Spirit of Life

Landscaping has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it. So in landscaping there must be in the gardener’s mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his landscaping project.

Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your landscaping theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.

This type of open landscaping adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your landscaping efforts.

When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your landscaping project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.

For the avid do-it-yourself landscaper, the right tools are important. After all, if one wishes to save money on the expenses associated with having a well cared for yard, it is best to make sure that he or she has all of the tools necessary to create an attractive landscape. By understanding some of the most common tools used for basic landscaping needs, you can ensure that you have everything you need to keep your lawn in the best possible shape, bringing delight and distinction to your grounds, be they large or small.

Shovels, rakes, trowels, and hand cultivators. These are the most basic of tools when it comes to landscaping. Every home should be supplied with these basic implements. They make just about every landscaping endeavor possible. Shovels to remove sod and turn soil, as well as dig the holes necessary for fixtures like trees and hardscapes, Rakes are essential to smooth out planting beds and prepare ground for things like sod without packing the dirt. Trowels and hand cultivators allow you to perform minute work that requires more attention to detail. All of these tools are necessary to the proper functioning and care of a landscape.

Whether you plan on “borrowing ideas” or plan on creating your own landscaping design, you should have at the very least a basic understanding of the principles of landscape design.

This doesn’t mean that you have to apply every principle to every part of your plan. But just having an understanding of these principles will help you generate ideas and increase your creativity.

Great landscaping lies in the eyes of the its creator. So, while the principles of landscape design are great guidelines to follow, don’t feel like they’re the “have to rules” of landscaping. Abstract and creativity are allowed.

Unity should be one of your main goals in your design. It may be better understood and applied as consistency and repetition. Repetition creates unity  by repeating alike elements like plants, plant groups, or decor throughout the landscape. Consistency creates unity in the sense that some or all of the different elements of the landscape fit together to create a whole.

Unity can be achieved by the consistency of character of elements in the design. By character, I mean the height, size, texture, color schemes, etc. of different elements.

Mattresses are a key component of bedding.  Because most humans spend over a third of their lives sleeping, finding a quality mattress is important for a high quality of life.  Normally comprised of foam and fibers, with metal springs on a wooden frame, mattresses help ensure a restful sleep.

Serta, Sealy, and Simmons are the three largest, most popular mattress brands in the USA.

Standard USA mattress sizes are Twin/Single (39” X 75”), Double/Full (54” X 75”), Queen (60” X 80”), King (78” X 80”).  Other USA mattress sizes include Olympic Queen (66” X 80”), California Queen (60” X 84”), and California King (72” X 80”).

Mattresses typically require replacement after seven to fifteen years of use, or sooner, if the coils or frame have experienced noticeable wear and tear.

A Brief History of the Mattress

In the Neolithic period (8,000-6,000 B.C.), people migrated from sleeping on the ground to simple man-made beds and mattresses.  These first resting structures were constructed of leaves and grass, held together with animal skin.  Around 3,500 B.C., Persians invented the first “waterbeds,” made of goatskins filled with water.  The more affluent inhabitants of the Roman Empire, circa 200 B.C., slept on mattresses filled with feathers.  Steel coils, which now support the vast majority of mattresses, were not patented for this purpose until 1865.

There’s an old saying that states something like – “Getting Started Is Half Finished”. And so many times I find this to be true as I see do it yourself landscapers struggle to find their initial design idea. However, once they establish a framework of necessary design elements, it usually goes pretty smooth from there.

It’s not surprising that the most common landscape design question that I get is -  “where do I begin?” or “how do I start my design?”. I know it can be difficult. And especially if you don’t have a vision for your design.

So where do you begin? How do you start your landscape or garden design?

While every design is different and every designer follows a set of rules and principles, I find that most do it yourselfers all have the greatest success from using the same starting point. Begin by laying down any paths, driveways, access routes, or walk areas that might be needed.  And also create access to any areas that you may  plan on creating. In many designs, this will help to establish a framework that you can simply design around.

When building or remodeling a home, there are many things to consider, from small details like the style of bathroom tiles and kitchen cabinets to more significant, lasting decisions, such as the exterior façade of your home. In the past, exterior options were limited and one look or profile was used for the entire home. Today’s exterior product market offers a wide range of options, from accessories to cover-alls.

Choosing a home’s exterior can be one of the most significant decisions in the life of your home. For a one-of-a-kind look, take advantage of your design options:

• Use siding profiles such as board and batten or shake siding to highlight dormers or gables, the triangular portion below the roof peak.

• Accentuate the front of your home by combining siding products such as vinyl, brick, stone, stucco or insulated siding, the latest advancement in maintenance- free siding. This offers the opportunity to highlight your home’s unique architecture while hiding imperfections.

• Add accessories such as window trims and decorative corner post systems to create added charm.