Landscaping 101
- Fire Pits & Fireplaces
- Water Features & Fountains
- Retaining Walls
- Decking & Fences
- Irrigation
- Patios & Walkways
- Flower Beds
- Trees
- Drainage Solutions
- Landscape Lighting
- Grass & the Final Touches
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Fire Pits & Fireplaces
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Water Features & Fountains
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Retaining Walls
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Decking & Fences
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Irrigation
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Patios & Walkways
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Flower Beds
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Trees
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Drainage Solutions
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Landscape Lighting
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Grass & the Final Touches
Wood Burning Fire Pit
A basic wood burning fire pit is easily installed and pricing can be quite affordable. Design options are many, with brick being the most common choice. These fire pits can be installed in many different sizes depending on the desired heat requirements and space available. In some situations the fire pits can be sunken into a patio for a very contemporary look.
Wood burning fire pits also offer the most power full heat exchange, far greater than natural gas appliances. Some negatives about wood burning fire pits are the amount of effort required from the home owner to start the fire. They can not be installed in really close quarters of building structures.
Natural Gas Fire Pits & Other Heating Appliances
Natural gas fire pits are similar in design as wood burning fire pits. They are confined to the actual burning element on the interior of the structure. The selection of the heat ring is limited to a few available options on the market place.
A reasonable expectation is between 40000-60000 BTUs. The heat generated by theses units is quite modest and not to be compared to that of a wood burning fire place.
Obviously these units also require a dedicated natural gas outlet to operate. A permit and licensed gas fitter is required for the install. Cost can be sometimes high on this, depending on the existing landscaping and location of new appliance install.
Even with cost considered, natural gas fire pits are a very popular choice due to their ease of operation. Most home owners like the option of heat on demand with very little effort required. Also they offer a smoke-free heat which allows for sitting at close quarters to the fire pit. Design options are also endless.
Natural gas heat lamps and pre-constructed fire pits are also really popular. The vertical heat lamps that you see at many restaurants have become very popular for home patio environments. These units are quit affordable and can be moved with ease to accommodate your outdoor living space.
Recently portable fire pits have also come onto the market. Attributes are very similar to that of a vertical heat lamp. Very practical and cost effective. A nice combination has proved to be a wood burning fire pit with natural gas heat lamps available in the same living space to accommodate the best of both worlds.
Natural gas fireplaces like the one in your house are also available. Outdoor models can feature ventless operation for ease of install. Most of the features you would expect from an indoor fireplace are available outdoors as well. Design options are endless, and these units can be very customized according to your outdoor living space. Price points for these units can be quite high depending on options and fireplace surrounds. Outdoor fireplaces are unique and can be quite prominent for your outdoor living space.
Water features have become very popular in the last ten years. Sizes and budgets can range from small and tranquil, to large and powerful. Common materials used in these types of elements are natural stones.
The options are endless with water features. Large cascading water falls are best built into an existing grade on your yard site. Depending on size they can require yearly maintenance and are not always a practical application in your yard site. Water features also require winterization.
Fountains have also increased their presence on yard sites. They can be quite cost effective. In many situations they are a much better fit for the average consumer. In most cases fountains are available in a plug and play manner. They can easily be tweaked with the addition of external nozzles to offer a unique look.
If you have a look at your local garden center, you will notice that the availability of fountains and choices have greatly improved in recent times. The addition of lighting in any water feature can also offer a very dramatic look at nighttime.
Retaining walls are sometimes a must on many yard sites. They generally serve the purpose of retaining a high grade to allow for a more level yard. In some cases, you might have to have a retaining wall installed just to control a basic hillside or erosion of a neighboring structure.
The most common material used is precast blocking available from many suppliers. The cost and actual structural properties of these blocks have made them the best solution on many yard sites. Colors and styles vary from supplier to supplier, but the options are quite good.
Retaining walls should not only be considered for structural purposes. They can offer depth and great esthetics to any yard site. Multi level walling and stairs can be incorporated into any slope to offer practicality and looks.
Any retaining wall is confined to an allowable finished height of one meter above final grade. If your yard site requires a wall over these measurements, you will require an engineering plan and City of Calgary permit.
Natural stone border-type walls are also available. Materials can be hard to locate for this type of walling. The simple fact of working with a natural stone can be quite labor intensive and does require a large budget. Some people love the look of natural stone and view it as a must have in their yard site.
Traditional wood retaining walls are still available as well. They are only practical in some cases, and generally don’t offer the same long-term benefits as stone. Wood walls are subject to pushing out over the long term and, of course, wood decay is always a downside. However, in the right application and style of yard they can still be a good solution.
Decks are very common in most yard sites. They are generally installed at close quarters to your house and offer good value for entertaining and barbequing. Materials commonly used are pressure treated wood and cedar. Composite wood is also available for maintenance-free product.
With the addition of railings and steps, decks can be a great and practical option for any outdoor space. Decks above two feet in height from finished grade do require a building permit from the City of Calgary.
Fences are a basic requirement of any yard site. Materials used can be spruce grade wood, pressure treated, and cedar. Vinyl maintenance-free fencing is also an option.
