Landscape Design Goes High-Tech – High-tech Landscaping in Apex, NC
The North Carolina weather is great throughout much of the year, and that means that most people like to spend as much time as possible outside. Having a great backyard can enhance your experience of outdoor living in Chapel Hill, and ensure that you and your family and friends spend more time outside during the day and in the evening.
People love their music. In the past, people would bring a radio or portable stereo outside with them when they were in the backyard. It was the only real solution available for getting music in an outdoor space. Doing this would burn through batteries or require an extension cord, and more often than not, the sound was subpar and tinny. The only way to hear the music was to be close to the radio and turning it up too loud sounded terrible.
As technology becomes more and more popular in our daily lives, it is no wonder that it will be an important part of your outdoor living experience. More and more people today are starting to look at adding sound systems to their outdoor life. Having a sound system that can pump music in the garden and yard, the deck, poolside, and more can make the experience of outdoor living in Apex even more pleasant.
High-tech Landscaping in Apex, NC
Installing a Sound System for Your Outdoor Space
When it comes to installing a good sound system for your backyard, you have to consider quite a few things. First, you need to make sure that it works with your landscaping. How large is the yard? The larger the yard, the more speakers you will need to provide quality sound to all areas. Where should you place the speakers? You might find that having speakers that are able to blend into the environment is a nice solution, since it does not detract from the beauty of the landscaping, yet it can still provide you with great sound. Consider what is best for outdoor living in Cary for your neighborhood.
You also need to make sure that you have equipment and speakers that can stand up well to the weather in Cary, Chapel Hill, and other areas of North Carolina. The landscaping and the speakers and system need to work well together and blend, and often this is a bit too much for most people to do on their own. Having a professional who will be able to handle the landscaping properties of the yard, and who can offer some audio insight, is essential.
What is it that you want from your outdoor living in Sanford? If you spend time out there, whether you are entertaining and having a large party, or you are simply relaxing in the morning, having a bit of music might be nice. Do not discount the benefit of having a sound system in the backyard. It really can enhance the time you spend outside of the house. You can listen to talk radio, podcasts, and anything else that you like.
The backyard is starting to go high-tech, and that can be a very good thing! Make better outdoor living in Chapel Hill a priority.
Resource: http://www.prosmartsystems.com/ps/2013/05/enhance-your-outdoor-living-space-with-music/
In a poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, it was found that 29% of Americans prefer summer over any other season. And for good reason! Who doesn’t love laying in the sand on a hot day at the beach or watching that little drop of their favorite ice cream slide down the side of a waffle cone?
Did you know that some grasses “feel” the same way? Well maybe not the part about the ice cream, but warm-season grasses thrive during the summer and need extra care once the fall rolls around. Typically, one will find that their warm-season grass goes dormant near the first frost and does not revive until April. In North Carolina, the first frost typically comes in late November in the Raleigh-Durham area, and in mid-November for the surrounding area. Is your grass a warm-season grass? Check this list to find out!
- Bermuda grass
- Buffalo grass
- Centipede grass
- Bahia grass
- Zoysia grass
- Kikuyu grass
- St. Augustine grass
- Seashore paspalum
At this point, you might be asking yourself, “why did I plant a grass that is only green for two-thirds of a year?” In warm-weather climates such as North Carolina, we must have a grass that can survive the near-100° heat of summer. Unfortunately, this also means that it has trouble keeping its vibrant green color through the winter.
If you are interested in installing warm-season grass, the months of August and September are your last chance. You won’t regret it by next summer, when your lush green grass is perfect for those summer backyard barbecues!
Landscape Design that Grows with Your Family
Having a landscape design that looks great now is naturally important for your happiness and the beauty of your outdoor spaces. People from Jordan Lake to Preston, McGregor Downs and beyond love the thought of having a beautifully landscaped yard. However, they also have families, and they want to have landscaping that will work for their needs now as well as in the future. They hope to maximize the efficiency of their outdoor living space. With the right ideas, it is possible. What you create in your space for outdoor living in Cary will depend on your particular family, as well as what you want. Here are some great ideas for landscaping within Cary, Apex, New Hill & Sanford.
