For the gardening novice, landscaping can be a daunting prospect. With so many choices and decisions to make, from ornamental features to plant positioning, it can be hard to know where to start. The good news is, you don’t have to be a professional landscaper to create a beautiful and functional outdoor space. You just have to plan what you want, fix any damages in original features such as broken decking that can get fixed with a deck repair service, and organize a budget. Here are five tips to bear in mind when designing your garden. (more…)

When you move into your new country home, we’re sure you’ll be thrilled with the interior. But, there might be a quite a lot of work to do in the garden. Particularly, if you’ve bought a home with a lot of land. It’s true to say that you could have your work cut out for you. So, it’s important to know how to manage a big country garden. As well as this, we’re going to recommend some of the improvements that you could make.

Landscaping

It’s possible that you may want to complete some landscaping work in your new garden, it can be to suit the season too, for example there are tons of spring landscape options which involve beautiful smelling flowers and vegetable patches. This is quite similar to a home renovation. It takes a lot of work to completely change the way a garden looks. For instance, through landscaping, you can add a slope to your garden. Or, you can flatten it down completely. Adding a slope away from the home is useful if you think you have bought a house in an area that could flood. To do this, it’s best to hire the proper equipment. A landscaping job of this size will involve the movement of quite a lot of soil and other materials. A bobcat hire service is perfect for this. You’ll be able to move the material you need to effortlessly without any trouble at all.

Making It Beautiful

To make a garden look attractive, you need to start by keeping it neat and tidy. As we have already said, you may have bought a home with a large plot of land. If you have, it can seem impossible trying to keep the grass short and neat. You could hire a gardener to come in each month and sort it out for you. Or, you may want to complete the job yourself. It’s easy if you have a petrol lawnmower. Driving one of these around your garden will make cutting the grass a cinch. Of course, there’s more to a beautiful garden than just neatly cut grass.

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You may also want to add some flowers around the yard. We suggest you try to pick some flowers that are a little unique but still match the aesthetic of the home. You don’t want them to stand out too much. But you do want to add a variety of colour to the scene.

Making It Bigger

Just because you’ve bought a home in the garden, it doesn’t mean that you have got a large plot of land. It could be quite small, and you may want to use the space the best that you can. You can separate it by laying down some patio if you have a large stretch of green. That way, the garden will look bigger, and you will have different areas to use and design. For instance, on the patio, you might want to lay out a seating area.

Growing Fruit And Veg

Of course, one of the best things about being out in the country is that you’re going to have quality soil. You can use this to grow your fruit and veg living off the land. Have a look at our tips to do this and you’ll soon get the hang of it.

We hope you find these tips useful. Make the most of your garden and check back soon for more advice.

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We love our dogs and we wouldn’t be without them. Sometimes though a dog that has been raised in the city takes a bit of adjustment when it comes to the country. A bit like us really. You tend to want to run round a lot and let off some steam!

Being in country is great but there are some things we need to do to make sure the dogs are safe. The same probably applies to livestock.You have to respect the people who have been here for generations. You want to get on with the neighbours. More than anything you want to give your dog the great life he or she deserves with all the freedom that entails.

Get out there and meet the neighbours.

It’s a matter of courtesy really, but you might make it a point. Introduce yourself as the new dogs in town so to speak. That way everyone can start to get used to seeing you around and more importantly your dog can get used to meeting the others dogs around the place.

Set out your dog space

The freedom of living in the country is tempered by some of the possible dangers and limitations. Our dog wouldn’t go running around the town without a lead, and he certainly won’t be doing that here. We have a great garden, and I want us all to be able to enjoy it and that includes the dog.

You might consider running up some fencing to make sure the space he is in is safe and enclosed. That also means I can fence off any areas of water that might prove to be a problem. We’ll be planting here eventually but right now I’m on a bit of a weed-killing spree. I need a dog friendly weed killer and that is exactly what I’ve been laying down and I‘m thrilled with it.

Give him a kennel.

If you have the luxury of a spare downstairs room you could let the dog in there with no worries, and that’s fine sometimes. I’ve alway had an idea that the dog would get his own house! There are plenty of kennel kits out there. I think that it would be great for him to have a space to call his own!

Get some training

Probably the biggest worry for a dog owner in the country is the animals and in particular the stock. It’s one thing to have him tearing off after a rabbit but quite another to think that he’d see sheep in the same vein. Take a look around and get your dog into a training class. The best way to deal with the possibility is of course to get him used to walking around the animals and coming to heel when you call. The rest of the time he’ll be on the lead.

