So what decisions should you make when selecting trees and shrubs?

Growing Zone: Your new plantings should relate to your growing zone. I know I cannot grow palm trees in my zone 5 climate. I could grow a crape myrtle but its technically a zone 6 and I am a zone 5 so I would have to baby it in the winter and would probably have to replace it after a harsh winter. Tip: You could check for a microclimate in your backyard or grow the specimen as a container plant.

Size: How tall will this tree grow? Will it invade the electric lines or break up a sidewalk or foundation wall? Does the over all size match the size of your home? Maples and oak tree look nice near a farmhouse or story house but dwarf a ranch style home. Check the growing tag and see how tall and wide the tree will grow.

Lighting and water: Does this shrub need a lot of light or will it do well in a grouping or under a tree? Will it tolerate wet feet or does it need a dry location. Also does it require a lot of water to survive? If you live in an arid climate you may want to select plants with low water needs.

Care: Does this plant need pruning, loose branches easily or have fruit that need so be picked up and disposed of? Some trees and shrubs have few diseases or care requirements. If you’re not a person who wants to spend a lot of time cleaning the backyard low maintenance planting are your best choices.

I have a weeping willow in my yard, which I really enjoy. But its constant care picking up branches after a storm and it also has a few insects that like to invade the trees so its high maintenance. When it’s gone I will probably not replace it.

Display: Will you select a plant that has winter color? How about fruit or berries? Shape may also be a choice. Harry Lauder’s walking stick makes an interesting display in the winter with its twisted branches. Pines add green to a barren winter landscape and flowering trees and bushes will add color all year long if selected carefully.

There are many considerations to be made when selecting new trees and shrubs but there is one that you should keep in mind while buying. That cute tiny plant will grow – remember to check the growing tag. The growing tag will give you information about daily care, planting and future care.

Your local extension office or conservation office has information on plants suitable for your area. Take advantage of their services. Your backyard will appreciate it!

I’ve lived in cities where the only available space was container gardens or windows. I rented and had to work out a system where you get a landlords permission to do any backyard activity and I’ve been blessed with unlimited space in a rural setting. All situations have challenges and steps to make the best use of any space available.

So even if you live in a city or town you will be able to find a way to use some of the space available to you even if it’s a windowsill, patio, balcony or rooftop.

One step in backyard or garden design is to simplify your work. You want a beautiful garden and living space but setting up an easy design with multiple uses for each space will give you more time to enjoy the yard and family activities.

So as a starting point consider these questions to help you design the perfect backyard oasis.

1. Uses for the yard. Is it mainly relaxation where a garden, patio or swimming area will be a focal point?
2. Ages that will use the yard. And will these ages be changing in a few years. This will determine if a backyard area is childproofed, if a pool is a useful option or if outdoor buildings such as a workshop or potting shed would be handy.
3. Is the size of your available space a major consideration? Will each area need to serve a variety of uses to encompass everyone’s needs? Is your available space limited to a porch or small space by a garage? Small spaces create challenges but make beautiful hideaways.
4. How to blend the new design in with your home and any design elements currently in place.
5. And most important is the amount of money and time you are willing to devote to planning a design for your living space.

Backyard Oasis is offering a contest from March 16th to 23rd to help you with backyard design. Just place a comment below this article on what area of your yard you would like to have a fresh new look for. Three selected ideas will have a design made for their yard. The designs will be made with cost effective plans.

One the country road I grew up on, every house had at least one lilac tree. Spring had arrived when the lilacs bloomed. But this was the problem. Lilacs bloomed in the spring and then they silently blended into the backyard.

Now there are three varieties of Lilac’s that rebloom again during the same year. They do not bloom with the same exuberance of the first bloom display. But you will be able to enjoy the fragrance and color of the lilac for a longer period.

Lilacs such as the ‘Josee’ will bloom intermittently throughout the growing season after the first early bloom. It is considered a dwarf lilac and will grow 4 to 6 foot tall and about 5 foot in diameter. It will grow in zones 2 through 9.

The Josee has the capacity to rebloom 3 to 4 times per year if the summer is warm and long. It has even flowered as late as October in some cases. To improve the bloom capacity, remove the faded flowers as soon as they dry up. Shearing the plant each year will improve branching and stimulate new growth.

The Bloomerang is another reblooming dwarf lilac. It does not have as many blooms as the Josee but still will add color to the landscape. It also grows in zones 2 through 9.

The advantages of the smaller lilac are that they will work better in a small landscape design, or as a focal point in a small garden area. Have small leaves they would also work well near a pool or pond.

The Superba Littleleaf lilac is a little larger lilac that will rebloom in late summer or early fall.