Great Ideas for Landscaping Cary, Apex, New Hill & Sanford
One of the best ways to have landscaping that will work for your family is to have it do double duty. This is especially important for those who have smaller yards. Consider having a basketball court that can double as a fire pit. This is fantastic for those who have kids who like to play ball, and who still need to have space enough for entertaining on the weekends.
Something else to consider for outdoor living in Apex is that it will change as your family grows and their needs change. When the kids are small, they might want a grassy yard where they can play. As they get older, you might want to add some other landscaping elements, such as ponds and boulder work that add more interest to your yard. Many different options are available. You can find a variety of different types of fireplaces and fire pits.
You can add an audio system to your landscaping to make the time you spend outside even more enjoyable. Perhaps you want to have a barbecue area for cooking your family meals and for entertaining as well. You may want to add fruit bearing plants or even plant a vegetable garden, both of which could be great for the family.
Outdoor living in Sanford needs to meet your family’s needs. The yard needs to look great and it needs to be usable. Your current landscaping is not permanent, so you can make a number of changes as you and your family’s needs change over time.
Creating Evolving Landscaping
Having some great ideas for landscaping and putting them into action are two different things. Many who love outdoor living in Raleigh and the surrounding communities find that they have some ideas that they want to use for their yard, but it is difficult for them to turn those ideas into a reality on their own. It doesn’t have to be quite so difficult though. With some help from the right professionals, it is a bit easier.
Meeting with professional designers and landscapers will let you verbalize your ideas, and the pros can then take those ideas and turn them into a brand new yard for you. Whether you are looking for a basketball court that can double as a fire pit or you want to gut your current landscaping and start anew, the right professionals can make it much easier for you to enjoy outdoor living in Chapel Hill and other areas.
Resource: http://www.houzz.com/photos/landscape
http://www.wikihow.com/Design-a-Landscape-Garden
Maintenance is an important aspect of landscaping your property, be it commercial, or residential landscaping. With busy schedules and engagements, it’s not possible for everyone to constantly look after their lawns and gardens so that they look good. As such, low maintenance landscaping can help people in reducing the overall work required in maintaining their properties. Given below are a few tips that can be incorporated in your lawn or garden, to ensure that it stays lively for a long period of time before it needs maintenance.
Tip 1: Always have a spray bottle or pump filled with vinegar at hand. Vinegar is an effective weed destroyer, and is safe for pets, children, and the environment in general. Vinegar can save your time in pulling out weeds from the property.
Tip 2: Choose plants that are comparatively easier to sustain. When putting up a flower bed, always consider the time that you will have to spend in splitting flowers, dead-heading, and weeding. After this, research if the plants are self-maintaining and easy to grow. Of course, we can help you with this.
Tip 3: Mark out spaces in the yard. If your kids play in some specific spot, or you place your tools in a particular corner, then you should ensure the playthings and tools are back in their place after use. Doing this can help you save time when locating things again.
Tip 4: Purchase quality tools and items. When purchasing any type of tools, such as hand tools or power tools, research about the product first. In the long run, buying quality tools can save your time and unnecessary hassles.
Tip 5: Remove any hills or slopes that make it hard to mow the property. These areas should be replaced with self-maintaining cover for the ground. This eliminates your struggles with the lawn mower, saves your time, and adds beauty to the yard.
Tip 6: Plan in advance. First chart out your plans for the landscaping and then start with the digging, planting, moving rocks, and other jobs. Making plans ensures that there aren’t any re-dos needed later on in the project.
Tip 7: The yard should be maintained weekly. This is an easy way to ensure a low maintenance landscape. Mowing and weeding on a weekly basis is necessary to save extra work when the condition of the lawn deteriorates.
Tip 8: Eco-friendly solutions for pests should be included in your gardening arsenal. Ivory soap can help in controlling bugs and critters. This is a cheap, effective, and clean method of getting rid of bugs and insects.
Low maintenance landscaping can potentially save you a lot of time, energy, and money. Also, having a lawn or a garden that doesn’t require maintenance everyday can help you to have a perfect landscape that stays beautiful for a long time.
