Thursday, May 27, 2010

Calgary Landscape Design tips

Deciding to landscape your yard can be a large process, and as a result, there are several things you need to consider.

You will be able to find many Calgary landscaping design companies to help you, as well as small landscaping suppliers who would be willing to assist you with your designs.

When drawing up your plans, there are some things to take into account.

Draw your plans. This entails drawing out your yard, including any structures, house and pathways that are there and cannot be moved.

Figure out what you want to add. Mark in the items you want to add to your yard such as plants, benches, structures or anything else.

Are you designing your yard to a specific purpose, such a sanctuary for yourself, or a haven for birds?

What are you going to need to accomplish this? What plants, trees or shrubs would work best for your purpose?

Know your budget. Know what amount you can comfortably spend.

Is your yard going to cost more than this, if so, maybe you need to consider spreading the work out over two years? If this is the case, you will need to determine what work needs to be done in each year.

Figure out what areas of the yard get the sun and the shade, and determine the best plants for each area when planning out your Calgary landscape design.

Find out your hardiness region, and use that guide to help you select plants.

Check if any permits are required before you begin work. A quick call to city hall or their website should tell you. Any Calgary landscape design company will also know about permit rules and regulations.

Throughout this process, you may be working on this by yourself, or working with a professional landscaper.

If you are doing the work yourself, it may be a good idea to meet up with a landscaper for advice on what plants, trees and shrubs may work best for you.

Ask if there is a warrantee on the plants as sometimes plants just don't take to the new surroundings and need to be replaced.

Of course, if a landscaper will be doing the work, they should come visit your yard before anything is finalized.

When working with a landscaper, there should be several meetings before anything is started.

If you are working with a landscaper, there will be several meetings before any work is started on your yard.

Make sure to check references with other people that have used the same landscaping in Calgary design firm.

Make sure you ask any questions you may have on the design, the products, or anything else, no matter how silly it may seem.

Once the work is started, you likely cannot make any changes.

Whether your yard is finished by a Calgary landscape design firm, or you do it yourself, it can be a wonderful thing to have done.

In the summer, it will be like an extra room at your house, and it will also increase your property value.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Calgary Pond and Waterfall Designing Tips

Ponds and waterfalls add so much aesthetic value to gardens and homes for that matter. One reason why people have both is because a waterfall is an essential part of a pond.

Having a pond in your own backyard is any nature lovers dream. This not only helps you in creating your own personal paradise but also creates an ecosystem in your yard. Especially in a city like Calgary.

These key requirements are:
1. Filtration
2. Aeration/Circulation
3. Rocks/Gravel
4. Plants

Filtration is achieved by taking the entire volume of pond water through a filtration medium. Now you must be wondering why the filtration system is so important. The answer is simple: To ensure that the beneficial bacteria that grows on the filter mats are able to successfully contribute in completing the nitrogen cycle.

Aeration and circulation is important as well and is achieved by having a waterfall in your pond the main purpose of a waterfall is to oxygenate the pond. The next issue in line is adding rock and gravel to the pond however, this is a highly talked about debate in the water garden building field.

The debate is that they are hard to clean on one side, but on the other side, they are a great place to colonize bacteria, which in theory should help clean the pond itself. We adhere to the rocks and gravel theory as pond builders in Calgary.

Next in the list are the plants. You must always make sure that there are plants in your pond. These plants will directly compete with algae and they will add the touch of beauty to your pond. You see, a pond system must always be in balance. It doesn't matter if you are in Calgary or Russia.

Nutrients going into a system must equal nutrients going out of the system in your pond.

It is for this reason that you make sure the pond is constructed properly. You can hire the Calgary pond and waterfall services of one of the many pond builders to ensure that this goal is achieved.

But make sure that you hire a true professional since there are many out there who don't know a single thing about pond building yet pose as if they are the best in this field

In the recent years of boom many people have suffered at the hands of such imposters

Although the recent recession has forced these imposters to leave but still it is always better to be cautious. It never harms to take extra cautious step or ask for reference.

Here are few basic rules that you need to follow when building a pond in Calgary While building your pond avoid placing it in a low spot so that any ground water runoff does not put excessive nutrients in your pond. If you don't make sure that the pond is situated properly then you will always have issues with excessive nutrients in your system, sue to the run off. Algae will naturally take over, as it is the bottom of the food chain, if this is the case.

Anyways, good luck with your Calgary pond building adventures.