A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. It refers to either a zone of many square miles or only a few square feet. Microclimates are why people living around a bay have more moderate temperatures than those inland and folks on opposite sides of a mountain have …
Fruiting shrubbery and flowers can be used in landscaping a water feature just as easily as traditional shrubs or grasses and they can look just as amazing. You’re going to landscape your waterfall and pond, so why not do it with edible trees, shrubs and groundcovers? Here are some that work well for me. A …
In his rich, baritone voice, Kenny Rogers made “The Gambler” a household tune and gave us all a lesson on experienced, calculated decision-making. In our pond-building world, we get the call and play the game when we contract and build a feature. The length of time to build the pond depends on the number of …
When we started Sunland Water Gardens in 1980, water gardening was not something anyone in mainstream landscaping looked at seriously. Ponds, waterfalls, fountains and water gardens were something only the rich and eccentric seemed to want—or at least that is what the landscapers and landscape architects thought. So if I wanted to turn this hobby …
We have all seen both the “WOW!” waterfall as well as the “What were they thinking?” waterfall, right? Most prospective customers have been exposed to the latter, which makes selling them on your better-built and more aesthetically pleasing waterfall much easier. Since the aesthetic aspects of a waterfall are subjective, I will try to focus …
The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is the most prestigious horticultural show in the world. It is often regarded as the Olympics of Horticulture, where the best garden designers in the world all compete for highly prized medals. All the garden designers are pre-qualified at other RHS shows before even being considered for space …
A well-designed water garden looks natural and organic, as though Mother Nature had lovingly placed each plant. But when you’re building your water garden from scratch, the selection and placement of plants falls to you! John Mark Courtney outlines the characteristics to consider when choosing which plants to use in your naturalistic (and healthy) backyard oasis.
Water features can bring their owners endless pleasure and relaxation. Of course, they can also become disgusting, stinky cesspools that require hours of labor to maintain. Thankfully, attention to a few key requirements will keep the workload down and the beauty and enjoyment up. Drawing from his many years of experience, Jamie Beyer outlines the key steps that will keep your pond clean, clear and easy to maintain.
Make your backyard a wildlife oasis. From bird watchers to butterfly lovers, people across the country are transforming their gardens into havens for wildlife in celebration of National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife Month and its Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program.
Pond builders (and your customers) prefer low voltage lights for most landscape applications due to the ease of installation and for the cost savings due to lower electric usage. Award winning lighting expert gives you a quick overview of outdoor lighting. Do you know when to use “moonlighting” versus “spread lighting”? The ten most popular garden lighting techniques are explained.