My Landscape Design

Residential landscaping is a huge field that has many potential applications. It allows you to create your “own little haven”, whether you live in a small house or a mansion, the landscaping can still be tailored to suit your taste and personality. You can have a small piece of paradise all by your very own backyard. 

Many landscaping companies specialize in residential landscaping Melbourne design and services. If you want to give your home a makeover, residential landscaping may be a great option for you. Here are some tips to assist you in landscaping your backyard.

Basics

Adding landscape lighting to your yard will bring it to life at night, even in the darkest of nights. Landscaping with water features can turn your simple backyards into an oasis. Water features such as fountains, birdbaths, or even a waterfall add to the beauty and tranquillity of your landscaped backyard. Water features such as a birdbath can provide much-needed relief from stress during those long, lazy days at work. A beautiful water feature can create the perfect romantic setting for a couples’ retreat or just a place for the family to relax.

Landscaping provides the perfect backdrop for outdoor living. Outdoor living areas, such as porches, decks, or patios, look stunning when decorated with lush landscape plantings. The tropical landscapes of bamboo, palms and bamboo wood furnishings create a rustic atmosphere where one can feel both relaxed and invigorated. 

In the winter months, ornamental grasses in the form of lawn umbrellas, cool-planting flowers in the form of hibiscus, or the flowering vines of grapevines all add to the soft natural feel of a landscaped yard. With outdoor living and dining areas, residential landscaping services can be provided on an ongoing basis to enhance the ambience and convenience of your home.

Property Value

If you are looking for ways to improve the curb appeal of your house and add value to your property, residential landscaping can help. Curb appeal refers to the appeal that a property has for potential buyers. Landscaping increases the curb appeal by increasing the level of privacy and functionality of the property. 

Residential landscaping can be done to increase the property’s value, to make it safer and more secure, or to provide the ideal backdrop for outdoor living. Curb appeal is also influenced by the elements that the property possesses, such as location, design, materials used, colour scheme, and so on.

Comfort and Safety

Landscaping can also help create a more comfortable living space for residents. Landscaping can add the right type of design elements to make the outdoor space more user-friendly. Design professionals at residential landscaping services maintenance services can help homeowners create a unique living space that will provide the relaxation and entertainment they need. Plants, trees, flower beds, and even seating are used to create outdoor spaces that improve the overall look of the property.

Residential landscaping can help enhance the safety of your home. Landscaping can provide you with added security by increasing the amount of open space in your yard, decreasing the likelihood of intruders breaking into your home, and increasing the visibility of your home’s landscaping. 

Lawn Care

Finally, landscaping can also help improve the lawn care provided by your household. Professional landscaping services can give your lawn the kind of look that only a professional can achieve. An attractive lawn can attract not only neighbourhood children but also people who might be looking for residential landscaping services and maintenance services that can help maintain the lawn in top condition. A well-maintained lawn provides healthy living conditions for both people and pets.

Landscaping can also help increase the quality of life for everyone who lives in your house, by adding features like walkways and decks, as well as adding plants and flowers to make the exterior of the house beautiful. Landscaping can make a difference in the appearance and value of your home. If you’re ready to get started, contact a residential landscape design professional today!…

There are various types of pools to choose from for your backyard. You will have to consider the size, shape and depth before you decide on which one to install. Different pools require different materials to build it. If you are handy to use some of the available tools, then you can go ahead with the building process. However, if you are not familiar with hammering, sawing or any other of the construction materials, you need to hire the services of an experienced contractor like Bali Pools Brisbane, for instance, to do the job.

You may also want to decide on whether to go for an above ground or below ground pool. In this article, we will discuss a little about the above ground pools and their advantages over the fiberglass and concrete ones.

Different Types of Pools For Your Home

All different pools mentioned in this article are available in different sizes and all serve their purpose. However, based on your personal preference, you can pick the one that best suits your needs. For example, you can have a small spa in the backyard, as compared to a large acrylic one. Here are the different kinds of vinyl pools you can purchase for your house:

• Indoor pools: These pools are usually placed inside of your home. You will have to take care of the water and keep the debris off the walls so that it does not get stained or moldy. This type of swimming pool only requires minimal effort for maintenance. If you buy one with glass tile, then you can easily install the swimming pool lights. The inground pool on the other hand needs to be installed with the help of a professional.

• Inground swimming pools: A very popular type of swimming pool that is built in the ground. These are usually made out of molded artificial rock and concrete. The best thing about these pools is that you can use whatever you want to design them as per your taste and the theme of your home. The downside however is that they can be dangerous for children and toddlers. In order to make this pool as safe as possible, you need to consider building a wall and invest in building in durable materials. The common materials used for building inground pools include wood, tile, concrete and steel.

• Above ground pools: You can also opt for building a customized above ground swimming pool. These can also be made according to your specific and personal tastes. You can select from a variety of pool shapes including L shape, K shape, rectangular pools and many others. Again, there is a risk for younger children involved, so the most important thing is that you need to keep the above ground pool area well-maintained in order to prevent the children from falling in.