Edible Landscaping
You love your backyard, and you want to do something for it that can increase its beauty and aesthetic value, as well as the use you get out of the yard. One of the best ways to do that – and the tastiest method for certain – is with edible landscaping. It is something that many people who are into outdoor living in Raleigh, North Carolina are considering. It might be something you want to consider as well. How could it work for your yard?
What Is Edible Landscaping?
Many people today want to start eating organic, knowing that it’s a healthier alternative to the other processed and pesticide laced foods in the marketplace today. While you can find some organic foods in the grocery store, you can create a backyard with organic eating in mind. If you are an enthusiast for organic eating and outdoor living in Cary, then you will love this idea.
This sort of landscaping will serve more than one purpose. As mentioned, it will beautify your yard and help to add plenty of greenery to fill it out nicely. It also adds plants that will provide a variety of different types of edibles.
Of course, your backyard will not likely provide you with all of the edibles you need for your diet. Instead, look at it as a way to add to your kitchen. Of course, those who devote more of their yard to gardening may well be able to grow many of the vegetables and fruits they will need for their diet. Let’s look at some of the different things that you might be able to start growing in your yard.
- Dwarf fruit trees
- Lettuce
- Strawberries
- Peppers
- Tomatoes – all different varieties
These are just a few of the many different sorts of edibles that might look great – and taste even better – in your yard in Cary. Consider what is right for your outdoor living in Apex.
One does not have to have a backyard made entirely of edibles though. Many people find that combining the edibles and the ornamentals can give them the best of both worlds. They have the beauty of various flowering plants with the tastiness of fresh lettuce, berries, and more. This combination of ornamental plants and edible plants is a perfect option for those who enjoy spending time in their yard and entertaining since it offers the practical and aesthetic benefits.
Imagine just how nice it will be to step out into your garden and be able to pick a cucumber for some sandwiches or some berries for your morning cereal. You can even grow a variety of herbs that you can use in cooking, making outdoor living in Raleigh even tastier.
Choose Right
You do need to make sure that you are using the right types of plants and that you choose the best types of edibles for your area. You need to choose the right plants for the North Carolina climate. For many people, choosing the right plants and going through the process of planting them is a bit more than they want to handle on their own. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to hire a professional who can take care of the planting and the overall design for you. Make sure that you are working with a professional who will listen to what you want and need, and then get started on planning your yard full of edibles. Outdoor living in Sanford never tasted so good.
Resources: http://www.rosalindcreasy.com/edible-landscaping-basics/
The Importance of Connecting with Your Family and Being Able to Use Your Backyard
Have you considered the importance of outdoor living in Apex and surrounding communities? It might be more important than you ever imagined. How much time do you have to spend with your family and other loved ones in your life? If you are like so many other people in North Carolina, and much of the rest of the country for that matter, the answer is far less than you would like. People today are exceedingly busy. Work often intrudes on family life, which adds to stress as well as dissonance within the family unit. Other times, it seems as though everyone in the family has plans and other things they would rather do than to take time to connect. Everyone is busy, and most spend an increasing amount of time in the online world through their computers, smart phones, and tablets. They do not stop to take the time to spend time with the actual people who are in their lives and this is a shame. Without this connection, the family unit will start to crumble and relationships will begin to erode. Keeping connected with family and friends is very important psychologically. Many families in Raleigh and other areas around North Carolina fear this and they may already be seeing it happen. You do not have to go down that path though. By creating functional and fun outdoor living in Raleigh and other cities, it is possible to find some good ways to reconnect with family. The backyard is really a huge boon to families so long as they actually use the space.
Bringing the Family Together With Outdoor Living in Cary and Other NC Areas
One of the ways to bring the family together is to have a reason for getting together. Just telling the kids or the spouse that you would like to spend more time with them is not always enough. Having a backyard and really utilizing the space to its fullest is a good way to do that. Gatherings of family, from your immediate family that lives in the house to other family members around town, can help you to connect.
Here are a few ways for you and your family to make the most of outdoor living in Sanford and the surrounding communities.
