Tag: Landscaping

Posted on

Ask an expert: Steep slopes create landscaping challenges

Gardening season is underway, and you may well have issues. For solutions, turn to Ask an Qualified, an on the internet dilemma-and-answer tool from Oregon Condition University’s Extension Assistance. OSU Extension college and Learn Gardeners reply to queries in just two company days, normally fewer. To inquire a question, simply just go to the OSU Extension website, kind it in and consist of the county in which you stay. In this article are some concerns asked by other gardeners. What is yours?

Q: I have to have to remove creeping evergreens on a slope and replace them with suitable ground handles. They must be lower maintenance and drought hardy. – Klamath County

A: 1 challenge several house owners facial area with landscaping steep slopes is soil runoff. The topsoil on hills can conveniently wash off, leaving an unattractive and muddy mess. In this scenario, you may want to take into consideration planting your hill with groundcover plants. There are various kinds of shrubs and flowers that can prosper on slopes, providing you a improved check out and lessening the odds of erosion. Just continue to keep in brain that you may well want to carry in some supplemental soil and an erosion mat to set up the crops if the current soil on the hill lacks the essential nutrition.

An additional well-liked possibility is to terrace sections of the slope within just your lawn to build flat planting regions. Developing various tiers on a hilly property will assistance you prevent erosion and allow you to add a wide variety of vegetation and landscaping features for a useful and eye-catching design and style. Retaining walls can consist of a assortment of supplies to best in good shape your space and finances, this kind of as stone pavers, wood posts or concrete. On the other hand, when thinking about elements that stand the take a look at of time, stone pavers are advisable. Moreover, when putting in any retaining wall, it is crucial to insert a great drainage procedure at the rear of the wall to avoid the wall from cracking or even collapsing.

Having vegetation to consider keep on a hill can be challenging, as slopes tend to erode promptly due to drainage concerns and soil runoff. If you do not want to terrace your slope, introducing rocks of different designs and measurements is a different way to keep the soil and enable your crops to grow to be set up. Adding purely natural features, this kind of as a rock back garden can give your slope a normal hardscaped search that’s equally visually interesting and necessitates significantly less maintenance.

Whichever approach you pick for landscaping your slope, it’s also vital to choose the appropriate kind of vegetation for the spot in which you dwell and your individual area. For illustration, deep-rooted crops can support stabilize soil, floor deal with vegetation are excellent for covering up unattractive places and ornamental grasses and perennials can be utilized to increase coloration and texture to your slope.

When picking out your vegetation, it’s also essential to retain upkeep in mind. Plants that never require shearing or a large amount of once-a-year clean up up can help you save you time in the prolonged operate. Here’s some more details. –Chris Rusch, OSU Extension Master Gardener

Ask an expert

Is this string trimmer hurt?OSU Extension Support

Q: From the hooked up image can you inform me what I need to have to do, if something, about the wound on our dogwood trunk? Also, what you believe could have brought about it? – Polk County

A: The wound in the trunk is typical of damage from a lawnmower, string trimmer or some other form of collision.  The wound appears to be healing, as we would count on. Dressings are no lengthier regarded a good idea because they tend to trap bacteria in the wound. With air exposure by itself, the tree will mend the wound.

I do advise pulling the mulch back various inches away from the tree trunk. Also, the irrigation line seems to be too near to the trunk. The trunk does not gain from soil dampness. The most crucial position for irrigation is around the drip line of the tree or marginally outside of. That is in which the root expansion requires position. – Lynne Marie Sullivan, OSU Extension Grasp Gardener

Ask an expert

KatsuraOSU Extension Assistance

Q: What is wrong with my ‘Red Fox’ katsura tree? The leaves really feel like it is getting enough drinking water but the leaves glance funny on a handful of branches. We’re in Zone 8, dealing with east in Junction Town. The tree is on a deep-root watering system with two tubes and is watered for 22 minutes each individual 6 days. – Lane County

A: This is most possible the aftermath of the unexpected improve from cold and moist to blistering heat. We are observing numerous leaves with odd colors and even worse just now. – Pat Patterson, OSU Extension horticulturist, retired

Q: I have potted camellias and the pH of the soil is reasonably neutral. I’d like to reduce the pH to 5ish. What is the most effective way to achieve this target? – Yamhill County

