Where to find landscaping ideas?

[Kahana-ri]

Does anyone have helpful websites they frequent for garden/landscaping ideas? Its finally warm enough that I can begin to put in plants, shrubs and flowers for this season. I just feel like our backyard has so much potential, but I need ideas. I would love to be inspired by easy 'do it yourself tips.

 

[raammartin]

I really like Better Homes and Gardens for garden plans. They have a large free selection of plans.

 

[jonestavern]

It's not a website but..
I will go to Borders, Barnes & Noble or whatever & spend a good hour or so looking over all the books & magazines. If I find something that knocks me out, I hop up to that register. Unfortunately, I never can just stick to one book or periodical
I do the same for home dec & travel books
I also do this when I want to join a bookclub & need to decide between all those tasty 'free' selections

this is a site I find interesting
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/design/des_ins/

Jean

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

I am with raammartin. I love Better Homes and Gardens. I haven't done any yet but am hoping to try one or two this year.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I don't know too many websites, but my fave garden planning magazine is "Garden Gate". You can subscribe by going to www.gardengatemagazine.com . I like this one because it uses easy-to-find plants, and gives you easy schematics, and lots of friendly advice, and NO ADS!

 

[LAinSEA]

I like Better Homes and Gardens too, but HGTV has lots of befores and afters and streaming videos from their shows.

My absolute favorite places to get ideas are to go nursuries with display gardens or buy tickets to some of the garden tours put on by charities in my area. I also like to drive out to and walk in a charming neighborhood that has been around for 20-30 years or longer and see just what some of my plant selections will look like when they are mature. My own neighborhood is only 14 years old, and many of the builders put in "instant" landscaping at the time the homes were built. Now there are lots of trees that are too big and planted too close to their homes and rhodies which were planted in full sun to fill spaces, but are all scraggly from overexposure because these plants "looked good" at the time they were selling the houses. When you visit a well-established neighborhood, you can see just how big that magnolia is going to get or how much distance a wisteria vine can travel down a fenceline (and across a tree and over a roof and around a small child).

-Laurie

 

[PrincessMommyof2]

I agree with LAinSEA about local nurseries and tours, simply because although HGTV and Better Homes and Gardens have amazing layouts and ideas, local places will best show you what will survive at your home. Also, the local people can tell you what you need to make the plant survive, ex: what side of the house to plant a certain shrub on or if the plant needs a top sprayer in the morning during the hot summer months. Our local nursery workers aren't affraid to say they don't know about specialized plants (ones that I like from another area), but frequently ask me to report back so that they can spread the word.

 

[grlpwrd]

I like BHG and HGTV, too. There's also www.thathomesite.com with a gardening forum or directly at www.gardenweb.com .

GL!