Have a barbecue. The summer weather is ideal for outdoor cooking and outdoor living in Chapel Hill and other communities. Of course, you could also have the family enjoy a breakfast, brunch, or another meal other than just a lunch or dinner BBQ at home. Find a time that works for everyone. Play some games in the backyard. Depending on the style and size of the yard, you could have a net for badminton, a basketball court, or even a spot for some board games. Celebrate as much as possible. Have some backyard celebrations for all of the achievements or occasions in life. Birthdays, anniversaries, getting some good grades, getting a promotion, and more are all reason to celebrate. Paying attention to all of the achievements of your family shows them that you are proud of them, and that you value what they are doing. This helps lead to a better connection with your loved ones.
How the Use of Water and/or Stone Can Transform Your Backyard
Most people who have a backyard want to use it to its fullest, and they want to have great landscaping that can help to beautify the property and make it more functional. Having a space for outdoor living in Cary, NC and other nearby cities is great for entertaining at home thanks to the relatively nice weather throughout much of the year. However, many who want to transform their property simply do not know what the best options are for giving their space the personality and flavor they want it to have. The answer is simple – add natural elements.
Plants are a natural choice for landscaping. However, they should not be the only thing that you consider for your yard. You also want to look at the stonework options and water feature options that can help to transform your yard.
Stonework
Stonework can be great for creating retaining walls that can help to prevent erosion. They also can help to create a unified look for those yards that might have uneven areas due to inclines. Other types of stonework that will make your yard look great include stone patios and stone walkways. Many different options are available with stone, including different types of stone and different colors. A great landscaper can transform your space for outdoor living in Apex with stone into a beautiful and inviting space.
Water Features
Water features can be just as important as stonework. Often, the two go hand in hand, and work together, since some water features make use of stonework. When you have a nice water feature, it adds instant aesthetic appeal to your yard for great outdoor living in Sanford. It also works as a nice focal point for the yard, and serves as a place where you and your family will want to gather. The sight and the sound of these water features can be quite relaxing, and they can give your backyard a unique look.
Whether you want to have a pond or a fountain, you can find plenty of styles and options that will work well for your design needs.
Adding Water and Stone Features
Some who are trying to create spaces for outdoor living in Chapel Hill try to add the stone and water features on their own. It takes a practiced eye to understand the best type of stone and the best way to use the stone on the property though. While you may have some great ideas for the space, it’s a good idea to consult with a professional who can actually implement those ideas for your water and stone correctly.
When you want to make your home in Jordon Lake, Regency Cary, Preston, and other locations around North Carolina, make it a point to work with the professionals. It makes it easier and faster for you to get the yard that you really want. Consider all of the ways that stone and water features can give your yard the personality you want, and you will find it’s an ideal way to turn your spot for outdoor living in Raleigh into a space you will love.
Resources: http://www.schwakestone.com/news/2013/10/some-benefits-stone-landscaping
http://web.stonemakers.net/bid/54071/7-Benefits-To-Backyard-Water-Features
Top 5 Causes of Brown Patches on Your Lawn
Brown patches are among the most irritating of lawn problems. If you rule out single causes such as dog urine, then the spots seem to occur arbitrarily and out of the blue, making it difficult to say what their cause could be. Below, we give some reasons for lawns turning brown.
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Heat Exhaustion
The 150 Rule is when you add air temperature and humidity and the two numbers add to 150 that creates a condition for lawn diseases. The rain has been wonderful for our lawns that are dark green and in great shape. When lawns receive rain, add that to your 1-1.5 inch of watering a week during the summer.
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Competing Tree Roots
Tree roots compete with grass-roots for water, producing brown spots. One way of getting around this problem is to water the areas concentrated more heavily. In the long run, however, it may be simpler to remove the grass altogether from this spot and replace it with organic mulch.
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Dull Mower Blades
If your lawn mower blades are blunt, they simply shred the tips of the grass plants, which means that they dry out rapidly, creating brown spots in your garden. So, keep your lawn mower sharp to retain moisture in your grass and a clean-cut discourages lawn diseases.. We take care of this every morning on our mowers.
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Thatch!
Thatch, which is a spongy layer between the grass and the soil, can produce brown spots where it is thick enough. Water, oxygen and fertilizer movement lessens under thatch, harming roots. The principal reason behind thatch is dead turfgrass, stems and roots, that don’t decompose quickly. When these elements accumulate more quickly than they decompose, thatch and brown spots form.
