Landscaping For Dummies. Lance Walheim

Introduction

      We figure that you can find two kinds of people in the world — those who have waited and waited until they have a home or some property that they can landscape and those who never gave landscaping a second thought and suddenly find themselves having to do just that. Whichever camp you belong to, welcome — this book is for you.

      Good landscaping can do many things for you and your home. A well-planned landscape beautifies your house, wedding it with the surroundings and making it a part of a neighborhood or native terrain. And doing so increases the home’s value. Landscaping also makes your house and yard more useful and better able to complement your family’s lifestyle, whether you hardly ever step foot in your backyard or want to spend every possible moment outdoors.

      Appropriate landscaping can also be functional. Trees can shade your home to increase your comfort and reduce energy use. Thorny shrubs can create an impenetrable barrier against possible intruders. Groundcovers and lawns reduce dust from bare ground and can be a play area. Entertain or eat outdoors on a patio or deck. And if you leave room for a garden, you can have fresh salads, veggies, and herbs to enjoy on that patio or deck.

      A good landscape also solves problems, providing privacy from nearby neighbors, preventing erosion on steep ground, or channeling water out of soggy, low spots.

      Last but not least, a yard you landscape yourself (or with a little help) roots you in place and becomes a place of beauty and sanctuary.

About This Book

      Landscaping For Dummies provides you a mixture of ideas, step-by-step instructions, and answers to practical questions like: