Outdoor carpet and multi-purpose flooring options can add to the ambiance of your new outdoor space. Outdoor-specific carpets and rugs, made of durable materials, are also available in trendy patterns and styles. If you want to keep your outdoor area clean, focus on purchasing the most appropriate outdoor flooring that would be the best option for you. Place outdoor carpets or rugs in locations prone to getting dirty. While contemplating the style of outdoor flooring, you should carefully consider its quality, design, and durability.
Durable Outdoor Carpet
Outdoor carpeting is one option that helps enhance your other outdoor features and must be selected very carefully. You can cover a smaller space first to see how it looks. Otherwise, you can go all out, covering large outdoor areas. For more information about the outdoor flooring options, refer to the following points.
Colourful Flooring Options
These days more and more people are going for the colourful options because they help bring your outdoor decor to life. Look for something visually attractive, but at the same time, it should also be durable and easy to clean. If you want something vibrant, go for the dyed yarns that are truly amazing. These options are also stain-and-dirt-resistant and are incredibly soft to the touch.
The Carpet Durability Factor
The most important consideration for purchasing the perfect outdoor flooring should be durability. The weather is brutal on carpets. So choose high-quality material to withstand the weather and last for years.
Some outdoor mats come with a very soft texture, while others are coarse to withstand the daily pressure and wear and tear. It depends on what you feel is most appropriate for your outdoor space.
Visit Rock Bottom Calgary’s Book Consultation page to get started with a free on-site estimate!
Why is fertilizer important? Fertilizers are essential to the health of your garden. They can expedite plant growth, helping create a greener, fuller, healthier garden. For a plant to grow and thrive, it needs several different chemicals like carbon, hydrogen and oxygen – available from air and water and therefore in plentiful supply. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – Three macronutrients in most packaged fertilizers. Sulphur, calcium, and magnesium – Secondary nutrients
Essential Nutrients
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are plants’ three primary nutrients for growth. These will help the plants grow faster and healthier. The numbers on a bag will tell you the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. For example, 12-8-10 has 12 percent nitrogen, 8 percent phosphorus, and 10 percent potassium.
Other facts About Fertilizer
You should expect to have to fertilize at least three times a year. Some techniques would allow you to feed monthly except in winter. Different types of fertilizer last in the soil for various lengths, so how often you provide it depends on which one you use.
You can fertilize throughout the growing season. For example, if it is early spring, consider using a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Or, if plants are setting flower buds, feed your plants a high phosphorus fertilizer. If you aren’t sure, use all-purpose.
If you want to learn more about growing a lush, enviable garden, the experts at Rock Bottom in Calgary can help you with all your landscaping needs!
Homeowners living with dogs want to make their yard dog friendly. After all, a dog is a man’s best friend! That’s why it is essential to have a backyard in Calgary that is accommodating for you and your guests and keeps your dog safe. It may seem like a tricky task, but adjusting the landscaping of your yard to accommodate your dog isn’t as scary as it sounds. We have developed the top tips to make your landscaping in Calgary more dog friendly.
Dog Friendly Landscaping Surfaces
It may seem counterintuitive, but the more grass you have in your backyard, the more challenges you’ll endure as a dog owner. Not only does this relate to the fact that you’ll have to clean up after your pet, but you’ll also need to regularly check for signs of wear and tear.
As an alternative, try thinking about different types of surfaces to fill in your yard. By reducing the surface area covered by grass, you’ll keep maintenance to a minimum. Plus, it may be a relief not to worry about your dog digging up your beloved grass! Think about mulched or pebbled areas. Dogs tend to avoid these surfaces, which will help save your landscaping from deterioration.
Of course, remember not to go overboard! Your puppy still needs a place to play in his beloved grass!
Think About Stronger Grass
When growing grass in your yard, consider the type of grass known to stand up to the traffic and stains created by dogs.
Warm-season grass seeds are the best landscaping solution for homeowners with dogs in Calgary. These blades are more durable than other varieties of grass. As well, their thick texture won’t wear from excess traffic.
Instead, perennial ryegrass seeds may be an excellent landscaping option if you are worried about your dog using your lawn as a bathroom. This hearty option won’t show signs of deterioration if exposed to consistent waste.
Create a Path in your Landscaping
Dogs are usually intelligent and can pick up quickly on subtle training tips. For example, if you are worried about the deterioration of your grass, consider installing a pathway that your dog can patrol. You can even outline that path with rocks, bricks, or concrete to ensure your dog stays on the track.
