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You're remodeling your home to give it a more modern look, and you know your landscaping needs updating as well. You'd do your own contemporary landscaping if you could, but are not familiar with what's required to create effective landscaping, so are leaning toward hiring a landscaping firm. But, if you had some contemporary landscaping ideas, you just might be able to do the job yourself.

There is no single style of landscaping to which the term contemporary landscaping can be applied. Many owners of modern homes, in fact, have complemented their houses with English gardens or other traditional landscaping looks, so if you like traditional in a landscape, use it for your contemporary landscaping and enjoy it.

Traditional Elements in Contemporary Landscaping

What exactly is the appeal of the English Garden for those using it in their contemporary landscaping?

It's all in the flowers. They are especially appealing to those who have large yards, with lots of space for the prototypical bloom of the English Cottage Garden, the rose. Rosebushes need room, and lots of it.

Classically beautiful roses will add charm, color, and fragrance to your contemporary landscaping like few other flowers can. Available in shades from the subtle and sedate to the outrageously gaudy, roses will give you your choice of color schemes. You can buy them as compact buses, or as climbing roses to grace your fences and trellises. But no matter which varieties of roses you choose to incorporate into your contemporary landscaping, they will all need consistent feeding and pruning.

Another touch borrowed from English gardens which will work well in contemporary landscaping is the herb garden. Herbs can be dried and used in wreaths, sachets, and potpourri; or they can be used fresh or dried to add a gourmet touch in your home-cooked recipes. Before planting a herb garden, however, familiarize yourself with the spreading habits of various herbs, because some of them, like mint, are notoriously invasive and can end up taking over your contemporary landscaping.

Otther Contemporaty Landscaping Ideas

Another contemporary landscaping look which many people find attractive is achieved with planting fauna of various colors and textures to form patterns. Fauna planted this way can created unique and exotic designs, but can be very difficult to establish and maintain. So this might be one contemporary landscaping technique best left to a professional!

For more contemporary landscaping ideas, pay a visit to your nearest garden center. They will have a wide selection of plants for your consideration, and customer service people to help you choose the ones best suited for your light and soil conditions.

And even more contemporary landscaping advice is only an Internet connection and search engine query away!

Few homes stir the typical notion of lush gardens that an English cottage house plan can invoke. English cottage house plans bring to mind storybook fantasies of roses covering a trellis and climbing on thatched roofs. However, thatched roofs aren't practical or allowed construction material in many places. But for those who think the best part of the home is the garden, an English cottage house could be a dream home.

Beautiful English cottage house plans cry out for well designed landscaping plans that match the cottage feel you are trying to attain. Custom gardens designed by a professional landscaper will complete the English cottage charm. Professional landscaping plans will assure you that the garden plants are well suited to the climate and housing style. However, cost may be a stumbling block as landscapers tend to be quite expensive.

Pre-designed garden plans can be adjusted for your property and this type of approach is more affordable. The downside is that pre-designed garden plans won't give you the customized look you are seeking. But, if gardening is a beloved hobby for you, then consider designing custom garden plans yourself to match your English cottage house plans. Designing your own custom garden plan would be a time consuming task, but no one else would have a garden like yours.

Begin with an aerial drawing the property. Use the house placement as your starting point. Gardening magazines and books can give you lots of ideas. Study garden themes such as rock gardens, herb gardens and shade gardens. You can also research design principles such as symmetry, color and height coordination.

When all is said and done, the choice is still up to you. Build your English garden to match your English cottage house plans the way you see it in your mind and the result will be perfect as long as you like what you see.

The key to starting a new vegetable garden is the actual garden location. You can change many things about a garden, even upgrading the soil with compost and other amendments, but the location is something that you will have to live with.

A successful garden will have several common elements:

Convenient to the house: If the garden is too far removed, you won't be inclined to run out there to pick something fresh whenever the mood strikes. Additionally, if you are tilling or hauling in waste for the compost pile, you don't want to go a long way with your equipment. The same goes for hauling bags of fertilizer, flats of plants, or bales of peat moss to the vegetable garden. Finally, if you have to irrigate with the garden hose, you don't want to be dragging long sections of hose from the house.

Screening: Depending on your individual gardening style, you may decide that it is better to shield the garden from view if you are not one that likes to keep it neat and tidy. If you plan to have an open compost pile near the garden that may be a concern as well.

Sunlight: Obviously, to have a successful vegetable garden, you will need an adequate amount of sunlight. You should get at least 6 hours a day. Often this means you need a southern exposure. But take a look around, are there trees that will be growing to a height in the near future that will reduce this sunlight.

Nearby trees and bushes: We worry a lot about weeds, but keep in mind the invasive root systems from trees and other large bushes. Spreading trees with shallow root systems like willows are to be avoided. We've had bushes like trumpet creepers and honeysuckle that can have very aggressive root systems as well.

Drainage: Take advantage of the natural lay of the land to optimize your garden watering. But be careful to avoid low spots that can lead to puddling and pooling, which are major problems for growing almost all vegetables.

