Index
annuals
about, 40
biennials vs., 41
care of, 43
deadheading, 43
growing conditions for, 41
planting, 42
selecting, 40
Arbor Retreat
about, 220–221
construction of, 226–231
materials for, 222
plans for, 223–225
arbors, 13., See also Arbor Retreat
archways, 13
arroyos
about, 88
installation, 89–91
planning, 89
rain gardens and, 91
Backyard Fire Pit
about, 210
construction of, 212–213
cross section, 211
plans for, 211
Backyard Fireplace
about, 202
anatomy of, 204
concrete pad construction, 205
construction of, 206–209
safety and, 209
bamboo fencing
about, 172
building, 173–174
covering old fence with, 175
reducing panel length, 174
batter boards, installation, 139
biennials, 41
borders, perennial, 45
boulevard gardens, 67
bow saws, 30
brush clearing
debris disposal, 31
safety/gear for, 30
techniques, 31
tools for, 30
building projects
Arbor Retreat
about, 220–221
construction of, 226–231
materials for, 222
plans for, 223–225
Classic Garden Bridge
about, 92
building, 94–95
cutting list and components, 93
Cast Concrete Steppers
about, 84
casting path, 85
estimating concrete needs, 84
Classic Garden Bridge
about, 92
building, 94–95
cutting list and components, 93
color, as design principle, 10
concrete edging, installation, 50–51
contoured fences, 134–136
country retreat landscape style, 23
deadheading, of annuals, 43
design
art and, 15
fences and, 11
foot traffic and, 13
front yards and, 10
hardscaping and, 15
lighting and, 11
odd-numbered items in, 12
for outdoor rooms, 12
principles of, 10
romantic, 12
of water features, 178–179
yard size and, 24–27
See also landscape styles
diversity, yard size and, 24
dry-stacked stone retaining wall (tall)
anatomy of, 109
construction of, 106–108
design of, 102–103
drainage and, 104
preparation, 104
tips for building, 105
Drystack Garden Wall, 122–123
edging
concrete edging installation, 50–51
landscape edging installation, 49
Loose Rock Landscape Path, 77, 79
for pathways, 73
EDPM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) liners, 186–189, 195–196
feeding (of plants), 43
fences
about, 133
bamboo
about, 172
building, 173–174
covering a fence with, 175
reducing panel length, 174
design and, 11
fencelines
batter board installation, 139
curves, 141
laying out, 138
right angles, 140
spacing, 139
ornamental metal fencing
about, 168
cutting metal, 171
installation, 169–170
iron (traditional) fencing, 171
spacing posts, 170
wall bracket installation in brick, 170
picket
about, 146
building, 147–149
calculating picket spacing, 148
styles of, 147
post and board
about, 150
building, 151–152
capped post and board, 154
notched post and board, 153
post and board privacy fences, 155
posts
aligning post, 144
cutting, 145
digging postholes, 143
methods for, 142
setting in concrete, 144–145
sloped fences
contoured, 134–136
contoured vs. stepped, 134
stepped, 137
strategies for, 135
split rail
about, 156
building, 157–158
custom cutting rails, 159
gates for, 159
setting posts level, 159
vinyl panel
about, 164
cutting panels, 167
gate installation, 167
installation, 165–166
wood composite
about, 160
constructing, 161–163
system components, 161
fertilizers, annuals and, 43
fireplace/firepit projects
Backyard Fire Pit
about, 210
construction of, 212–213
cross section, 211
plans for, 211
Backyard Fireplace
about, 202
anatomy of, 204
concrete pad construction, 205
construction of, 206–209
safety and, 209
Outdoor Brick Oven
about, 214
construction of, 216–219
foundation for, 216
oven dome for, 217–218
rock facing of limestone slabs, 217
sealing, 218–219
formal garden landscape style, 19
fountains