Consider your Fertilizer
While trying to make your landscaping richer in Calgary, it is essential to remember to use pet-safe fertilizer. Some pet-safe fertilizers dissolve quicker than regular fertilizers, making them safer for dogs and small children. It’s an easy way to make your yard more dog friendly.
Key Takeaways for Homeowners
Designing your backyard has a lot to do with the tendencies of your dog. If your dog consistently gets into mischief, avoid beautiful, exotic flowers, and opt for more durable shrubs and bushes. Instead, if your dog.
If you’d like some advice on designing a dog-friendly back yard, email us
Start your landscaping with a plan. You have bought the house; you have made the desired changes so that it now is your home. Now it is time to look at your landscape.
Your landscape, front, back, and side yards, define your outside space. You can use this space to enhance the look of your home and allow for outdoor living (entertaining, relaxing, and playing). You can even use the area to grow vegetables. Your lifestyle, your desires and the existing land define the possibilities.
Before you call the landscape designer, have a general idea of what you want to see in your space.
Start Your Landscaping With A Plan
The front yard sets the stage; it gives visitors that first impression. You have given much care to the look of the front of your home; do no less for your front yard. Your front yard landscape frames your home. It should enhance its style and blend your home into the surrounding landscape/neighbourhood. It would be best if you considered your front yard first.
Neighbourhood Landscaping
Driveways, walkways, shade trees, front entrance and foundation plantings are first considerations; next, is there room for a patio to take advantage of a view or secluded area? Next, check the neighbourhoods with houses that match your home’s size and style. Is there a landscape that catches your eye? Take notes of what you like about it; take a picture or two if possible (ask for permission). Your Landscape does not have to match your neighbours, but you may want to add an element or two that will help it blend in. For example, you may not want any grass, only a few shrubs amongst various-sized rocks, but a few large trees that match neighbouring trees will blend your home into the neighbourhood. Your landscape designer will put your style into the framework of your home.
Back Yard Landscaping
Primarily, there are no rules to follow for the backyard. The backyard is your private space to use to your (and others living with you) heart’s desire. Please discuss with the other occupants what they want to see or have in the backyard. Next, consider the framework of this part of your yard. Are there existing trees, what condition are they in, and are they in the desired location? Is the view from your front yard critical, or are there areas that need privacy?
Next, consider the elements. Sun: east, west, north or south exposure? Is wind a problem? If younger children are involved, they may want a place to play; teenagers may be looking for a place to hang out, and you may be looking for a place to relax. Finally, you will want your private space to grow with you if you have a growing family. Your landscape designer can help put together a plan complete with simple modifications required to meet future desires.
Side yards may only be wide enough for passage or storage, but don’t overlook them. These areas, if wide enough, can be secluded gardens or seating areas.
Your landscape designer can help you get the most out of every square foot of your property. For expert advice and opinion, email Rock Bottom Landscaping
Unbeknownst to many a homeowner, there is a difference between pruning and trimming when it comes to bushes, plants and shrubs.
Trimming
Trimming is when your hedge or bush begins to grow unevenly and takes on a scraggly appearance. When that occurs, you need to trim them to make them appear more uniform. That’s when you pull out the hedge trimmers and get to work.
And while it does promote new growth, trimming is aesthetically and maintenance based. Trim keeps your bushes and shrubs looking even and uniform while stimulating new top bud growth.
Unless you prefer a wild or more natural look to your hedges and shrubs, you will need to prune them back at some point.
Plants Need To Breathe
Pruning is similar to trimming but has a higher purpose than making your plants look tidy. Pruning serves a specific role, and there are particular ways to prune various plants to achieve the desired result.
When a shrub or bush becomes too thick to allow proper airflow between the branches or blocks out the sunlight to the middle and lower limbs and leaves, the plant can suffer. Dried inner leaves and small, weak branches with slow growth are typical.
Depending on the plant, mould can begin to form on those inner branches and hidden leaves lying in the darkness. Rose bushes are a good example. They need sunlight and proper airflow.
Landscapers usually recommend that you prune in the Spring or the Fall, but if the plants get bushy, you may need to do supplemental Summer pruning to keep them tidy.
Please keep a few tips in mind if you want to do the pruning yourself.
Two Pruning Techniques
Essentially, there are two pruning cuts, the heading cut and the thinning cut.
