Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Annuals: More Pansies

Johnny Jump-Ups
The plants are the same size as sorbet pansies but the flowers are half the size. When in full bloom the plant is literally covered with flowers. Johnny jump-ups are a lovely way to edge a spring flower bed. Colors include orange with purple, yellow with purple, light purple with dark purple and light yellow with dark yellow.

Icicle Pansies and Violas
These flowers are bred to be very winter hardy. The green leaves covered with snow or ice give the appearance the plant has died but it hasn't. At the first breath of spring it will send up new leaves and begin flowering.

Swiss Mix Giant Pansies
The plants are from 8 to 12 inches and spread to 15 inches. The flowers are huge, for a  pansy that is, reaching 2 to 2/12 inches across. They will survive a light frost but not a cold freeze. Plant them in the early fall if you live in a mild winter areas. Wait until spring if your winters are tough.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Pansies

Pansies, a short lived perennial, are members of the viola family. Pansies have the characteristic cat face markings on the flower's five petals. Violas are the same flower without those markings. Pansies bloom from very early spring until the weather heats up in summer. The plant stops blooming but remains green. When the weather cools off again in the fall they resume blooming. Pansies are frost tolerant and will weather a late or early frost. Pansies require rich soil and a sunny location.

Sorbet Pansies
The plants reach a foot across and 8 inches high. The flowers are the size of a teaspoon. According to Megan McConnell Hughes, in her article "Sweet Treats" Early Spring 2008 issue of "Country Gardens," sorbet pansies don't need to be deadheaded to continue blooming profusely. The spent blossoms drop off the plants. Colors include lemon chiffon with light yellow petals and brown markings, coconut swirl with white petals edged with purple. Orange duet mixes three orange petals backed by two purple petals. Blue heaven mixes three light purple petals edged with medium purple backed by two dark purple petals. Sorbet pansies are also available in dark burgundy mixed with yellow.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Moon Garden

Moon Garden
White flowers glow in the moonlight. Plant a bed with bulbs that start blooming in spring and continue through the end of summer. Tulips, hyacinths, cyclamen and freesia bloom in spring and come in white. Summer bulbs include gladiolus, Asian lilies, oriental lilies, day lilies and Bella Donna lilies. Plant medium height white flowers to mask the yellowing leaves of bulbs that have finished blooming. Good choices would include gerbera daisies, Shasta daisies, petunias, chrysanthemums and pansies.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: More Ideas on Growing Fresh Vegetables

Growing your own food has a number of advantages. The produce is fresh and doesn't waste time being hauled from the field to the packaging plant and finally to the grocery stores. You have control over what, if any, pesticides and fertilizers are being used. The variety of vegetables is more extensive than that found at the store. There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes for example. Planning a food plot entails some preparation but the rewards are well worth it. Here's how to grow your own food.

Select a location that gets full sun all day. Hobby gardeners can afford to plant in areas that won't get the full production out of the garden. Gardeners who plant to provide food for their family can't. Vegetables and fruits need at least eight hours of sun a day.

Determine how much of your food you want to grow. That determines the size of the food plot. What you plant will also have an impact on size. Corn is a space hog. It requires three square feet of ground to produce two ears of corn.

Check with your local university agricultural extension to see what varieties of vegetables and fruits are recommended for your geographic location.

Choose vegetables you like. If you're not a fan of spinach, don't waste the space planting it because you won't eat it. Instead plant chard, kale or another leafy green you do like.

Double dig the food plot. Start at one end of the garden and dig a 12-inch deep trench. When you reach the end fill the trench with 3-inches of compost. Start digging a second trench right next to the first. Use the dirt from the second trench to fill in the first. When you reach the end of the second trench, add 3-inches of compost to it and start the third trench. Continue until the food plot has been completely dug up.

Add slow release fertilizer per package directions and dig the garden again by lifting a shovelful of soil and turning it over. Rake the plot smooth. Check for low and high areas and level them out so water doesn't pool.

Plant cool season vegetables such as peas, lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages in early spring when the last average date of frost is past. If you want to get a jump start on spring start the seeds inside a four to six weeks earlier.

