With warmer temperatures (hopefully) just around the corner, many green-thumbs are doing prep work on their gardens and turning their attention towards creating a landscape with curb appeal. It is important to maintain a good looking yard as it can say a lot about the person behind the door. You do not want to be the neighbor with tall weeds and out-of-control shrubs!
We recently bought a new house whose yard needs a lot of attention before I can focus on adding the icing, so to speak. The yard is overrun by weeds. I am still not certain if there is grass under there or not. There are several ant beds and other various creepy-crawlers hanging around. What plants are present are still in their infancy and do not add much colour to the landscape.
Weather permitting; I plan to address the Army of Weeds and the Bug Brigade this weekend. Some well placed weed killer along with ant poison will take care of a bulk of the problem within a few days. I will then spray the perimeter of the house (I prefer Ortho bug spray, but most of them are effective). This usually provides a solid 10-12 months of protection. Try to find one that is both usable inside and outside; you can spray around the doors, windows and baseboards this way. Finally, I will probably need to plant some grass seed to replenish what has been destroyed. With some watering and sunlight, my yard will hopefully be on its way to renewal.
Once this is completed, I can then turn my attention towards ‘adding the icing’; placing colourful flowers, plants and other touches that add personality to our yard. It is important to plan ahead before heading to the greenhouse. What size is your yard? Do you need an open area for pets or children to run around? You do not want to put so much out that your yard is cluttered either. Does the sun shine heavily on one area more than another? Will rain be able to reach these plants? All are very important questions to answer before making any purchases. A sketch usually helps me visualize things more easily.
I recommend buying a small amount at first. See how you feel once the flowers are planted. It is no different than bringing home a sample of paint and putting a streak down the wall before painting the whole room. Things may look different once you actually have them in your yard. I generally bring home a few different flowers and small shrubs and simply place them in different areas before deciding which works best.
Once you decide you are happy with what you have purchased, you can buy more if you so desire. Perhaps you want to add ‘yard ornaments’ like a bird bath or a statue. I plan to add a nice stone barrier around the flower beds. This will add a nice contrast to the plants and the colour of the house. What I am most excited about is adding lighting to my yard. Some well placed flood lights will really make your yard stand out. And why should you be limited to enjoying the fruits of your labour only during the day? I am planning on purchasing the INITIAL-LED Garden Spike Flood Light. For my smaller yard, this will provide the perfect amount of light to showcase my work. These 35W lights come in white, green, blue and red; I plan to buy a variety of them. I love colored lights pouring out onto a home. To me, that really makes your stand out. For larger yards and homes, I would recommend the RGB 100W Flood Lights. These will bathe the perfect amount of light across your yard. And since these bulbs are LED, you’ll be saving money on your electric bill as well as upkeep costs.
So go ahead and begin thinking about what you will do with your yard this season, and then make it stand out with INITIAL-LED Lights!
Contact INITIAL-LED by visiting www.initial-led.com or calling toll-free 1-855-677-3889
