liner for rock

QuestionHi Mr Ray, When I bought my home it had Roses, Hedges, ect. planted against the house. Due to termite infestation I am now removing the plants and would like to rock. I have asphalt fiberglass shingles my so

Gardening during a drought

QuestionQUESTION: We have been experiencing severe drought seasons the last 2 years Ive lived in North Carolina. I purchsed a home last year and gave up on trying to do any lawn or garden care due to strict water co

removing sand from rocks

QuestionQUESTION: Recently the liner in our above-ground pool collapsed,water went between the sides of the pool and underneath.This caused all the sand from the bottom of the pool along with the water to flow into

backyard

QuestionI have a small backyard in NYC, for the last few years I simply covered the ground (earth) with wood chip however we have now two little dogs who love to dig into the garden and push all the wood chip to t

walkway materials

QuestionWe live in N. Virginia and want to have a 4 walkway installed to our front door that is stable for seniors to walk on, weed-resistant and environmentally friendly. Some firms want to use flagstone with

bamboo

QuestionAny advice for eradicating bamboo? We live in Northern Virginia and have an uncontrolled patch near our house. Weve cut it down to 4 (from about 30) and want a solution. Some landscapers sa

areca palms

QuestionQUESTION: I have planted 3 areca palms outside of a window to create a privacy/light filter.....can I control the height of them by trimming the tallest ones when they reach the height I want? Is thi

leaky waterhose connections

Question Why is it that almost ALL waterhose connections leak? They leak at the faucet, they leak where two hoses connect and they leak at the nozzle. Good grief, this is the year 2008. Can

Raising existing flower beds

QuestionIm interested in sprucing up my backyard. I currently have areas on each side of the yard for flowers and plants. Two different people have told me I need to raise my beds 4. Can I order th

MAJOR water retaining

QuestionI am ready to move back in with my mother. I purchased a house this winter and with snow melting and then spring came along with the rain I realized I have a serious problem with my neighbours on all 3 sides

Can you help me whit my lawn?

QuestionQUESTION: Ciao, Parli Italiano? I donot know if you can help whit a problem whit my lown. Were in Maryland and have about 3/4 acre lawn; last year we hired a lawn care company to help. The soil is not real

Hummingbird garden around pools

QuestionI resently installed a pool. I want to put a hummingbird garden right next to the pool. I live In Indiana. I have small children and i didnt know what to put in around the pool that the chl

concrete, dirt & weed barrier

QuestionWe have a rock area whose weed barrier failed, so while preparing it for new we discovered there is a blend of different levels of concrete and some dirt underneath. We have a plastic weed barrie

exterior front stairs

QuestionHelp I have two questions and I truly how you answer back. First Im having my in desperate needed L-shape concrete stairs replaced along with two banister. I have a small frame white house and would li

Brick laying

QuestionI currently have bricks layed very nicely on a layer of compacted sand ontop of a concrete patio by a previous owner. I have removed wood decking around the brick and would like to replace it with bric

Plants to grow on the western exposure to reduce cooling needs of my coastal Texas home.

QuestionWe live on a small lot south of Houston, Texas (USDA Zone 9a). The bedrooms on the western side of our home are difficult to keep cool in the summer, especially in the afternoon. We have a narrow

Sealing

QuestionHi, i have just had a patio laid with a natural stone. The landscaper used an acid wash to brinfg out the colour etc. Would you suggest sealing the patio as well? What benefits does this have? An

Garden Statue Placement

QuestionWe want to place an antique zinc garden statue (previously was a fountain, but the bottom/base has been filled with concrete) in a garden. Should we use granite dust or something to set the statue or

I need help selecting a tree

QuestionI have a raised deck, which looks onto our neighbors back yard, and live in a zone 3 climate. I want to put a tree in between my deck and my fence to get a bit of privacy. My main concern is the tree

Drainage question

QuestionHi Marc, Hope you can help me with a drainage question. My home site slopes from back to front. I am trying to install 2 NDS 12 catch basins one at the back corner of yard and one at back corner of