Critters: Finally, depending on the local "pests", you may want to be able to shield the garden from attack. While birds can often get in almost anywhere, you may decide you want to fence the garden in to avoid visits from deer, raccoons, turtles, rabbits, or any other walking critters.

A garden can be a wonderful pastime, paying off not only in fresh produce for your kitchen table, but in the connection with nature. Careful selection of your garden location will help to ensure that it is as rewarding as possible.

For a very few homeowners, a front and backyard of just grass abutting up to their home's walls is enough. They like the simplicity and ease of maintaining their yard – just mow and go. But most of us like a bit of color. A walkway. Perhaps a trellis. Maybe a flower border. Something more than just a small patio slab left by the builder just outside the backdoor.

But then we think of the work involved. The cost. The planning involved.

"Maybe the idea of big grassy yards front and back isn't so bad," we might think. "Backyard landscaping, front yard landscaping just isn't for us.

But wait. Take a deep breath. Slow down.

Landscaping needn't be that difficult.

Take backyard landscaping, for instance. When you think of your backyard, you think of rest and relaxation, don't you? A sunny place for perhaps a barbecue. A warm spot on which to lie on a hammock, swing in the breeze, read a book and then take a snooze.

So keep it simple.

Here's a simple backyard landscaping idea: Why not install a flowerbed of blooming plants that attract butterflies? You can place it somewhat in the middle of your yard. It will become a focal point and just wait until your friends and neighbors come to visit! (Perhaps you'll want to have book on butterflies handy, see who can spot the most different kinds.)

For backyard landscaping ideas that attract butterflies, check out the National Wildlife Federation's information on the subject here.

For a truly simple design, why not "just" have a lovely patio, with shrubs and/or flowering plants along its edges? A good cement/concrete contractor can pour a patio in an oval, curved or just about any shape for you. Add some shrubs, plants and/or some solar patio lights would make a lovely – and simple and peaceful – backyard landscape for you.

Speaking of shrubs, they can be a simple, inexpensive addition to your landscaping. Place them in front and in the back of your home, right up against the walls. They add great curb appeal without a lot of muss and fuss. And your shrubbery needn't be just different shades of green – many shrubs flower and provide wonderful bursts of color. Check out azalea, lilac, hydrangea, shrub rose, and dogwood at your local nursery to see if they appeal to you.

Don't forget plants that are native to your area. Head to your nursery or do some research on the Internet to see what plants are native to your state. A simple Google search of, say, "Pennsylvania native plants" will give you a wealth of information. Choosing native plants give you peace of mind because you know they do well in your climate and therefore will be easier to take care of.

Place wood chips around your shrubs, trees and bushes. They cover up the dirt – thus giving your landscaping a more polished look – and they also help cut down on weeds. They also provide food as they break down and help keep your plants moist.

Finally, don't forget the lawnchair – the perfect addition to your backyard landscape. After all, now that your simple backyard landscape is done, it's time to put your backyard to its real use – a lovely spot for a relaxing snooze on a summer Sunday afternoon.

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When homeowners decide to install a water garden on their property, they often expect a beautiful area where they can relax in peaceful contemplation. However, once you've had a water garden in your yard for a few weeks, you will start to notice that you are not the only one who is enjoying the beauty of your new landscaping feature. A water garden can be an attractive draw for all kinds of wildlife. When you have a water garden, you are rolling out the red carpet for some of nature's most beautiful creatures from delicate butterflies to quirky tree frogs in bright, eye-catching colors. A water garden brings the unique wildlife of your region out of the shadows so that you can get to know them, and you just might be surprised at what you discover.

Some of the Earth's most beautiful insects are likely to be drawn to your water garden. Many water garden owners are delighted to start each day by discovering a few energetic dragonflies hovering over the water's surface, or skimming through the air with their bright blue and green bodies flashing in the sun. Dragonflies lay their eggs in water, which makes them common visitors to water ponds. In addition to dragonflies, you are likely to see a host of butterflies who will likely be drawn to your water garden in order to drink. The cool, clean moving water of your tended water garden looks very attractive to these tiny creatures who are constantly in search of a few droplets of crisp water to sip on.

In addition to creatures that are lovely to look at, you will also notice that your water garden draws animals who create an enchanting live soundscape. Birds of all shapes and sizes will want to spend time visiting your water garden where they can bathe and drink to their hearts' content. This will leave your yard filled with the pleasant, beautiful tones of all manner of bird song. At night, when the birds have flown off to sleep in safer areas, your water garden will likely play host to a bevy of frogs that will croak you a lullaby in deep bass tones.

One of the most exciting things about the fact that a water garden attracts wildlife of all shapes and sizes is that getting up close and personal with all of these types of animals enables you to observe them at all stages of life. A water garden often provides you with an opportunity to see frogs develop from tadpoles, and to watch different kinds of butterflies come and go with the seasons. Chances are, if you spend enough time watching the different visitors to your water garden, you are bound to learn a few things about nature that you never knew, and that is the very best kind of surprise.