A: You can modify the pH slowly and gradually in excess of time, which permits the plant roots to modify effortlessly. OSU Extension has an outstanding publication, “Acidifying Soil for Blueberries and Decorative Plants” which is a detailed tutorial in undertaking just that – creating the soil extra acidic. Soon after looking through the publication, appear for fertilizers for acid-loving plants in your preferred plant nursery. – Anna Ashby, OSU Extension Grasp Gardener

Ask an expert

Spider and beeOSU Extension Services

Q: Could you place into words what is going on with these 3 creatures – the spider, the bee and the one particular “waiting in the wings”? – Benton County

A: The spider is a goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia). They hold out on bouquets (which includes but not restricted to goldenrod) and ambush insect site visitors. Appears to be like it acquired the honeybee (Apis mellifera) on your sunflower that way and it is feeding on it. The other insect “waiting in the wings” is a little far more mysterious. It is a type of real fly (Buy: Diptera), but I can not see adequate depth to know for sure what kind of real fly it is. Apparently, there are small flies like that known as zombie flies (Loved ones: Phoridae, Apocephalus borealis) that parasitize and kill bumblebees and honeybees. Listed here is a url to a photograph showing a single of these flies on a bumblebee.

The adult zombie flies stalk grownup bees and lay their eggs inside them. Then the fly larvae hatch and feed internally in the bees altering their behavior and sooner or later killing them. I’m not absolutely sure if that is a zombie fly striving to parasitize the honeybee which is presently staying fed on by the spider, but that is just one likelihood. – William Gerth, OSU Extension Grasp Gardener

Ask an expert

Moist spring leads to smaller garlic headsOSU Extension Service

Q: I followed your OSU Extension pamphlet for increasing garlic and the bulbs under no circumstances bought quite huge. I bought good cloves and fertilized and watered a minor in the tumble. The tops came up, no bulb on top, planted in Oct and harvested very last 7 days. – Clackamas County

A: I’m going to allow you decide which cause you might be in a position to appropriate for following year in the next article about errors with garlic. My ideal guesses would contain planting as well early. We ordinarily advise November for planting here in the PNW. (I see that the OSU pamphlet claims September by means of November, but conventional wisdom says later is much better).

My other guess would be our rainy, rainy, wet spring. There was maybe just much too much h2o in the soil to enable for larger bulbs. I really don’t normally dig my garlic right until July, so I don’t know how mine have fared this yr, but an additional internet site claims small bulbs may possibly be related to soggy soils and we undoubtedly had that! Don’t give up. Plant what you harvested this calendar year or get new bulbs for subsequent fall, because when you do pull up a huge bulb with large fats cloves there is nothing at all superior. – Rhonda Frick-Wright, OSU Extension Grasp Gardener

Posted on

Landscaping 50 Percent Complete for George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon

Officers offer update for park below development

By Dolores Quintana

A modern update from the Metropolis of Los Angeles’ Section of Recreation and Parks Facility Repair and Upkeep Activity Force’s operate on George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon was discovered throughout a virtual assembly on June 16 as noted by The Palisadian Write-up.

Throughout that digital assembly, Kristen Ly, undertaking supervisor for the park’s landscaping period explained, as quoted by The Palisadian Put up, “The landscaping stage of the park is roughly 50{6d6906d986cb38e604952ede6d65f3d49470e23f1a526661621333fa74363c48} by means of construction. The Palisades Recreation Heart parking large amount was open to the public at the finish of May perhaps, and irrigation and landscaping attempts continue.”

As of now, 10,000 plants have been planted in the canyon so significantly and excavation for the set up of a new pump station in close proximity to Pacific Coast Highway has begun according to Ly. 

The park will consist of 46 acres of passive park that the metropolis has expended a long time setting up and building. There will be picnic regions and the park alone will be a pathway from Pacific Coast Freeway and the Palisades Recreation Center. The landscaping will be riparian and the park will also consist of scenic ocean views, much more access to climbing trails that are close by and gates and fencing to make guaranteed that park several hours will be enforced. 

This update was issued mainly because of the request of a resident of the Pacific Palisades, Board of Recreation and Park Commissioner Joe Halper. Halper despatched a letter to inquire about the status of the interaction among the City of Los Angeles and the California Coastal Fee.

