Custom Patio Blog

While most makeover projects takes weeks and even months, here are some makeovers that’ll just take about a day to complete. So if you rather want to do something completely new for your outdoor patio, take on one of these creative projects and see your patio look renewed.

Tile it Up

Want to refurbish your patio table? Grab some interesting tiles and glue it on top of your table. Voila, a new tabletop which will make your table tête-à-tête more pleasant!

Throw a Rug

If your patio surface is rather bare, make it more interesting by putting a sturdy rug. With the right one, you’ll be able to define and highlight your patio areas while decorating your patio surface.

Paint your Plant Container

Whether it’s a glow-in-the-dark hue or a snazzy color, give a new life and emphasis to your plant’s container with paint. Make an otherwise invisible pot a work of art and turn your patio into an eclectic enclave.

Terrific Terrarium

Bring your garden to your patio seating area in a bowl and let the greens do their job on making your patio more charming. Ranging from a fairy garden to a mini-forest packed with bonsai trees, there’s a range of terraria you can pick from. You can even do a miniature version of your own garden which can help you in planning for your next garden look.

Pitch in a Privacy Screen

If you do not have high walls, privacy screens are the way to secure privacy outdoors. One subtle screen you can use is a lattice which makes for a perfect canvas upon which lovely crawling vines grow on. Not only does the vine soften the existence of the privacy screen, it also provides a natural backdrop for your patio, framing it in like a pretty picture.

As the new year begins, gardeners once again are in the throes of planning for their spring garden. And while you may see endless results for gardening advice, here’s our top 3 which no gardener should ever forget!

Plan before you plant.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. While you may easily be enthralled and entice by the blooming plants in a nursery, they may end up not well-suited for your garden soil. So before you buy and plant, make sure the plant variety you have not only suit your gardening taste but also your garden’s physical composition.

Green thumbs alone will not make for a blooming garden.

Gardening is plain hard work and an unintended exercise for those committed gardeners. From pruning to mulching, lifting and pulling, your whole body will be certainly feel the weight of gardening not long after you started. So before each gardening session, make sure to warm up. Don’t forget to stay hydrated and change position every now and then.

Don’t panic, it’s organic!

While the rise of everything organic has come in response to chemical pesticides and GMOs, not all pesticides are created equal. And while organic seems a nature-friendly choice, it isn’t always the better option. Sometimes, even organic pesticides disrupt the natural harmony and balance in your garden’s ecosystem, wiping away natural agents that make your garden thrive. So before picking up your pesticide, why not find the root cause for the existence of your pests and extinguish that source?

To sum it all up, any gardening you do can simply be done the easier, faster and smarter way if you just do your research beforehand. By doing this, you will avoid the headaches and unnecessary costs. Instead, you’ll have a grand time sitting back and watching your garden beautifully bloom in spring.

The winter season may not be favorable to most vegetable crops for your kitchen garden. But these vegetables below prove that some do thrive even in the harshest and coldest weather conditions.

Cabbage

Whether using it in soups, hotpots or stir-fry, cabbage is a versatile leafy green vegetable which can be planted even in the arid and cold condition of winter. It also contains a host of vitamins and minerals to make each meal with cabbage nutritious.

Winter Squash

Great for eye health, it’s also a sturdy vegetable plant which can be planted in winter. Though it might just have limited yields per plant, its fruit can grow to a considerable size.

Broccoli

Another wonder vegetable packed with essential vitamins and minerals, broccoli is a plant that can thrive even in the coldest season. This plant is also perfect for those with limited space for their gardens. Aside from that, it also has a high yield.

Beans

Keeping your soil healthy with its nitrogen-fixing properties, beans planted in winter can produce healthier sprouts. If however, you’ve timed it for a winter harvest, you can dry and store it for future use.

Potatoes

A diverse food product, potatoes are definitely a staple which is a good source of carbohydrates. One can either plant or harvest it during winter. For planting, you can use second-crop potatoes and plant it in loose soil for Christmas potatoes. Timing your planting can give you a harvest time right around Christmastime.

While winter’s cold and dreary season is not usually associated with harvesting or planting, we hope you’ve now changed your planting perspective. With pests discouraged from ravaging crops and hibernate due to the cold, it definitely is one of the prime times to put your seeds and plants to the ground.