• Freeform pools: If you want to create a unique swimming pool design, the best choice for you would be a freeform pool. These are available in a variety of shapes such as an octagon, perimeter loops, in ground circles, quadrant circles, perimeter loops, or any other shape you can come up with.

• Infinity Pools: One of the most popular and probably most impressive looking types of pools is the infinity pool. Here, the water flows over one or more edges and creates the visual effect of endless water. Especially when paired with an ocean view, a nice infinity pool on your property can give you the feeling of swimming in the ocean.

• Vinyl pools: With the help of vinyl, any shape or any type of pool can be designed. If you want to have the traditional patio pool, you can try installing the vinyl swimming pools. These are very affordable as well as durable. However, you should know that different types of concrete pools require different amounts of maintenance and repair.

• Spa Pool: If you don’t have the space to build a big swimming pool inside your home or in your backyard, a small spa would be a great solution for you. Like that you are not missing out even though you only have little space and can enjoy relaxing hours with your loved ones.

These are the different types of swimming pools available for you to choose from. It would be best if you would base your decision on the theme and design of your home. You can search for the perfect swimming pool shapes by visiting various websites that offer a wide array of swimming pool shapes. You can also visit various pool building shops so as to get information on all the details of pool building material including concrete, fiberglass, vinyl, stone and many more.…

The search for a meticulous crew to handle university grounds maintenance can be wearying for administrators. Campus grounds maintenance is a fundamental landscaping component for higher education institutions. 

These days, university administrators have a vested interest in outsourcing external contractors for the role. There is some amount of fallacy about the undertakings of the position. For the sheer benefit of providing clarity, university groundskeeping is a component of the faculty by extension. 

Landscaping and groundskeeping responsibilities vary from one university to another. However, typical functions include extensive property maintenance and low-level security surveillance.  

Is outsourced university groundskeeping worth the money?

Going into this partnership blind can be menacing because groundskeeping has multiple layers. Although universities generally carry in-house landscaping and groundskeeping personnel, these days, budget restraints outweigh cultural commitment. The need for remunerative cost-reduction intervention across the faculty remains a paramount goal for the continuance of universities. 

Groundskeeping and landscaping involve tedious routines, albeit undercutting these roles can be devastating. Instead, consider hiring professional university grounds management and maintenance on an ad hoc basis. With outsourced contractors, universities are in for impeccable grounds maintenance services such as:

• Horticultural features maintenance 
• Fine-turf care and maintenance
• Groundscape inspection and maintenance (repairs)
• Recreational grounds and facility maintenance
• Environmental services
• Landscaping

Having this flexible alternative reduces overall spend on university groundskeeping. The cost of maintaining and protecting campus aesthetics will decrease substantially with reduced payroll hours. Plus, it’s an opportunity to work with highly skilled contractors. These groundskeepers will demonstrate a higher level of proficiency, expertise, and resourcefulness on the job. 

Another cost-saving point here is that outsourced groundskeepers come equipped with all necessary resources. On a positive note, this eliminates fuel costs since it comes with the service or package. Universities spend generously on groundskeeping equipment maintenance and repairs yearly too. So, outsourced groundskeeping can reduce how much universities spend on property maintenance each year. 

Eliminate groundskeeping management cost

Universities cannot have groundskeepers without a supervisory team on the payroll. Without this, quality control suffers. In comparison, an entire university grounds maintenance crew costs a fraction of salaried staff compensation. It translates to successful execution with fewer workers to pay, reduced stress, increased productivity, and higher efficiency.

Excellent groundskeeping etiquette

Campus grounds see tons of incoming and outgoing traffic daily. Groundskeepers can be a distraction and also slow down the pace of events on the property. Having received world-class training on stealth operation, outsourced university grounds maintenance workers know how to apply themselves.

Communicative groundskeeping partnership

As the university strives for enhanced security and seamless groundskeeping services, it is prudent that there is no gap in communication. What it needs is a communicative partnership where the crew duly follows directives and suggests improvements when necessary. The team answers an executive body that manages the process. 

Perks of hiring professional university groundskeeping service

Picturesque university grounds with well-maintained amenities and horticultural features generate positive industry recognition. It is impossible to make a lasting first impression with substandard groundskeeping service. Whether the aim is to inspire students, future faculty members, benefactors, or preserve the status quo, quality groundskeeping counts. 

Plants, shrubs, and turfgrass have slightly different care requirements and require well-trained, knowledgeable professionals with a comprehensive background in groundskeeping service to know how to care for each accordingly. For effective grounds maintenance, a company like Ficus Landscape Group are the people to call.

With their help, damage to university property aesthetics, vegetation, amenities, and landmark attractions is impracticable. They are diligent, efficient professionals who consistently aim to exceed expectations as well as provide eco-friendly services.