Heading Plants
Heading the bush or plant does just what the term implies. To Head a plant, you make selective cuts to the top of plants, which, in turn, stimulates plant growth closest to the wound but also keeps the plant uniform and controls the height.
Heading Plants Provides A Neat Surface
You can make random cuts to stimulate top growth using traditional hedge clippers. When used discriminately, thinning cuts reduce the density of the shrub by removing the branches at their point of attachment but do not stimulate new growth.
Pruning And Cutting Correctly
For heading cuts, prune about a ¼ inch directly above the bud at a slight angle. Avoid cutting too close to the bud or at a steep slope, or the bud may die. Again, a slight angle is perfect.
When cutting above a branch containing 2 or 3 nodes, remove the inner facing buds leaving only one.Be sure to remove any dead, diseased and broken branches.
Thinning Diseased Branches
Thinning diseased branches requires that you cut into the healthy wood a reasonable distance below the infected area.
If you can do your pruning and trimming, that can be very satisfying.There are few things more rewarding regarding lawn and gardening maintenance than cleaning up your shrubs and bushes while working outside in the warm sunshine.
However, if cutting, trimming, thinning, and pruning are something other than what you want to do yourself but want your bushes, shrubs and plants to look and feel good, you’d better call in a professional.
At Rock Bottom Landscaping, we are the consummate professionals in all phases of landscaping and lawn maintenance and can handle all your lawn care needs.
There are few things more rewarding regarding lawn and gardening maintenance than cleaning up your shrubs and bushes while working outside in the warm sunshine.
However, if cutting, trimming, thinning, and pruning are something other than what you want to do yourself but want your bushes, shrubs and plants to look and feel good, you’d better call in a professional.
At Rock Bottom Landscaping, we are the consummate professionals in all phases of landscaping and lawn maintenance and can handle all your lawn care needs.
Rocks are attractive in landscaping features because they are low maintenance and look great when placed where grass and other plants won’t grow. Landscaping has many uses for rocks. And the choice is extensive:
Decorative Rocks
Decorative landscape rocks can be used for walkways, edging, covering perennial flower beds, and complementing the prominent landscaping features with which you work.
A few popular types of decorative rocks include:
Limestone
Pea Gravel
Rainbow Rock
Large Feature Landscape Rocks and Boulders
More significant landscaping projects can use larger rocks, like waterfalls and other water features. A few options that are available when it comes to larger rocks and boulders include:
Granite
Limestone
Quartz
Large rocks and granite balls with pre-drilled holes for water fountains
Flagstone and Rock Steps
Flagstone is a natural rock that comes in different colours. These rocks are generally flat and more significant than decorative rocks. Rock walls, paths, and patios frequently use flagstone. Some options that shoppers have when it comes to flagstone are:
Flagstone cut into tile
Natural, uncut flagstone
Thick or thin flagstone
Finding the rocks for your landscaping project can be hard when so much variety is available. What type of rock will be best for your purpose? What about shipping and moving around big rocks and boulders?
Rock Bottom Calgary is here to help you sort out all your landscaping needs.
Check out our pages to see our team’s experience building landscaping features with rocks of all shapes and sizes.
Visit Rock Bottom Calgary’s Book Consultation page for a free on-site estimate!
Front yard landscaping is crucial because it’s the first thing people see when they visit your home or pass by. Your goal is to make the space look great, but a small area may make this problematic.
You also want to ensure that your landscaping design will not be too expensive to maintain or start to look bad over time.
Decorative Front Yard Landscaping Rocks
Here are three excellent front yard landscaping ideas that will look great and last:
Minimalist Water Feature
Most people don’t think they have room, but installing a small fountain or water feature in your front yard can look great and create a calming vibe to greet your guest.
Fountains are great for shady areas where plants don’t grow very well. Surround your water feature with carefully chosen rocks and plants to complete the look.
Boxwood Edged Path
Front paths create great landscaping projects because they allow homeowners to design their front lawn how they want, and the approach encourages people to stay off the grass or other landscaping features.
Boxwood shrubs make elegant evergreen borders that are low maintenance but need sun, water, and mulching to grow well.
Elevated Rock Steps
Another stunning front yard design idea is to plant garden beds on either side with elevated rock steps going to your front door.
Stone slabs are an attention-grabbing, long-lasting option that offers a range of colours and sizes. They are great for homeowners looking for a more natural aesthetic in their front yard landscaping.
