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Landscape Design Principles
A great landscape design does not appear overnight. Idea's may spring forth, or be knocked down, but there is an extensive need to have some kind of overall cohesion between what is idea and what is practical. There are a few key considerations to take into account when designing any kind of landscape.
The first factor that you should think about is how much are you willing to spend. There is virtually no end to the dollar value of landscaping choices. There are all kinds of costs associated with a landscape design, some of which can include material, labor, necessity of hiring a contractor. It is important to realize that a truly fabulous design can take some kind of investment, but remember that it is an investment that can take place over the course of a few years. Generally it is the kind of investment that will add dollar values to your property.
The next factor to consider is the actual make up of your property. What do you currently have going on there in your space. Is there a natural drainage path, for example winter run off. Do you have spots in your yard in the spring that are just mucky patches of water? Are there natural slopes to your yard, hills, or extreme unevenness. Thirdly, what kind of material are you working with? What is the condition of your soil, very rich, very poor? Are you in an area which is extremely rocky, extremely grassy. Always take into consideration what is available to you in your own yard, be willing to work with what you have. A rocky yard would make an excellent rock garden filled with sedum and moss. Remember that trying to transform a yard completely costs money. So taking out all that rock and filling it in with a rich soil will only add to your costs.
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Low Maintenance Landscaping / Go Green by Planting California Natives
Do you want an ocean friendly garden that saves you time and money? Introduce some California native plants into your garden.
Planting natives is a way to replace some of the natural habitats that have been destroyed by development. Native birds are attracted to native plants and will benefit your garden by eating mosquitoes and plant-eating insects.
Many California natives require little or no watering and have developed a resistance to diseases and pests, eliminating the need for pesticides. Pesticides kill beneficial as well as harmful insects, pollute groundwater, harm wildlife, and take money out of your pocket. Eliminating pesticides decreases the amount of toxins running down our storm drains and into our water systems. Reducing the use of pesticides is beneficial to the ocean, wildlife, and to public health.
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Growing Christmas Cactus
So often people purchase a Christmas Cactus at holiday time, while full of blooms and buds. Once they get it home, however, they find that they are not all that easy to care for. They produce few flowers, if any at all. Foliage becomes withered and scraggly. So what are they doing wrong?
Perhaps the biggest mistake made with these plants is not giving them enough sun. So often I hear complaints from friends and family that their cactus doesn't do much of anything. In fact, it is barely alive. Forgetting that it is a cactus, they stick these plants in a room with little sunlight, which creates a sparse, sickly appearance. Cactus' thrive in bright sun and love the heat, but do not like to be kept too damp. Soil should be rich and not too moist, and adding a top dressing of compost a few times a year is a good idea to provide nutrients. Unlike most other houseplants, forgetting to water them for a week or two will not hurt them. Cactus are meant to grow in hot, dry situations.
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How to maintain a wood deck
Keeping your deck safe and looking good over the years requires regular attention. This is a good task to add to your annual spring landscape projects. Replace warped, broken, or rotted boards. Generally inspect the structure and make fixes to any structural components. Cleaning, staining and sealing the deck will have to be done periodically and there are many products lining the home improvement store shelves. It is helpful to educate yourself before heading for your local building center or DIY store. 
Deck Stripper
You will need a stripping agent if you want to remove stain, sealant or clear coats. You can then use the wood brightener after this step.
Deck Cleaners
These products are used to prepare wood decks before staining and are applied with a sprayer and left to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before power washing or scrubbing your deck. It is recommended to use this procedure even for new wood decks as the wood sometimes has a film from the factory that prevents the stain from being properly absorbed.
Wood Brighteners
When restoring and re-staining a deck brighteners are used after the deck cleaner to restore the natural color of the wood and remove stains. Products are available in different forms for different methods of applications (mop, sprayer, power washer).
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Kid-powered garden at San Jose Zoo
STUDENTS CREATE A CRITTER HAVEN
By Holly Hayes
Mercury News
Article Launched: 03/29/2008
A little garden of California native plants is taking root at San Jose's Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, thanks to an ambitious group of fifth-graders who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. There was a prize involved - a trip to Disneyland - but more on that in a minute.
The students, 10- and 11-year-olds who attend St. Simon School in Los Altos, approached the park earlier this year about starting the garden, which is designed to educate the public about vanishing habitats for small creatures such as toads, lizards, snakes and birds. The garden was planted last month in a scene of "controlled chaos," according to teacher Marc Ortiz.
"They had so much fun," Ortiz said. "Out of the 34 students in my class, 31 were there that day. I wasn't sure they'd all show up because it was after school. A lot of the parents came, too. It was very rewarding." In addition to digging in the dirt, the students released earthworms to help
aerate the soil and ladybugs to keep garden-defoliating insects at bay. But before a single trowel dug a single planting hole, there was research to be
done.
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