Landscaping For Dummies

The National Gardening Association is the leading garden-based educational organization in the USA. Visit http://garden.org.Teri Dunn Chace has more than 35 books in publication, including the 2016 AHS award-winner Seeing Seeds. She’s also written and edited extensively for major consumer gardening/outdoor-living publications (Horticulture, North American Gardener, Backyard Living, Birds and Blooms) and is presently the garden-and-nature columnist for the award-winning “Bottom Line Personal” newsletter.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond This Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Getting Started with Landscaping 5Chapter 1: Designing Your Landscape: The Birth of Your Design 7Starting with Dreams — Create Your Wish List 8Gathering good ideas 9Drawing within the Lines: Living with Practical Issues 12Making sure you know where your property lines are 12Verifying whether you need permits 13Considering children and pets’ safety 13Addressing water issues 14Designating storage areas 15Site Analysis — Understanding What You Have 16Drawing your site analysis 17Knowing how much of your yard you can use 19Walking through the space 21Focusing on privacy 22Knowing when you’ll use your landscape 23Designing a Low-Maintenance Landscape 24Chapter 2: Thinking like a Designer 25Achieving Unity, Blessed Unity, in Your Landscaping Design 26Focusing on Repetition in Your Design 27Playing with Color 28Getting Some Rhythm 29Adding Décor to Your Design: How Many Pink Flamingos Are Enough? 30Paying Attention to Hardscape 31Keeping an Eye on the Details 32The Goldilocks Theory: Choosing Plants That Fit 32Layering Plants to Add Interest 33Chapter 3: Forming a Working Plan: Getting Serious about Your Design 35Knowing What’s Already There — Making a Base Map 36Ensuring you have the supplies to draw 36Drawing your own base map 36Overlaying Your Ideas 38Putting Your Ideas on the Ground 41Big deals: Designating space for large elements 42Filling in the rest 42Creating a Final Plan 43Making a Shopping List 44Step 1: List plants and determine their cost 46Step 2: List and calculate the supplies 46Step 3: Get hardscape estimates 47Step 4: Make an itemized checklist 48Step 5: Consider tools you may need to buy 48Step 6: Take a breath 48Getting Ready 50Cutting your project into bite-sized pieces 50Taking action before you break ground 51Preparing your property 52Doing It Yourself or Calling in the Big Guns 52Part 2: Building Hardscape into Your Yard 55Chapter 4: Taming Your Site 57Focusing on Construction Basics 58Looking at site challenges 58Ramping up — a checklist 58Understanding wood and its alternatives 60Identifying tools and supplies 62Keeping safety front and center 63Grading Your Property 64Laying Out Straight Lines and Shapes 65Stringing lines — The hub and tack method 66Stringing out the rest of a shape 66Working with Slopes 68Understanding challenges unique to installing retaining walls 68Positioning a retaining wall 70Installing a retaining wall 70Chapter 5: Dealing with Water 75Routing Water and Improving Drainage 75Focusing on surface drainage 76Installing subsurface drainage 77Returning water to the land — rain gardens 78Recognizing the Different Options of Watering Systems 80Watering cans 81Rain barrels 81Hoses of all kinds 82Irrigation systems 83Chapter 6: All Things Fences, Walls, and Gates 87Fabricating Fences 88Knowing what to consider before beginning 88Choosing fence materials 89Building a basic fence 91Working with Walls 101Building a stacked stone wall 102Building a mortared stone wall 103Building a brick wall 104Building a concrete block wall 107Going for Gates 108Chapter 7: Creating Paths and Walkways 111Getting Started 111Considering design and use 112Deciding on materials and dimensions 112Building Paths 113Creating a gravel or crushed stone path 113Making a walkway with bricks or pavers 114Installing a concrete walk 116Building a flagstone path 118Stepping in Style 120Calculating step dimensions 121Planning your steps 122Building steps 123Installing a ramp 124Chapter 8: Constructing Decks 127Understanding a Deck’s Components 128Starting with Building a Deck 129Developing a good deck plan 129Choosing decking material 131Getting the Site Ready 131Preparing to attach the ledger board 132Installing the ledger board 