design ideas, 12
hard shell liners and, 181
See also Hard-shell Pond & Fountain
garden beds
landscape edging for, 49
laying out, 48
mulching new, 49
soil preparation for new, 49
vegetation removal for, 48–49
See also boulevard gardens; rain gardens; xeriscapes; zen gardens
garden (bow) rakes, 30
garden walls, 99
Drystack Garden Wall, 122–123
Mortared Garden Wall
about, 124
construction of, 125–127
footing for, 125
See also stone walls
gates, 13
grade. See slope
Hard-shell Pond & Fountain
about, 180
installation, 182–185
power cord management, 185
hardening off, annuals and, 41
hardscaping, 15
heading back, 34–35
hedge trimmers, 35
Interlocking Block Retaining Wall
about, 116
blending in to hill, 117
construction of, 118–120
cross section, 118
curves in, 121
design considerations, 117
working with interlocking blocks, 118
interlocking blocks
about, 100
working with, 118
Japanese gardens
design and, 22
Japanese dry gardens
about, 62
creating, 63–64
rakes for, 65
landscape edging, installation of, 49
landscape styles
cottage gardens, 20
country retreat, 23
formal garden, 19
local environment and, 16
modern scenic, 17
outdoor rooms, 21
wooded retreat, 18
zen gardens, 22
lighting, 11
Loose Rock Landscape Path
construction details, 74
edging for, 77
installation, 76–79
spacer gauge for, 76
loppers, 30
metal, cutting, 171
modern scenic landscape style, 17
Mortared Garden Wall
about, 124
construction of, 125–127
footing for, 125
mulch
annuals and, 41
applying, 53
for new garden beds, 49
timing for, 52
types of, 52
native plants, 66
negative space, yard size and, 26
ornamental metal fencing
about, 168
cutting metal, 171
installation, 169–170
iron (traditional) fencing, 171
spacing posts, 170
wall bracket installation in brick, 170
Outdoor Brick Oven
about, 214
construction of, 216–219
foundation for, 216
oven dome for, 217–218
rock-facing of limestone slabs, 217
sealing, 218–219
pathways
base preparation, 73
borders for, 73
Cast Concrete Steppers, 84–85
Loose Rock Landscape Path
construction details, 74
edging for, 77
installation, 76–79
spacer gauge for, 76
materials for, 72–73
Quick-and-Easy Stepping Stone Path, 86
Stepping Stone Landscape Path
installation, 82–83
materials for, 80
variations, 83
testing design ideas for, 72
perennials
about, 44
border design with, 45
planting, 46–47
selecting, 46
picket fences
about, 146
building, 147–149
calculating picket spacing, 148
styles of, 147
pinching, 34
plant selection
accent walls and, 115
annuals, 40
boulevard gardens and, 67
native plants, 66
perennials, 46
rain gardens and, 57
shapes and, 10
water features and, 179, 189, 198
plant shapes, 10
plate vibrators, 213
post and board fences
about, 150
building, 151–152
capped, 154
notched, 153
privacy fence, 155
post and rail fences. See split rail fences
power sod cutters, 76–77
principles of design, 10
pruning
formal garden landscape style and, 19
heading back, 34–35
pinching, 34
reduction cuts, 35
rejuvenating, 34
shearing, 34
of shrubs, 34
thinning, 34–35
of trees, 34–35
Quick-and-Easy Stepping Stone Path, 86
rain gardens
arroyos and, 91
planning, 56
planting of, 56–57
selecting plants for, 57
soil for, 56
reduction cuts (for trees), 35
rejuvenating pruning, 34
retaining walls
about, 100
Interlocking Block Retaining Wall
about, 116
blending into hill, 117
construction of, 118–120
cross section, 118
curves in, 121
design considerations, 117
working with interlocking blocks, 118
Stone-Terrace Accent Wall
about, 110
construction of, 112–115
cross section, 111
planting, 115
tall dry-stacked stone retaining wall, 102–109
anatomy of, 109