Water the vegetables if rainfall doesn't equal 1 1/2 inches a week. How much and for how long depends on the weather conditions. Soil should be wet to a depth of six inches. Check with your finger or use a screwdriver.

Plant warm season vegetables like tomatoes, beans, corn, squash and eggplant when the days are reaching into the 70s and above and the nights aren't cooler than 65 degrees F.

Make sure the plants have adequate water and fertilize once a month.

Harvest crops that ripen all at once like potatoes, corn, pole beans and determine tomatoes when they're ripe. Harvest crops that produce all season when the individual vegetables are ready. Leaving the vegetables on the plant slows down production.

Be ready to can, dry, store or freeze your food crops after harvesting. Some like potatoes may be stored in a cool place for several weeks. Others like corn need to be frozen immediately. Still others like beans can be dried for use later.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Hidden Hideaway

Most landscapes are wide open with all areas of the yard viewable from every other area of the yard. Why not create a little nook for your hidden hideaway?  A corner of the yard works well especially. Hide unsightly fencing such as chain link with a screen of bamboo fencing. It provides privacy, is inexpensive and easy to attach. Arrange seating such as a chaise lounge, bench or patio chairs. Set a small table by the chairs for resting drinks or a book. Place the seating in the corner of the hideaway. Plant shrubs that grow to six feet high on one side of the area to screen the hideaway from the rest of the yard. Leave one side open. While the shrubs are growing use annual flowers growing up trellises to provide the needed privacy. As a final touch add a small fountain and an umbrella to provide shade.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Spring Bulb Ideas

Bulbs are almost a guaranteed flowering success. Each bulb holds the embryonic plant and flower buds within it. Plant the bulb in full sun, water consistently and you'll be rewarded with lots of blooms. After the blossoms have died, continue to water and feed the plant so it has the energy to produce the next season's flowers.

Easter Basket
Cut bamboo fencing 8 inches high. Dig an oval trench 2 inches deep. The oval should measure 3 feet across and 2 feet deep. Dig the oval down to a depth of 12 inches. Add 3 inches of compost and fertilizer per package directions. Mix well. Plant spring bulbs that all bloom at the same time inside the bamboo "basket.". Good choices would be purple hyacinths at the back of the oval. Plant Pink tulips in front of the hyacinths, and yellow daffodils in front of the tulips. Finish with dwarf white tulips at the very front. This can all be done in fall before the ground freezes. In the spring, before the bulbs have sprouted, sprinkle white sweet alyssum seeds over the planting area. Cover with 1/4 inch of soil. Place a ceramic rabbit in one corner of the oval "Easter" basket. Twist grapevines or twigs into a handle. Bury each end of the handle inside the basket arching over it.

Patriotic Bed
Japanese iris comes in a purple that is nearly blue and white, as well as yellow and light purple. Plant two rows of white irises in the back of the bed. In front of the white irises plant two rows of the nearly blue irises. Continue with the alternating rows of white and blue irises. Finish the bed with a border of red geraniums. Irises and geraniums both bloom in late May so this bed would be perfect for Memorial Day. Over seed the Irises with white zinnias and blue salvia and the bed will refresh itself and be ready with new flowers for Fourth of July.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Easy Fast Patio

Select the area where the patio should be located. Outline the shape with a garden hose. Dig the area out two inches deep. Use the soil elsewhere in the yard. Rake and level the area. Add stepping stones, pavers, or broken up flagstone spaced about two inches apart onto level soil. Fill in the gaps with pea gravel. Place a 24 inch pot on each corner of the patio to define the boundaries. Plant each pot with an upright bush such as a cypress evergreen and mounding flowers such as petunias.

Backyard Landscaping Ideas: Annuals

Annuals to the Rescue

Annuals are plants that live for one season and then die. While they live they grow and flower profusely. Even if your landscaping plans have not been finalized make use of annuals. Soil preparation is important for permanent plantings. Most annuals will perform adequately in less than ideal conditions. Plant annuals as temporary borders and beds for color. Use seeds instead of flower packs if the budget is tight. After the beds have bloomed or when the plans are finished dig up the annuals, or turn them over to provide 'green manure.'  Don't be surprised if the annuals reseed themselves as an added bonus.