133Prepping footings and piers 134Completing footings and piers 135Installing posts and beams 136Installing the joists 137Laying decking boards 138Adding deck stairs 139Adding deck railings 141Finishing Your Deck 143Sides and undersides 143Protective finishes 144Chapter 9: Building Patios 145Selecting Materials 146Recognizing factors to evaluate 146Considering your choices 147Calculating how much material you’ll need 149Building the Base 150Installing the Surface 151Installing brick, pavers, or flagstones 151Installing a concrete slab patio 154Chapter 10: Enhancing Your Landscape 159Adding a Raised Bed to Your Landscape 160Recognizing the details 160Building the raised bed 161Making a Built-in Bench 162An elegant, low bench 163Masonry benches 165Building (or Buying) a Planter 165Going with a wooden planter 165Going with a masonry planter 166Considering Hot Ideas 166Installing a chimenea or fire pit 167Installing an outdoor brick or stone oven 169Planning a cooking center 169Installing Lighting 170Illuminating your landscape 171Incorporating decorative lighting 172Adding Wooden Support Structures 173Growing up: Trellises 173Putting arbors in their place 174Installing a pergola or overhead 174Utilizing a Shed 175Storage sheds 176She sheds 177Potting sheds 177Pondering Water Features 177Part 3: The Planting o’ the Green 179Chapter 11: Barking Up the Right Tree 181Choosing the Perfect Tree 182Considering important details before making the purchase 183Finding a healthy tree at the nursery 184Making the case for native trees 185Discovering Some Favorite Trees 186Naming our shade tree faves 186Listing our favorite flowering trees 188Tagging top trees for small spaces 190Planting some fruit trees 192Looking at evergreen trees 193Steering clear of these trees 194Demystifying Tree Planting 196Shopping for trees — pro tips 196Planting a tree in five easy steps 197Chapter 12: Bulking Up with Shrubs and Vines 199Finding Out about Shrubs 199Looking at design considerations 200Making the case for native shrubs 201Discovering Some Favorite Shrubs 203Considering Characteristics 212Colorful shrubs 212Drought-tolerant shrubs 212Evergreen shrubs 213Fruiting shrubs 214Shopping: Finding High-Quality Shrubs 214Planting Shrubs and Hedges 215Getting new shrubs into the ground 215Betting on hedges 216Using Vines in Your Landscape 218Selecting a vine with a spot in mind 218Choosing a vine with a purpose in mind 219Selecting some fine vines 220Considering some annual vines 221Shopping for Vines 222Planting Vines 222Providing sturdy support 222Pruning and training your vines 223Chapter 13: Adding Color and Texture This Season with Annuals 225Knowing What An Annual Is 226Cool dudes 227When it’s hot, they’re hot 229Understanding Your Options When Buying and Planting Annuals 232Transplanting your annual seedlings 233Creating splashy flowerbeds 236Foodscaping: Vegetables are the new annuals 237Chapter 14: Striving For Long-Lasting Beauty with Perennials and Bulbs 239Creating a Perennial Border 240Listing Perennials by Season 241Spring bloomers 242Summer stars 243Autumn stalwarts 245The best long-bloomers 246Growing native perennials 247Discovering ornamental grasses 247Shopping For Perennials 248Buying locally 248Purchasing through a mail-order supplier 249Planting and Pampering Your Perennials 250Packing Beauty into Bulbs 250Discovering Some Great Bulbs 252Buying and Taking Care of Your Bulbs 255Planting bulbs 255Giving your bulbs some TLC 257Fertilizing bulbs 258Chapter 15: Including Succulents and Containers for More Color and Texture 259Including Super Succulents 259Eyeing the many plusses that make succulents so easy to love 260Discovering favorite low-growing succulents 260Creating fun and fabulous vignettes 262Displaying in containers 263Shopping and planting tips 264Caring for succulents 266Examining the Containerized Landscape 267Tapping into the joys of container gardening 267Picking pots 268Potting plants in containers 269Working with thrillers, fillers, and spillers 271Caring for potted plants 272Chapter 16: Covering Lots of Ground 273Getting a Fresh Start: Clearing the Way 274Calling Groundcovers to the Rescue 276Top groundcover choices for sun 277Top groundcover choices for shade 278Top groundcover choices for slopes 280Top groundcover choices for wet areas 280Top choices between paving stones 