Table of Contents

Western Home Landscaping

Table of Contents  About This BookAs Your Landscape Grows

PORTFOLIO OF DESIGNS

GUIDE TO INSTALLATION
Organizing Your Project• Introducing the tasks involved in a landscape installation. How to organize them for best results.

Clearing the Site• Removing turf, weeds, and other unwanted material.

Water for Your Plants• Water-wise practices. Watering systems.

Making Paths and Walkways• Choosing materials, preparing the base, installing edgings, laying the surface.
Laying a Patio• Employing the same materials and techniques as for walks and paths. Ensuring proper drainage.

Installing a Pond• Siting, excavating, installing a flexible liner or fiberglass shell. Growing pond plants.

Building a Retaining Wall• Laying out, excavating, and assembling a precast modular wall system and steps.

Fences, Arbors, and Trellises• Wood selection, layout, post setting, basic construction. Plans for building the fences, trellises, and arbors shown in the Portfolio of Designs.

Preparing the Soil for Planting• Digging and improving the soil. Edging for beds.

Buying Plants• Where to go, what to look for, how to get the best quality and price.

The Planting Process• When to plant, steps in the planting process, spacing. Annuals as fillers.

Planting Basics• Plants in containers, balled-and-burlapped plants, bare-root plants, ground covers, and bulbs.

Basic Landscape Care• Mulches and fertilizers. Controlling weeds. Watering.

Caring for Woody Plants• Basic pruning for trees, shrubs, vines, and roses. Making a hedge.

Caring for Perennials• Routine care, pruning, dividing.

Problem Solving• Understanding common problems with animal and insect pests and diseases. Winter damage.

PLANT PROFILES
Descriptions of all the plants shown in the Portfolio of Designs, plus information on how to plant and care for them.

Glossary

Photo Credits

Index