Kristen Ly responded to the ask for at the meeting and reported, as quoted by The Palisadian Write-up, 

“Since April, the metropolis has had several conferences with the Coastal Commission team, and have provided all necessary documentation and info asked for. This involves a typical progress report for the Potrero Canyon Park challenge, as nicely as a permit modification application for the pathway major down from Pals Road. Furthermore, town personnel has been performing intently with the Coastal Commission and associates from Caltrans to continue conversations about house rights for the lateral path from the entrance of the park by PCH to the Temescal Canyon Highway intersection.”

One particular of the changes in the system was that a gate that was formerly established for Buddies Road but the California Coastal Fee designed a request to the Bureau of Engineering that would amend the Coastal Advancement Allow to include a pathway that would connect the path with the main trail of the park in accordance to Norman Mundy, an environmental supervisor with the Bureau of Engineering. 

In addition, the Coastal Commission questioned for additional information concerning the irrigation process for the park in accordance to Mundy. Halper then questioned if there was any way to expedite this ask for, so as to help save time and funds, and Mundy responded that the process force that the Coastal Commission was doing its most effective and operating “constructively” to resolve these problems. 

During public comment, there had been 4 area citizens who spoke about the park which include Jeff Spitz, a 30-12 months resident of the Palisades who said whilst he fully supports the park advancement and, as quoted by The Palisadian Write-up, it would be a “wonderful factor for the group and the metropolis at big,” he warned that he and 40 other individuals “strongly oppose the Mates Street entrance.” as quoted by The Palisadian Put up. 

Spitz included, as quoted by The Palisadian Post, “At the time, in 2008, the report issued by the [Potrero Canyon Community Task Force] said there would not be west rim access—which is what Friends Road is—absent public assist. And whilst I know there are sure men and women who support this … there is really potent opposition in the community neighborhood.”

David Card and Anya Wolfberg McCann, two other nearby citizens spoke in favor of the Mates Street Entrance and cited the need to have for the entrance to guarantee public safety because it would present less complicated unexpected emergency accessibility and eliminate the need to have to look for parking at the Palisades Recreation Centre. 

David Card said, as quoted by The Palisadian Submit, “There are thousands of persons that live on that west mesa that would otherwise have to push to the park at the Rec Middle at the north conclusion in buy to consider to discover parking that is woefully inadequate and congested, not only for the east rim citizens there but also for the park by itself and the organization district that are all tied collectively appropriate there at the northern entrance of the park.”

If you would like to voice your opinion on the challenge to the Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners be sure to electronic mail: rap.commissioners@lacity.org.

Posted on

Tips for landscaping in the shade in West Texas

Finding tough plants that don’t need a lot of water can be especially hard for shady yards in West Texas.

The summertime warmth is scorching, and those with big shade trees in the landscape are undoubtedly enjoying the address that the canopies deliver, lowering electricity expenses and assisting to hold the residence and garden cooler. But landscaping in the shade can be tough – turfgrass does not expand effectively in shade, and there are many common landscape plants that will need full solar to thrive and bloom.

Some of the significantly hard spots involve the north facet of the residence, the heart of big are living oak trees, or slender sides of the property among a tall fence and the home. In these scenarios, it’s greatest to pick plants that are significantly properly-tailored to shady ailments and steer clear of turfgrass. Are living oaks have thick canopies, and usually the garden thins out or goes bare around the trunk of huge are living oaks – even shade tolerant St. Augustine grass. Take into account no matter if it could be possible to create a mattress all around the trunk with a groundcover like Asian jasmine or mondo grass.

Posted on

Learn how to remove grass for drought-tolerant landscaping

Once upon a time, the grounds surrounding the Maryknoll Sisters home in Monrovia were 6.5 acres of lushly green lawn and trees.

They’ll never be that way again — not with water being so rare and expensive these days — but the retired nuns of Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, about 15 former nurses, teachers and social workers in their 80s and 90s, are working with Grow Monrovia and other conservation activists to find a better use for their land.

Their vision involves converting the mostly dead and dying lawns “to something more suitable to the environment here,” said Sister Arlene Trant, 76, coordinator of the order’s retirement facility. Their goals for the new landscape include meadows of native plants, grasses and trees, and community gardens growing food, using methods that conserve water, harvest rainfall and rebuild the soil.

There’s no budget for contractors or laborers though. Rather, they see the transformation as an ongoing series of workshops in water optimization and soil regeneration, where people can participate in the conversion while learning how it’s done.

Bottom line: This small group of elderly nuns who spent most of their lives living and working with people with disabilities and without resources, are relying on the kindness and curiosity of volunteers to complete the first part of this transformation through hands-on workshops in lasagna mulching (a.k.a. sheet mulching) on July 10 and 24 from 8 a.m. to noon both days at 300 Norumbega Drive in Monrovia.

Sister Arlene Trant sitting on a small table in front of shelves of books.

Sister Arlene Trant, coordinator of Maryknoll Sisters retirement residence.

(Alisha Jucevic/For The Times)

The free workshops, organized by the local conservation nonprofit group Grow Monrovia, are led by landscape designer and activist Leigh Adams of Studio Petrichor, a company focused on reversing climate change by rebuilding landscapes with healthy soil and native plants.

Adams created the popular Crescent Farm at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in 2015 by using sheet mulching and other techniques to transform an old lawn into a low-water garden of native plants, fruit trees and other foods. Her classes about water optimization and replacing lawns with cardboard and wood chips to create a healthy soil have inspired Trant and given new purpose to the residents, whose community work has been limited the last two years due to the pandemic.

“Saint Francis of Assisi spoke about Brother Sun and Sister Moon,” Trant wrote in a statement about the project. “To me, what we’re doing here is working in solidarity with Brother Worm and Sister Microorganisms, Caring for Mother Earth means joining the birds, butterflies, worms, bees and microorganisms who are all essential workers in caring for our land and nurturing the soil for future generations.”

It’s a new chapter for the facility that the Maryknoll Sisters began as a tuberculosis sanatorium in the 1920s for Japanese patients no other medical centers would treat. It later became a small hospital for the underserved in the San Gabriel Valley, and in the 1970s was converted to a retirement residence for the New York-based order’s nuns.

Trant, 76, spent most of her life working with the Deaf community and people with disabilities in Hong Kong and Macau. Nothing was green in those densely populated cities, she said, so on her brief visits to Monrovia, the shady verdant grounds seemed miraculous.

She loved those “beautiful water-sucking lawns,” Trant said, but she now sees them as unsustainable in Southern California — and far too expensive for her cash-strapped facility to irrigate.

In the spring, with help from Adams and neighbors Rosemary Gavidia and Michele Brooke, the founders of Grow Monrovia and the Maryknoll Sisters started the first part of their project, applying for rebate money to remove 20,000 square feet of patchy grass.

Leigh Adams, a laughing woman with purple-streaked silver hair, purple glasses and a purple T-shirt.

Leigh Adams, a landscape designer for Studio Petrichor, heading up the workshops on lasagna mulching at Maryknoll Sisters facility in Monrovia.

(Alisha Jucevic/For The Times)

Leigh Adams, center, talks with volunteers during a sheet mulching workshop at the Maryknoll Sisters retirement home.

Leigh Adams, a landscape designer for Studio Petrichor, center, talks with volunteers during a sheet mulching workshop at the Maryknoll Sisters retirement home.

(Alisha Jucevic/For The Times)

The rebate money will be useful, Trant said, “but it’s not about the rebate. It’s about the cry of the Earth. We’ve neglected her for so many years, now we want to get in tune to what she’s calling us to do.”

Brooke and Gavidia are excited about the opportunities for getting the public involved in lawn-removal techniques they can apply to their own yards. They have been growing trees to plant around Monrovia for several years, and got involved with the sisters in 2021, after getting Trant’s permission to create a small community garden and tree nursery on a weedy, unused portion of their land, near a grove of oaks.

Gavidia hopes the rebate money can help the sisters continue the project, buying more materials and pay Adams for her landscape designs, but Adams is a huge proponent of community involvement and she says she’s donating her time, in part because Catholic nuns kept her alive after she was born in Hanford, Calif.

When Gavidia told Adams about the Maryknoll Sisters’ project, “I realized it was like a cosmic score card where I could even things out,” Adams said. “These are women who have served their communities all their lives and they need help. I’m not Catholic — I’m not even religious — but 72 years have passed and the reason I’m here and thriving is because some nuns in that hospital took care of me when my mother didn’t. They have a vision to help the Earth and I have a way to organize the community and help them learn.”

Volunteer Ansu John spreads mulch across wet cardboard during a sheet mulching workshop.