Visit Rock Bottom Calgary’s Book Consultation page for a free on-site estimate!
Enter a world of paradise by installing attractive and wonderful outdoor water fountains in your garden, backyard, or outdoor living spaces. Outdoor water features genuinely capture the beauty of artistic structures, and they convert your uninteresting yard into a lively and charming location.
Water Features like this waterfall, enhance your yard
Many clients want to know where to begin when remodelling an outdoor space; water features are an excellent place to start. Below you will find more information to help you plan your ideal outdoor space water feature.
Outdoor Water Features
Many people consider installing water features in their outdoor spaces. Fountains offer vibrant designs and sturdy structures that can take your outdoor space to the next level. Choosing the perfect fountain is the key to defining your outdoor area. When searching for fountain options, you will see that primarily tiered designs are preferred because three-dimensional structures create a more even perspective from all angles. Consider the following questions when selecting the perfect fountain for your outdoor space:
What is the style of your outdoor space?
Will the fountain be an accent or a focal point?
Where do you have the most outdoor electrical options?
How much maintenance will the fountain you choose require?
Waterfall Fountains vs. Waterfall Streams
It would be best to consider a compact waterfall fountain when you have a smaller outdoor space. These fountains are perfect for any porch, balcony, or other small outdoor areas. Other than a pump, they are relatively maintenance-free. They are also less expensive than more extensive options because they don’t use much power daily.
A waterfall stream could be the perfect choice for you if you have a larger space. Some properties even have natural slopes with angles that will naturally move water. You can even have a waterfall that flows into a small stream and a pond.
Waterfall fountains and streams are very different from the ordinary fountains available on the market. They have a vast structure; usually, a small pond is attached to the fountain so the cascading water can fall into the pond.
Creating a picturesque outdoor space is not easy; you must put in a lot of hard work and effort. That’s why there are professionals.
Cleaning gutters is a dirty, disgusting task that no one enjoys doing. However, it is necessary for the health of your home. You may not realize it, but failing to keep your gutters clear and debris-free can create some problems. In this article, we’ve outlined what home damages occur from clogged gutters.
Foundation Damage & Basement Flooding
As water pools over the side of your gutters and onto the ground below, it can seep into your home’s foundation. If left neglected, cracks can begin to form. These cracks can become severe and cost homeowners thousands of dollars in damage.
In addition to foundation damage, your basement can begin to flood as water accumulates around the base of your home.
Landscape Erosion
With no place to go, water will spill over the side of your gutters and can ruin your shrubs, flowers, and landscaping.
Soffit and Fascia Damage
Water will not only accumulate on the ground beneath the gutters, but it will also back up onto the roof. The water that accumulates onto the top can deteriorate the soffit and fascia. In addition, the water, with the combined weight of the clogged gutter, can cause it can begin to pull away from the home and fall to the ground.
Mould
You may not realize it, but gutters are your home’s first line of defence against mould. However, when your gutters become clogged, water can seep into the interior areas of your home. This water damage can cause harmful mould, putting your family at serious risk.
How to Prevent These Home Damages
Fortunately, you can avoid serious and costly home repairs by regularly cleaning your gutters. Whether hiring a handyperson to do it for you or attempting the chore, paying attention to your gutters is essential to keep your home safe.
Protecting your home from water seepage is essential. Landscape erosion around a home’s foundation can be an annoying issue for homeowners. Heavy rain can cause your landscaping efforts to be swept away. As spring nears and the heavy rain is upon us, protecting your home from the heavy rain is essential. Here are three ways to protect your garden and home from heavy rain.
Protecting Your Home – Redirect Water
You may not realize it, but your gutters play an essential role in protecting your home from rainwater. Gutters direct water away from your home so that it doesn’t sit around your foundation and cause issues.
For these reasons, keeping your gutters clear and debris free is essential by keeping up to date with regular gutter maintenance.
Erosion Control
One of the easiest ways to control erosion around a foundation is by using decorative measures that serve a dual purpose. First, you can plant grass or another low-to-the-ground cover to keep the soil where you want it. Other options include timbers, concrete pavers, liners, rocks and gravel. These materials are aesthetically pleasing and prevent erosion around your home’s foundation.
The experts at Rock Bottom in Calgary will be able to answer any additional questions you have about landscape erosion. Contact them today for a free consultation!