It’s just reassuring to think that he’ll be able to settle into his new home with no worries. I’m sure he’ll soon be walking around like he owns the place.

During the summer, we gave you some great little tips about growing your own fruit and veg – you can read the article here.

One of the important points we made was that it is vital to check that your soil is suitable. It’s a broad subject, so we thought today would be an excellent opportunity for us to explore it in more detail.

So, if you want to make the most of your fruit and veg opportunities, read on. We’re going to show you how to get your soil in perfect condition. Let’s get cracking right away.

Gareth Jones

Test it

Before you get started, make sure that you know exactly what you are dealing with. Look around for soil testing kits, or if you are looking at a large area, try and seek out geotechnical site investigation services in your locale. They will test your soil for you and report back to you.

While the testing process is technical, the results will tell you what you need to do. The ideal soil for growing veggies is somewhere between pH 6 and pH7. If you go too far above or below that, you’ll need to make some adjustments. Let’s take a look at that next.

Lower your pH

If your soil has a pH much higher than 7, then there are a few ways of taking it down a notch. pH is a measure of alkalinity or acidity – lower than a 7 is acidic while higher than a 6 is alkaline. In between is classed as neutral.

So, if you get a score of more than 7, your soil has too much alkaline in it, and you have to make it more acidic. The easiest way of doing this is to add something that is called sphagnum peat. Just cover the area you intend to grow your veg on, between one and two inches thick. If you can’t get hold of any sphagnum peat, try adding a vinegar solution – two tablespoons to every gallon. It will have a similar effect.

Raise your pH

But what if your soil is too acidic and you need to raise your pH? Again, there’s a simple solution. Find some crushed limestone, and mix it in with soil. Do it carefully, though, and keep testing the pH levels until you achieve the right balance.

General tips

Now you have a neutral soil; it’s time to improve things further. All veggies need a decent amount of organic material to thrive, as it can soften the ground and make it easier for the veg to grow. It also works like a sponge, which helps get more moisture to anything growing underneath.

Compost and manure are two straightforward examples of what to look out for. You can also investigate the effects of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. You often find this collection of soil-enhancing chemicals in bags of fertilizer, and the amounts of each can be changed to suit your soil type.

Some other nutrients are excellent for growing veggies, too. Manganese, zinc, copper and iron traces all can make a difference.

As you can see, there are many little things you can do to ensure your soil stays in perfect condition for growing fruit and vegetable. Let us know your thoughts and suggestions!

If you’re planning on making over your home, you have a few things to consider first. Trying to haphazardly makeover your home as you go along won’t get you very far at all. You need a plan, and the answer to a few questions. Let’s take a look:

What is Your Budget?

Before you makeover your home, you’re going to need to consider your budget. Make sure you have a definite budget set so you know how much you have to spend and on what. This will help you to haggle on price and find the right materials/tradesmen to help you. Although you shouldn’t always go for the cheapest option, as it won’t always be the best!

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How Practical is the Look You Want to Achieve?

Consider the look you’d like to achieve in your home, and then be honest about how practical it is for your family. Think about how your family uses your home, and whether this new design will impact that. If you’re changing the kitchen and getting rid of preparation space, consider how this will maybe change your lifestyle. Some families like to do everything in the kitchen, from cooking to studying. If you don’t make each room suited to what you do in it, there’s no point making it over at all.

Is it Stylish?

There’s a big difference between style and fashion. You shouldn’t follow the latest trends, especially when it comes to making over your home. In just a few months your design will be ‘so last year’! Instead, you want to go for something stylish that will stand the test of time. Of course you need to love it, but you also need to make sure it won’t go out of style. Especially after all of the money you have spent on it.

Will You Need the Help of Professionals?

If you’re serious about making over your home, chances are you’ll need the help of professionals. Make sure you know whether you need painters/decorators, architects, or builders. You might even need waste removal professionals to help you after clearing everything out. It’ll cost you more, but the finished result will be worth it.

Will it Increase in Value?

If you’re making major changes to your home, you want to make sure that they’ll help it to increase in value. If not, you should probably think twice. You don’t want to spend a silly amount of money not to make a return on it when it comes to sell. That is, unless you plan on living there forever. You also want to be sure that it won’t decrease the value of your home. Adding something like a pool might seem like a good idea, but in reality it can devalue your home, as many people don’t want the maintenance that comes with it.

Consider these things before you makeover your home and you should feel very happy with the results. What are you planning on doing to your home? Let me know in the comments section!