While most gardens show their beauty during the day, some show their allure under a blanket of stars. Whether you like the mystical look or are more fond of the creatures that go bump in the night, here are some tips for your night gardening.

1. Observe the path of the moonlight.
There’s no use to having a night garden when your natural source for spotlight does not shower its silvery gleam on your plants. Plot the spots when the moon is at its brightest before breaking the ground for your garden plot.

2. Pick the right amount of fragrance.
One common characteristic among late bloomers are their fragrance. While it may turn you heady to pick each and every aromatic bloom there is, it’s better to stick to one or two notes rather than overloading your outdoors.

3. Put in the right attractants at key places where you’re most likely to view them at your leisure.
That said, if you want to attract moths, put a white sheet and a spotlight directed at it. For those little lightning bugs or fireflies, you may want to turn your outdoor lights off and lessen light pollution. It will also greatly help letting a portion of your outdoor garden go a little wild and keeping harmful pesticides off the lawn.

4. Choose foliage that shine best in the dark.
Select pale petals that glimmer under the moonlight. You may also opt for silvery foliage to achieve a mystic landscape look for your garden. Aside from foliage that shines, you may also want to explore plants whose flowers bloom at night for a grander night garden.

5. For ambient sounds of crickets and night owls hooting, provide these creatures a sanctuary.
You don’t need to turn your outdoors into an overgrown wild forest. Just plant shrubs and trees that are most welcoming to these night creatures and you’ll have an authentic soundtrack care of Mother Nature.

For those who like the neat and tidy approach to creating their garden look, we’re sure you’re also all about plant containers. Whether they come in pots and boxes, what you need to know is that not all plants thrive in a defined space for them. Thus, we bring you the 5 best plants for pots and other containers you may have.

Rhododendron

If you want a flowering bouquet in your garden, rhododendron easily gives you that. Growing up to 2-3 feet and thrives in shady spots, it brightens up any nook and cranny. It also prefers an acidic soil up to 6.0.

Caladiums

Another bright and cheery plant that thrives in a container is the caladium. Since it has an aversion to puddles and waterlogged soil, being in a container easily protects it from one of its enemies. While there are varieties which can tolerate 6-8 hours of full sun exposure, they usually love the shade. So before you pick your variety, make sure the spot you reserved for it has the necessary conditions the plant to grow.

Bay Laurel

Now something for your kitchen garden, bay laurel leaves when dried is used as a cooking herb. It also emits an aromatic odor, making your garden smell lovely as well. It can grow up to 10 feet and be used as a privacy screen. However, you may prune it down to 4 or 5 feet.

Lotus

Who said container gardening only means those pots filled with soil? If you want to combine a water feature with your plant, the lotus plant easily thrives in Texan weather. Now this is an aquatic plant that thrives in full sunlight. If you’re worried about how it will do come wintertime, lotus is a sturdy one and simply hibernates but comes back to full bloom come spring.

Lemon

Fruit-bearing lemon is a plant that keeps on giving. Great thing is that it feels quite at home in Zone 8. It simply loves warmer climates.

Putting the pretty in your patio may be a bit puzzling for some homeowners. But with these 5 easy and creative patio ideas, you can instantly get a pretty patio without the fuss.

Make a Mosaic

If you feel that sticking to one patio surface will make your outdoors look dull, then match the vibrancy of your outdoors with an interesting mosaic. It’ll be easier if you already have the habit of collecting different rocks and stones to put in your mosaic.

Rock Flowers

If a mosaic looks too abstract, then another alternative design idea for your patio are rock flowers. Simply arranging them in a flower design by your patio makes up for a no-maintenance, frills-free design that still catches the eye of a passerby.

Pallet Path

If you’ve got wood lying around, why not use this as a patio surface material instead. Use it as a faux bridge of sorts over a dry stream and you’ve got a landscaping feature at no cost. What’s more is that, even as the wood slowly merges itself with the earth, it’ll give your garden a rustic chic look.

Glow-in-the-Dark Stone Path

Pick smooth stones to partially bury and serve as steps outdoors. Not only does it encourage exploration, you’ll also be able to lessen your need for ambient lights when you paint it with a luminescent paint that glows after dark. Stick a few other stones in some nooks and crannies and you’ll be able to recreate a clandestine haven for fairies and other mystical creatures.

