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making landscaping beautiful and beneficial


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making landscaping beautiful and beneficial

Landscaping your yard could be more beneficial than you think. The landscaping can actually be more than just beautiful - it could be effective in controlling water flow and pests in your yard. How do you create a landscape design that will be both beautiful and beneficial? Are some plants better and more hardy than others? How do you choose what plants to place where? How much hardscape does your design need? These and many other landscaping questions are answered on my website. Take a moment to read up on my personal experiences and learn from what I have been through in the past.

Make Your Neighbors Green With Envy: Tips For Adding Stripes And Other Patterns To Your Lawn

Are you bored of your Plain Jane lawn? Are you tired of your yard looking like all of the others on the block? Then, why not try to add stripes or another pattern to your lawn? With a few simple tips, your grass can go from boring to exciting. Pretty soon, your lawn will be the talk of the neighborhood.

Choose the Right Grass

If you want your patterns to really stand out, you'll need to start with the right grass. Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are great choices for patterns. Of course, since longer blades reflect more light, a healthy, green lawn cut at a higher height will enhance your pattern.  

Use the Right Mower

When creating lawn patterns, not all mowers are created equal. For a well-defined pattern, you'll need to look for a mower with an attached roller, a cylindrical shaped gardening tool made from plastic or metal. The roller helps bend the grass blades gently. It also smooths your lawn's surface to help make the pattern even.  

A Matter of Direction

While patterns on the lawn often look as if they were created by cutting the lawn at varying heights or using different grass species, it's actually all about direction and light. For instance, when the grass blades are arched away from you, the light reflects off of the longer part of the blade. This causes the grass to look lighter. On the other hand, when the grass blades are angled towards you, the grass looks darker because the blade's reflective surface is shorter.  

Stripes

Stripes are a simple, yet sophisticated way to add some style to your yard. First, you'll want to mow the perimeter of your grass. Then, starting at the edge of the yard, mow one way. When you get to the end of the row, turn and mow the opposite way. Continue with this process until you've finished the yard. Remember to keep your mower as straight as possible. In addition, when you turn your mower, it's important to make slow, wide three-point turns. This practice will prevent your mower from ripping or bruising the grass blades.  

Checkerboard

If you want your yard to sport a checkerboard pattern, you'll want to follow the same rules as you did when making stripes. However, this time, you'll need to create two sets of stripes on your lawn. First, mow north and south stripes and then mow East and West stripes. If you see any irregularities in your pattern, you can mow around the perimeter a second time. This will help conceal any imperfections. Of course, a professional lawn mowing service, like Williams Lawn Care & Landscaping, Inc., can help you get the manicured look you want too.