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[Y78]Your Home And Garden

by Mike Selvon, Mik

If you would like to upgrade and improve the landscaping that encompasses your home and garden areas but are struggling to know how and where to get started with such a project, then there are many different places that you can look to for great ideas. You might get inspired just by driving through a favorite neighborhood and seeing a landscape design that really "speaks to you." You could stop and take a picture or even see if the owner is home and ask about how they were able to create such beauty.

You can also get many ideas from the numerous books and magazines that are published on the topic of landscapes and design. And, these days there are many resources available online for designing and embellishing the landscape around your home. Many of these websites even offer sample landscape design plans, pictures of various ideas, tips from the experts for do-it-yourselfers, and contact information for professional landscape designers in your area.

Two of the most common elements that are utilized as centerpieces for landscaping design plans are patios and decks. These outdoor structures are popular because they provide a structure and they add considerable function to the home, while increasing the outdoor living area.

Patios and decks give you a wonderful place to host family gatherings and other types of entertainment. At the same time, a small patio can be added to a special garden area to create a place to get away to relax and be refreshed by the beauty of the natural surroundings. Adding decks and patios, or making improvements to existing ones, is also a great way to add value to your home and increase your equity.

More and more often, fountains are becoming features of home and garden landscaping. There are the traditional, multi-tiered fountains that are reminiscent of country estates and European villas and which can bring old world charm to your surroundings.

There are also the more modern fountains that utilize unique rocks and stones or huge ceramic pots which are becoming very popular in some types of landscape architecture. Of course there are many other beautiful and creative styles available to meet any taste and style.

Rock gardens are becoming quite popular as well. These have the benefit of being very attractive, but they generally incorporate very few, if any, plants. This makes them very low maintenance as they require either no watering, or very little, virtually no weeding, and in general need almost no attention, except to sit back and admire how your rock garden adds to your overall landscape design.

Emulating an English cottage garden is another popular inspiration for many home and garden settings. Such gardens are particularly noted for their overall lack of a formal plan.

There is very little rigidity in design with English cottage gardens because the whole concept behind them is to let the plants "just grow" and develop in a more natural, or organic, way. These gardens have a certain special charm to them and often make people feel more relaxed and embraced by nature.

Lush green lawns are probably the most common and largest element of the majority of landscaping design plans. A beautiful lawn is popular because it gives the homeowners a place where the family can enjoy many different activities. Lawns are also one of the easiest of landscape elements to take care of and they stay beautiful for many years with simple maintenance routines.

No one wants to spend a breezy summer day in a hospital emergency room. But, according to a variety of sources, there is an estimated 230,000 people treated in American and Canadian emergency rooms each year for injuries they sustained from lawn and garden tools. Around 80,000 Americans are injured by lawn mowers each year according to one study done by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Who is getting injured most often? According to the researchers, children under 15 and adults age 60 or older. So, why aren't we ?protecting our piggies? today? Safety boots are expensive. They can't easily be shared among users. They aren't ?user friendly?. What else is there?

One of the most effective safety products, safetytoes, could easily reduce the damage done to feet and toes. Unfortunately, and quite obviously, today safetytoes are missing in action on the home front. And yet, the rubber galosh was once a common piece of attire in North American homes. This was especially true in wet or snowy climates. Back then we were concerned only about protecting our shoes from rain, snow and salt.

Well, the old-fashioned rubber galosh has evolved into what could once again be commonplace in every home. Using modern materials and technology, it has a steel toecap and some other features of interest to anybody active around the home. From gardeners, whose motto should be "don't mow without your toes", to DIY enthusiasts, safetytoes are now an affordable option.

Here's why you might want to check out these new products;

1 your toes are invaluable - worth way more than any shoe
2 they comply with OSHA and CE standards for the workplace
3 the steel toecap is the same as used in industrial safety footwear
4 they are stylish and easy to slip on over your favourite gardening shoes
5 the galosh is made of a sturdy rubber-based material
6 the unique design permits the addition of a steel sole inlay giving nail penetration protection
7 safetytoes cost a lot less than safety boots

While many useful ?safety@home? locations on the internet stress the need to dress appropriately - wear sturdy slip resistant rubber soles, safety glasses, gloves and other good advice - none recommend safetytoes. Probably, because of a lack of awareness for the simple and inexpensive solution already used extensively in industry.

Maybe things are about to change for the better? Remember, "Don't mow without your toes"!

Article Source : Do It Yourself Landscaping

About Author

Both Mike Selvon & Mister Safetytoes are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Mike Selvon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Camping, Allergies and Personal Desktop. Mike Selvon's portal will expand your knowledge on innovative ideas. Visit us and leave a comment at our. Mike Selvon's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.

Mister Safetytoes has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Family Concerns and Gardening. Patrick Smyth, aka ?Mister Safetytoes?, is on a mission to take his unique ?Slipp-R? safetytoes into homes around the world. You can see more at and his. Mister Safetytoes's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.