Vine intrusion

QuestionHey Sean, I checked out the preformed retainer wall cement blocks at Home Depot. Good news! Only $1.54 each! Are these blocks suppose to be laid directly on the dirt, or do i have to lay some g

cutting back ivy on a steep hillside

QuestionCan ivy be cut back to the ground on a steep hillside? Our ivy has lots of woody stems adn brown leaves. We want it to grow nicely in the spring. Can the ivy be cut to the ground?Will the roots p

Weed retardant material

QuestionHi William, My backyard is down to dirt....and the rainy season is right around the corner (California). I need to find a way to prevent weeds from growing over the winter. I found this weed ret

underside of patio

QuestionI have a front porch that is tile covered. For some reason, the front face was not finished with tile, and there is open space under the porch ( there is not cement that extends entirely to the ground ). Not

remove dead tree

QuestionThank you! Any suggestion regarding how can I do for resistant to fungus disease before I plant a tree? Thanks. ------------------------------------------- The text above is a follow-up to ... -----Questio

to paint or not to paint

QuestionAre pergolas within a japanse garden usually painted or left natural wood? If painted, what colors are common? AnswerThank you for your e-mail. I have built several of them and always left the wood unfinis

tall fast growing shrub or tree

QuestionHi Laura We live in the UK (Band 8) and want to grow a shrub or tree as quickly as possible to shield us from our neighbours. Can you suggest something that will grow to about 12 feet very quickly but

How do you grow a sweet gum

QuestionHi i would like to grow a sweet gum tree from a seed and i was wondering if you could tell me exactly how? AnswerHi there! You should harvest the seeds as soon as they mature in the fall. As you probably k

cherry blosom

Questionwhen should you plant a cherry blosom tree AnswerPeter, I say fall is the best time to plant any tree,shrub or perennial plant.But you can plant a Cherry tree any time of year except I DO NOT recommend plan

exterior tiles of a porch

QuestionHi, perhaps you could answer my question. Im going to install some outside ceramic type tile. what I wanted to know is what is a good spacing between tiles. some friends of mine had told me 1/8 and 1/4. so p

concrete driveway - split design

Questionwe are interested in building a driveway using two concrete runners for the vehicle wheels and leaving the grass in the middle. what is this style called and how can we find more information and pictures? A

walls and drainage issues

QuestionHi Sean, I put some weed retardant material down on the side of the house between the house and the sidewalk. I noticed that its filled up with water after the rain. The water doesnt go through the we

Foundation trees/shrubs

QuestionWe live in Nashville, Tennessee (zone 7? zone 8? weve seen both!) We have bare areas at the front corners of our house, and we would like to plant evergreen trees. We like unusual plants and trees, not boxy

sidewalk

QuestionI currently have a concrete L-shaped sidewalk running from the driveway to the house entrance. I would love to make this more interesting by making it a curved walkway. I have seen walkways that

flagstone pavers

QuestionI have a concrete patio about 12 Ft X 32 ft I want to know if I can cover the existing concrete pad with flagstone rock ? I so what materials and adhesives are required Thank you Bill AnswerThe simple answe

boxwoods look terrible after i trimmed!!!

QuestionI have aabout 12 boxwoods planted this summer i tried to trim them up for fall and now they look short brown and awful what have i done?will they come back? AnswerThank you for your e-mail. Dont worry about

Overwhelming project

QuestionI am planning on landscaping my entire front yard, and would like to do the popular figure 8 grass design with desert surrounding it, but I also need to have a sprinkler system put in. I would like to

fungus

QuestionOur yard has several oak tress. Each year, when the leaves begin to fall, we have a major fungus problem. Suggestions? AnswerThank you for your e-mail. There are several different reasons for th

fence too high for pool code?

QuestionHello We are having a fence installed around our new pool. Because of the slope of the land, the fencing contractors put the fence in so that it goes straight across the top, but at the bottom in some areas

mortar joints in flagstone walkway

QuestionIn July of this year, we as desgner/gen hardscape contractor, had a flagstone walkway installed in colored mortar on a year old concrete walkway done by the builder. This walkway is about 60 ft. longan