uses
I've done an awesome amount of painting in the past six months - two bedrooms, two hallways, a den, a kitchen, a utility room and our living room as well as the outside of the front door. I won't count the two bathrooms, because I painted them last year: They looked so good that the pressure mounted to bring everything else up to speed. I learned two invaluable lessons along the way. First, having the right
I've done an awesome amount of painting in the past six months - two bedrooms, two hallways, a den, a kitchen, a utility room and our living room as well as the outside of the front door. I won't count the two bathrooms, because I painted them last year: They looked so good that the pressure mounted to bring everything else up to speed. I learned two invaluable lessons along the way. First, having the right
In one form or another, almost every landscape project uses stone. Whether it's ledger, rubble, pebbles or flagstone - on its own or woven into other hardscape materials - when it comes to shaping exterior environments, stone is one of the most versatile of all materials at your disposal. In my experience as a stone supplier, however, few landshapers understand enough about the properties and characteristics of available stone products to use them as effectively as possible. This is true despite the fact that inappropriate stone usage creates liabilities for both the installer and the client and that the need for eventual replacement incurs great cost down the line. Simply knowing which types of stone are dense and which are soft, for example, is enough to prevent many problems with installations and will make landscapes more successful. While placing beautiful slate on an exterior deck may seem a great idea visually, for instance, it will eventually disintegrate as a result of exposure to the elements, nobody involved will be happy - and everybody will recognize that it would have been better to
In one form or another, almost every landscape project uses stone. Whether it's ledger, rubble, pebbles or flagstone - on its own or woven into other hardscape materials - when it comes to shaping exterior environments, stone is one of the most versatile of all materials at your disposal. In my experience as a stone supplier, however, few landshapers understand enough about the properties and characteristics of available stone products to use them as effectively as possible. This is true despite the fact that inappropriate stone usage creates liabilities for both the installer and the client and that the need for eventual replacement incurs great cost down the line. Simply knowing which types of stone are dense and which are soft, for example, is enough to prevent many problems with installations and will make landscapes more successful. While placing beautiful slate on an exterior deck may seem a great idea visually, for instance, it will eventually disintegrate as a result of exposure to the elements, nobody involved will be happy - and everybody will recognize that it would have been better to
Few plants have been written about, lingered over and so passionately associated with fragrance, healing and serenity as lavender. Beyond stunning beauty of the sort seen in the vast purple fields of Provence, lavender has spread worldwide, leaving a trail of exquisite aroma and touching everything from our imaginations to our health. Some say lavender has pain-killing, antiseptic and skin-rejuvenating properties and that it's great for toning skin, fighting acne and soothing burns and cuts. This versatile plant is used as well to infuse perfumes, oils and soaps, and I know from my own experience that it makes a great marinade for lamb and adds
Last month, we discussed ornamental grasses and their place as the most natural of all companions for watershapes. Now it's time to look at a few of your grass options, including something for just about every need and taste. Ornamental grasses come in such a wide range of sizes, climate preferences and colors that there really is at least one choice that will work in any client's yard. With so many choices, I'll have to narrow the list down to my personal favorites here. I'll also be suggesting some plants that aren't traditionally considered to be ornamental grasses; these are some "grass-like" plants I use as required to meet a particular design's needs. As always, I recommend