Fire pit

Glow-in-the-dark stones do provide light. However, one thing they do not provide is warmth. Your outdoors may look inviting but without warmth, it’ll simply be a nice view to look out at during chilly nights. Put a fire pit in a convenient place near your outdoor seating area and make it welcoming even in the most unforgiving cold nights.

Your patio need not look like a stereotypical one. By trying one or two of these easy and creative patio ideas, you can transform your patio into a pretty place for you to pander and wander in.

Having a hard time deciding which hardscape to install for your patio? Let us help you with the key facts for each of these patio materials.

Limestone

A natural paver that easily provides an elegant look to your patio, it is classic yet expensive. It’s a heavy sedimentary rock with a light surface and comes in a variety of colors. One of the great things about a limestone surface is that it can easily be cleaned and maintained with water. It also doesn’t have to be sealed. However, one should take note that limestone are not great with acid, a little bit expensive and heavy.

Bricks

If you want to make your patio look like a Parisian courtyard, bricks are the way to go. Bricks are usually made with clay and also comes in different color even if the most usual color is red. One great thing about bricks is that you can easily create a visual detail through its brick pattern. It’s easily maintained through vinegar solutions that easily kill weeds and insects.

Concrete Pavers

Durable, affordable and can easily be installed, it’s not that hard to see why concrete pavers are a favorite with home owners. It can easily be molded to look anywhere from bricks to barn planks. However, with its porous characteristic, concrete pavers are not recommended in hot climates. It can also easily crack due to high temperatures or extremely cold ones.

The following are tips to help you achieve the landscaping design for your home without breaking the bank.

1. Do your research well

Before embarking on your landscaping plan, do your research well. Find out about the plans that can save you some money and how to utilize them.

See if you can find professionals and material vendors who do a good job at a low fee. Research about mistakes that people make during landscaping and avoid them in advance. Get free advice from newspapers, online sites, magazines and any other sources and be fully equipped with information.

2. Have a solid plan

Before making any purchases, make sure that you have a concrete plan of what you want to achieve. Study the landscape types, draw up a design idea and create a tentative budget. Make sure that you design a landscape that will work for you when it is done. When you know what you want, you waste less money.

3. Consult an expert

Sometimes DIYs can be cheap but when done blindly they lead to big losses.

Consult a professional to check your soil, drainage, and terrain as well as weather conditions so that you can be advised on what is best for your landscape. This will save you from buying expensive projects that will not work for you.

4. Sometimes cheap is expensive

Most people like enjoying discount stores, economies of scale and cheap bargains that make you feel like you’re spending less. However, in landscaping, not all cheap bargains are good for you.

Some cheap bargains may cost you more in the future. Make wise decisions when choosing materials, designers and the options that you make. Go with choices that will save you money on installation, maintenance, and long-term use.

5. Buy products in phases

The good thing with landscaping is that you can make it a gradual project. Do not strain to do it all in one day. Divide your project into workable and affordable phases and complete one at a time. Evaluate your progress as you go, and it will reduce the financial strain.

6. Make wise purchases

You can time your purchases such that you buy items and services during the off peak season. Building a pool during summer will cost you more than building one during the other seasons.

The same case applies when buying lumber for outdoor landscaping. Buy trees, shrubs, perennials, and soil late in the season. Newly released materials cost more than when you buy them later when the supply is higher.

7. Check for bargains in alternative shops

If you buy your landscaping materials from hardware stores, designer landscaping stores and other high-end sources, you will spend more money. You can buy materials from alternative sources such as botanical gardens, arboretum centers, neighbors, friends, and relatives.

Some city parks offer free compost, mulch, and other materials. If you need cheap bricks and stones, you can go to a demolition site and get them for a small fee or for free.

Pavers are fast becoming one of the most adopted landscaping styles for outdoor walkways and pavements.

This is because pavers are easy to install, easy to maintain, and they are durable. Pavers not only improve the beauty of your outdoors, they function well under pressure and harsh weather.

Installing pavers require the right skills to produce a flawless and smooth pavement finish.