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Cutting Too Short
Scalping occurs when the mower is used on an uneven lawn surface. This means that excessive grass is removed from the tops of grass that has grown higher. The turf dies out because there is no green canopy to protect it against the sun’s heat. This is what creates scalped areas which are brown spots. You could try increasing the mowing height to get rid of the problem.
Residential landscaping imbibes a charm into your home. It is one of the best ways to let nature mingle with your property, and give an aesthetic look along the way. There are many steps involved in designing the perfect residential landscape for your home, as discussed below.
Steps for designing
The most crucial part of planning residential landscaping is to develop the plot plan. This is basically a conscious modification of the outdoor area of your property, so as to get maximum satisfaction and enjoyment out of the yard. A perfectly designed landscape can provide good functionality as well as an aesthetic appeal. Also, good landscaping design can potentially increase the value of your property during resale.
Unfortunately, people tend to ignore the planning process when creating their own residential landscape. Designing complex landscapes can also prove to be detrimental to your property. These require a lot of maintenance later on, and you will end up spending a lot of money on the property, than you initially intended to.
Some specific landscaping designs require very less maintenance such as organic gardening, minimal water features, and native plants and trees can help in reducing maintenance needs, while giving a pleasing look. You can also opt for drought resistant local plant species as they are pretty hardy in the local climate.
When putting down the plan on paper, be sure to include things like patios, decks, fountains, bird baths, hammocks, mail boxes, and so on, along with trees, shrubs, and plants. These can greatly accentuate the look of the yard.
Putting on paper
First, draw the outline of the plot on a graph paper. This can help you in optimizing the design. Rough sketches can give an idea about the features you would like to install in your yard. Also, mark the drainage pipes, sewage tanks, and power lines in the design.
Next, mark areas that are in and out of the sun. This will allow you to place trees accordingly. Also, make a note of the wind direction in your calculations for the same purpose. Other things to include in your sketches are the family items like trampoline, pools, play areas, slides, and so on. Also, provide sufficient space in the plans for driveways and walkways leading to different areas of the yard.
Ensure that enough space has been allocated for dog houses and garbage bins, firewood sheds, and clothes lines. These can be overlooked, and can later result in unnecessary hassles of arranging more space and refitting a few things.
Residential landscaping has a number of advantages for you and your family, and contributes positively to the environment in the process. By following the instructions given above, you can rest assured that the landscape is beautiful and functional at the same time.
It’s not a welcomed reunion, but after 17 years the cicadas are set to return to the East Coast.
Insect experts say that starting in mid April to late May, residents from North Carolina to New England will witness the emergence of billions upon billions of the singing insects. For them to emerge, the ground has to be a mild 64 degrees, notes retired Smithsonian entomologist Gary F. Hevel. That’s how, even eight inches below ground, the insects know, “It’s party time.”
“In places where they’re going to be present, it’s going to be spectacular. There could be as many as 1 billion cicadas emerging per square mile,” Michael Raupp, a professor of entomology at the University of Maryland
Cicadas spend most of their lives underground. Near the end of their lifespans they emerge to climb trees, shed their exoskeletons, sing, fly and mate. Both females and males die soon after the females lay their eggs. The next generation will emerge in 2030 to repeat the cycle all over again.
Aside from the mess and the loud mating calls, these swarms of critters are harmless. But their homecoming in the last stage of their lives is unforgettable to those who experience it thanks, in part, to how they serenade whole neighborhoods with their loud chorus of chirping.
“Most people say it is like a science-fiction movie UFO sound,” cicada researcher Dan Mozgai wrote to Yahoo News in an email.
The East Coast, he added, should expect piles of the dead insects around their homes: “They can pile up like dead leaves.”
Mozgai also pointed out that in areas where old trees have been removed due to storm damage or new housing developments, cicadas won’t be seen as they “live along the root systems of the trees and need them to survive.”
The cicadas about to spring from the ground are called Brood II, and are offspring from the last cycle that showed up in 1996, reports National Geographic.
