Creative Solutions: Yardscape with Borders and Walls

By Don Logay

With a little imagination, you can easily re-work the landscape cards Mother Nature dealt you. Got a ho-hum yard? A flat rectangle lot with no individuality or character to speak of? Or just the opposite, with slopes that are hard to nurture and navigate?

Options range from low border walls - for trees, flower beds and vegetable gardens - to carving in retaining walls to level slopes and turn a wild landscape into usable patches of land.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Low garden walls and borders for planters and visual interest are easy to construct. Materials range from brick, stone, wood and concrete block to specialty products and railroad ties.

• Tip: Interlocking "look-like-stone" concrete blocks are easy to use, cost efficient and truly wall beautiful. A popular choice worth checking out.
• Tip: Avoid "perimeter" design. Low walls that parallel barrier fencing on rectangular lots make yards seem smaller. Free form designs, diagonal corners, multi-level terraces and free-standing shapes in open areas are better.
• Tip: Top edge of low walls makes great extra seating (15" to 18" high and at least 12" wide).
• Tip: Dark oily "Creosote" on railroad ties rubs off on clothing or skin and may leach into soil. Use care. If plants and vegetables are nearby, add plastic liner as safety barrier.

Size Does Matter

As garden wall height reaches or exceeds about 24" they technically become retaining walls. Thus, planning requires more thought and execution a bit more know-how.

• Tip: Keep DIY retaining walls to a 3' maximum. Beyond this height, most local building codes kick in, requiring engineering plans, building permits and inspections for safety.
• Tip: Terrace a steep slope, with a number of 3' or less walls, rather than one large wall for the reason above. If a taller wall is in order, try not to exceed eye-level for optimum visual benefit. Multiple terraced levels (with a number of 5' walls) are better than creating "The Great Wall of Your-Place" neighborhood spectacle.

Purchasing Materials

There are formulas that help determine how much of anything you'll need - from bricks to concrete blocks. Know the measurements of your chosen building material and calculate needs based on your project dimensions.

While estimating seems complex, it's worth the effort - as buying too little or too much of anything wastes time, effort and money.

• Tip: A handy little tool called ProjectCalc® makes it easy. This Feet-Inch-Fraction calculator is programmed with built-in solutions for hundreds of home projects; a few keystrokes determine material needs with pin-point accuracy. To estimate, enter project dimensions for square footage, hit "convert" and specific "type of material" buttons to learn number of bricks, blocks, board feet or cubic yards needed - add price per unit and total project cost is displayed. Easy as 1-2-3. It's typically priced under $20.00 at well stocked hardware stores and most home centers.

Yardscaping with imagination and garden walls is easy, when you work smart.

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Best Low-Maintenance Alternatives for Landscapes

By J. A. Young

Just because everyone is not a gardening enthusiast does not mean everyone shouldn't have a terrific landscape. Many people simply can afford precious little time to mowing, digging, weeding, planting, etc., and all the chores associated with a great garden and landscape. The following suggestions are prime examples of low-maintenance ideas for landscapes without full-time gardeners!

Pave all your cares away; that is, all your gardening woes and blues. There's nothing like a layer of concrete to finish off those patches of crab grass once and for all. Concrete garden not your look? Well, concrete across your property is probably not the whole way to go. However, you can extend drives, patios and porches to encompass very large tracts of land that will no longer need landscaping. Consider stone, brick or even concrete - it can mimic the likes of granite these days making for a great and inexpensive paver.

Nevertheless, many non-gardeners still prefer an attractive green landscape. A low maintenance alternative to the headache of an attractive lawn is using a low-maintenance ornamental grass. Not only are these grasses enchanting, there are several that don't need to be mowed! Lawns are so typical anyway; an ornamental grass provides originality that is as attractive as any groundcover. Consider these low-maintenance grasses: hair sedge, Japanese sedge, palm sedge, love grass, blue fescue and velvet grass.

Adding garden structures is a great way to take up space and still provide visual appeal for the landscape. A garden shed makes a great outpost for the landscape that doubles as a storage center. Gazebos are not only attractive, but functional structures that make the ideal location for afternoon lunches or simply to relax. Once installed, garden features typically require only routine maintenance that may be performed annually.

A rock garden is a wonderful easy-to-maintain landscape. Choose large rocks and rock-loving plants. If alpine plants do not suit your climate, there are plenty of other choices for such a rock garden. Obviously mowing won't be an issue, yet you will still provide a rustic and lovely setting.

Another low-maintenance landscape could be accomplished with the cultivation of a prairie landscape, incorporating both native and easy-to-care for plants. Prairie gardens are not maintenance-free, but they do involve far less work than traditionally manicured gardens and yet still provide great character and beauty for the landscape.

Another time saving solution for landscapes can be had by installing sprinklers or drip alternatives to the setting. These can be linked to timers to deliver water to your entire garden and landscape without you ever having to drag out the hose. These units will cost some expense upfront, but depending on the size of your landscape, they may be an affordable option that provides uniform water delivery to the areas of your garden that need it most.

Careful plant selection will result in a low-maintenance landscape if you choose plants that are hardy and easy-to-care for. When choosing trees, be sure your selection is not only hardy, but clean. Willows are notoriously messy and even exquisite ornamental trees like magnolias need to be cleaned up after.

