. The seedlings can be moved into cell trays and/or potted up and grown on. You can let them flower in their pots, or mix them with other plants in outdoor containers for winter/spring colour. The choice of varieties is spellbinding. Check you are sowing pansies and violas that will bloom through autumn/winter.

Related Articles

• How to use a greenhouse in winter 
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• Warm up your greenhouse 
  05 Mar 2012
• Greenhouses: why polycarbonate beats glass 
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• Growing cucumbers: greenhouse or soil? 
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• How to buy the right greenhouse 
  13 Oct 2011
• An idiot-proof way to grow your own veg 
  03 May 2012

^{Viola 'Plentifall' looks good in a basket or container}

There are trailing pansies (F1 'Plentifall Mixed') and violas ('Allspice Mixed') for those with a penchant for winter baskets. Bellis perennis'Tasso Mixed' sends up pink, red and white spring pom-poms. If space is tight, primrose 'Mardi Gras Mixed' produces plants under 6in (15cm) tall, in bold colours, white, orange and gold among them. If you want bold splashes of colour, polyanthus 'Pacific Giants' is hard to beat. For more subtle, single shades, visit barnhaven.com.

2 Background heat

There's no need to dust off a heated propagator if you're sowing seeds in summer. The background warmth of a greenhouse is ample for most to germinate. But you can use a propagator lid to stand over pots of seeds to prevent them from drying out. The best place during hot, sunny spells is on low-down staging, or even in shade on the greenhouse floor. If shade is elusive, covering sown pots with newspaper slows the drying of the compost surface (which hampers germination). Spray them over lightly with water, several times a day if need be, to keep it moist.

3 Get plugged in

If sowing seems a long-haul route to winter and spring colour, young plug plants are your salvation. The grower does the sowing, so all you need do is unpack the box, fill small pots with multipurpose peat-free compost (give new professional-grade SylvaGrow a try), make a hole in each and plug in a plant. That's it. Plugs start arriving in August, but order them now.

If you want masses of plants, buy larger, more economical batches of smaller plugs (which can work out at just pence each). Or order fewer, bigger and more expensive plants that arrive later. Many varieties sold as seeds aren't available as plug plants, and vice versa. Scan catalogues, or search "autumn plug plants" to get you dreaming.

^{Plug plants can be ordered as tiny seedlings or, later in the season, as small plants}

4 Stock up on scent

You can grow autumn flowers that'll also pack a scented punch. Stocks (gillyflower) will flood your greenhouse and garden with perfume. 'Hot Cakes Mixed' is an autumn-flowering variety available as plug plants (mr-fothergills.co.uk), producing 16in (40cm) stems that are handy for cutting.

You won't have a long wait for wallflowers' powerful scent with 12in-tall (30cm) 'Sugar Rush'. It flowers in autumn, then again in spring (give them a trim in winter once the first flush of red, yellow, cream and blue blooms fade). Plugs of both can go straight into 5in (12.5cm) pots of peat-free compost, or plant them in outdoor containers; a window box is at perfect sniff-me height.

5 Pest checker

Calendula (pot marigold) 'Winter Sun' (kingsseeds.com) will not only bring you colour in midwinter, it'll put you one step ahead of pests. Sow seeds now, pot three seedlings to a 5in (12.5cm) pot, and grow them on under cover (they can be grown outdoors, too). The bushy 12in-tall (30cm) plants flower right through autumn and winter, and on into spring, when they really earn their keep. The pollen and nectar-rich blooms lure the first adult hoverflies to take to the wing on warm spring days (put the pots near the doors). They'll rumble overwintering aphids on any plants in your greenhouse, lay their eggs next to them, and their aphid-gobbling larvae will do the rest.

6 Move that air

One thing an unheated greenhouse needs more than anything, as we slip into autumn, is generous ventilation. Damp, stagnant air is, in cahoots with overwatering, the nemesis of overwintered plants. From late October I start moving plants on to a knife-edge, giving them just enough water to tick over; going into a cold snap with dryish roots boosts their chances of survival. The vents should only be fully closed in a snowstorm, otherwise ensure air is always on the move.

Regular checking over to remove yellowing leaves and faded flowers helps keep botrytis (grey mould) at bay. Should frost inch into your greenhouse and freeze pots solid, plants will darken and wilt, but don't be tempted to water them. When the temperature rises, they'll soon buck up – and then they might well need a drink.

(source link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11002283/How-to-use-a-greenhouse-for-next-years-colour.html)

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