construction of, 106–109
design of, 102–103
drainage and, 104
preparation, 104
tips for building, 105
See also stone walls
romantic design, 12
safety
clearing brush and, 30
outdoor fireplaces and, 209
outdoor power cords and, 185
water features and, 181
seasonal planting, annuals and, 40–41
shearing, 34
shrubs, pruning of, 34
slopes
design for, 27
fences and
contoured, 134–136
contoured vs. stepped, 134
strategies for, 135
rain gardens and, 56–57
retaining walls and, 100
stepping walls to accommodate, 101
water features and, 178
xeriscaping, 61
Small Gazing Pond
about, 186
building, 187–189
sod strippers, 76
soil
annuals and, 41
boulevard gardens and, 67
of new garden beds, 49
perennials and, 46
water features and, 178
xeriscapes and, 59
spacer gauges, 76
split rail fences
about, 156
building, 157–158
custom rails for, 159
gates for, 159
setting posts at level height, 159
Stepping Stone Landscape Path
installation, 82–83
materials for, 80
variations, 83
stepping stones
Cast Concrete Steppers, 84–85
casting, 87
Quick-and-Easy Stepping Stone Path, 86
Stepping Stone Landscape Path, 80–83
Stone-Terrace Accent Wall
about, 110
constructing, 112–115
cross sections of, 111
planting, 115
Stone Wall Solution. See dry-stacked stone retaining wall
stone walls
appeal of, 97
designing, 98–99
Drystack Garden Wall, 122–123
garden walls, 99
Interlocking Block Retaining Wall
about, 116
blending into hill, 117
construction of, 118–120
cross section, 118
curves in, 121
design considerations, 117
working with interlocking blocks, 118
mortar repair tips, 130
Mortared Garden Wall
about, 124
construction of, 125–127
footing for, 125
rebuilding dry-stacked sections, 129
repairing mortared joints, 130
repairing popped stones, 128
replacing stones in mortared, 131
slopes and curves and, 101
Stone-Terrace Accent Wall
about, 110
construction of, 112–115
cross section, 111
planting, 115
tall dry-stacked stone retaining wall
anatomy of, 109
construction of, 106–109
design of, 102–103
drainage and, 104
preparation, 104
tips for building, 105
string trimmers, 31
thinning (pruning), 34–35
trees
about planting, 36
assessing removal jobs, 33
felling path for, 32
planting balled-and-burlapped, 37
pruning, 34–35
removal of, 32–33
types of packaging, 36
windbreaks, 38–39
vinyl panel fencing
about, 164
cutting panels, 167
gate installation, 167
installation, 165–166
walkways. See pathways
water features, 12
appeal of, 177
designing, 178
drawing plans for, 179
fish and, 181
Hard-shell Pond & Fountain
about, 180
installation, 182–185
power cord management, 185
Small Gazing Pond
about, 186
building, 187–189
Waterfall & Pond
adding rocks and gravel, 199
anatomy of, 192–193
culvert pipe and pump installation, 197–198
excavation of, 194–195
pond system components, 193
principles behind, 190
sealing, 199
size/shape/site considerations, 192
stocking, 198
underlayment and liner for, 195–196
Waterfall & Pond
adding rocks and gravel, 199
anatomy of, 192–193
culvert pipe and pump installation, 197–198
excavation of, 194–195
pond system components, 193
principles behind, 190
sealing, 199
size/shape/site considerations, 192
stocking, 198
underlayment and liner for, 195–196
watering
annuals and, 43
weeding, 43
windbreaks
benefits of, 38
planning, 39
planting, 39
xeriscapes and, 59
wood composite fencing
about, 160
constructing, 161–163
system components, 161
wooded retreat landscape style, 18
wrought-iron fences, 171
xeriscapes
about, 58
planting, 60–61
principles for, 59
yard size, design ideas by, 24–27
zen gardens
about, 62
creating, 63–64
design and, 22
rakes for, 65