garden
3. Permeable Surfaces Adding more permeable surfaces to your landscape design is another strategy for keeping rainwater on-site and reducing runoff. “We always opt for stone patios set in decomposed granite, which allows water to be absorbed into the soil below,” Sadosky says. Driveways provide another opportunity to add permeable surfaces. “While most of our projects already have driveways installed, when possible, we encourage using a small stone, gravel or decomposed granite as an alternative,” Sadosky says.
2. Stormwater Management A landscape designer may recommend a rain garden or bioswale, two design elements that can reduce stormwater runoff. They can help slow down water movement, clean the water and keep it out of the often-overburdened sewer systems by draining it on-site, deep-watering trees and other landscape plants in the process. Amending garden soil so it is more able to absorb and retain water can also help prevent runoff and erosion.
Railway timber forms a sturdy foundation, with pieces of rebar drilled in to help secure the grid of 2-by-4 framing for the walls. Arranging the salvaged windows into the walls of the structure was “like putting together a puzzle,” Moore says. Finished with a clear corrugated polycarbonate roof, the structure allows for maximum light for growing edible plant starts — giving Moore a jump-start on the short growing season. It cost the family less than $400 to build the greenhouse.
2. Greenhouse Made From Recycled Windows A load of free vintage oak casement windows inspired Amy Moore and her family to build a backyard greenhouse for starting seedlings. The greenhouse, which sits on a ridge behind their home in Tennessee, measures 64 square feet (6 square meters) and took about a month to assemble.
4. From above and below. For garages in sloped lots, take advantage of gradient changes for more planting opportunities. Robert Shuler, the designer for this landscape in Carmel Highlands, California, made use of the side of the garage for highlighting silvery parrot’s beak (Lotus berthelotii, zones 10 to 12) spilling down from the roof and ‘Golden Abundance’ mahonia growing up from the base. A skinny fern pine (Podocarpus gracilior, zones 8 to 10) reaches skyward from the stacked stone planter to the right of the garage. Tip: Before planting your roof, you’ll want to consult with an engineer as to how much additional weight the roof can support. Learn more about installing a green roof.
raised beds
window in kitchen
Big rocks and wash
landscape lighting
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