Climbing plants and vines are generally great growers that do not require too much fuss (cutting back from time to time) and provide visual appeal to any garden. As long as they have adequate support, they will usually be fine even if the soil tends to be on the poor side. Arches and arbors are attractive focal points for the landscape that lift the garden up off the ground.

Mulching is a great gardening technique that is not only beneficial for soil and plants (it helps retain moisture), but it significantly tamps down on weed growth. Consequently, less time must be set aside for weeding and soil and plants wind up healthier than ever. Mulch comes in a wide selection from degradable tree bark to more permanent white stone. Choose whatever works best for your landscape style.

Certainly hiring gardeners and landscapers is a low-maintenance alternative, but rather a costly one for the average residence. By employing some of these landscape alternatives, you may be able to perform low-maintenance gardening in a landscape that is just as beautiful as any other.

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Alternative Landscapes for Challenging Terrain

By J. A. Young

Sometimes no matter how green a thumb you have, poor soil or the lay of the land - not to mention the climate - will simply not allow for the lush landscape you’ve always dreamed of. On the other hand, you may not have a green thumb or even wish for one - you want a landscape filled with plant alternatives like architectural features, patios, even ponds. It is possible to find landscaping solutions for botanically challenged settings that, nevertheless, create visually appealing scenes with a minimal use of plants and a reliance on alternative features.

Challenging terrain or an unenthusiastic gardener - it amounts to the same thing. You require a landscape that relies on some easy-to-maintain hardy plants that can be grown in your area, and features that have little to nothing to do with gardening. For example, instead of rolling hills of green vistas, you see a stretch of cobblestone, a sea of gravel. Landscaping with a minimal use of plants need not, however, be the barren wasteland one might envision. Landscaping with the following features may actually transform your scenery into an enjoyable place to relax and entertain.

First of all, few landscapes have nothing growing. Such places might be called deserts, might resemble the moon. So consider your climate: what grows naturally and what types of plants need minimal care. Generally speaking, you'll want to consider ornamental grasses for ground cover. Some require no mowing. Many grow in very poor conditions, even steep slopes. Ornamental grasses can bloom, grow low-to-the ground, grow shoulder-high, and boast interesting colors, textures and shapes. Also, there are hundreds of tough plants that may prove ideal for your conditions. Just adding a few of these to a hardscape may be all the greenery necessary for a beautiful scene and prove more visually interesting than ordinary lawns.

If the soil will not support plants, don’t purchase any plastic concoctions from the craft store yet. Consider containers for several hardy species. Containers are available in many sizes from large stone planters to tiny terracotta pots. Glazed earthenware or even rustic wood planters will allow you to incorporate plants into the setting that could not otherwise be used. A few well placed hanging baskets and large containers will add all the necessary charm needed for bricked patios, decks or paved courtyards. If the landscape is filled with hills and steep slopes, choose an ornamental grass like creeping phlox to cover the area.

Another alternative for the non-gardener is to carve out some space for an easy to care for ground cover, a large patio, a garden structure or two and let Mother Nature take care of the rest. A prairie or woodland scene has a rustic allure that even the most formal gardens can't always rival. If however, your lot is in the city, you can still add a touch of ground cover for effect and install a patio or deck with a few container plants. Your patio furniture and accessories will go a long way to creating an inviting situation.

Plants aside, there are other ways to build a breathtaking landscape - build, being the operative word. Architectural features can be as small as an arch or as grand as a pavilion. Installing patios either at ground level or raised should be considered along with enlarged porches, gazebos, pergolas for difficult gardening situations. Platforms and decks can be built right into slopes or atop one to overlook the valley below. Think how much more appealing a plain grass-filled yard might be with an alternative paving of cobblestone transforming it into a courtyard style patio.

Gazebos can be anything from simple open-air structures to elaborate brick and window models used for entertaining purposes. There are many styles to choose between, but any structure will add additional interest to the landscape as well as provide a place to entertain or enjoy the outdoors. A patio or deck has greater potential to take up space, or rather, to fill in your landscape and make it seem less bleak. Attach a pergola to an area of your patio and you very nearly have added an outdoor room to your home. Architectural features can be built from wood, stone or brick. Match them to the style of your home for a seamless look.

Another landscaping alternative could be to put in a large pond or another type of water feature. Water gardening requires considerable gardening maintenance, but a pond without pretensions - a clear body of water and nothing else - can still add stunning beauty to the landscape. Keeping the water healthy requires some upkeep, but no attractive landscapes are without some maintenance. Water is a great way to add life to a landscape. Encircle your pond with a paver or an easy-to-care for ground cover and you have a wonderful all-season landscape. For a small lot, consider a stone fountain surrounded by no-mow ornamental grass. Pools, basins and cascades are other water features to consider.

Finally, you can add variety to a flat dry space with rock. Pebbled pools and gravel streams can mimic the look of water. Arrangements of rocks and rock-loving plants will create height and variance and are very easy to maintain. A rocky landscape can be softened with some painted architectural features and use of colored stone. With the addition of some tall container plants and an attractive patio, this landscape can be a breathtaking alternative that is easy to care for.

While a rose garden has its special charm, roses aren’t for everyone. You do not have to be a great gardener to have a terrific landscape. By relying heavily on other features, you can make minimal use of plantings and still create a lovely setting for family and friends to enjoy.

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