Volunteer Ansu John spreads mulch across wet cardboard during a sheet mulching workshop.

(Alisha Jucevic/For The Times)

These workshops are just one of many ways you can get your landscaping squared away. Check out these other plant- and garden-related events and activities in July too. Email events to jeanette.marantos@latimes.com at least three weeks before they happen, and we might include them in the calendar.

More things to do for plant lovers in July

July 2
Monarch Nature Trail Volunteer Day, organized by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County. Learn about Orange County’s butterfly population and the native plants they need to survive while helping to maintain the trail by collecting seeds, mulching, weeding and other activities for children and adults from 9 to 11 a.m. at 5302 Rancho Road in Huntington Beach. Participants should wear tennis shoes and sunscreen and bring a hat and water. Note that no restrooms are available at the site. Admission is free. mgorange.ucanr.edu

July 2-3
The Cactus and Succulent Society of America presents its 55th Cactus and Succulent Show and Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Brody Botanical Center at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road in San Marino. Free with general admission to the gardens but advance online timed-entry reservations are required on weekends for visitors and members. Tickets are $25, ($21 for seniors 65+, active military and students with ID, $13 for children ages 4-11. Members and children under 4 enter free.)

July 7
Native Plant Maintenance Basics, a walk-and-talk class from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation pergola, 10459 Tuxford St. in Sun Valley. Native plant enthusiast Erik Blank, a member of the Theodore Payne Foundation’s nursery staff, provides an overview of summer maintenance practices for California native plants. Participants should bring water and wear sunscreen, long pants and closed-toe shoes for walking on steep and uneven surfaces. Buy tickets online, $15 ($12 members). theodorepayne.org

July 8
How to have a backyard orchard, a free walk-in class taught by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Anaheim Library, 500 W. Broadway in Anaheim. Learn about the best fruit trees for backyard growing and how to plant and care for them. No registration required. mgorange.ucanr.edu

July 9
How to maintain a native plant garden in the summer, a hands-on workshop taught by the California Botanic Garden staff from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the garden, 1500 N. College Ave. in Claremont. Learn how to keep your native plant garden looking good in the summer by pruning, trimming, mulching and weeding. Tickets are $20 ($15 members) Register online. calbg.org

July 16
Plumeria Day at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., in Arcadia, celebrates all things plumeria from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with tours of the Arboretum’s collection of 100 plumeria plants guided by members of the South Coast Plumeria Society, nearly a dozen vendors selling plumeria plants and talks by experts about pruning plumerias (9:30 a.m.), secrets of a professional grower (10 a.m.), plumeria pests and control (10:30 a.m.), fertilizing plumeria (11 a.m.), rooting plumeria cuttings (11:30 a.m.), hints for beginners (12 p.m.) and growing plumeria from seeds (12:30 p.m.). Arboretum members can enter free starting at 7:30 a.m. General admission starts at 9 a.m. and free with a ticket to the Arboretum. Timed entry tickets must be purchased online in advance for $15 ($11 for seniors 62+ and students with ID, $5 children 5-12. Ages 4 and under enter free. arboretum.org

Meet hummingbird experts from the National Audubon Society 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of Roger’s Gardens Hummingbird Summer event at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road in Corona del Mar. These hummingbird and wildlife experts will be available all day to answer questions, discuss the best plants for hummingbirds and other pollinators, and other tips for creating a hummingbird garden. Admission is free. rogersgardens.com

Vermiculture — How to make compost by raising worms on kitchen scraps, a free presentation by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County from 11 a.m. to noon at the Shipley Nature Center, 17851 Goldenwest St. in Huntington Beach. The class outlines the equipment and materials needed to create a worm bin, how to maintain the proper temperature and how to harvest worm castings, a.k.a. worm poop, to enrich your plants. mgorange.ucanr.edu

July 19
Summer evening stroll through the Fullerton Arboretum opens the grounds for after-hours exploring with light refreshments and live music from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 1900 Associated Road in Fullerton. Music provided by students from the California State University Fullerton School of Music. Tickets are $10 and available at the gate. Members enter free.

