Landscaping For Dummies

The National Gardening Association is the leading garden-based educational organization in the USA. Visit garden.org.
 
Teri Dunn Chace has more than 35 books in publication, including the 2016 AHS award-winner Seeing Seeds. She's also written and edited extensively for major consumer gardening/outdoor-living publications (Horticulture, North American Gardener, Backyard Living, Birds and Blooms) and is presently the garden-and-nature columnist for the award-winning "Bottom Line Personal" newsletter.

Create an eye-catching outdoor oasis with this no-nonsense guide to landscaping
 
As families spend more time at home, they're expanding their living space to their yards, decks, and patios. When you're ready to upgrade the look of your landscape, Landscaping For Dummies offers advice on installing fences and walkways, choosing hardy plants and trees, and enhancing natural habitats for the critters and creatures lurking in your neighborhood. You'll find out how to make your backyard a relaxing retreat space and discover the enjoyment and satisfaction that comes from working in your yard.
 
Landscaping For Dummies includes:
* Lists of recommended plants and varieties, including the best ones for privacy plantings, low-maintenance groundcovers, and small gardens
* Advice on how to deal with special landscaping concerns, including fire-prone areas, bee and butterfly gardens, and drought-tolerant and native landscapes
* Instructions on installing permanent features like decks, patios, fences, and more
* Pointers on how to water more efficiently, including the latest tools and technologies that can save you time
 
With a little bit of planning and some digging, trimming, or planting, you'll be set to enjoy your yard whenever the mood strikes. Let Landscaping For Dummies be your guide to making the most of your outdoor space.

Introduction 1
 
Part 1: Getting Started with Landscaping 5
 
Chapter 1: Designing Your Landscape: The Birth of Your Design 7
 
Chapter 2: Thinking like a Designer 25
 
Chapter 3: Forming a Working Plan: Getting Serious about Your Design 35
 
Part 2: Building Hardscape into Your Yard 55
 
Chapter 4: Taming Your Site 57
 
Chapter 5: Dealing with Water 75
 
Chapter 6: All Things Fences, Walls, and Gates 87
 
Chapter 7: Creating Paths and Walkways 111
 
Chapter 8: Constructing Decks 127
 
Chapter 9: Building Patios 145
 
Chapter 10: Enhancing Your Landscape 159
 
Part 3: The Planting o' the Green 179
 
Chapter 11: Barking Up the Right Tree 181
 
Chapter 12: Bulking Up with Shrubs and Vines 199
 
Chapter 13: Adding Color and Texture This Season with Annuals 225
 
Chapter 14: Striving For Long-Lasting Beauty with Perennials and Bulbs 239
 
Chapter 15: Including Succulents and Containers for More Color and Texture 259
 
Chapter 16: Covering Lots of Ground 273
 
Part 4: Outside Factors You Can and Can't Control 295
 
Chapter 17: Maintaining Your Landscape 297
 
Chapter 18: Dealing with Critters, Weeds, and Other Common Problems 319
 
Chapter 19: Coping with Mother Nature and Weather 333
 
Part 5: Time to Add Flair to Your Landscape 345
 
Chapter 20: Contemplating Plans for Special Situations 347
 
Chapter 21: Considering Theme Landscapes 363
 
Part 6: The Part of Tens 377
 
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Make Your Surroundings Unique 379
 
Chapter 23: Tens Ways to a Greener Landscape 385
 
Appendix A: Landscaping Resources 391
 
Appendix B: English-Metric Conversion Tables 397
 
Index 399