Gardens and Landscaping

Welcome to our backyard ideas page where we feature access hundreds of outdoor living spaces including decks, patios, balconies, porches, verandas, swimming pools, outdoor kitchens, gardens, plants, flowers, gazebos and other structures and more. To date we’ve nearly covered everything imaginable for backyards and landscaping, but we’ll likely come up with more so be sure …

Quicklist: Types of Ferns Evergreen Ferns Deciduous Herbaceous Semi-Evergreen Boston Fern Staghorn Fern Holly Fern Maidenhair Fern Cinnamon Fern Bird’s Nest Fern Australian Tree Fern Asparagus Fern Ostrich Fern Japanese Painted Fern Royal Fern Blue Star Fern Cretan Brake Fern Polypodium Vulgare Arachniodes Simplicity Asplenium Trichomanes Lady Fern Sunset Fern Kimberly Queen Fern Austral Gem …

Quicklist: Orchid Types Angraecum Orchid Boat Orchid Brassavola Orchid Catasetum Orchid Cattleya Orchid Cycnoches Orchid Cymbidium Orchid Dendrobium Orchid Encyclia Orchid Epidendrum Orchid Lady Slipper Orchid Ludisia Orchid Lycaste Orchid Masdevallia Orchid Maxillaria Orchid Miltonia Orchid Odontoglossum Orchid Oncidium Orchid Paphiopedilum Orchid Phaius Orchid Phalaenopsis Orchid Phragmipedium Orchid Psychopsis Orchid Vanda Orchid Vanilla Orchid Zygopetalum …

Quicklist: Types of Backyard Sheds Gambrel (Barn-Style) Gable  Lean-to  Saltbox  Vinyl Storage Metal Storage  Wood Storage  Sheet Metal Clay Tiles Green Roofs Roofing Shingles Vinyl EPDM Rubber Small Medium Large Extra-Large Shed Flooring Materials Shed Floor Insulation Ventilation Concrete Pad Post-and-Beam Concrete Piers Gravel Pad Cement Blocks Garden Office Firewood Storage Personal Belongings Storage Tool …

Have you ever seen a 6-legged bug crawling around your house and wondered if it was an ant? Well, you’re not alone. Many people mistake these insects for ants when in reality, they are something else entirely. It can be hard to tell the difference with the naked eye. However, there are some easy ways …

Did you know that there are bugs out there that look like hummingbirds? Crazy, right? Everyone knows that insects can be a nuisance, but sometimes they can be downright beautiful – even if they’re still bugs. So, the next time you see a tiny hummingbird flying around your backyard, take a closer look. It might …

Most of us have encountered stick insects before. These unique bugs have perfected the art of camouflage, seamlessly blending in with their surroundings to escape from predators. But scientists have actually observed hundreds, if not thousands, of these insect species! Phasmatodea, or phasmids, live all over the world and range from tiny to several feet …

The Dogwood plant typically flowers in early April in the southern part of their range, until late April or early May in northern and high-altitude areas. The similar Cornus kousa (“Kousa dogwood”), native to Asia, flowers about a month later. It is important to know more about the dogwood plant, its varieties, characteristics, and the …

A kissing bug is a bloodsucking night crawler belonging to a group of bugs closely related to assassins. To my horror, I learned kissing bugs are not like love bugs, as I’d initially confused the names. And now I may never sleep again. Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico are the biggest harborers of kissing bugs …

(Cornus) come in a range of sizes, from the dwarf Korean dogwood (Cornus kousa), which only grows to about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall, to the giant Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii), which can reach up to 100 feet (30 m). The speed at which dogwoods grow also varies depending on the species. For example, the …

With lobster-like pincers, menacing tails and venomous bites, scorpions are fearsome creatures. They’re the prototype for a host of bugs that use pincers to grab prey and brandish tails as a battle cry. Their imitators are found in most climates and places, including your home. So, save yourself a fright by getting to know these seven scorpion …

You’re out in your garden or walking in the woods when you spot what looks like an ant — until it suddenly takes flight. When wings appear, you know that it isn’t an ant — but it could be one of the many insects that engage in ant mimicry. If you spot bugs that look …

Finding the right houseplants for your home or office is important, especially if you want a certain type of plant. Some are bright, fragrant, and tropical, but there are also some that have that beautiful droop or drape appeal. They can accent bookcases, shelves, and tables because of the way they fall. Some of those …

Lettuce is a fantastic addition to any produce garden because it is not a “one and done” vegetable. As the lettuce plant continues to grow, you can trim leaves as you need them without disturbing the continuous growth of the rest of the plant. Knowing how and when to trim your growing lettuce plants will …

Are your strawberry plants dead? That’s a good question that doesn’t always have an immediate answer. I think it’s worth taking the time to test your plants to find out if they can still produce edible fruit if you notice at least a few signs of life yet. Brown leaves don’t mean the plant is …

Garlic requires sandy, well-drained soil. Prepare your garlic bed by loosening the soil to 12-18 inches. Mix 2-3 inches of organic matter such as compost or manure. If your soil is heavy clay, consider raised beds. Rake the bed smooth and break up any large clumps of dirt. To plant garlic, separate the cloves from …

Onions are a biennial plant, and this means that their full flowering cycle is two years long. Their growth cycle goes from seed, to plant, to bulb over two years. You will see onions have a top growth by the end of the first year and then flower in the second year until the plant …

Getting strawberry seeds to germinate can seem like an arduous task, but the task is all in the waiting. And it is worth the wait and can be an exciting project if you have never done it before. Getting strawberry seeds to germinate is easier than you think. Strawberry seeds only need a few things …

Who would have thought garlic could be a profitable, growing business? I know I love garlic and use it in many recipes, from soup to pasta dishes. But I would not have thought it could also be a profitable income stream. Garlic cloves add a unique flavor to many dishes and may have some health …

You can care for growing lettuce indoors and outdoors quite easily as a home gardener. That’s because lettuce is a simple vegetable plant to germinate and produce. As a way of saving money and reducing the use of plastic, our household uses an AeroGarden to grow plants indoors. Learn about how to successfully care for …

There may be many reasons why you want to transplant your garlic. You may be moving to a new location. You may have planted them too close together and need some separation. No matter the reason, you can transplant your garlic. You must follow the correct method for moving it to ensure that your garlic …