July 20
Create a tropical container for your patio garden, a workshop at Sherman Library & Gardens from 9 to 11 a.m. at 2647 East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. The garden’s horticultural staff will share tips for patio gardening while helping participants create a container of tropical plants. The workshop is limited to 20 people. Register online for $95 ($85 for members). thesherman.org

July 23
Designing a drought-tolerant garden, a free presentation by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County from 2 to 3 p.m. at Villa Park City Hall, 17865 Santiago in Villa Park. The presentation begins with a definition/description of Mediterranean climate drought-tolerant plants and includes tips for selecting, planting and caring for those plants in your garden. mgorange.ucanr.edu

How to design and plant a California native plant garden, a free walk-in presentation by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Shipley Nature Center, 17851 Goldenwest St. in Huntington Beach. Learn how to reduce water use and chemical fertilization and create habitat for local wildlife by creating a native plant garden “that will rival any other location in color, variety and beauty,” according to the website. All this while reducing water usage, chemical fertilization and increasing local wildlife habitat. mgorange.ucanr.edu

July 28
Garden with California native plants in zones based on light and water, a workshop taught by Peter Evans, California Botanic Garden’s director of horticulture, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the garden, 1500 N. College Ave. in Claremont. Learn what native plants are best suited for particular light and water conditions. Participants will learn about the process of selecting plants for the garden’s newly installed Lewis Gamily Forest Pavilion garden, which features four planting areas — a sun garden, shade garden, rain garden and dry arroyo garden. Tickets are $20 ($15 members) Register online. calbg.org

Posted on

How Much Does Landscaping Cost?

If you’re looking for the average cost of landscaping, there’s a wide range of possibilities depending on where you live and what type of landscaping project you want to complete. A landscaping project could consist of new soil, a walkway, grading, planting, removal of trees or all of the above.

Of course, the price tag will vary. But in general, you can expect a landscaping cost estimate to be anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000 or more if you’re starting a completely new project, based on figures from Fixr,  HomeGuide, and HomeAdvisor, which all help consumers find home-maintenance professionals.

How much does landscaping cost?

The two main drivers for your landscaping project’s total cost will be the prices of materials and the labor to install them.

Area Average cost
Front yard $3,000-$6,000
Back yard $7,000-$12,000
Garden $7,500-$20,000

Landscape labor costs range from $50 to $100 per hour. If you plan to work with a landscape designer or architect, your labor cost may approach $200 per hour. Landscaping pricing per square foot can range between $4 and $12.

Landscape project costs

If you have a project in mind, here are approximate costs for some common landscaping tasks:

Landscaping project Approximate cost
Sources: fixr.com, HomeGuide
Sprinkler installation $1,800 – $5,200
Deck installation $5,000-$20,000
Outdoor lighting installation $2,500-$5,000
Tree removal $500-$1,000
Fountain installation $1,250-$3,700
Pond installation $2,100-$9,000
Lawn seeding $550-$1,500
Flower garden planting $8,000-$20,000

Sprinkler installation

Installing sprinklers in your lawn is a way to keep your grass green without having to remember to water it. Sprinkler installation is more common in drier climates that don’t regularly get rain. A sprinkler system is typically installed underground, with only the sprinkler heads poking above the ground.

Deck installation

The cost to install a deck varies greatly, mostly depending on how big of a deck you want to build. The type of materials you use for your deck also play a part in the cost of installation. Wood and composite are the two main options for materials for your deck.

Outdoor lighting installation

Installing lighting is a great way to make your outdoor space more livable and make it easier to enjoy it at night. Costs for installing outdoor lighting hinge on how many and what type of lights you’re looking to install, as well as how far your outdoor lighting is from the nearest electric outlet.

Tree removal

There are many reasons you might want to remove a tree. The tree might have died or otherwise be a hazard, or you may need to remove it to install other landscaping. While you might be able to remove smaller trees yourself, you should definitely hire a professional to remove larger ones. They can also remove and/or grind the tree stump to give your outdoor space a cleaner look.

Fountain installation

Fountains are a soothing part of any front yard or backyard landscaping project. You can make your fountain the centerpiece of your yard or place it near your patio to provide soothing sound effects when you’re sitting outside. The costs of a fountain can vary greatly depending on the size of the structure and the material it’s made from.

Pond installation

Adding a pond to your yard can turn it into a full oasis, increasing the serenity in your backyard.  The location, size, and materials will all affect the price of a pond installation, as will the addition of plants, fish or turtles. Ponds that are lined and filtered will also be more expensive than unlined, unfiltered options.

Lawn seeding

If your lawn doesn’t have grass or it needs a total overhaul, lawn seeding is a way for patient homeowners to grow a new lawn. This method costs about $0.05 per square foot, which makes it a fairly affordable way to replace your yard. The lawn size and seed type will affect the total cost.

Flower garden

Planting a garden will completely change the look and feel of a home’s outdoor space. A complete garden may include — in addition to the flowers, bushes, mulch and plants — walkways, trellis and even a pergola, gazebo or seating area. Adding a brand new garden requires a lot of planning and a variety of materials. Depending on how elaborate your it is, you may end up paying a significant sum to renovate the space.

Costs by landscaping type

The price of an overall landscaping project is often broken down into certain categories:

  • Softscaping
  • Hardscaping
  • Xeriscaping

Softscaping costs

Softscaping expenses are anything associated with plant life: planting or removing flowers, trees, shrubs, and grass. You can expect these expenses to start at about $800 for most projects. Softscaping costs can easily approach thousands of dollars if you have a lot of space to fill. A large softscape job could be around $10,000. If you want a ballpark budget, assume $11 per square foot.

Hardscaping costs

Hardscaping costs are related to landscaping elements that are not organic: structures and constructions ranging from patios to gazebos to lighting. Hardscaping costs vary greatly depending on the nature of the job; the national average cost to install a gazebo is just over $5,700, for example, while the cost to install pea gravel is just $300-$400 on average.

Xeriscaping costs

Xeriscaping refers to projects that aim to reduce water usage and costs, and can refer to both foliage and systems: native plants, recycling rainwater and so forth. On average, the cost of xeriscaping is about $10 per square foot. That being said, because of the size of these projects, most start at $16,000.

Landscaping Type Typical Cost
Softscaping $800-$10,000
Hardscaping $2,000-$45,000
Xeriscaping $5,000-$18,000

How much does hiring a professional landscaper cost?

A professional landscaper or landscaping company can tackle a variety of tasks for your project, from overall design to purchasing materials to actual installation.

Hiring a professional landscaper can be expensive — depending on the work being done, it may cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour. While there is an up-front cost, hiring a professional landscaper can also save you money in the long run: They may know of ways to save on materials or labor that you’re not aware of.

Landscaping maintenance costs

No matter what type of landscaping you install, it will likely require some sort of ongoing maintenance. It’s important to do upkeep; a bit of preventive care can save you the cost of having to repair a project down the road.

Here are a few common landscaping maintenance chores and their price:

Type of maintenance Approximate cost
Weed control $75-$150
General cleanup $0-$500
Tree trimming $75-$300
Lawn fertilization $100 per treatment

Weed control

A “weed” is a layman’s term for any greenery that is not grass or desired in a specific part of your yard. You’ll want to regularly make sure that the right types of flora are growing where you want them. You might schedule treatments every couple of weeks or months.

General cleanup

Another important way to maintain your lawn is to do general cleanup of the yard and keep it in good shape (something you can do yourself for free on the weekends). Neglect your yard, and  it might cost hundreds of dollars for a professional to clean it up.

Tree trimming

If you have large trees on your property, you’ll want to trim them regularly. This helps keep your trees healthy and lessens the chances that any branches will cause problems in your yard or to your house. Trimming your trees can cost between $75 and $300 depending on their size and location.If you discover while having your trees trimmed that one or more of them has died, you may also need to pay to have the tree removed. This might include removal and/or grinding of the tree stump.

Lawn fertilization

Depending on where you live, what type of grass you have and how new your grass is, you might want to regularly fertilize your lawn. Fertilizing your lawn helps the grass grow and discourages other types of plants from growing where you don’t want them. Lawn fertilization typically occurs two or three times a year.

