Synopses & Reviews
As part of our comprehensive HomeSkills DIY series, HomeSkills: Landscaping will make your lawn space the envy of your neighborhood. Take a quick glance outside your window. What do you see? If it’s a sprawling panorama of flawless landscaping design, if it looks uncannily like a postcard, then you’re all set! But if, like most of us, your yard is just a bit lacking, then this is your how-to guide to finally achieving the outdoor space you’ve always wanted. HomeSkills: Landscaping offers a complete look at every aspect of landscaping, from early design to project execution. First, you’ll gain an overview of the many options at your disposal, exclusively featuring popular DIY products that are readily available and affordable. You’ll learn which design effect will best fit your particular home landscape, be it a flagstone patio, a vinyl fence or a healthy row of perfectly situated arbor vitae. And no matter which direction you take, this hardworking book will seamlessly bring you there by covering all the essential landscaping skills, from proper excavation and boulder transportation to planting shrubs and sand-setting interlocking pavers. Patios, walkways, overhead arbors, windbreaks, fences and gates . . . you’ll learn the best techniques for creating all of the beautiful planted and built elements that define any successful home landscape. Best of all, your new space will be cherished by family and friends alike—and the neighbors will quickly forget their jealousy when they’re enjoying it alongside you. Check out our five other HomeSkills guides on carpentry, deck building, plumbing, tiling, and wiring.
Synopsis
Patios, walkways, overhead arbors, windbreaks, fences, gates, and more . . .
Homeskills: Landscaping imparts the best techniques for creating all of the beautiful planted and built elements that define any successful home landscape.
Synopsis
Using humorous cartoons and informative illustrations directed towards the homeowner, property manager, or future landscaper, this book provides an awareness of every encounterable landscape situation, the best products to purchase, and detailed explanations on how to perform assorted landscaping jobs. This is not another how-to book, but rather a reference with guidelines to maintain an understanding on various landscaping situations and what to expect when an area warrants professional help. Featured inside are tips and tricks for: lawn care, watering, drainage, planting beds, trees, shrubs, lighting, driveways, patios, walkways, retaining walls, water features, and flowers. At the conclusion of each chapter is a summary with an area of “Beware,” which highlights the most important aspects of the chapter, and a section, titled “Saving the Green,” which notes how to save money while being mindful of everyday landscaping decisions that affect the environment.
About the Author
The editors and publishers at Cool Springs Press have combined their decades of experience to create more than 30 best-selling classics on gardening, landscaping, home repair, and remodeling. With the added expertise of the United States' most knowledgeable Do It Yourself writers and photographers, our state and local gardening books are tailored to specific regional environments across the country, while our renowned series of foolproof home improvement books have long been trusted on both the bookshelf and the job site. View our full catalog at CoolSpringsPress.com or connect with us on Facebook (facebook.com/CoolSpringsPress), Twitter (@CoolSpringsDIY), or Pinterest (pinterest.com/CoolSpringsDIY).
Table of Contents
Introduction
Landscape Design & MaterialsLandscape Design Green Landscapes Landscape MaterialsEstimating MaterialsTools Planting & Water Management ProjectsLandscape Beds & Edging Rigid Paver Edging Freeform Paver Edging Concrete Curb Edging Wood EdgingPlanting Trees & Shrubs Windbreaks Mulch Beds Rain Garden Xeriscape Drip Irrigation In-Ground Sprinkler System Building ProjectsDesign & Layout for Walkways & Steps Sandset Brick Walkway Flagstone Walkway Simple Gravel Path Pebbled Stepping Stone Path Timber Garden Steps Flagstone Garden Steps Fence Design & Layout Fenceline Layout Wood Panel Fence Split Rail Fence Vinyl Panel Fence Dry Stone Wall Interlocking Block Retaining Wall ResourcesMetric Conversions Index