Outdoor Fire Pits Are a Great Addition to Your Landscape
Have you been searching for a way to change the way your deck or patio looks? Have you considered an open-air room? If so, then an outdoor fire pit or freestanding, pot-bellied fireplace called a chiminea can create a cozy, warm room that you can enjoy even in the harshest winter conditions.
Fire Pits Can Be Used Anywhere and Bring A Beautiful Look To Any Home
The great thing about fire pits is they are great gathering places. A fire pit or fire ring is a great way to enjoy the outdoors year round and gather friends and family.
Fire pits are so good because you can put them anywhere you want – patio, deck or a sheltered courtyard. In simple terms, wherever your group of friends want to hang out, you can move your fit pit to.
Another great thing about fit pits is that they make most any landscape design look flawless. The reason is that they can be found in an array of natural materials:
- Colored concrete
- Metal
- Stone
- Tile
By getting a style that’s similar to your home’s look, you can easily blend it into the existing landscape and give it a relaxed look.
Not only do they come in various materials, they can be found in different designs and shapes – traditional rock fire pits and fire pit tables, to name a couple.
Along with that, you can use the fuel that’s right for you:
- Gel and bio ethanol
- Natural gas
- Wood
- Wood substitutes
10 Helpful Tips To Remember To Get The Most Use Out Of Your Fire Pit Safely
- Be sure the fire pit is in level, stable ground
- Fire pits need to be placed as far back from combustible materials as they can be
- Use well-seasoned, dry firewood
- Hardwoods like ash, hickory, madrone and maple provide a cleaner burn than softwoods like cedar, fir and pine
- If you want smoke-free burning, go with natural gas
- Use wood substitutes like compressed sawdust-comprised logs or wax-based logs to decrease the possibility for sparks and pollution
- Compressed logs can be comprised of molasses, recycled coffee grounds and some wax, which provides a taller, natural flame with a slight sweet scent to it (not a chemical one)
- Make sure you observe fire ordinances; never use fire pits on windy days or days that have been designed no-burn days
- Always have a garden hose or fire extinguisher handy
- Do not ever leave your fire pit unattended or overfill it
Why Should You Choose A Fire Pit
When you live in an apartment or condo, having a log fire is next to impossible. However, a gel-fueled fire pit makes it possible for you to have a “fire” on your patio. They’re also ideal for patios, porches, decks, gazebos and balconies due to their “no mess, no fuss” feature. They are a great way to have a fire whenever you want.
So, sit back, have a cook-out, roast some marshmallows and gab around the fire pit. Or, just make it a romantic night out, extending those warmer months just a little longer.
- Published in Fire Pits, Landscaping
Working with a Landscape Contractor in San Diego CA
A Landscape Contractor Can Help You Build Your Dream Landscape
A landscape contractor help you to construct the landscape you have always wanted. A landscape contractor is a specialty contractor who offers the products and services required for landscape construction; or supplies the management and maintenance needed to keep tasks in prime condition after implementation.
Landscape contractors usually have experience and knowledge of local conditions, such as weather conditions and soil that can affect the result of landscape projects. They likewise typically understand unique challenges presented by a locale where they are working.
What Services do Landscape Contractors Provide?
Landscape contractors are accredited within their state to aid clients with:
- The construction or landscape installation of all hardscape elements (constructed materials such as walkways, decks, gazebos, retaining walls, pergolas, fences, irrigation pipes, sculptures, outdoor fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, arbors, lighting, and fountains).
- The installation of all softscape landscape aspects (natural materials including all plants, soils, mulches, compost).
- Hiring or handling subcontractors (such as painting, electricians, etc.).
- Obtain essential building permits.
- Landscape management and maintenance plans.
- Solve site drainage or hydrology problems.
You will certainly want to identify the scope of services that are required before you engage a landscape contractor. Here are a few things to consider before you continue:.
Determine precisely the services required for your home and make a list of all products.
Develop or Obtain a Map of the Property
It is practical to have a plan of the property so that locations may be easily recognized. Commonly, a copy of the property plat that you received when you acquired your residence suffices to give to the contractor.
Exactly what is My Budget?
For new landscape construction or landscape remodels, identify your total budget for the job. Your landscape contractor should go over the estimated costs with you.
How Do I Find a Landscape Contractor?
Recommendations from friends, local nurseries and garden centers, or by local landscape designers is an excellent way to discover a landscape contractor. Likewise, many landscape contractors belong to their nationwide landscape expert network, called PLANET (PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE NETWORK). Check out the PLANET Web website at http://www.landcarenetwork.org for information and a list of licensed experts by state.
It is advised to speak with a number of landscape businesses to evaluate their prices structure, experience, training, suitability, and time availability. Ask if you can go to websites they have worked with to examine their work, or for a list of references. Inspect to make sure they are certified in the state, and if they have employees compensation and liability insurance. Also make certain to ask how they guarantee their work and for for how long.
When you have actually chosen a contractor, get a written agreement. The agreement ought to specify exactly what you want to have actually done, the approximated costs, and the date of completion. Occasionally modifications or additions might be made throughout the work, so be clear what the added expenses might be.
- Published in Landscaping
Hardscaping San Diego CA
Hardscaping stands for non-living or hard elements, which includes walkways, decks or even ornamental features.