Tips for lowering landscaping costs

If you’re looking to lower your landscaping cost, there are a few strategies you can use:

  1. Do some of the labor yourself. Depending on your project and your skills, you may be able to complete certain landscaping projects DIY. This may work better if you are laying mulch or paver stones rather than cutting a tree down or building a brick walkway.
  2. Have a design in mind. Working with a landscape designer, architect or professional landscaper can be expensive. Instead of counting on them to come up with all the plans, have a few basic ideas before you meet with them. That can minimize the amount of time they spend on your project, keeping your costs down.
  3. Keep existing trees if possible. Trees, especially mature ones, are expensive to purchase and install. Try to incorporate existing trees into your landscaping plan so you don’t have to pay removal costs plus the price of a new tree.
  4. Save or reuse existing landscaping. Similarly, any existing landscaping that you can reuse will help keep your costs down.
  5. Work with a local nursery. Buying plants yourself from a local plant nursery can be more affordable than allowing a professional landscaper to bring in the plant life. Bonus: Your local nursery probably has a lot of native plants that are meant to thrive in your climate, and may offer advice and design ideas too.
  6. Replace mulch with pavers or rocks. Where you have extra mulch in your yard, consider replacing it with rocks. Rocks are often less expensive and require less long-term maintenance.

How do I pay for landscaping?

You have a few options to pay for landscaping, depending on how large or expensive your project is.

  • If your project is smaller, you might be able to pay for it as part of your regular monthly budget or save up for it over the course of a couple of months with a sinking fund.
  • A home improvement loan is an unsecured personal loan that you use for home improvement projects such as landscaping.
  • A home equity line of credit (HELOC) allows you to tap into the equity in your home and use it to improve the home’s value. You can borrow funds from a HELOC as you need them, and you’ll only be charged interest on the money you use.
  • With a home equity loan, you also tap into your home’s equity, but you get the entire loan amount up front. That means you’ll be charged interest on the whole amount, no matter how much of it you actually use.
Posted on

City Council to decide on changes to landscaping requirements in Ogden | News, Sports, Jobs

&#13
&#13

MARK SHENEFELT, Conventional-Examiner

Drought-tolerant vegetation are featured at a conservation learning garden at the Weber Basin H2o Conservancy District in east Layton on Tuesday, July 7, 2020.

&#13

OGDEN — As the metropolis will work toward encouraging water-sensible landscaping, Ogden Metropolis Council associates are thinking about substantial changes to landscaping demands for new professional and multifamily residential progress.

Proposed variations include restricting garden turf demands, seeking at h2o-smart vegetation, setting up leak detecting control systems and water-clever irrigation strategies this sort of as drip tape.

“We should not be astonished that we’re in this predicament,” Ogden Town Organizing Supervisor Greg Montgomery explained.

Utah is the next driest state in the nation, averaging 12.2 inches of rain yearly, in accordance to Montgomery. In the early 2000s, the town manufactured revisions and adopted ordinances to allow for diverse types of landscaping when Ogden inhabitants began inquiring about turf specifications in the wake of expanding drought ailments.

Montgomery said though cycles of drought are not new to Utah, their growing frequency is of real concern.

Water-smart landscaping could no extended be optional but alternatively a necessity appear July 5, when council users are anticipated to vote on the subject.

A public listening to was held with the preparing commission Could 4 with regards to proposed modifications to the landscaping ordinance. The proposal was forwarded to the city council with a advice for acceptance.

Ogden inhabitants will have an opportunity to express any problems right before the council prior to voting.

In accordance to city paperwork, water use commonly goes up in the spring and summer, from mid-April by means of the stop of September, with the average residential use rising from 3,000 to 30,000 gallons a month.

Lessening water waste is major precedence for the metropolis, and in purchase for Ogden to participate in the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District’s drinking water-effectiveness system, identified as Flip Your Strip, there will have to be a h2o-sensible landscaping ordinance in outcome.

Landscaping is reportedly one particular of the most seen and controllable spots of h2o management.

“Water has a myriad of takes advantage of, but it is a limited resource,” Montgomery stated.

Metropolis officials say they want to enhance the aesthetics of lawns with h2o-economical landscaping to assure practical use of the city’s drinking water means. According to city paperwork, doing so will make it possible for for a expanding population even though making sure an ample h2o provide inside of the metropolis.

In collaboration with Weber Basin’s Park Strip Garden Conversion Plan, the council is proposing the metropolis undertake a economic incentive of $1.25 for each square foot to match WBWCD for a whole of $2.50 for every square foot to be compensated for people who participate in the system.

With parking strips in Ogden averaging 600 sq. feet and $100,000 from WBWCD, the city estimates they will be in a position to deliver 133 parking strips through the Flip Your Strip application.

&#13 &#13
&#13
&#13

Newsletter

&#13

&#13

Join countless numbers now acquiring our day-to-day newsletter.

&#13