The old, drafty houses where the air whistled through on windy days had one significant advantage: the air in them was always fresh. Nowadays, ever-tightening insulation standards means that the homes with the best efficiency also need to have a fan circulating fresh...
For most people, the #1 attribute they look for in their landscaping is “ease of maintenance.” Few people have the time or inclination to deal with fussy landscape installations. And what could be lower maintenance than rocks? Nothing, that’s what. Still, people are...
Oak is a highly valued tree, and has been for thousands of years. It is rich in symbolism and cultural significance. Not only is it the national tree of the United States, it’s also the national tree of England, France, Germany, Poland, Wales, Cyprus, Estonia,...
It might seem a tad absurd to think about drought-tolerant landscaping options in Northern Virginia. We’re technically sub-tropical, you know! This isn’t Arizona — we get loads of rain! And we do — except when we don’t. In the heat of the summer, it might be muggy and...
If you have trees around your yard you may want to consider offsetting them against the grass by mulching around them or putting a bed of flowers around them and then mulching that. Adding mulch to the base of your tree provides both an aesthetic and functional...
Nothing says “tranquil escape” like running water in a fountain or backyard pond. Who could hold onto their cares as they watch the fish mill in the clear water? While most people like the idea of a backyard pond, and they certainly add to your home’s value,...
Keep your children’s play area safe with wood fiber playground mulch. Engineered wood fiber is a popular playground mulch choice for playground surfacing projects with budget constraints. Engineered wood fiber is an economical playground surfacing used on nearly 80%...
We’re all about that mulch. Not only is it great for sprucing up your garden in the spring, covering soil with a solid layer of mulch in the fall will help reduce water loss, suppress weed growth, and protect your annuals from temperature extremes. The time to mulch...
You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. We’ve all seen the twelve- to eighteen-inch deep piles of mulch wrapped neatly around the base of the tree — for who knows what reason. That practice is called volcano mulching, and no one knows why, or where it started. What we do know...
It’s the renter’s life for you in northern Virginia; home is a small apartment or a townhouse with strict covenant guidelines. You don’t have the space, or the rules say, “No garden!” But that doesn’t mean you can’t do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle. You can...
If you’re trying to get your lawn in shape, but have lots of weeds, or moss or some other problem, the following steps will help you get started! Top Soil and Compost Problems There are some recent considerations that aren’t typical. Since we’ve had a lot more rain...
Outdoor living is all the rage, but it would sure be more enjoyable if the landscape looked a little bit, well, put together. Not just a dreary expanse of lawn and a concrete patio. But how to do it without breaking the bank? We’ve put together some tips. Decide the...