Lilacs are traditionally large shrubs that can reach 20 feet tall and tends to spread outward with age. The above-mentioned cultivars are smaller and are more compact.
Lilacs can become quite dense so they are often used as a loose hedge or as a screening plant. With their seasonal flowering its best if you want a colorful yard to add flowers near the shrub base or garden art to add interest and texture.

One of the easiest small greenhouses is created by using a 2 or 3 liter clear pop bottle and cutting the top off about 3 inches from the bottom.  Full instructions for a pop bottle greenhouse can be found here: Pop Bottle Greenhouse

Creating a small Indoor Greenhouse

For a larger mini indoor greenhouse you can use an aquarium. Start by cutting a sheet of 1/4-inch-thick, clear plastic, so it is slightly bigger than the top of the aquarium. A tabletop or circular saw can be used to cut the plastic to the proper size. You can also measure the aquarium and buy a piece of Plexi-glass at a local lumber store. I ask for the seconds or left over pieces to get a better price.

Next drill three rows of three 1/4-inch holes in the top of the plastic sheet. You will want to space the holes 1 inch apart and center the rows in the middle of the plastic sheet. This is for ventilation.

Set a seed starting flat in the bottom of a 10 or 20-gallon aquarium. (I buy my used aquariums at an auction house or garage sale. You can either fill the flat with potting soil and sow seeds directly in it or set plant pots inside the flat. I usually set pots in the flat. I have more control over moving plants if they are individually planted in pots.

You will want to place a thermometer inside the aquarium. Choose the thermometers location by checking to see hoe easy it is to view through the glass. Set the plastic cover on top of the aquarium and place it in a brightly lit window or under a grow-light fixture. You now have a controlled climate that is perfect for starting seeds.

You may want to use grow lights for 12 to 14 hours a day, if there is no sunlight available for your greenhouse. My downstairs kitchen has a large window that has available light all day long. If the day is cloudy I might choose add additional lighting. You can tell if you need more lighting if your plants are getting tall and skinny.

Note: Watch your thermometer and remove the top of the greenhouse if the temperature inside climbs above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  The seeds may die if the heat is too warm. Replace the cover when temperatures drop below 80 F. This is a general rule for most seedlings. There are some plants that prefer a cooler starting temperature. To determine the proper temperature, do a little research on the seeds you are starting.

Water the soil in the flat inside the greenhouse when the condensation inside the glass begins to decline. Water from underneath. I use a tray and set the plants in that and them drain. You develop better roots from under-watering and have less soil disease problems.

Don’t over water your plants. Check the condensation and use that as a guide.
Small plastic aquariums make suitable greenhouses for single plants. I often use a small greenhouse like this for sick plants.

The plants you start in your small indoor greenhouse can be used to beautify your backyard gardens and patio areas. And if your children participate they will be able to enjoy the plants during the summer.

If you are planning to add up a decorative area to your home, like a patio, to host your barbecue parties then you must have the proper concrete tools to be assured of a great finish on your patio long before the party.

Many people consider doing their own concrete because of the large cost savings. It is a good idea to do your own concrete if you can. It is helpful to understand what tools you will need and what they are for.

You should be sure that you can obtain in some manner the following tools in order to do your own concrete finish work. It is best to make sure that you have these ready to go long before the first cement truck ever shows up. These tools can help you create a beautiful patio that you can enjoy for years to come.

One of the tools that you will need is called the jointer, or groover. This tool allows you to intentionally put lines in the concrete that act as breaking points. This allows you to control where the concrete may crack. Another tool that is helpful is called the radius or edger. This tool puts a rounded corner on the edge of the concrete to give it a nice, finished look. It also helps to prevent chipping on the edge of the concrete.

The main tool that you will use to finish the vast majority of the concrete is called the float. The float allows you to push the rocks into the cement while bringing the soupy part to the top of the surface to give it a finished surface on the top of the concrete. A trowel is used much in the same way as a float, though it is used in smaller spaces and along the edges where a float has a hard time getting because of the concrete forms.

Then finally, there is the broom. Brooming can be a bit difficult. If you do it too soon it could give an unpleasant finish causing you to have to repeat the trowel process again. If you Broom too late, then you may not be able to achieve the anti-slip finish that you were after.

These are some of the most basic tools that you will need in order to finish the concrete pour. It can be helpful for you to do some research online or perhaps someone else do their concrete pour so that you have a better understanding of how to do it.

The weather and temperature are factors that you will need to pay attention to when you are scheduling a time to do your concrete pour. It is best to make sure that there is no rain in the forecast for a couple of days, if possible. If it is a hot time of year, be sure to do it early or late to make it more pleasant and easier to work with the concrete. Pouring your own concrete for the first time can be a scary thing. Be sure to get a lot of help, especially someone who has done it before to make it easier for you.