Landscaping Ideas: OldHouseWeb.com Forum Helps Homeowners Grow a Green Thumb

A new OldHouseWeb.com forum thread focuses on landscaping ideas for homeowners. Garden guides everywhere agree that a carefully developed landscaping design plan can help homeowners save time and money. OldHouseWeb.com provides a multitude of resources with creative suggestions for budget-minded homeowners looking to give their yards a face-lift this summer.

(PRWeb) July 2, 2007 -- A new forum thread on OldHouseWeb.com -- a how-to site offering ideas, articles and resources to old-house enthusiasts -- offers a variety of landscaping tips. From flower choices to detailed garden set-up and landscape lighting advice, the diverse thread currently contains 34 postings from 13 forum members, each offering a different landscape design vision.

A Massachusetts homeowner started the thread earlier this month, seeking landscaping suggestions: "I definitely want something on the low-maintenance side, as I basically can kill a cactus!" he said. His inquiry includes several photographs of his home encouraging more personalized responses (http://www.oldhouseweb.com/newBB/topic-13768.shtml).

Several members described flower options, such as hydrangeas, a choice echoed by virtually all of the respondents. Other members offered complete landscape design plans, such as a central Connecticut homeowner, who suggested filling the spacious yard with blooms for varying seasons:

•    Forsythias: yellow blossoms before anything.

•    Azaleas: for late spring.

•    Rhododendrons: for early summer.

•    Rose of Sharon or Hibiscus: for late summer.

•    Chrysanthemums: for fall.

Several members posted pictures, such as one offering photographs of hydrangea varieties. Others added "inspiration" photos of various gardens throughout New England

(http://www.oldhouseweb.com/newBB/topic-13768.shtml).

The OldHouseWeb.com gardening page covers issues from backyard ponds and swimming pools to garden winterization (http://www.oldhouseweb.com/gardening/Gardening/). Although a do-it-yourself approach may save time and money, it can easily become a costly headache if done incorrectly. Some commonly overlooked landscaping issues include:

•    Sun: deciduous trees protect the house from summer sun.

•    Shade: certain plants are shade-intolerant.

•    Size: time and resources required for maintenance should be considered when deciding on the area's size.

•    Soil: test the soil for fertile pH levels to ensure healthy plant growth.

The active forums, the variety of landscaping articles and links, and a supplier/product directory help make OldHouseWeb.com an ideal resource for finding landscaping design ideas.

OldHouseWeb.com is a complete old-house remodeling interactive Web site offering old-house enthusiasts how-to resources spanning several industries from cabinetry to architecture. OldHouseWeb.com includes before and after renovation pictures, feature articles, a product showcase and an active forum featuring thousands of questions, solutions and successes.

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