In addition to university grounds maintenance, they also provide landscaping services as well. This eliminates the need to hire another company or retain salaried ancillary staff to take care of landscaping and their routine groundskeeping and landscaping duties often include:

• Floral care
• Vegetation control
• Leaf removal
• Irrigation maintenance
• Turf fertilization/mowing
• Bed soil maintenance
• Tree/shrub grooming maintenance (spraying, trimming)
• Seasonal cleanup (spring, fall)
• Tuft weed control

What do universities stand to gain from outsourced groundskeeping services? It reduces the internal workload and offers a strategic model to keep labor investments feasible. Fewer employees on payroll translate to reduced static billable hours and eliminate compensatory obligations. It is a sustainable campus landscape plan that allows universities to achieve their desired goals faster. 

Want to know more about outsourced university grounds maintenance? Get in contact with Ficus Landscape Group if you’re based in Melbourne or if not, it’s best to research and find the right team local to your area.…

Landscaping for the home or office not only adds a level of style to the surroundings but also creates a beautiful space which allows you to use your outdoor area in completely new ways. But before you begin you have to find the best landscapers Melbourne and you should get an understanding of your available space so you can plan what features you would like to include in your new garden design. 

In order to create an overall aesthetically pleasing area that also combines usefulness, there are a few elements you should consider:

Plants and flowers 

When thinking of a new, beautiful garden design, plants and flowers are essentials that definitely should not be missing. There are no rules on how to include them, however, there are a few elements that easily add to a pretty and purposeful landscape design: 

1. Green Lawn: The lawn is one of the first things that people notice when they look at a landscape. Keeping it green and healthy might come along with a few difficulties, however, organic lawn foods and regular fertilizing and watering can help to grow that lush green grass.

2. Companion Planting: Planting in pairs helps plants to thrive, and coupled with the right partner plant, will add to the beauty of your garden. Sunflowers are a great choice, as they do not only look absolutely stunning, they also support the growth of any other plant. 

3. Purposeful Plants: When choosing plants that are an eye-catcher for your new garden design, you may also consider choosing edibles like blueberries, tomatoes and zucchini. These plants benefit the visual appearance on the one side but provide delicious homegrown food on the other side.

4. Elevated Garden Beds: Raised beds come with many benefits for your garden. As a stylish feature, they add depth to the garden but are also hard to reach for hungry critters.

Water Features

There is no doubt that a carefully selected choice of beautiful plants and colourful flowers are an absolute must for every garden renovation. However, Landscaping ideas for your new garden design can also include other features, like the placement of water for instance. There are different ways of involving water into your outdoor space, depending on the situation:

1. Natural Swimming-Pond: If your outdoor area provides the required space, building a natural swimming pond as part of your landscaping comes with many benefits. While offering the convenience of cooling down on hot summer days, you don’t have to expose your body to countless chemicals as we do in typical swimming pools. Additionally, swimming ponds create a relaxing atmosphere that helps to calm down after a stressful day. 

2. Fountain: Where there is no space for a natural swimming pool, but still a desire for a relaxing water feature, fountains are a good solution. Either by themselves or in combination with a little fish pond, the soothing sound of slowly splashing water is always balsam for the soul.

3. Wine Barrel Pond: Cutting a wine barrel in half and adding different garden essentials, like water lilies, for instance, makes a lovely mini pond. This idea not only saves a lot of space, but it also creates a gorgeous rustic flair. Wine barrels can easily be found at flea markets, thrift shops, and wineries. 

4. Bathtub Pond: An old bathtub made of metal works just as well as an old kitchen sink to create a customized little water garden. Adding flora, stones, and even glass items to your taste make your water garden unique. If the tub is big enough, you can even consider adding a few fish to bring the water garden to life. 

Seating Area

When putting all this effort into a new landscape design, the most important element would be a place to relax and enjoy your garden. There are many different ways of including a nice and cozy seating area for your backyard:

1. Tree Swing: If you have big trees in your backyard and are not quite sure how to make use of them, you should definitely consider attaching a tree swing. Not only is a tree swing a relatively affordable way of including a seating area in your backyard, but it also creates a dreamy atmosphere and invites for chilled afternoons with a good book. 

2. Wooden Bench: This can either be a floating wooden bench or a bench made of split logs. In any case, wooden seating elements are a gorgeous idea if you are after creating a rustic feel for your garden. They would also go perfectly with a little wine barrel pond to complete that rustic style. 

3. Cushioned Sofa: For maximal comfort in your outdoor area, you should consider adding cushioned sofas in your seating area. Perfect for an afternoon nap in the sun, they also create the perfect space for a weekend catch up with friends and family.

4. Patio Table and Chairs: For a lovely but more traditional seating area, a wrought iron patio table with matching chairs are a great option. Perfect to enjoy a little breakfast or your afternoon tea, this seating area looks amazing on a raised deck.

Decorative Items

To complete the landscape design of your new garden, several decorative items can be considered that provide the final touches:

1. Pavilion: A pavilion in your backyard is not only a stylish element that protects you from the Australian sun, but it can also add to a holiday feeling of your backyard. 

2. Firepit: One