281Shrubby plants to cover the ground 282Planting groundcovers 283Considering How Much Lawn You Need 285Recognizing what having a lawn means 285Choosing a lower-maintenance, lower-impact lawn 286Putting In a New Lawn 287Choosing grass types 287Seeding your lawn 289Installing sod 291Watering efficiently 292Buffering the borders 293Part 4: Outside Factors You Can and Can’t Control 295Chapter 17: Maintaining Your Landscape 297Bettering Your Soil 297Cultivating living soil 299Putting your soil to the test 302Adjusting soil pH 302Incorporating amendments 303Gardening with no-till methods 305Composting 101: Making Black Gold 306Step 1: Locate a suitable spot 307Step 2: Get a bin 307Step 3: Set up your compost pile 307Step 4: Start making deposits 308Step 5: Layer 308Step 6: Stir it up 308Step 7: Harvest from below 308Feeding Your Plants — Which Type of Fertilizer to Use? 309Finding out what they need 309Figuring out the finer points of fertilizer 310Deciding which choice is best: Going natural 313Giving Your Plants a Trim — Pruning 101 314Editing Your Landscape 315Improving rather than replacing a plant 315Knowing when take out a plant 316Taking out a plant 317Calling in a professional 317Chapter 18: Dealing with Critters, Weeds, and Other Common Problems 319Discovering Natural Pest Control 320Avoid using pesticides 320Know thy enemy 321Be aware of the enemies of your enemy 321Combat with care 322Coping with Small Rodents 323Dealing with Doe, a Deer 326Choosing plants to deter deer 326Trying home remedies 326Considering anti-deer products 327Fencing them out 327Grappling with Weeds 328Avoiding the biggest mistake 328Patrolling, inspecting, and suspecting 329Considering alternatives to spraying — Try natural weed control 330Considering other ways to fight weeds 331Handling Disease Problems 331Preventing common diseases 331Taking care of sick plants 332Chapter 19: Coping with Mother Nature and Weather 333Peeking at Zone Maps 333Surviving Hot Summers 335Surviving Cold Winters 336Maximizing winter hardiness for plants 337Identifying and mitigating winter plant injuries 337Being proactive with other winter-protection tactics 340Gardening in a Warmer World 341Firescaping 342Anticipating and recovering from flooding 343Preparing for new plant choices and challenges 344Part 5: Time to Add Flair to Your Landscape 345Chapter 20: Contemplating Plans for Special Situations 347Planting for Privacy 347Deciduous plants for screening 349Evergreen plants for screening 349Adding a Low-Water Garden 349Trees that require less water 350Shrubby plants that require less water 350Drought-tolerant flowers 351Getting Ready for a Dip — around a Pool 352Designing a Hillside Rock Garden 353Small trees for a rock garden 354Dwarf shrubs for a rock garden 354Small perennials for a rock garden 355Considering Shade When Gardening 355Shade-loving plants 356Chapter 21: Considering Theme Landscapes 363Attracting and Nurturing Wild Creatures 364Providing a Garden Space for Kids 366Putting in a Kitchen Garden 367Incorporating an Herb Garden 369Establishing a Meadow Garden 370Composing a Cottage Garden 372Finding Your Meditation Area with a Retreat Garden 373Making an Enchanting Evening Garden 374Part 6: The Part of Tens 377Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Make Your Surroundings Unique 379Work on Your Front Yard 380Reflect the Architecture of Your Home 380Go Native 381Coordinate with Neighbors 381Design a Secret Garden 382Bring the Inside Out 382Have Fun with Accessories 383Pick a Color Theme and Go For It! 383Mix Ornamentals and Edibles 383Add the Element of Sound 384Chapter 23: Tens Ways to a Greener Landscape 385Plant Trees for Shade 385Compost 386Wean from Garden Pesticides and Herbicides 386Use Solar Lighting 387Conserve Water 387Match Plant Choices to Climate and Soil 387Welcome/Tolerate Wildlife 388Reduce or Eliminate Your Lawn 388Use Tools That Don’t Require Fossil Fuel 388Stay Away from Sphagnum Moss 389Appendix A: Landscaping Resources 391Reading for Ideas and Knowledge 391Finding Specific Help 392Exploring Learning Opportunities 393Classes, lectures, presentations 393Going to school for landscaping 394Blogs, podcasts, websites 394Viewing Other Gardens and Landscapes 395Garden tours, near and far 396Flower and garden shows 396Appendix B: English-Metric Conversion Tables 397Index 399