Landscaping and gardening work can be frustrating, back-breaking and time consuming. Obtaining the right knowledge and tools can make your landscaping or gardening project a fun and rewarding chore or life-long hobby. This section has a growing collection of helpful DIY articles, tips and advice to help sharpen your landscape design skills and nourish your green thumb. If you require the help of a local professional, search our contractor directory for landscaping and gardening specialists in your area.

	Types of Grass for your Landscape Project Need help choosing the right grass for your landscaping project? In this article, we’ll go over some of the most popular options. Grass seed and sod is expensive, so choose the right variety the first time around.

Landscaping and Water Conservation With the expansion of housing developments water conservation is becoming a very big issue. In some areas aquifers, the water bearing layers beneath the ground, are beginning to get so low the water is very concentrated with minerals and not potable. To avoid this a landscape contractor has to use the latest in water-saving idea like rain water, drip irrigation, native plants and gray water from the home.

Swimming Pool Contractor A swimming pool contractor is responsible for every aspect of building the swimming pool from excavating the ground area to have the patio built. He or she can build pools and spas, as well as lap and current pools. Above-the-ground pools, on the other hand, are a do-it-yourself project. Many new swimming pools feature light and rock features that can make each pool unique.

Landscape Contractor Homeowners are no longer relying on large expanses of lawn for their yard but hiring professional help to create an individual design. A landscape contractor can build a complete ecosystem around the home that does not reply on chemical fertilizers or pesticides to maintain this balance. Water conservation, native plants and composting are all keys to helping microorganisms keep the soil healthy and the aquifer safe.

Landscaping Trends Following closely with the trends of interior home renovations landscape designers are improving the way people see the outside of their homes. One of the biggest trends is bringing the inside outside with large kitchens, standing fireplaces and luxurious furnishings. Water features also figure prominently in the new backyard as well as color-coordinated, adjustable lighting, lawn driveways, native plants and vegetable gardens.

Green Landscaping Ideas Cutting back on water usage for the yard does not mean giving up treasured plants and shrubs for weeds. New techniques in distributing water to plants and new water sources is lessening the burden on the dwindling water supplies in many regions of the countries. In addition organic fertilizers and natural pest controls keep harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides out of the environment.

7 Cheap and Green Landscaping Tips Environmentally responsible landscaping means using local varieties of plant life which thrive without excessive watering and fertilizing. Composting techniques include microorganisms, grass clippings, worms, newspapers, leaves, vegetable matter, and other garden vegetation to form a rich nutrient base for the garden plants and form an inexpensive alternative to using chemicals which can kill the very organisms which make the soil healthy.

9 Cheap and Trendy Landscaping Ideas Have a trendy back yard does not take a lot of money. By utilizing what is at hand, plus a few low-cost items, you can make your backyard seem like the design was professionally created. In addition, these practices are self-sustaining and good for the environment as they require items such as old tires, which would normally go into a landfill, and common rocks.

	Landscape Design This informative article on vinyl, linoleum, and carpeting offers useful information about the many aspects of vinyl and linoleum flooring selection. Also included are the pros and cons, as well as DIY installation tips for homeowners.

	Choose a Tree Service Carefully; Avoid Risky Situations This helpful 1,082-word article gives homeowners a “heads up” about hiring a reliable tree service contractor, and underscores the risks of attempting these dangerous tasks themselves. Also included is information about methods for effective stump removal.

	Landscape Contractors Not all properties are created equally and landscape contractors are using many design tools to accommodate the specific requirements. This design process allows homeowners to view the layout of the entire project: plants, trees, hardscape, patios, pools and decks. By changing or rearranging the different components an entirely new look can be achieved.

	Adding a Swimming Pool to Your Property - Considerations and Careful Planning a Must This article provides homeowners with insight about selecting the right type of swimming pool for their needs; included are construction procedures, precautions, contractor selection and cost considerations for each.

	Selecting Just the Right Wood Fence or Garden Screen to Compliment Your Landscape When it comes to selecting just the right yard fence or privacy screen to enhance your landscape, you’ve many options from which to select. This 845-word piece gives the rundown on some of those choices and offers other beauty-enhancing ideas for your landscape.

	New Lawn Care - Testing, Adjusting, Tilthing and Planting New lawn care is something many homeowners undertake themselves, and is big business for professional lawn care and landscaping service providers. This article highlights the need for soil testing and proper preparation for a perfect lawn every time.

	Frequent Inspection and Prevention; the Best Type Fence Repair This handy article offers helpful tips in regards to fence repair; preventative measures, as well as useful fence repair advice.

	Landscape Solution - How to Control Minor Soil Erosion Many landscapes have areas where soil erosion is a problem at various times of the year. This tight, 706-word article offers effective ways to prevent erosion on hillsides; and steep, medium, and slight slopes. It also suggests plants with wide-spreading soil and rock-grabbing roots that work best to enhance erosion-prevention efforts.