If you are fortunate enough to have a sizeable garden or yard, you may like to consider planting some attractive berry-bearing plants such as Blue Elderberry, Hollyleaf Cherry or Toyon, providing energy-rich food for hungry birds. The flowers of the California Buckeye are legendary among west coast wildlife gardeners for their appeal to butterflies, especially those magnificent orange and black Monarchs.

It is often the case when you buy a new home that the yard is far from what you would consider ideal to the requirements your family has. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are planning what sort of landscaping to do for your new yard, beyond what everyone else has on your block though.

While big lawns may appeal to the nostalgia many of us feel for the grassy landscapes of our youth, it is a fact that many types of lawn grass are very water intensive, particularly when planted in dry environments that require homeowners to supplement natural moisture with regular watering. In many of these kinds of environments, a much more logical option is xeriscaping.

Installing brick pavers for your sidewalk or the entire driveway will instantly increase your home's curb appeal, and make buyers add your home to their favorites list on a real estate tour.

If you’re looking for a place to settle where organic farming and gardening reign supreme, why not consider a Santa Cruz, California home? This smaller city is where the headquarters for California Certified Organic Farmers is located. With a USDA hardiness index of 9a-10a, gardeners have many plants to choose from when designing their gardens. Santa Cruz is just under 80 miles away from San Francisco.

You need to start with good soil, sunlight and water. If you're container gardening, you'll likely be getting all your soil from the local nursery. If you've got a small plot of land, however, you may find that a generous mixture of high-quality soil will help your plants get the start they need.

There are other endemic plants of Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz wallflower, Santa Cruz monkeyflower, Ben Lomond spineflower and Ben Lomond buckwheat are all native to the sandhills of the region. Note: don’t go picking these up from the local hills! They should stay where they are. Rather, contact local nurseries, such as Central Coast Wilds (centralcoastwilds.com) which specialize in native plantlife.

Homeowners spend a lot of money on attractive shrubs to enhance their landscaping. They plant them, add fertilizer and water, but how many take the time to protect their green investments over winter?

Once you've selected the general area, get out your sketch book and start brainstorming attractive designs for its overall shape. Try and make it flow with what is there, perhaps connecting part of your seating area with an existing flowerbed. You'll need to design a path leading to your new patio - make it curved, and have it connect to existing paths wherever possible.

Your display house can be an efficient place. There are a lot of things you can do with the extra space you have. If your house has an outdoor space, then you have a lot of options to consider.