Articles Index
Garden Mulch FAQ - Mulching Gardens
Frequently asked questions regarding garden mulches, especially leaves. Garden mulches discussed from the beginning gardener's perspective, including shredding leaves.
Tips for Growing Green Lawns
Is the grass always greener on the other side, i.e., your neighbor's yard? These tips for growing green lawns will remedy that, putting a green lawn within your reach.
Why We Use Scientific Names of Plants
Reason given for why we use scientific names of plants rather than common names of plants. Most common mispronunciations of scientific lingo also supplied.
Shrub Problems
Readers communicate about their shrub problems through my Web site. Some of the more common shrub problems concern flower buds and the presence of yellow leaves in summer.
Foundation Plantings
What are foundation plantings? Traditionally, foundation plantings disguised the concrete underpinnings of a house.
Popular Plants, Ideas for Winter Landscapes
A 'Top 10' listing of the best plant (such as red osier dogwood) ideas for winter landscapes and attracting wild birds. Ranking is based on ideas for visual interest of winter landscapes and ability to attract hungry wild birds.
Uses for Landscape Shrubs
Pictures of and information on landscape shrubs. Discover the many uses for landscape shrubs in your backyard.
Flowering Landscape Trees
Index to articles containing information (pictures included) on flowering landscape trees. The standouts of spring, these flowering landscape trees are valuable for more than just their magnificent blooms.
Concrete Work: Tips for Working With Cement
Concrete work ('cement') can be satisfying, as you behold your finished construction project. Learn about concrete work tips to make your construction go smoother, including mixing cement.
Hardscape FAQ - Landscaping With Rock
Hardscape elements in landscaping discussed. Hardscape complements softscape, as when landscaping with rock patios sets off a lawn.
Outdoor Living Spaces
Building outdoor living spaces extends your home, effectively adding on new 'rooms.' By thinking in terms of equivalents to floor, walls and ceiling, you can create outdoor living spaces that are at once functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Yard Safety Tips
A list of yard safety tips can never be complete, but I provide some of the most important for landscaping in this article on yard safety tips.
Interiorscaping: Ideas for Gardening Indoors
Ideas for indoor gardening and landscape design with houseplants. Includes ideas for combatting pests on houseplants by identifying pests and pest-control techniques.
Home Pest Control: Vole Control, Identification
Garden pest identification as a first step in vole control (they're distinct from moles), followed by tips to get rid of these 'field mice' or 'meadow mice.' Holes of voles are different from holes of moles, realizing which is essential for control measures.
Backyard Fun
If the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your yard is 'work,' then you're in desperate need of some ideas for backyard fun. Through low-maintenance landscaping and a little creativity, you'll be enjoying backyard fun in no time.
Spring Lawn Care
If you neglect spring lawn care, you'll pay for it the rest of the year. But while you shouldn't neglect it, spring lawn care doesn't require nearly as much time as mowing does in summer.
Landscaping 101: Landscape Design Tips
Index to a list of FAQs providing landscape design tips. These landscape design tips will function as an introduction or 'Landscaping 101' for beginners.
Irish Shamrocks and 4-Leaf Clovers
Search for the true Irish shamrocks. Various plants (but not 4-leaf clovers) serve as Irish shamrocks, but there's no one authoritative choice. By definition, 4-leaf clovers don't qualify.
Landscaping Ideas and Pictures
Consult these landscaping ideas and pictures for free design help (but pics are NOT royalty-free). These landscaping pictures and ideas will help your home improvement projects in the yard.
Hiring Arborists, Tree Stump Grinding Services
Hiring arborists (certified) for tree pruning or other service professionals, including for stump grinding. This article defines care needs such as for tree pruning or stump grinding and advises hiring arborists with proper credentials.
8 Tips for Landscaping With Dogs
Landscaping with dogs requires serious compromises. Strategies for landscaping with dogs may force you to alter plans that you would otherwise have for your yard, for instance, avoiding extensive lawns that will only be stained by their urine.
How-To Landscaping Videos
How-to landscaping videos can facilitate landscaping chores, if you view them with a problem-solving eye. Consult these how-to landscaping videos for tips on everything from lawn mowing to creating oceanside landscapes.
Deck Design Ideas
Need some deck design ideas? Read my interview with deck design expert, Lawrence Winterburn for ideas on everything from privacy to hot tubs and pools.
Flowering Dogwood Trees
Flowering dogwood trees win the top ranking in this list of best spring specimens. Specifically, 'Cherokee Chief' and Japanese flowering dogwood trees are the winners, partly because they excel at attracting wild birds.
Fall Foliage With Birch Trees
Description of 4 types of birch trees effective as fall foliage trees. The fall foliage of birch trees is yellow.