Construction of a basic fence is pretty standard throughout the industry. Some developments now specify the style of fencing required. Chain link has seen a surge in popularity in such developments. Chain link lasts for a long time and is also the cheapest style to install. Custom stone and brick fences are also available, but that is something that is site specific and can be quite expensive. It is always a good idea to talk to your neighbors and try to commonly share the cost of fencing.
Depending on your yard site, many new and existing yards will require irrigation systems. Some new developments even have this as a bylaw for their community.
Irrigation is a very efficient way of watering your plant and grass material throughout your yard. The convenience of having a proper water system at your fingertips is very attractive for almost all of our customers. Over the long term it has been proven that a properly installed irrigation system will save you money versus watering by hand. Not to mention the amount of time that is required to service your plant material with watering by hand.
With the addition of a rain sensor and possibly low volume heads for plants, irrigation is extremely cost effective. A winterization schedule is required once a year for your system.
Concrete patios are an option for your outdoor space. People like the permanent application of concrete in their yard. Choices can vary from basic plain broom-finished concrete, to colored stamp and exposed aggregate. Walkways are also available in the same manner.
Another option is to have basic concrete placed, and have a design overlay installed overtop. The design features available in this application are limitless. The overlay can also be useful on existing concrete for a new look.
Brick patios (paving stones) have surpassed concrete in popularity. People seem to prefer the available design options. Brick styles and colors have really expanded in the last couple of years.
If installed properly, a brick patio will last indefinitely. With the addition of jointing sand, the final result of a brick patio can be superior. Walkways have all the same options as the patios.
Natural stone patios can be a good choice in the right yard space. They can offer the look of slate in your outdoor living space. Installation is quite intensive and a professional is definitely required. We prefer to install natural stone on a bed of concrete for a more permanent application.
The look of a formal stone patio if done correctly can be unbelievable. Stone selection is reasonable and some interesting product choices are available. Using a common stone throughout the yard can be a great design scheme.
Concrete vs. Brick Pavers
Both products offer their advantages. Concrete can be a little less maintenance in certain respects. It seems to always stay cleaner and has better weight load specifications. The negatives are that concrete will always crack. With the climate that we live in, expansion and contraction is certain, which will promote cracking at some point. Adding additional concrete work to existing concrete, it is difficult to match colors and identical patterns.
Brick pavers, if done correctly, can offer benefits that surpass concrete. Design features and choices are much greater than those available with concrete. With the addition of jointing sand and sealing, the final product of brick paving can be very good. Bricks are subject to frost heave and settling as well, but repairs can be made with ease. Pricing between the two different products is similar and bricks would offer a little better value, if you consider some of the design esthetics available.
The amount and type of flower beds on any yard site will depend on the customer’s feedback. Flower beds can be used for esthetics and also offer some more practical features such as screening. We generally plant hardy shrubs that are easy to maintain. We encourage our customers to have a proactive approach when we choose the plant material.
Brick planting beds are popular in almost all yard sites. Brick selection and color choices are good. Concrete curbing is also a good option for edging out your flower beds. The basic black plastic edging that you see at every do-i-yourself center is still used quite often. A better grade of plastic edging is available through our suppliers which we use. Although the plastic edging may look cheap, when it is installed properly you can barely see it. Due to the low expense of this product it is sometimes a good option for large yards.
Almost all of our yard sites feature weed prevention fabric finished with a decorative aggregate installed in the flower beds. This helps with moisture retention, weed prevention, and with the choice of decorative rock, the final product can be esthetically pleasing. Irrigation is always recommended in all flower beds.
Trees offer many benefits to a yard site. Trees are commonly used for privacy and screening. Some developments will specify a minimum amount of trees required to fulfill the community’s landscape requirements.
Some things to consider are whether you want ornamental trees (deciduous) or evergreens (coniferous). Most commonly, a combination of both are used throughout a typical yard site. Large size trees are available for a mature looking yard. Irrigation is always recommended to support new growth.
Probably the most overlooked aspect of a yard site is drainage concerns. Without proper yard site drainage you can be asking for headaches down the road. After rain and heavy snowfall, the water needs somewhere to go. Especially on large houses the amount of water issued by the roof line spilling onto the yard site can be overwhelming.
Water expelling from the downspouts can lead to wash out or serious erosion. Some houses need to have underground pipes installed to carry the water load to a more drainage friendly area.
Good general above ground drainage is always the best solution for a yard site, but is not always achievable. Each yard site offers different concerns, and a proper evaluation needs to be considered when designing your yard.
A great addition to a new or established yard is low-voltage lighting. On a practical note, good general lighting may be required just to get to your doorstep. Lights marking the perimeter of your driveway can be essential with heavy snowfall.
Beyond the practical aspects, outdoor lighting creates a very unique mood for your yard. Please visit our Outdoor Lighting section for more details.
The grass will be the final aspect of your yard site. Even though people are starting to move towards a maintenance-free yard site, grass is still a popular and practical choice.
If proper install practices are used, you can have rich, healthy, and bright green grass quite easily. The best way to achieve this is with a good quality sod. Seeding is only recommended in certain applications such as acreage jobs around the perimeter of the main yard site. Newly installed sod will require a lot of water for the first few weeks, and irrigation is always recommended.