1. Your pavers can appear uneven or fall at different heights

If you find that your pavers seem uneven, the problem lies at the foundation on which you are installing them. The solution would be to use a compactor to stabilize the land before you install the pavers.

Sand and clay behave differently in different weather. Sometimes they create depressions in the ground during dry weather or soak up water and swell up during wet weather. Make sure that you get advice from your contractor on how to best treat your soil.

2. Pavers along the edge falling off

The gravel base underneath the edge is susceptible to harsh weather and erosion, causing some of the bricks at the end to fall off and disappear. If this happens, the solution is to install filter fabric under the base of the sides to make them stick firmly as well as reduce the erosion that makes bricks disappear.

3. Your pavers appear sunken in some places

You can have a successful paver installation with everything in place but then in time a section of them slowly forms a depression. The solution to this is to compact any place that has been recently dug up.

If you remove a tree stump before installation, fill up the space and compact it before installation. You can repair it by pulling them out and adding a bed of compacted soil to bring them to the right level.

4. The border edges look like they are bent outwards

If you do not have any form of restraint at the edge to create a neat finish, the pavers will end up looking like they are falling off the edge. This causes weak points, and the pavers start coming off one by one. Use a PVC edge restraint to keep the edge bricks in line.

5. Pavers keep trapping water

Water logging causes soaking which leads to breakage. If pavers are holding water, the solution is to fix your drainage. Check if you are using the correct pitch when installing the pavers. If not, reinstall them with a pitch that can help them to drain easily.

6. Pavers are tipping in between

When installing pavers, you should make sure that they fall on the same level so that they can form a tight and compact interlocking grip. If not, some of them sink or tip making uneven patterns. Add more sand under the ones that have tipped and reinstall them. Use a compactor to bring them all to the same level.

7. Cracking and moving out of place

If your pavers are cracking and moving out of place, check the pressure that you are putting on them. The root of this problem includes heavy vehicles, farm machinery, roots, and others.

It would be amazing to have butterflies, birds, and different types of wildlife in your yard, especially the kind that does not pose any threat to you or your neighbors.

Planting native vegetation is one of the ways to attract wildlife to your backyard; and native plants help sustain natural animal habitats. Here are some advantages of native landscaping:

It will save you a lot of energy – Native vegetation is at home with the soil, the temperature and the rainfall of your location and growing it will be easy.

Endemic vegetation can survive all the seasons in Texas, and you will hardly need to irrigate or fertilize them to enhance their growth. Furthermore, native vegetation is pest and disease resistant, meaning that taking care of the vegetation will not demand much effort from you. Non-native vegetation can easily get diseases and die out, or takes too much work to sustain.

Non-native vegetation can be poisonous to local vegetation – Plants that are not native to your area may be invasive and in most cases can pose a threat to the local vegetation. This poison might be because of the plant’s self-defense mechanism, growth patterns, and struggle for survival in their new environment.

Non-native plants can cause diseases to other plants or animals that are not used to sharing the same space with them, or they might even prove to be harmful to human beings.

Native vegetation will not become invasive – As opposed to other plants that spread uncontrollably and demand too much effort to maintain, native plants are part of the ecosystem and operate with checks and balances that keep vegetation under control.

Furthermore, the vegetation attracts animals and other helpful microorganisms, making them an all-round favorite for the environment. Their root system enriches the soil through enhancing percolation, reducing runoff, and improving the quality of the soil.

Native plants are sustainable – Environmental sustainability is a key issue when it comes to thinking of future generations. The earth had established a system where particular plants grow in particular areas while others thrive someplace else. Growing native plants in your lawn makes it possible for the environment to replenish itself and possibly start to reverse the adverse effects of the gradually changing climate.

Native plants enhance children’s games – Most people make use of the native vegetation to create a play area for their children. Kids love to play with nature, climb trees, hang out in tree houses, or roll on the grass just for fun. Native vegetation will handle such activities without endangering it, or harming the health of the children.

Native vegetation is interesting in all aspects – You can come across trees, shrubs and flowers of different shapes, colors and sizes growing naturally, and this diversity can be points of interest in your lawn or garden. Many of these flora have interesting ways of dealing with the cold winters as well as with the hot summers, and they all have unique growth patterns and pollination procedures.