Landscaping

Natural pools, Lanscaping and deck construction

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Guide

Freshly Stained Cedar Wood Deck after Renovating old Decking to Look Like New

How to Stain or Paint Cedar Wood Decking when Renovating old Decks

We recently helped renovate and stain a huge red cedar deck that had been exposed to all weathers, ice, rain and simple living - burgers dripping relish and ketchup - and all the things we enjoy on a backyard deck. How to stain or paint an old cedar deck to make it look new and last longer. Staining or painting an…

How to restore a cedar wood deck easily

How to restore a cedar wood deck easily

If you’re looking to learn how to make old deck boards look new, you can easily extend the life of a grey cedar deck by pressure washing and staining. Restoring a weathered cedar deck easily, step by step  Cedar decking boards turn gray in a few short years if untreated, and can make your deck look much older and…

Saving Energy in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs - Our Top Tips to Save Money

Top tips for energy efficient swimming pools - reduce pool cleaning & running costs

Swimming in your own home pool is a great way to stay fit, enjoy time with the family, and top up your vitamin D. But beyond the purchase price, what does it cost to run and clean swimming pools, and how can we best reduce energy costs. Energy efficient & Eco friendly swimming pools - are they even a thing?!  The…

Why you should Never put Coffee Grounds In the Garden

Why to NEVER put coffee grounds on plants or the garden...

When we were spring gardening and had azaleas to plant, we remembered reading that coffee grounds might help certain garden plants so thought we'd check it out. We all know that coffee has many a wonderful benefit, from that ever-so-necessary espresso first thing in the morning, to rubbing it on your skin for a bit…

Swimming Pool Heating - Save energy & money & be Eco-friendly as possible Tips

Heating a Swimming Pool - Top 10 Cost-Efficient & Eco-friendly ways to heat a pool

Heating a Swimming Pool - Top 10 Tips for Cost-Efficient & Eco-friendly ways to heat a pool including planning & building a pool for energy efficiency. Happiness is a warm pool - but how to heat it? Swimming in a warm pool is a wonderful feeling, and while we hear from many pool owners in the cooler states &…

“The perfect lawn” comes with a very heavy environmental cost!

Which are the best bee-friendly & Eco-friendly alternatives to grass lawns in backyards?

Ground covers & succulent plants offer an Eco-friendly alternative to traditional high maintenance lawn, the bonus is, Bees love them too. Alternatives to grass lawns - ground covers!  North American backyards have one main point in common – Kentucky blue grass. But here we’re talking about ground covers and…

Urban farming

Urban Farming turns beautiful gardens into a grocery store!

Sustainable home landscaping has permeable surfaces, doesn't require a lot of watering, and ideally incorporates rainwater collection. Urban farming means you can eat what grows there, and that's even better. How to grow vegetables & fruits in a garden Plants survived long before humans were around to water them, so…

How to Build a Beautiful Cedar Deck that Last - Our Top Tips & Photos

Building a deck ? Our Top Tips to make your deck last longer

How to build decks with greater durability - permits, deck materials, railings, foundations & construction techniques for longer lasting decks including natural wood finishing oils & stains. Deck building tips for a durable deck construction: Meeting setbacks and getting building permits in Canada & US Raised Deck…

Dog strangling vine invasive species

Avoiding invasive species when landscaping

How to identify and choose plants that are native to your region. Invasive plants are defined as plants from other continents, countries or even other regions of Canada. Humans have been introducing foreign plants to new lands since the 17th century, for horticultural, agricultural or medicinal purposes. Due to a…

Permeable interlock pavers & paving stones

Water-permeable landscaping surfaces

How to create landscaping surfaces that allow for the absorption of storm water. Permeable Pavers or Paving Stones are best for Driveways and Paths Gaining an understanding of the importance of stormwater management may steer you towards a design and product choice in interlocking paver stones which will help you…

Edible Perennials

A guide to growing edible perennials.

Whether or not you're interested in edible landscape design, permascaping, or creating a food forest, this list of cold tolerant edible perennials is a great place to start. When beginning to think about permanent edible landscape design and forest gardening, taking in the general concepts of Permaculture can help…

Advice

How do you build a natural swimming pond?

Posted by Beatriz Pitcher Aug. 12, 2022 Natural swimming pools and ponds 3 responses

What lawn alternatives are there?

Posted by Susan Price March 4, 2022 Landscaping 1 response

Questions regarding Gabion wall basket?

Posted by Jan Simms Sept. 16, 2021 Landscaping 2 responses

Has anyone insulated under a swimming pool?

Posted by Randy Parent May 10, 2021 Natural swimming pools and ponds 1 response