Hardscaping in Garden Design
Hardscapes could be informal or formal, according the preference, style of one’s home and landscape’s surroundings. In hardscaping, textural options should be considered carefully and is given a lot of importance. However, using a single texture can dull the area and make it lifeless. Even so, cluttering with textures can leave it unattractive and crowded.
So how to work out a balance? It is a good idea to go with no more than 2 – 3 textures or hardscape materials. The ones you choose must be appealing to the eyes and compliment and complete the exteriors of your home. Also, consider the drainage system in place, when you are deciding on hardscape elements.
When you plan well, hardscape gardening improves the appeal of your home, not reduce or impair it.
Popular Hardscape Features
Besides decks, patios, driveways and even outside structures, hardscaping options are many.
While paths and walkways are the most common elements in the landscape, pavers, bricks, flagstones, woodchips and other hardscape materials are used to design them.
Also, having walls that include concrete blocks, rocks, railroad tiles or the like are often picked as hardscape features.
Finding hardscaping features like stone or wooden steps or other edging materials within the hardscape garden design isn’t uncommon.
Other Hardscaping Ideas
When picking hardscape features for your home, their purpose and how they will compliment your home’s theme should be considered. Every landscape will need hardscape elements that are meant for a purpose – the purpose you need them for.
For example: You can pick shredded tires for play areas, as they’re soft for kids to play and come in different colors. On the other hand, entertainment or dining areas may need a patio or deck that can hold tables and chairs.
You should also consider backdrops and accessories when picking hardscaping features, as they’re very important part of design elements. For example, a cozy bench can lighten a sitting garden and also offer a cozy seating arrangement.
Water features, ornamental or statuary, can also be considered as hardscape elements.
Using backdrops like fences can be added to your hardscaping plans, as can come in handy as gardening aid for climbers.
Bark, pebbles or even mulch are considered hardscape.
Hardscape landscaping is not very difficult. Planning is all it takes and you could compliment and complete any surroundings and improve the appearance of your yard and home.
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- Published in Hardscapes, Landscape Design
Call a Sustainable Landscaping Contractor for Your Project
Do you live in the California? Then you must know that how important it is for you to save and conserve water for your future use. Water is a very crucial part of everyone’s life. People need water for various reasons and without it life is, undoubtedly, incomplete. After four years of continuous drought Californians are realizing that their landscaping must change. Landscapes must use less water through use of more sustainable landscape designs.
At San Diego Landcare Systems, Inc. we have the expertise, certification and have spent over thirty years working as a sustainable landscaping contractor. We can turn your yard into a beautiful, useful and relaxing oasis that uses very little water.
How To Save Water with Sustainable Landscapes
There are certain ways by which you can save water. You have to make sure that you are following those methods properly for coping up with the drought. Sustainable landscaping is one of the best ways to save some precious water. It also makes your landscape beautiful as well healthy for your living. Some of the ways are –
- Limit or Eliminate Grass – Grass is one of the biggest sources of wasting water outdoors. The larger the lawn the more time and water is required for upkeep. You may also want to consider synthetic turf or even grasses that require much less water.
- Right Selection of Plants – Selecting the right plant based on their adaptability is very important. That is why drought tolerant plants will always be best for the places like Los Angeles and San Diego. They are resistant to droughts and will not need much water. So, you will need minimal watering for these plants which is a great advantage over the non-native plants. This can result in saving a lot of water.
- Mulch – It is good to use mulch wherever possible as it is extremely good for conserving and saving some water significantly. It actually reduces the evaporation of water or moisture from the soil and also reduces the population of unwanted weeds. It thus reduces soil compaction and keeps the temperature of the soil moderate, thus saving a considerable amount of water.
- Efficient Irrigation – Many people water their landscape more than what is actually needed. With the help of sustainable landscaping one can reduce the excess need of water from irrigation.
Hire a Sustainable Landscaping Contractor
For saving some water you need to call a professional landscape contractor who will help you to get the best out of your landscape while making it fit the climate. Before you hire a professional contractor you have to make sure that you are getting the best. Here are some steps for you to choose a sustainable landscaping contractor –
- Reliable and experienced – A reliable and experienced contractor who has worked with many clients can surely guide you in the best way. You will be able to get the most valuable advice from them as they are experienced and also have enough knowledge regarding these. They can guide you properly how you to do sustainable landscaping and save some significant amount of water.
- Portfolio – Check the portfolio and pictures of the landscape projects they have already done. This will give you a good idea about how are they going to do. If you like their work then it is good for you and you can surely go ahead and hire them for designing your landscape.
- Customer Reviews – Appreciation for the works are often given through feedback from the clients. So, it is must for you to check the reviews and feedback from previous clients. .
- Professional Service – Make sure that the service they are providing is enough for you and covers all your needs. The services include many things like – clearing the land, ensuring adequate drainage, proper irrigation system, speciality gardens, safety measures, promoting environmental health and eliminate excess use of water in the landscaping or gardening.
The best way to cover all your bases is by hiring a design & build landscape contractor who can take your project through the entire process from to deign to construction to completion.. Be sure to choose the best San Diego sustainable landscaping contractor for you that will give you the water efficient yard you desire.
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- Published in Landscape Design, Landscaping, Sustainable Landscaping, water conservation, Xeriscaping