Pathways and Flower Beds

 Hard sufaces makes it easier to get around flower beds and adds attraction also. The varieties can be gravel pathways, pavers, slabs, decking pathways, which concrete blocks are the foundation and setting the boards over them. This creates a nice boardwalk. Boards that are pressure treated will have longer outdoor life. The boards are screwed down with a gap between each one. Random paving is best to lay on stone or sand, filling in the gaps with bedding mortal.  

Marigold

A natural alternative to prevent insects from eating your garden. Good to plant around tomato plants as well. Needs to be in well drained soil with full sun. Water regularly during the summer in dry conditions, spacing varies depending on the type, French 6-9 inches apart, African 18 inches apart. The height can be from 8 to 12 inches, width from 6 to 8 inches. This annual can be seeded after last threat of frost has past, also deer resistant.

Sweet Home 3D

http://www.sweethome3d.com/download.jsp free software designer for layout and size of the rooms you want for your home.

Design Workshop Lite

http://freeartsoftware.com/free-software-downloads/page08art3dfreeware.htm DesignWorkshop http://www.artifice.com/free/dw_lite.html  Can download the free edition at this site.

Realtime Landscaping Pro

http://realtime-landscaping.en.softonic.com/ the demo is free to use.  Realtime Landscaping Pro for designing you landscape and your home. Add additional features to your home such as a deck, patio, fence, pond, trees, plants, shrubs and a rock border.

Free Photo Editor

http://pixer.us/

  

• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 
• 
  
• 

Welcome!

Need a quick fix for that photo? With pixer.us you can edit your photosonline using only your browser.
Upload your photo using the "load image" form. In a few seconds, the image will be displayed on screen and you can start to play with it.
After you're done fixing your photo click on the "Save" button to download it using your preferred file format.
All modifications are done in a non-destructive way. Your image will always keep it's original quality!

Contact

If you feel something is missing or found a bug, please contact me atxavier@pixer.us

At this site you can edit your photos contrast, brightness, resize, sharpen, adjust color, works with landscaping photos too. Once happy with the changes, download and save. To get started, browse from your computer the picture you want to select. After that, click select and edit.

ShowOff MakeOver Online Application

 This online application will help you create and plan ideas for your home and landscape. Visualize your ideas with ShowOff Home MakeOver. Inspiration gallery option to use your own photo or choose photos from exteriors and landscapes. First options are roofing, trims and exterior wall, click next for more options. A page will appear with more options, such as outdoor living, lighting, home accessories, door windows and paint sidings. Down below the photo you choose are options, click and drag to photo. There are plenty of options to choose from, such as biennale, perennials, annuals, bulbs and hedges. This free application gives you the option to save your work.

http://www.showoff.com/apps/makeover/default.aspx

Free GardenSketch Software

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/20861/gardensketch for you mac users, there is a free garden sketch layout design software.  The software can be used to layout a garden or landscape. Easy to use drawing tools to make designing easy which allows you to visualize how it would look before purchasing the plants. GardenSketch has search capability which allows you to chose suitable plants, also compute how much you need for an area, such as number of plant and required mulch. Existing landscape can be entered using satellite photos.

Free Landscape Design Plans

http://www.arborday.org/trees/landscapedesign/plans/floweringWoodsEdge.cfm Flowering Woods Edge
Offering eight different tree and shrub species, the Flowering Woods Edge, will add color and beauty to the edge of a forest or windbreak. This unique plant combination offers multiple spring and summer flowers that will thrive in the partial shade of a wood line.
Planting Specifications:
Included Species:
1 – Pink Dogwood
1 – White Dogwood
2 – Eastern Redbud
1 – Sweetbay Magnolia
3 – Red Mollis Hybrid Azalea
3 – Pink Mollis Hybrid Azalea
7 – White Mollis Hybrid Azalea
5 – Blue Hydrangea
Hardiness Zone:
6-8
Sun Exposure:
Part shade
Space needed:
100’ length of woods edge
Required topography:
Flat to rolling
Layout:
The Woods Edge planting is laid out, first, by spacing the five trees based on the dimensions included on the layout plan. The shrubs are then planted below the ornamental trees as shown on the layout plan.
Recommended use/Design Principal:
The Woods Edge planting offers eight different tree and shrub species which are intended to be installed along an existing wood line for added visual interest. The plant combination offers multiple spring and summer flowers which do well in the partial shade of a wood line. From the early spring bloom of the Eastern Redbud to the early summer Sweetbay Magnolia bloom the Woods Edge planting will provide seasonal flowering interest.
Shorten the proposed distance of the Woods Edge planting for a more compact planting or purchase multiple woods edge combinations in order to expand upon the designed length of the planting. An example what you can get downloaded from this site for free. This is the text part of Flowering Woods Edge. Theres five Landscape design plans you can download. Bird Magnet Hedgerow, Green Giant, Knot Garden and Shrubs Under Shade Tree.Flowering Woods Edge
Offering eight different tree and shrub species, the Flowering Woods Edge, will add color and beauty to the edge of a forest or windbreak. This unique plant combination offers multiple spring and summer flowers that will thrive in the partial shade of a wood line.
Planting Specifications:
Included Species:
1 – Pink Dogwood
1 – White Dogwood
2 – Eastern Redbud
1 – Sweetbay Magnolia
3 – Red Mollis Hybrid Azalea
3 – Pink Mollis Hybrid Azalea
7 – White Mollis Hybrid Azalea
5 – Blue Hydrangea
Hardiness Zone:
6-8
Sun Exposure:
Part shade
Space needed:
100’ length of woods edge
Required topography:
Flat to rolling
Layout:
The Woods Edge planting is laid out, first, by spacing the five trees based on the dimensions included on the layout plan. The shrubs are then planted below the ornamental trees as shown on the layout plan.
Recommended use/Design Principal:

This is the plain view layout for Flowering Woods Edge labeling. The one below is the plain view desgned layout with measured distance. 

The Woods Edge planting offers eight different tree and shrub species which are intended to be installed along an existing wood line for added visual interest. The plant combination offers multiple spring and summer flowers which do well in the partial shade of a wood line. From the early spring bloom of the Eastern Redbud to the early summer Sweetbay Magnolia bloom the Woods Edge planting will provide seasonal flowering interest.
Shorten the proposed distance of the Woods Edge planting for a more compact planting or purchase multiple woods edge combinations in order to expand upon the designed length of the planting. Here's an example what you can download for free from this site. There's a plain view layout plan for this design also, showing measured distance in between. Bird Magnet Hedgerow, Green Giant, Knot Garden and Shrubs Under Shade Tree are the other landscape design plans.

Landscape Planner Template

http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/templates/landscape-planner-notebook-TC010210668.aspx this might come in handy for some that want to keep their project in a certain budget.Also this site has plant markers. Also 3D pageflip free flower templates at http://www.top4download.com/freeware-plant/0-r.html

Beautiful Flower Garden

Adding a variety of flowers adds color and brightens the landscape such as marigolds, pansies, tulips, hostas, fountain grass, bacopa, petunias, a stone and border really adds to this flower bed.

Add look and enjoyment to your landscape.

Add look and enjoyment to your landscape with a variety of birdhouses and hummingbird feeders from KINSMAN COMPANY.

http://www.kinsmangarden.com/category/Birds-Bees-Wildlife

Virtual Garden Software

A small description on how to use the features with this software to design your own garden and landscape.

Free Virtual Garden Landscape Software

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg2/virtual_garden/ free virtual garden landscape software.

You will need a plugin from this site for the interaction products to be in 3D view. You can recreate a garden or start from scratch.  

http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/

Free Shade Trees

http://www.aps.com/main/green/choice/choice_126.html in Maricopa
http://www.srpnet.com/energy/powerwise/savewithsrp/shadetrees.aspx in Phoenix
http://www.glendalewaterandpower.com/save_money/residential/tree_power.aspx in Glendale
https://www.smud.org/en/residential/environment/shade-trees/ in Sacramento
http://www.greenriverside.com/Green-Rebate-Programs-7/Residential/Energy-Efficiency-112/Rebate-132/Tree_Power in California
http://www.mygvr.org/story/free-shade-trees-gvr-and-montbello in Denver
http://www.mtwashington.org/content/free-street-trees-and-shade-trees in Mount Washington
Shade trees help during summer by providing shade, trees can lower conditioning cost by 10 to 50 percent. The American Nursery and Landscape Association says landscape can increase property value by 7 to 14 percent. When planting, make sure the area has no underground lines. Do not add soil amendments. Hole needs to be 4 ft wide, 16 inches deep on the sides, 8 inches deep in the center. Circling roots should be cut to prevent girdling. When placing the tree in the center of the hole, the root crown should be 1 to 2 inches above ground level. Fill the hole with the soil that you removed, don't cover the top of the rootball. You can use fertilizer tablets which is designed for slow release. Fertilizer tablets needs to be 4 inches from the rootball and 4 inches deep. If tree needs support, use stakes and ties on opposite sides of tree, the ties supported by tree trunk and attached to stakes. Use wood mulch to help maintain moisture. Newly planted trees need watering twice weekly, 10 gallons per time. When temperature is above 90 degrees, water 3 times weekly.  http://www.info.com/tree%20program?cb=43&cmp=4619&gclid=COGV-MSZ1rACFQrf4Aodbi1b0w this site might give you a link to your area on free tree programs.

http://www.5earch.com/?s=free+tree+program&gclid=CNy6zLea1rACFYeo4AodSnbM1w is another site with information on free tree programs.